1. Stand out from the crowd

I speak to a variety of people who have businesses or want to start up and whenever i ask them ‘What’s your USP?’ they look blankly at me. Chances are whatever niche you are selling in there will already be a big player already there. Whether it’s Amazon, ASOS or Dabs you need to make sure you can offer an alternative to them. People like to buy from names they trust online, such as online equivalents of high street stores (eg. Argos, Next and Tesco). So if you want to compete with these names, you better have something special. So what is it?

2. What is your website about?

So many people think setting up in ecommerce is just have a website with a shopping cart and the sales roll in. It’s almost definitely not that easy. Be creative, have a website which is different to that of your competitors. Set up a webpage which shows your products in a novel, exciting way, or help visitors find what they’re looking for using new technology. Comparison sites work well because they help people filter based on things important to them, and social buying sites such as Groupon and KGBdeals use their websites to sell in a completely different way.

3. Do you need to sell online?

Having an online business doesn’t mean just selling things over the internet. It also means giving customers the information they want about your business online. These days you can use the internet to check stock, track deliveries, read reviews, share tips and so much more. Give your customers the information they want and they could use your website for a lot more than just browsing a catalogue of products.

4. Think about the whole process

In order to start selling online, whether it’s on eBay, Amazon or your own store you need to have a good idea of your order process from start to finish. This means whereas in your high street store (if you have one) customers will pick goods and bring them to your counter, online it’s a different process. Where are your goods stored? Who will view online orders and how often? What about posting items out? Who will deal with complaints and returns? And don’t forget you’ll need to update your website with new stock and offers. Think about these things beforehand and it’ll save a lot of time in the long run.

5. Can you afford it?

The time and effort required to maintain an online store can be significant, especially if you have lots of products. Just as with any service, you get what you pay for and cutting corners to save pennies could end up costing you pounds. Of course we all want to save money, but if don’t have the budget then look at other ways of promoting your goods online (as discussed in previous points). I am quite surprised when some clients want all singing all dancing sites but then complain they don’t have the money to afford them – in that case you need to ask yourself: is it right for you?

6. Get a good team

You can sell things online as a one person outfit but it will be quite difficult and you certainly can’t do it all yourself. As well as webdesign you may also need the services of a photographer, models, graphics designers, and admin staff. If you decide to promote your website then you may require the services of a sales leads or Google Adwords company. Having a good team of professionals around will make sure you get good advice, waste less and get more productivity for your pounds.

7. Use eBay

I think if you are going to sell something then as well as having your own website you should use eBay. The eBay selling platform is a ready made marketplace for you and it’s a great place to test your product, titles, descriptions, images, competition, pricing and so on. If people don’t buy your lovely cheap designer clothes from eBay then chances are they won’t either on your shiny new website which they’ve never heard of before.

Work with StudioRav

If you have a successful product which you would like to sell or promote online then get in touch or call 07807 997 010 immediately and we can discuss the best way to get it out there. As already mentioned you can be more creative than just a basic ecommerce store and it’s not even just about integrating your website with social websites. In this day and age where almost every retailer has an online store you want to be different and creative, delivering content to your customers (be it via a laptop, smartphone or tablet) that will get them interested in your product!

Step 1 – Install the Backup WordPress plugin

This plugin makes it very easy to backup your WordPress files and your database into one zip file. Either use the WordPress plugins page from within your WordPress admin screen or visit the Backup WordPress page. Once the plugin is installed – remember to activate it from the plugins menu.

Step 2 – Backup your WordPress files and database

Now the plugin is installed and activated you can use it. You will find it under the tools menu in your admin screen.

All you have to do is find the latest backup of your installation and download the zip file.

Step 3 – Upload your files to your new hosting account

I find the easiest way to upload your new WordPress installation is using FTP. Simply unzip your backup from step 2 to your computer, and then upload everything within WordPress files to the root of your hosting server.

Step 4 – Upload your new database

Log in to your hosting account online and then create your new database (you could use the same name and password as you had for your previous WordPress installation if you want).

