{"id":5722,"date":"2023-06-01T12:12:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T12:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digicommercegroup.com\/insights\/?p=5722"},"modified":"2023-07-29T12:19:50","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T12:19:50","slug":"how-to-get-started-with-your-b2b-ecommerce-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digicommercegroup.com\/insights\/how-to-get-started-with-your-b2b-ecommerce-project\/","title":{"rendered":"B2B eCommerce Project: Where to start?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let us admit. We\u2019ve all been guilty of it – whether at home or the office. We all want to dive into a new project as fast as possible. \u201cForget about planning, let\u2019s just start – When is the Launch Date!” These are always exciting and nerve-wracking times. Don’t you agree? If you are the one scheduling the internal kickoff, those meetings will always be the best attended (maybe besides \u201cDesign Reveal Day\u201d). But how should you kick off a B2B eCommerce project the right way to have the best chances of success? Here are a few practical steps to follow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining Your Goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A great start would be to plan out and set some goals before starting anything. If you have been following our blogs, In our previous articles,<\/a><\/strong> we discussed digital transformation<\/a><\/strong>. We outlined the reasons why Today is the time to start a B2B eCommerce transformation project<\/a><\/strong>. But which reason of those resonates with you and your team the most? Here are our two cents. It can not be everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us think about it. If you are like many business stakeholders, don\u2019t have infinite time, resources, or even enough budget to tackle your wish list. Then, let us agree, driving conversations with an internal team to review their needs and priorities is going to be the most important goal. <\/p>\n\n\n

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As a business owner, marketing team member, or eCommerce manager, defining your goals must be the first step to take while getting started with your B2B eCommerce project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Setting Your Goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your first question to ask should be. What does my company need to improve? What are our main targets to achieve? It is recommended to start with a high-level goal like: \u201cWe want to sell online.” \u201cWe want to launch a customer portal\u201d; or \u201cOur product catalog is incomplete.\u201d And then narrow down the focus to more specifics. For example, you can work on what it really means \u201cWe want to sell online\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goals don\u2019t necessarily need to be directly tied to a project but could also be project supported. For example, improving site traffic through SEO might not be possible right now due to a poor storefront. But could be improved with a build related to the digital commerce initiative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, what are other goals to set? It doesn\u2019t have to be Sales or Revenue, surprising, right? In fact, the purpose behind the transformation you\u2019re targeting could be as simple as “building efficiency”. Also, “enablement of the existing sales team”. If there are challenges you can solve quickly and easily, especially with customer experience. That reduces churn, drives more reorders, or saves customer service expenses, those might take priority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build Your Internal Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No doubt, getting your internal team and key business stakeholders on the same page is challenging. But, by all means, the exercise is worth it in the end. Start by deciding \u201cwho\u201d of the key business stakeholders to be on the list. Most likely you will need to include the leadership team and other roles that are directly interacting with your customer like your marketing, or sales team members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After reviewing the priorities of your internal team and what they identified as most important to start with. Set your long and short-term action lists. A short-term list could be \u201clist what going to do Now.\u201d A Long-term list of \u201cList what you are going to do Later\u201d. We can not stress more that “Openness and Clarity” are key to the process of building your timeline, budget, and engineering. Plus, keep your team informed as those lists keep changing in priorities or budgets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set Your Budgets & Timeline<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To be realistic, nothing can hinder you from achieving your goals and delivering your business solution<\/a><\/strong> like running out of budget or lacking financial resources, or failing to launch. No doubt, being realistic about your resources and timeline required is key to getting there. It is crucial to setting expectations internally.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What To Include while Building Your Budget<\/strong>: Here are a few tips. Leaning on your previous budget-building experience, and asking tough questions like \u201chow much do I have to spend\u201d as a high-level number is likely to provide a strong guideline internally, and with your vendor selection process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting a budget for an eCommerce project requires careful consideration of many factors. The budget should reflect the goals and objectives of the project, and should also take into account resources such as personnel, materials, and technology. A budget should also include a contingency plan in case of unexpected expenses or delays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating A Timeline Framework<\/strong> – Going hand-in-hand with the budget is a timeline framework. Defining a timeline will require input and scheduling from any vendor or external team. But the first question they ask \u201cwhen do you want to go live?\u201d Working with the rest of the team to define any critical milestones, business events, or plans that have an impact on your target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some other considerations to note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n