Create that Online Shop Today

By David Tiong | Published: February 22, 2012

It’s 2012 and time to start putting into action some of those ideas you’ve been thinking about. Have you got a business that sells stuff whether in a shop or from home or at a market. Well have you thought about selling online?

Perhaps you’ve looked at options and found them too expensive? Or perhaps you think it is just too complicated? Or maybe you just wouldn’t know where to start.

Well David Tiong Web Design can offer you an opportunity to start today to make that idea become a reality. Here’s what I am offering:

Free trial start up on BigCommerce
First 2 months at $9.95* per month (*limited offer for limited time)
Ongoing monthly price is from $29.95 for up to 100 products
Choice of shop themes
Easy integration with Paypal or other payment gateways
Option to sell on Facebook as well
Email marketing
Automatic inventory control
Search engine optimisation
Works on mobile phones and tablets

This is an all in one solution including hosting to create everything that you need for your online shop. There are plenty of tutorials and support is readily available.

I can also help to set up your store if needed (my rate is $60 per hour charged in minute increments), otherwise you can try to do as much as you can yourself.

Click on the image below to check out more today about Big Commerce to watch some videos about how you can create your Online Store easily today.

Please note that to take up the $9.95/ month for the first two months offer, you will need to email me to activate your trial store setup for you, otherwise you will be billed according to their pricing after your 15 day trial period ends.

Click here for a free trial and $0 setup (save $49.95!)

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The new social is online- are you there?

By David Tiong | Published: January 16, 2012

It’s an exciting time to be alive on the internet.  It’s so exciting that people everywhere are sharing online, sharing with friends and family.  People are voicing their thoughts and opinions and experiences across the globe.

I was talking to a guy who is in his 90’s and is using the internet to find out more about his family history.  I read a comment on Twitter about Grandparents who are on Facebook on their iPads keeping up with their extended family everywhere and anywhere.

We are becoming more connected with each other via the internet.  The connections are instant, and not only limited to words, but rich with pictures and videos.  The connections are happening right now on our phones, computers and tablets.

People are talking about everything across Facebook, Twitter, Google+, online communities, forums, email, and so much more.

Are you there joining in, providing a personal face to your business?  Do you know what people are saying about you?  Are you asking questions, getting feedback, finding out what is popular about your services or products with your customers.

Can people find you if they search for you? Do they know how to contact you to ask a question?  If someone wants to refer a friend to you, can they direct them to your social pages?

Are you being part of the excitement of being online?  Are you engaging your market, are you answering their questions, are you showing them the way to your front door? Or are they walking past you because someone else is more exciting, engaging and entertaining?

Featured image courtesy of Johan Larsson licensed via Creative Commons.
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Zero Moment of Truth

By David Tiong | Published: January 15, 2012

Have you heard of the First Moment of Truth (First MOT) and the Second Moment of Truth (Second MOT)?

If you’ve had some marketing experience you would probably be aware of this concept.  The idea is that you advertise a product to get people to go to a shop to buy that product, so when they are looking at the item on the shelf, this is the First MOT.  Then when they take it home and use it for the first time, this is the Second MOT.

Well now there’s a moment that occurs even before the First MOT and of course this is called the Zero MOT.

Watch this short video which introduces it.

Why is it important?

Zero MOT is when you grab your smartphone, PC or tablet and start learning about a product or service or brand online. It’s the moment of truth that now comes before the first moment.

If you don’t win this Zero moment, then chances are that a potential customer won’t even make it to the First MOT, in other words, they won’t even go to your business or shop.

Is it really that big a deal?

Would you think that if the statistics showed that 50% of people look at product reviews and research online  before buying. That’s 1 in every 2 people.

Or how about the fact that 1 in every 3 people have made buying decisions based on social influences, such as talking with family and friends through email, chat, posting YouTube videos, comments and interactions on Facebook and other social media platforms.  They read blogs that talk about the product, look at comments and ratings listed with Google Places, and visit online community sites where users share information.

How can we take advantage of this moment?