Then head over to phpMyAdmin, which should be available in your hosting account. Select your database and then click on the import tab. Now it’s as easy as picking your file – which will be the wordpress.sql file from the backup zip file on your computer, and uploading it.

This will now fill your database with all the information you had from your old installation database.

Step 5 – Fix your wpconfig.php file

If you have created a new database with a different name and password to your old installation then remember to update the wpconfig.php file on your new installation.

Step 6 – Install the SearchandReplace plugin and update the links

Use the SearchandReplace plugin to search for instances of your old domain name and replace it with your new domain name. Choose the option to look through all tables and fields and this should update your posts, images and other links.

Step 6 – Forward to your new website

Finally, remember to set up a redirect so that people who visit your old website will automatically be sent to your new site address.

The simplest way of doing this is by setting up domain forwarding from your old domain to your new one. If you can’t find this or have trouble with this just ask your domain name registrar to set this up for you.

Handy links
If you get stuck or want to look around then 2 links I found very helpful on this topic are Yoasts Moving a WordPress blog in 10 steps, and How to move a WordPress blog or website.

I see now that many of my webdesign clients ask for social media integration – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube being the main ones. Whilst this is good thinking, and a sign of the times, it’s often not fully supported by any idea of what this actually means. To help out, here are a few ideas on ways you can use Twitter to help your business:

Competitions/special offers/discounts

Discounts and special offers are always good ways of attracting peoples attention. In this day and age everyone is looking for a bargain. With Twitter, you can send out a quick link to a promotional page on your website or mention a discount code for all your visitors to use. If you do this regularly – say once a month, people will clock on and be more inclined to follow you on Twitter which further increases your customer base. If you’re posting details about competitions on your Twitter feed, you can also use it to tell people who’s won, who the runners up were, and share all kinds of competition-related info.

Customer services

One of the best ways I’ve seen Twitter used recently is as a customer services tool. So rather than people emailing or you having to use special complaints handling tools – why not use Twitter to spread news about network outages, product issues, where your drivers are or anything related to your business. Of course it’s not perfect, maybe you don’t want all your business problems shared with everyone, but it’s free, easy and you can instantly update all your clients with info about what you’re working on.

Customers appreciate a quick response to the their troubles alot more than if you simply don’t respond and ignore them. Having said that, you don’t have to deal with individual requests on Twitter, you could use it to share information which could affect the majority of your customers, such as a particular product no longer available in your store.

Speak directly with your customers

Imagine having a chatroom where everyone is one of your customers or fans? That’s what Twitter lets you do! And everyone is constantly logged into this room at all times so regardless of the time or day you can send them all a message. This means you have unprecedented access to your customers like never before. So why not ask them, what they think about your website? What makes them tick? What are their interests? What would make them use your shop or business again in the future? Establishing an online relationship and building rapport is one of the best ways to keep customers coming back to you. It’s quite nice if you are owner of a shop or business to finally meet someone in person who originally made contact via Twitter or your website.

Updates on your website

A common way Twitter is used these days is to let your followers know when new posts and updates are added to your website. This is commonly achieved by the use of plugins which make it so easy to add posts to Twitter with the subject and description of your latest article. This is a good way to help keep people in the loop when you post something interesting to read or relevant to them, and it’s also a good way to help spread the name of your business. By tweeting and re-tweeting, you would hope that more people see your website and over time more visitors becomes more customers.

Follow your suppliers

One thing many people forget about Twitter is you can use it as a customer too. Whatever business you’re in, chances are one of your suppliers will have a Twitter feed of their own. So just going back over the previous points in this post, you can benefit from these too! Following your suppliers can help you pick up daily deals and promotions which you otherwise might have missed. You can also use Twitter to send messages direct to your suppliers, and it’s a lot quicker than writing out an email or filling out a form. And as already messaged, it’s a good way to build an online relationship without a lot of effort really, just as simple as sending an SMS!

