Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

Are you ready to give selling over the Internet a try? There are a host of tools available; many of them are free or very low cost.

Cleaning out the closet
Most of us remember the days when costly classified ads or yard sales were the only option. Today consider turning to kijiji.ca or craigslist.com to sell that dusty treadmill. You can list your items for sale, free of charge, on both of these very popular websites. This is an especially good solution for bulky items that you would not want to ship to a buyer. Just note, “Local pickup only” in your ad.

Crafts or small inventories
Exposure to as many potential buyers as possible is critical to successful online selling and this is especially challenging for those with limited budgets. Ebay.ca and etsy.com are both excellent solutions. Either of these services can function as the main website for your operation. Ebay.ca has a storefront feature that allows you to create a fully functioning online store. Etsy.com is set up this way by default. They have built in payment options that allow you to create a paypal.com account that can easily and securely link to your personal bank account.
If you already have a website and you want to sell items on your own web page, using tools available at paypal.com you can integrate a shopping cart and checkout feature into your existing site. This will allow you to accept major credit cards. While this is a simple solution, keep in mind that you also need plenty of visitors to your website to generate sales.

Selling large inventories
There are several tools on the market today designed for the Do It Yourself entrepreneur. While you need not be a technical expert, a good understanding of web basics is required. Whether you have an existing website or you are starting from scratch, your web hosting company should specialize in e-commerce.
Many hosting companies offer free e-commerce software as part of your monthly fee. They also provide web security, customer payment solutions and the technical support you will need. The hosting company can create a new a website address for you, for example www.bestwidgets.com, or they can transfer your existing web address to a new e-commerce account. Once your account is created you are typically provided with a web link to your new online store for customization. Usually there will be several design templates for you to choose from as you create the look and feel of your new store.
Next step is adding your inventory and product pictures. Your hosting company can assist in setting up a payment gateway. This will allow you to accept credit cards in real time as well as calculate shipping charges using carriers such as United Postal Service, UPS.

Recommendations
There are two web applications that I highly recommend mivamerchant.com and/or oscommerce.com. They are both full service solutions including options such as integration with your existing accounting software like QuickBooks. The options are unlimited and you will need to do your research. My best advice is to choose your e-commerce web hosting company carefully, then jump in and start selling.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

With history as our guide, we know what is coming next: the beach crowds begin to fade, shop owners hold the last sale of the summer and we begin the slow march towards reclaiming our quiet beachside town. Local merchants, craftspeople and artists run their sales totals, budget for the winter and hope that next year the spring will be early, the summer long and gas prices low.
Hey! Not so fast. Before you box up your inventory or hold a fire sale on your crafts consider how you may be able to transition your business to a year-round operation via online sales. If you think it’s not worth the hassle, here are some interesting facts from Statistics Canada:
“Canadian retail e-commerce just tallied its fifth straight year of double-digit growth, yet online sales still account for less than 1% of the total retail market, according to Statistics Canada. It is expected that the average amount that Canadians spend online will grow strongly over the next three years.”
While the largest markets for online sales in Canada have been electronics and travel, it is reasonable to assume that we will follow the growth path of the U.S. and begin to see stronger sales in clothing, music, DVDs, gifts, toys and more. Even if you are not up for competing with the likes of Amazon.ca, there are plenty of opportunities for the little guy.
Back in 2005 I partnered with business local Lisa Grady, the founder of Sport-Med, Inc., with a plan to take the niche sports medicine business online (www.sport-med.ca). Our expectations were as scant as my hands-on experience in the world of e-commerce. But build it we did and when the first orders started to come in from towns all over Canada I was stunned. “Wow, it really works.” So today I am a strong advocate of taking the plunge, but you must do your homework first. There are many considerations but the first question to mull over is:
Is the market already saturated with similar product? Maybe it is, but figure into your equation that many online retailers are U.S.-based and this creates headaches for the buyer. Canadian based sellers are still hard to find across the board from EBay to large retailers.
Next, just like any business, determine if there is a demand for the product. No demand will always equal no sales.
A great research tool is Google Trends (www.google.com/trends). Here you can discover what consumers are most interested in and the results are broken down geographically. As an example, using your computer, go to Google Trends and search on the term Webkinz (those cute furry toys you see in windows along Main Street). Bingo, who knew folks in Halifax and Winnipeg are the world leaders in Webkinz searches? Next do a basic Goggle search and try and find online Webkinz sellers located in Canada. Is there a market? You decide. Use the same exercise for any service or product.
Whether you are interested in selling old treasures from your garage or starting a full blown online operation next time I will cover some of the available tools you can use to test the waters.

