Starting a Family Business Internet Plan
Planning for the Internet
This is a short story about the birth of
familybusinesses.com on the internet.
It is a story about why you need to
start a family business internet plan
before starting your website.
Family business internet planning
is the underlying message of this webpage.
A young semi-retired professional and small business owner since the early 1960's with most of my business experience in general aviation and the yachting business, I still needed something to do.
It all started in 1994 when someone told me about the internet, by 1995 I was hooked. So with electronics and basic computer experience, coupled with a business and marketing background, I stepped into cyberspace. What a ride it has been! More challenges than flying in a storm or sailing in a typhoon. I've experienced both.
Family Business Internet Planning
Act I, Scene I:
A 486-66 loaded to the gills, and a dial up, I was on my way to start a family internet business, which included myself and three of my six children that are self-employed. Reading dozens of books, searching the internet for information and talking to anyone that would talk to me before I touched the keyboard to learn html.
Act I, Scene II:
Six months later, tired of reading volumes of program and internet books, learning html code, and making change after change to the website it was time to upload and start counting our money?
Act I, Scene III:
What went wrong? Our website was wonderful, full of granite buttons, beautiful background, large graphics and pictures, interesting content and a good products and services, yet no one came to our store. So what happened?
Act I, Scene IV:
I violated the basic business experience I had accumulated over 40 years, I didn't write a basic family business internet plan. I got swept up in this internet business gold rush, no time for a family business internet plan, only general knowledge of the internet, and most resources available had less than a year or two of experience operating on the internet and their business experience was the exception to the rule.
Act II, Scene I:
Back to square one, start a family business internet plan, much different than a family business plan. Let me tell you, any business plan is the fastest way to face yourself and reality. I also started to recognized that most of the entrepreneurs on the internet were more computer oriented than business oriented. Big difference, so I needed to get back to a balance between my business experience first, then use my computer experience.
Act II, Scene II:
New website, loads faster, learning html code better, I'm starting to get it. Still, no one comes to our stores, except family and friends. What next? Search engines and keywords? That's all I need to do?
Act III, Scene I:
You say just spam the search engines, are you sure? Trust you, OK. Wha la, we've got traffic. Look at those positions. Oops, where did our website go. We've been "WHAT", removed from the search engine! But everyone does it. Not any more, what protocols? Oh, okay, sorry, yes we'll be back and it'll be done right. And that's the last time I trust an internet guru!
Act III, Scene II:
OK guys, I'm going to do it by the book. Back to more research about the search engines, keywords, and webpage content and tags. This time we'll do it right.
Act III, Scene III:
New web site, looking better, more pages, more keywords, more relevant content and good positions. Okay, traffic increasing, but no earth shaking sales. Think!
Act IV, Scene I:
The descriptions on the search engine stinks, need better content and marketing copy, not that dry text, something emotional, exciting, motivating, real life stuff.
Act IV, Scene II:
A lot more traffic, sales are improving, but not enough, now what do we do?
Act V, Scene I:
Got it! It's got to be easier to order, eCommerce, shopping carts, order forms, email, phone numbers. Okay, lets see what happens.
Act V, Scene II:
Whoa! We're getting behind, we need help, orders are backing up.
Act VI, Scene I:
Lets share this and help other family businesses that are thinking of entering the internet. They don't need to go through 5 years of this stuff.
We can help you with your
family business internet planning
with a simple phone call,
or
you can read the material within this website about
family business internet planning.
We provide family business internet consulting by phone or on location.
Call, we'll give you an overview and options to meet your budget.
Call Now - 509-684-8080 - Between 10 am - 5 pm - Pacific Time
familybusinesses.com on the internet since 1997.
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