Growing Your Business
business online
e-business and e-commerce
The deployment of electronic technologies will increase rapidly over the next decade to the point that e-business will become commonplace. E-business is not to be confused with e-commerce, which is the transactional aspect of e-business. Your business may grow if you could use some of the following e-commerce technologies:
Business to another business (eg suppliers)
Business to consumer (eg online retailing)
Business to government (eg online tendering
Consumer to government (eg electronic tax returns)
The internet
Assuming you already have a computer with reasonable capacity and skills
to operate it, it is only a matter of time before you will want to connect
to the internet to send and receive e-mails, browse for information, do
research, develop a website, buy and sell online, do your banking, and participate
in community chatrooms and forums.
Getting connected
If your computer does not already have one, buy a modem. This will enable
your computer to connect to the internet. Some computers have an internal
modem so no additional equipment is required. Your next step is to find
an ‘ISP’- internet service provider – who will provide
you with e-mail services and access to the internet. There are many ISPs
and you should research a few to assess their services and prices.
Creating a website
The cost of creating a website must be justified through improving productivity,
opening new markets, increasing sales, or cutting costs. Before you make
an investment of time and money in a website consider how it will assist
your business.
You need to clarify why you want a website and research what services are being offered, and at what cost.
To have a website you need to register a domain name. For further information contact au Domain Administration Ltd. Having a website has the potential to increase sales providing the marketing mix and presentation of the information is right.
Leasing equipment
If you are unsure of your needs, or prefer not to make the capital outlay
required to purchase a computer, you may consider renting or leasing one.
The advantages are that rental or lease payments are usually entirely tax
deductible as a business expense and that after the minimum period you can
easily upgrade to meet your current needs.
Next: lease premises