Tamara Nicola will continue her series on online selling in a future entry.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

Like many others, I’ve always been a gadget person and I’m always interested in the latest gadgets that hit the market. However, I was late to the table when it came to purchasing a GPS receiver. I don’t travel by car that much so I didn’t see the need; boy was I wrong.
With prices starting at around $125, a GPS device will ensure that you never get lost again and you might just find yourself confidently exploring back roads for fun. You simply type in the address of your destination and a soothing voice along with a color display begins to guide you along the way. It is almost an eerie experience to see this device pinpoint your exact location and gently guide you back to your route should you make a wrong turn. If you have wondered how this technology works, here is a great description from the website, howstuffworks.com:
“The Global Positioning System (GPS) is actually a constellation of 27 Earth-orbiting satellites (24 in operation and three extras in case one fails). The U.S. military developed and implemented this satellite network as a military navigation system, but soon opened it up to everybody else.
“Each of these 3,000- to 4,000-pound solar-powered satellites circles the globe at about 12,000 miles (19,300 km), making two complete rotations every day. The orbits are arranged so that at anytime, anywhere on Earth, there are at least four satellites ‘visible’ in the sky.
“A GPS receiver’s job is to locate four or more of these satellites, figure out the distance to each, and use this information to deduce its own location. This operation is based on a simple mathematical principle called trilateration. Trilateration is a method of determining the relative positions of objects using the geometry of triangles in a similar fashion as triangulation.”
There are several cool models on the market; one of my favourites is the Asus R300 Handheld Personal Navigator. This little device seems to have it all and is priced around $150. A mounting kit makes it easy to use in the car but you can also slide it into your pocket, and get directions in pedestrian, bike and even bus mode. It also has an “entertainment hub” and can carry photos, music files, even videos. It accepts external Micro SD cards as well. It has Bluetooth and an embedded FM transmitter, which lets you stream directions through your car stereo. With the R300, you can even field phone calls!

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

Over the past few years, the number of colleges and universities offering classes and degree programs online has soared. With rising gas prices and the rural nature of much of Canada, an online education is increasingly becoming an acceptable method of learning for many.
Online learning offers the convenience of classroom accessibility 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from virtually anywhere in the world. Because you do all your classroom work when it is convenient for you, your schedule is very flexible. You simply access your virtual classroom through the Web.
You will need to go through the same application process as you would with any degree program. Once you’ve been accepted and your coursework begins, you’ll likely receive an online syllabus outlining the course. For your online coursework, you’ll likely have weekly assignments due and regular tests. Much like in the regular classroom, an online school holds students to the same standards as a traditional classroom. But the added flexibility of being able to work around your work schedule and other life commitments makes getting an online degree particularly appealing to adults who are already employed.
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), Fanshawe College and Lambton College all offer online classes. The content of distance learning programs can cover a wide range. If you aren’t sure about full-time online learning, many institutions such as UWO offer hybrid degrees, where students can learn online and also in a traditional class setting at the same time.
Athabasca University is Canada’s leading distance-education and online university. They are experiencing rapid growth and currently serve about 37,000 students per year. Another rising star is Baker College Online, which is accredited and based in the US. Baker College is known as an affordable solution at only $170 per credit hour for undergraduate programs. The University of Phoenix, which pioneered online learning, continues to be a leader in North America but take note: a single credit hour will set you back over $500.
Many colleges throughout Canada also offer online career training and individual courses for those wanting to learn a new skill. Online learning isn’t just for college students. People who have interests in a subject outside of work often take classes in that subject for fun and enjoyment. Lambton College even offers a senior discount on all of their online offerings.
If you are up for a challenge this fall, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers 1700 courses online, free of charge. They are one of many universities that are now part of an open courseware community. Check out www.ocw.mit.edu for more information.
Whether you are interested in a degree program, professional development or personal growth, you will want to register soon for the fall semester. This year many expect the virtual classrooms to be overflowing and the possibly of being waitlisted is greater than ever due to the pain at the gas pump.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola

Next time you are having a hard time deciding what’s for dinner, turn to the internet for some great ideas.  Time Magazine recently featured one of my favourite recipe sites in their 50 best websites list, www.opensourcefood.com.  This site really gets your cravings going.  Their motto is “Amazing recipes, delicious food and beautiful photography. Created and rated by you and fellow food-lovers from all over the world.”  Some other old time favourites include www.allrecipes.com, www.epicurious.com and www.foodnetwork.com
Don’t feel like cooking?  Browse local restaurant menus online before heading out.  You can find menus for F.I.N.E., School House Restaurant, the Colonial and more.  It’s a great resource if you are thinking about ordering take-out, or if you can’t decide which restaurant to choose.

I have discovered that a surprising number of local restaurants still don’t have a web presence.  For those planning to take the plunge here are a few suggestions to consider while designing your site.
Feature menus with prices; avoid pictures of food dishes unless you hire a professional photographer.  Focus your website pictures on the decor and features like an outdoor patio.  Include a brief history of your establishment and spotlight the chef and staff.
Make it easy for people to find you.  Along with your address be sure to include a map to your location.  Include your hours of operation and telephone number for reservations.  As you gear up your operations each spring, your website is a great place to list employment opportunities.
Want to step ahead of the crowd?  Allow customers to place a takeout or delivery order online.  It is easy to setup on your website and when an order comes in you receive an email, a fax or the alert can be integrated into your existing point of sale system.  Check out www.ziptogo.com.  How about including a simple Paypal.com shopping cart to offer up your famous special sauce or signature t-shirts?   Get creative and have fun.

As computers get smaller and cell phones get smarter more people will be browsing on the go.  Offering wireless internet access at your location could bring you additional business clientele and a loyal following from the generation y crowd.  Jalapeno’s on Main Street offers a free internet hotspot alongside their killer hot sauce.  Way to go Jalapeno’s!

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

There is a new low cost video camera now available in Canada that makes sharing video a whole lot easier. It is called “The Flip” and it is manufactured by Pure Digital. It is a small, compact device that runs on two AA batteries and records up to 60 minutes of video to its built-in flash drive. It is called “The Flip” because of the signature USB connection that flips out of the side. The simplicity of the device is genius. There are no advanced features, no power cables, not even a software disk to load as the software is built into the camera. All of this simplicity means you won’t find any complicated instruction manuals in the box either. There is a built in color LCD and audio features for recording and playback, 2X Zoom, a tripod mount, power switch and simple control buttons. That’s it.
Take it out of the box and pop in the two batteries, turn on the power and you are ready to record in 3 seconds by pressing one button on the back of the unit. This fast time to record feature ensures that you will never again miss the “Did you see that?” moment.
Aside from the low price, what really makes this video camera exciting is the straight to web publishing features. The built in software means you can connect, upload and edit videos on just about any computer with a USB port (PC or MAC). It features one touch video uploading to YouTube, MySpace, AOL and more. Not ready to share your flicks with the world? No problem, you can also upload to private sharing sites, send your video via email or try the built in greeting card formats for something completely different. Create custom movies with your own music sound track or burn your creations to DVD.
I have to say I am emotionally attached to this little camera, it goes everywhere I go. The compact size makes that possible. It weighs in at just .03 lbs and easily fits into a pocket. It is about 3 inches high, 2 and quarter inches wide, and an only an inch and a quarter deep. All of the videos posted at my blog (www.blog.visitgrandbend.com) were created with The Flip.
Pure Digital has just released a new pricier version called the Mino that is slightly smaller and incorporates a built-in rechargeable battery. No word yet on when it will be readily available in Canada.
For now, you can check out the The Flip Ultra model available at Wal-Mart, where it retails for $158.64CAD. For those who want to wait for the Mino, you can pre-order yours at www.jr.com, it retails for $199.99 US.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
VisitGrandBend.com

Everyone in town is talking about it, so I might as well say it: it looks like we are having a slow season and this could have a negative trickledown effect on the whole community. Is it the price of gas, the weather, or security at our border crossings? Good questions that I will leave to others to surmise.
I’m the local computer geek who is always poking around to check out how we can improve our web image. As I have mentioned before, there is no time like the present to buff up our image. We need a little curb appeal and none more so than on the Internet.
Did you know that during the peak summer season more than 15,000 people every month search for the term “Grand Bend”? It’s true and that is only traffic generated by people using Google to search the net. Add in Yahoo, MSN and a couple a variations in search terms like “Grand Bend Motel” and we are talking big numbers. A recent study released in June by Statistics Canada stated that 19.2 million people are now using the Internet. This is a 68 per cent increase since 2005, when the previous StatsCan survey was conducted. Overall, 66 per cent of Canadians are plugged in and surfing the net. This is a number that is sure to grow.