See what your competition is up to

Another smart way to use Twitter is to follow your competition. Whatever line of work you are in, chances are other businesses in that field use Twitter. So it’s good idea to learn how they use it, what they write about, what their business is up to, and learn a lot, lot more. You could even look at who they follow to better understand how they work. In today’s competitive market place, it’s vital you do as much as you can to make your business stand out from the rest.

A few notes

• To really make the best from Twitter, you need to use it regularly. Set some time aside every week or month to post to it and you should expect to see more people following you over time.
• Remember to check your feed too and read what others are doing regularly. If you have a smartphone or tablet it’s really easy to read, open and write Twitter messages wherever you are.
• Work out a strategy and stick to it. If you want to use Twitter for customer services and daily deals and to share news then maybe you’d be better off having more than one account? It takes more time to manage but at least each feed has its own particular use.
• Don’t expect instant results. People always things straight away these days. It doesn’t work that way. Take your time, do things properly and you will see the rewards filter through.

• eCommerce sites
• Blogs
• Sites requiring user registration
• Websites you can update yourself

These types of website are all highly popular and depending on your business they can help to boost your sales, online reach and popularity. What these websites have in common is they are dynamic.

What is a dynamic website?

Static websites are made up of HTML pages. These are fine if you have a small site, eg. 4 pages: you can make 4 HTML pages and link them to each other. However, if you want a site which you can add to over time, or features a large range of posts/products then you’re much better off going for a dynamic website.

In very basic terms, dynamic websites store your pages in a database and then pull data from there and show it up using your website template. Using this method you can store your pages in the database (as well as other information) and then retrieve it at will. Combine this with a scripting language such as PHP and you can perform complex queries and searches to show any number of records, in any order and so on.

However, in order to be able to do all this you need to use a tool to work with the database. One of those tools is a Content Management System [CMS]. CMS’s allow the common user to add, delete, edit records in a database without digging into the database itself. Going a step further, CMS’s provide extra tools to manage a whole website and with plugins and add-ons they can vastly improve user experience and website functionality.

What Content Management Systems are out there?

There are countless CMS’s used on the internet, roughly falling into 3 categories:

• Commercial CMS’s require the client to purchase them as they would any piece of software.
• Open Source CMS’s are freely available and often have large communities of developers and designers of varying quality working on them.
• Bespoke CMS’s are custom made applications for a specific website or online app.

Here’s a list of popular Content Management Systems.

There is a debate as to which CMS is ‘best’ but just like with anything it all depends on personal preference and the specifications of the job. A tool used for a complex, highly interactive website may not necessarily be the best tool for a cut-down, minimal website with a blog. However, for the majority of StudioRav customers I recommend WordPress.

Why use WordPress?

Wordpress is certainly one of the most popular CMS’s used online today. As a tool to design websites it meets many of the requirements for me:

• It’s free, and open-source so you don’t have any costs related to it’s upkeep and maintenance.
• It’s easy to use for beginners.
• It has a wide range of addons available ranging from Google Adsense to Newsletters to social media integration and so much more.
• There is a lot of support out there if you get into technical problems.
• It’s very easy to make a nice looking website in WordPress.

For many of my clients the above reasons are good reasons why I recommend they use WordPress for their dynamic websites.

Why you should choose WordPress for your site

Choosing a WordPress-based website will give you a platform to be able to update your website yourself. You can also have various types of pages relating to a gallery or portfolio, or a news or blog page, or highly interactive contact or quote form. It’s very easy to set up new pages and also very easy to integrate Facebook, Twitter and Google+ into your site. If you want to change the look of your website too, WordPress has countless themes and updates available, all which are very easy to activate. A WordPress-based website is also very stable and as ever StudioRav provide Free after-sales support so if you get into any technical issues I am there to help.

Phone or email me and I’ll be happy to discuss your website requirements in more detail and help you decide if WordPress is right for your website.

So if you are a budding entrepreneur and want to create your own online network or maybe just your own business website or application what can you learn from Facebooks success? This article from the BBC technology site gives a few insights.

Start small

Facebook originally started off as just being available to people linked to Harvard and belonging to work or educational networks. By confining itself to a small community of people Facebook was able to concentrate on what they needed without having to cater to a hundred different (maybe conflicting) interests. Focusing on one niche or segment is always good because it helps you to identify your market and their needs.

