I received this question late last week and thought I’d share my response with you in case you’re wondering the same thing. 

Cindy, how else can I use the shopping cart to really help my clients build their business?

This was prompted by the tips I provided last week regarding setting up an opt-in and autoresponder series as well as creating products and that magical ‘but now’ button for a website.

Here are two more ways you can apply the shopping cart to help boost your clients’ business:

#1 Formatting and Sending Broadcasts

Every business needs an opt-in on their website (we covered that last week).  Therefore, every business needs a strong strategy behind keeping in touch with their subscribers.

Think of all the websites you’ve visited over the last week.  Can you remember all of them?  I bet you can’t.  But what if you received a piece of email – an ezine for example, with valuable content enclosed – would it remind you about the website you visited and why you were interested in them?

It’s absolutely essential for business owners to keep in regular contact with their subscribers. 

Whether it’s a regular ezine or occasional announcements about programs and products available – a business owner needs the help of a VA to create the professional looking template for the broadcast, as well as distributing it so it looks professional in every inbox it lands in.  Not to mention tracking the broadcasts to view open rates, click through rates, how much revenue was generated and more. 

It’s an essential skill we’ll be covering in the eCommerce Specialist Training program.

#2 Setting Up Affiliate Programs

At one time just a few years ago, only the high level ‘gurus’ of the online world had an affiliate program set up within their business. 

However, because the affiliate program is an easily accessible feature in the shopping cart, more and more business owners want and need someone who can set up all the pieces to create a functional affiliate program.  While they may not go the full extent of having someone come on board as a full fledged Affiliate Manager – they do want someone who can set up the program, connect with affiliates and provide information about upcoming promos and provide overall support.

Can you set up the affiliate program in the shopping cart and manage it on your client’s behalf?  Remember they really know very little when it comes to this area – other than they want it in place based on what they’ve seen other people do.
 
It’s just another one of those items in the eCommerce Specialist Training Program.

So there you have it … two more relatively simple ways a Virtual Assistant can help their clients boost business in the area of eCommerce!

There’s still time to join me starting Tuesday for the eCommerce program.  Head on over to http://www.hotskillsvatraining.com/ecommerce

There are hundreds of ways a Virtual Assistant can provide value to his/her clients -- for the purpose of this article, I'd like to focus on two simple ways a VA can provide value in the area of eCommerce.

eCommerce is at the core of an online based business.  It connects everything in the business together - from the website, to  products, programs and services as well as to the blog, social media, affiliates, joint venture partners and more.

Without eCommerce an online business would not exist.

So when a Virtual Assistant can come in and take care of several pieces on their client's behalf ... the client  experiences the value the VA brings to the business. It's as easy as identifying a challenge and providing a solution.

Here are two simple ways a VA can provide value to their clients in the area of eCommerce:

#1 Set Up the Opt-In and Autoresponder Series

Every business needs an opt-in on its website--- the enticing offer that website visitors can sign  up for, simply by completing a simple form and providing their name and email address.

A clean, simple website, with an enticing opt-in makes the connection between the business owner and  prospects, and by providing continuous valuable information, it allows for the growth of a virtual  relationship.

Without an opt-in, a business owner loses the opportunity to build a relationship with people who are  interested in what they do and what they offer.

A Virtual Assistant who can support her clients and take care of ALL the steps --- from  helping the client brainstorm topics for the opt-in, to entering the content in the autoresponder  program, to creating the opt-in form, a great thank you page and making it all look great --- provides great value to a business.

#2 Create Products and Set Up the 'Buy Button'

While the business owners is the brain behind the expertise of his/her business -- when it comes to developing products and posting
them up on their website for sale - they often struggle.

That's where a Virtual Assistant comes in.

When it comes to product development, a VA can support their clients in  various ways - ranging from taking a full inventory of everything they have created over  the years - articles, blog posts, teleclasses, powerpoint presentations, audio recordings.  This way the client can consider the content  they have already developed and put it all together - restructuring, adding to or deleting as appropriate.

With creating products there's always a need for proofreading, perhaps some graphic design, developing a new webpage, etc.  the final piece would include setting up the magic behind the 'buy' button for the website, so that people can actually click on a link  at any time of day or night, and easily purchase the item.

It's up to the Virtual Assistant to create a streamlined process - taking a website visitor who wants to purchase an item, from the website to the shopping cart order form, (which of course keeps a consistent brand, look and feel as the main website they  just visited so they feel confident about entering their contact and credit card details).  And it doesn't finish there ... where the  customer ends up after the successful purchase must also be considered.

There you have it - two simple, yet very valuable ways a Virtual Assistant can support a client in essential areas that related directly  to eCommerce.

Do you provide value to your clients in these areas?  Need help learning more about eCommerce?  Check out the next eCommerce Specialist Training Program -- it starts May 17th!

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