Millions of Canadians will decide how to spend their vacation dollars this year while surfing the net. We want them here surfing our beautiful shores and there are many ways that everyone can help.

- Create an online photo album of your favourite Grand Bend pictures using Goggles Picasa software. It’s free and you can upload a gigabyte data. http://www.picasa.google.com

- Spruce up your existing website to ensure it grabs attention. Banish those tired old cottage pictures and dead pages. Create a new web site if you don’t already have one. It’s free http://www.weebly.com

- Post your videos to youtube.com – Wal-Mart Canada is now selling the incredibly cool FLIP video camera. If you have not heard of this affordable, easy to use device, you certainly will. http://www.theflip.com

- Start a blog: http://www.blogger.com

- Consider catering to this new computer savvy bunch of visitors by creating a free Internet hotspot at your business location. What the heck, how about making the whole town of Grand Bend one big hotspot; Starbucks coffee not included.

We can all join in by planting a few virtual flowers to improve our curb appeal and ensure that Grand Bend flourishes not only today, but well into the future.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola, VisitGrandBend.com

If you can paint, sew, knit, wood carve, make greeting cards, make candles, make jewelry, or any other handicraft, you’ll want to check out Etsy.com. Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade items and it’s a great way to draw attention to your creations without the hassle of setting up your own web store. You also get to take advantage of the website traffic Etsy generates without the headache of internet marketing. What separates Etsy from the Ebay pack is that all items for sale must be made by hand. Best of all it is free to join and the listing fees are reasonable. There are tons of online tools and instructional videos to help you build your virtual storefront.
If you are like me and go out of your way to shop locally, you will love the built-in geolocator. Using this feature you can zoom in on the Grand Bend area and see all of the area crafts for sale. After a quick look you will see that there is still a lot of room for Canadians to join this popular global marketplace.
From Etsy’s online help section we get the lowdown on the cost:
How do Etsy fees work? When you list an item there is a $0.20 (USD) fee per quantity of one. This covers an item listing period of four months. For example, if I list a scarf (and there’s only 1 in stock) it’ll cost 20 cents for 4 months. If you gave the listing a quantity of 3, it would cost 60 cents. When an item sells, there’s a 3.5% fee on the final sale price (not including shipping). All fees are in US dollars. All listings are created equal, with 5 images included in the price.
When a buyer wants to purchase an item they are transferred to PayPal.com to complete the ordering process. As a seller, you will need to setup an account with PayPal. This is an easy process and even a novice can navigate. PayPal has built in currency converters so you can accept payment from any country you are willing to ship to.
Since their launch in June, 2005, over 100,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops; it’s definitely worth checking out.

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
http://www.visitgrandbend.com

When it comes to your website, is it enough to simply build it and wait for customers to come? The answer is a resounding no and this is great news. How could this be good news? Most small business owners build a website and forget about it. Those that take proactive marketing steps will soon understand what all of this internet excitement is about.
The first step is to build a professional, attractive website that discusses your service or product. Update the content frequently with the goal of adding value for the potential reader. Avoid common design mistakes (see my previous column). Once satisfied, spread the word.
Include Your URL on Stationery, Business Cards, and Print Advertising.
This is a no-brainer that is sometimes overlooked. Make sure that all of your cards, stationery, brochures, and literature contain your company’s web address (URL). Continue to leverage print advertising that has proven successful, capture the reader’s attention, and then refer them to your URL for more information.
Free Business Listings
Add your website URL to popular online maps and free business directories. Here are just a few:
http://www.maps.google.com
http://www.listings.local.yahoo.com
http://www.visitgrandbend.com – a site managed by yours truly
http://www.kayak.com – travel site
http://www.hotfrog.ca
http://www.tourismpartners.com – Official Ontario Travel Guide