Keep things simple

I’ve read many articles online which have claimed how there have been many social networks with much more advanced features when compared to Facebook. Some, such as MySpace, offered more flexibility, others had features which are relatively new to Facebook. But the benefit of keeping things simple is you only have what users will actually use. All the frills and ribbons are nice, but do they really add value for all your customers? If you’re just starting out, focusing on what really matters is a very good way of saving time, money and improving productivity. [For more on this check out this brilliant read 'Getting Real' from the guys at 37 Signals.]

Make it easy

For Facebook, sharing is made easy, and that’s what [it's claimed] keeps people coming back: being able to shares news, images, videos, stories etc. What you need to do is focus on what your customers will be looking for when they come to your site or application and make it easy for them to be able to do just that. Once again, going back to the point above about keeping things simple, don’t overdo it – just make it easy.

Always improve your product

Facebook has constantly innovated and updated its service since launch and this is actually something which you’ll find with many online applications. When you’re starting out and especially if you’re a one-man show it’s hard to constantly innovate your product as you need time to do the other stuff (promote, sell, customer service etc). But having an idea of when to improve your product and take it to the next step is the first step in providing an innovative service or product.

Work hard and the rest is up to luck

A bit like the meaning of Nintendo, Facebook, like all other behemoths are as much the product of luck as they are of hard work and creativity. For your own work, it’s always worth noting that you will have to work hard to make it a success but good planning will always help you stay on the right track.

Are you really cheaper than the rest?

This can only be proved by you comparing my quote with other like-for-like quotes from web design companies in Birmingham. But what I do know is many companies charge very high prices to clients who simply don’t know better. I have very low overheads, I provide a flexible service and I work with clients who don’t necessarily need the most high-tech websites but just ones that work and do the job for them. If you fit into that category then get in touch and you will see for yourself just how much StudioRav can save you on your website.

Does cheap mean lower quality?

Not at all: it means affordable. I price my work at prices which fall within your budget and so I won’t try to offer you a service costing thousands if all you have is a few hundred pounds. I always make sure to do a good job on all of my websites regardless of how much I get paid and you can view my website design portfolio to see my work and read testimonials.

What if I don’t have much money

If you don’t have much money I offer fully flexible payment terms which suit you. This could be a certain percentage fee upfront or instalments or whatever we both feel comfortable with. As I say, it’s a StudioRav mission to get as many local businesses online and help boost the British economy and High street. If you have any ideas or thoughts then I’d love to hear more from you!

A few of the new improvements:

• Fully sortable portfolio.
• More visually appealing design.
• Better support for custom pages.

The aim of the new site is to:

• Have better quality content related to business and web development.
• Make it easier for clients to view past work and to get in touch with me through a more concise contact form.
• Update the site more frequently.

There’s still quite a bit to be done, including cleaning up some old posts and improving the graphics. So, please bear with me and keep checking the site;)

StudioRav is all about high quality work, low costs and continuous customer support. For me, developing excellent business relations and strong customer loyalty is paramount and that’s why StudioRav offers the service it does.

Handsworth is a vibrant area with many cultures represented and StudioRav are keen to work with all of them. One of my aims is to get as many local businesses online, to help promote the region and develop growth, to tell people about Handsworth and to give it a strong economic backbone.

Prices are low and incredibly flexible so whether you’re a startup or established business you will find that StudioRav are cheaper than many larger agencies or designers. With low overheads and a desire to help keep costs low StudioRav are incredibly cost-effective! You will also find StudioRav friendly and explain everything in clear, simple terms.

If you’re considering giving your business a headstart in the online world then get in touch with StudioRav today! Use the form on this page or call Ravi on 07807 997 070!

To help those looking for webdesigners in Birmingham, I’ve written up a brief outline of the website design process from start to finish. It should give you an idea of what is expected from both parties, how I work, and help you prepare in advance if you are looking for a website designer in Birmingham.

