How Come You Don’t Have an E-Business Strategy?

The Essential Guide to Online Business

by Matt Haig

Published by Kogan Page, 2005
Paperback, 160 pages
ISBN:0-7494-3727-8

If your existing competitors are online and increasing their web marketing activity, or if you're facing new competition from internet-based rivals, then this book by Matt Haig could be a good place to start off and start competingwith your online business.

Despite all the media hype around the many misguided and ill-fated Internet ventures, more business is being conducted via the web than ever before. It’s clear that whatever business you’re in and whatever the size, ignoring the Internet is no longer possible. This book provides a good overview and top-level introduction to all the main issues that need to be considered when taking a business online.

Cutting through all the usual rhetoric and technical jargon, this succinct guide takes you through the essential steps to using the Internet as a tool for competitive advantage and growth, including topics such as setting your objectives, developing your e-brand, money matters and pricing, customer management, online marketing and measuring results. There's also a section on security issues and likely future trends. The book includes a number of of real-life case studies and candid comment from business people around the world, along with a glossary of key terms.

This book is a quick read and covers many areas in limited depth, so it's not going to provide all the answers but it will give you a good introduction to many of the issues involved with setting up and managing an effective business online. It is also a useful way to become more knowledgeable when talking to potential suppliers and hopefully avoid the pitfalls than many new web businesses can fall into.