Search Engines
Submit your site – Submit your site to all of the major search engines. Simply type in this term “Submit my site” into Google, Yahoo and MSN. Include a submission to open source engines such as DMOZ.org as well.
Create a sitemap – A sitemap is a list of web pages that make up your website usually presented in a hierarchical format. With a sitemap you can tell search engines about all of your web pages, not just your homepage. For more information check out www.sitemaps.org
Optimization – Perhaps you have heard that you need special skills to “code” web pages with keywords, metadata, alt tags, etc. to improve your website rankings. If you have these skills, excellent! Go forth and build code. For the rest, here is the big secret to search engine ranking. Drum roll please…
#1 – Build a professional, attractive website that discusses your service or product. Update your content frequently with the goal of adding value for the potential reader. Sound familiar? Attempts to fast track your search engine ranking with the latest scheme can be hazardous. Google and the others are very smart and may even penalize you for trickery.
#2 – Have patience.
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising – Your website listing appears as featured link to the right of “natural” search engine results. Your position in the list is determined by how much you’ve bid for a particular search word compared to other businesses. This can be a cost-effective way to get targeted traffic, since you only pay when someone actually clicks on the link. For more information check out http://www.adwords.google.com
Resources – One of the best sources of information for both the novice and advanced web designer comes from search engines themselves.
Check out http://www.google.com/webmasters/

Technically Speaking
By Tamara Nicola
www.visitgrandbend.com

As Will Rogers said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Your website, or lack thereof, can have an instant and lasting impact on your business. This holds especially true in a village such as Grand Bend, which attracts seasonal visitors unfamiliar with the area. Like it or not, a growing number of area residents and potential visitors rely heavily on internet search engines, such as Goggle, to find you. What is their first impression when they do? Sadly, more often than not they are encountering poorly designed, out of date web pages that potentially do the small business owner more harm than good.
Just having a website doesn’t put you ahead of the curve anymore. You may need to rethink your strategy or better said, start using a strategy in the first place. One place to start is to research websites that you like and incorporate those elements into yours.

Common Website Mistakes to Avoid

Domain Name
Avoid odd spelling such as www.krazykatz.com or a long string of nonsense text such as, http://www.downtown.com/down/mypage.html. Keep it simple and applicable to your business. If your “first choice” web address is already taken, consider using a search engine friendly dash in the name e.g., http://www.best-widgets.com. Your email address should also be consistent with your web address; sales@best-widgets.com

Content
- Poor image quality. Pictures don’t have to be commercial quality, but avoid bad, fuzzy photos.
- Avoid pasting pictures of a different size and quality haphazardly on a page. Quality verses quantity is a good rule to consider here.
- Content that is out of date, missing or “coming soon”, be careful not to neglect your site to the point that potential customers will be turned off by a lack of attention to detail.
- Blinking text, inconsistent fonts, nonsense colors, music set to auto play, or other annoying “bells and whistles”. These sites are usually developed by your talented 16-year-old son or the family friend who is “technical.” Just because they can make text flip and fly off the page, doesn’t mean they should.

Navigation
Eliminate Dead End Pages. Present a navigation section that is simple and consistent on every web page of your site. At a minimum, every page should have a link back to your main page. Check your outgoing links often to ensure you are referring customers to a valid websites.

Website Statistics
Hit Counters are bad. They scream amateur. You should have statistics readily available that track the number of unique & return visitors, top content, outgoing links, bounce rates and geographic location of web users visiting your site. Don’t be in the dark about what is happening with your website. Reviewing the data can often help you make critical improvements.

Site Does Not Generate Any Business
Has your content been untouched for 6 months or more? Do you have an easy way for visitors to ask questions or contact you? Do you know your search engine ranking? Websites offer you the opportunity to try different ideas, promotions and services quickly. Make your website a priority.

For a small business it difficult to over emphasize the importance of taking the time to develop and maintain a professional web presence. In the next issue I will discuss how to optimize the marketing your existing website.

Here are some local businesses that have good design and navigation elements incorporated into their sites:
Archie’s Surf Shop
- http://www.archiessurfshop.com
Dale’s Countryside Antique Market
- http://www.dalesantiquemarket.com
The Little House Bed & Breakfast
- http://www.grandbendbb.com