Well the concept to note here is that word of mouth is stronger than ever.  Instead of a person’s praises or criticisms only reaching one person at a time, a person’s voice on the internet spreads much quicker and further.

It is the ease and instant accessibility to share and learn online, that is making the Zero MOT a key ingredient in marketing your business and products.

To make the most of this opportunity you need to be sure that you have a strong online presence of a website and social media pages. You need to be actively responding to comments and feedback, both positive and negative.

People are talking about you online, whether you are present or not.

Key points about Zero Moment of Truth:

  • At the Zero MOT people are searching online for you
  • People want to learn and share online, so provide the opportunity
  • Google’s new Google+ and +1 social sharing must be used (see Search, plus your world)
  • When people experience your product or service you want them to share this in online reviews and social pages
  • Mobile phones are enabling Zero MOT’s to occur right before the decision to buy
  • use QR codes to link to Facebook pages and Website review pages
  • Negative feedback can be good to show authenticity and allow you to respond and improve
  • When people share online and leave reviews- this becomes the next person’s Zero MOT
  • Google has produced a book titles ZMOT:  Winning the Zero Moment of Truth, and I would recommend finding out more.

 

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Google introduces a new search for 2012

By David Tiong | Published: January 11, 2012

It looks like we’ll be seeing some changes to the way we search on Google, as they roll out “Search, plus your World”. One of the reasons that Google has always been so popular is its ability to produce search results that are very relevant to what users search for.

Google hopes to further personalise these searches this year, by adding information that it finds when’s scouring through your Google+ profile and other Google+ profiles.

Is this another reason why individuals and businesses need to think about having a Google+ profile, in order to stay relevant in the transformation of “search” to “social search”?

One thing is for sure, and that is that these changes that Google are making are promoting their social platform “Google+”.

It will become much easier to interact with others on Google+ directly from search results, to add people to your circles, to see what others are saying and to socialise online.

Check out the video below which is a teaser from Google, and then read the question below.

What do you think? Is it better for the search results to be personalised or nonbiased?

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Customer service- social referrals and online reviews will be more prominent in 2012

By David Tiong | Published: December 21, 2011
customer service, promotions, competitions

Don't think this one's a happy customer

How’s your Christmas shopping going?  With only 2 more shopping days to go, I thought that it would be good to talk about “customer service” at this peak time of year. Read More »

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Do not miss this 1 key to unlock audience engagement

By David Tiong | Published: December 14, 2011
call to action

Audience engagement

Okay so you have written a fantastic post, and you know your audience will love it.  You posted to your blog or on your Facebook wall but no one is responding.  Well there’s one key that you must do to make sure that your audience engages… Read More »

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The one mistake that you don’t want to make

By David Tiong | Published: December 13, 2011
is your business on facebook

Don't make this mistake

“People are just there to chat, to talk about what they did on the weekend or to catch up on the latest goss… I’m not really interested in it”

The market is changing.  Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable through a vast array of information that is available on the Read More »

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3 essential ingredients for branding

By David Tiong | Published: November 25, 2011

Just recently I did a series on online branding and if you have haven’t read that, then I suggest that you take some time and read the 3-part series.

Today I wanted to cover in more detail some key points from the series… Read More »

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5 Tips for a productive workday

By David Tiong | Published: November 25, 2011

“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” ~Peter Drucker

We all have good days and bad days, some days you feel like you’re “on fire”.  Other days feel like a complete and utter waste of time.

I think that it’s very important not to let yourself feel down when things don’t go your way. Instead learn to expect that progress isn’t always full steam ahead. Sometimes you take two steps back to move three steps forward.

Here are five simple yet effective tips to help you make the most of your time. Read More »

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Fee for service too far, or just the start of a change

By David Tiong | Published: November 25, 2011

Imagine walking into a clothing store, seeing something that catches your eye on the clothing rack, you find your size and you decide to try it on.  As you walk over to the change rooms, you notice a sign above the door that says “Pay $50 deposit to try on”.

Do you try it on?  Or do you walk out in disgust?

Read More »

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