Step one: First contact

The first step is for you to get in touch with me, either via email or by giving me a phonecall (08707 997 010). You can leave me a message, send me a text or get in touch with me by smoke rings if it makes you happy:)

Our initial chat will mostly involve me asking you a few questions about your business, what you do, how long you’ve been operating, and why you want a website.

Step two: Website specifications

Next, I need to find out what you want from your website – who it’s for (customers/businesses), what it’s aim is (sell more of a product/tell people about your business), what you want it look like, why you want it, as much as I can learn. I make a point to do my best to understand your requirements and motivations for wanting a website.

At this stage I also make sure to ask you what your budget is and what timescales you are working to. These are very important questions and so it would help if you have an idea of this. It makes sure that when I quote you, it’s in the range you’re after. It also helps me prioritise my work better.

Step three: Quote and sample designs

If you are happy to work with StudioRav you will be provided with a formal webdesign quote. This quote is essential in understanding the roles and responsibilities of both client and webdesigner. StudioRav make sure to outline what it will do as part of the website, and any additional work it will offer (such as domain registration or website hosting). This helps to give you added piece of mind to know what you will get at the end.

One of the questions I ask in the early stages is ‘what sort of websites do you like the look of?’ or ‘can you tell me your competitors’ websites?’. The purpose of this is to get a good understanding of what your website needs to have and what sort of look you want it to have.

It’s at this stage I usually send sample designs to you. These are based on existing templates or designs which closely match your specifications. I find they are great to use as a starting point and rapidly speed up the overall design.

Invoicing

If you are happy with the quote and have chosen from one of the sample designs I send you then I will invoice as per our agreed terms. This will have been discussed earlier on and I am very flexible with my payments – basically whatever suits you. (I do take a deposit however, follow this link to find out why).

Step four: Basic design

I sometimes use a theme template to begin the designing of a new website as it massively speeds up development. I then proceed by allocating important keywords against the pages which have been requested as per the specification. Then each page is designed, paying particular attention to the layout. At this stage the idea is to get something set up which can at least be reviewed by you.

I tend to use placeholder images, and sample text at this point. If you have specifically requested me to help with copywriting I will add some of my text on your webpages. Overall I will try to follow the original design spec as closely as possible where I can.

Step five: Your review

The common method of submitting the site for initial review is by sending a link to your email address. This can then be checked in your own time and on whatever computer you wish. I want you to check the site and get feedback from your colleagues and partners. I encourage my clients to take as long as they need for the review, and to come with up with as many points for discussion as they wish.

Step six: Rinse and repeat

I receive feedback in whatever way suits you: whether you need me to visit your home or office, or over the phone, or even an email. A list of points is usually the best way to get through what you want to discuss. Websites are rarely perfect on the first design, and so your feedback is always important. I don’t expect to have the website completed in one go, and I want my clients to understand this too.

Another thing to stress at this point is that a good website may require a number of iterations before getting it spot on. Often clients will want to try different images in different places, or add some new text or remove a particular page element. It’s also not unheard for clients to realise they have overlooked something at this stage, maybe a webpage or a particular function.

Communication

One of the most important aspects of any professional work (or infact any form of discussion between humans) is communication. StudioRav consider good communication vital in doing webdesign work and that’s why you are allowed to get in touch whenever you need – morning, noon or night. StudioRav doesn’t have fixed working hours (no 9 to 5 office hours), so whenever you come across an issue or problem it’s perfectly fine to call or email for a quick response.

Step seven: Final sign-off

If you are happy with the site then the final sign-off is when I load it up for you, set up your email addresses and so on.

Step eight: Website completion

When you are happy with the work all copyright passes over to you and this is when I usually expect to receive final payment.

Step nine: Lifetime after sales support

Customer satisfaction is the most important thing for StudioRav and once you become one of my valued customers I make sure you stay that way. Expect to get emails from me from time to time asking how you are, and if you have any questions or need any help then I’ll be happy to help out. If you need to update your webpages or think of something that wasn’t originally discussed then I’m happy to discuss it with you at a later date and depending on the requirements I may be able to do it for free.