This is quite an involved topic and you could essentially make a dissertation out of the topic. So I'm going to stick with the basics, and divide up the topics in a series.... also this will be from a mom and pop shop perspective and I will be dividing this up into topics or areas of marketing within the online market. Freelancers and small online marketers make up 1/3 of the economy these days so don't underestimate what you can do.
THE WEBSITE: Many small businesses have a basic 101 website at this point and have invested some time and perhaps money in having it done. I do alot of research for a variety of purposes and have been struck by the "if only they'd" factor. Someone will spend a great deal of time writing an article about a "how to ..." aspect of their business but will miss the opportunity presented to them by doing so to sell their product. "If only they'd.... added buy now buttons" ...
Recently I was on the hunt for a pencil box. One of those little wooden pencil boxes with the dividers and slid-on lid. In the process I decided to try another idea ie a knitting and crochet wrap as an alternative. I found this little tapestry wrap which would have been a perfect storage device for my very expensive drawing materials but... after I found it there was no reference on the site for buying or where to buy the item.
It occurred to me how frustrating it can be for potential clients to be hunting down and find that perfect "pencil box" for a purpose they have in mind, finding it only to hit a brick wall in trying to buy it. So the first item tip in upgrading your out-of-date website it to link it up to paypal services and have an ability to buy those little items which you write about online. Setting up a business account and having this simple little ability has changed my marketing. At the very least have a Contact Us on each page.
Let's move on to that actual updating process of your website. If you are still creating html pages one by one you are 15 years behind the curve. Every small business, whether they are a frame shop, bookstore, or jewlery seller needs to have the ability to update the inventory online with pictures and paypal buttons on a few hours work basis. This can only be done with a database site. Whether you run your own server, or find a host company to rent from the essential key to good time management good use of the digital tools, saving money in manhours of staff is the database. It isn't glamorous, but it is the key to getting yourself in the present and to beable to serve your customers quickly efficiently and timely which is where the money is at. Each industry has its own timeline. Some are more competitive than others, but in this day and age if you are going to sell online in the future you need to be up to date and have a database oriented site. There are numerous services available. Search for asp websites if you want to build your own. Website services if you want to have some build it for you or go directly to server space renters they will do most of the set up for you and you rent a space and create your own in house. I rent a server but if you want to do shared hosting where alot of the work is done for you I recommend Crystal Tech I also have used Netnation
In this day and age the Internet it a perfect platform for seek-and-find. It should be the easiest thing in the world for the small little mom and pop shop to set up a website and let the world find his or her product by actually having links to the products that they are selling with their rave reviews and articles. A friend of mine has a framing business, a perfect business for selling his product online, many framers do, but this particular framer won't put the database together with pictures and little direct sales buttons in order to basic sales. Another mystery bookshop here in DC went out of business when a much smaller little antique bookshop in England is selling rare books well to everyone in the world because he has put his database together and put those magic little buttons together with PayPal on his website.
Now you may note that I have not mentioned green in relationship with a website? Digital marketing is in-fact much greener than paper marketing.... it can cut down on the need and expense of marketing through catalogues but there are still many clients who are not buying and who don't want to buy online. So make your website as simple as you can for the skill level of your clients. Creating anything on the web is far greener than creating it in brick and mortar world, it gives you many opportunities to try out markets explore different concepts and test markets without creating additional waste, but it also should push markets to your brick and mortar shop and it works hand in hand with your existing newsletter mailings or catalogue mailings. Those customers who want to receive the online discounts will sign up for your email notices.
