There are so many channels available to online shoppers today, it’s imperative that businesses understand which ones their customers are using most, how they are using them, and what tools and resources are available to help companies get the most out of each. Additionally, businesses need to discover what works best for their particular business models and how to prioritize the time and effort required to follow best practices.

It’s a lot of work – it takes determination and a significant time commitment to understand and nurture each channel. But it’s absolutely critical to the overall health of both small and large businesses.

These were the key takeaways from our 2015 Regional Ecommerce Day Forum. More than 100 local entrepreneurs, business owners, marketing professionals, web developers, and creatives spent the day at the Ambassador Conference Center listening to an impressive lineup of speakers discuss not only how to get the most out of various online channels, but share stories about what works and what doesn’t work, which became valuable advice for those considering their strategies going forward.

Some of the largest PA-based retail brands helped attendees realize the importance of making a concerted effort to find online channels that can help increase customers and sales, and following best practices when using them to sell their products and services online. Speakers included representatives from UPS, Zippo Manufacturing, eBay Enterprise, Listrak, reCAP Mason Jars, Acoustic Sheep and more.

While their businesses are vastly different and their approaches to selling online varied, the sentiment was the same among all of them – you’ve to be where your customers are and you’ve got to commit to doing it right. 

International speaker, best-selling author, entrepreneur and digital marketing expert, Kris Jones, gave an inspiring keynote address, and discussed his own journey of entrepreneurship and digital marketing. He talked about how important it is to get clear on your outcomes, decide what you really want, and actually work towards achieving those goals. 

Not only is it important to define your goals, Kris told audience members, it’s important to always be building your brand and to surround yourself with other people who can help move your business forward. He said the key is to “hire smart people and get out of their way.”

In addition to hearing from an extremely knowledgeable and energetic panel of speakers and great networking opportunities, Ecommerce Day attendees were able to attend educational breakout sessions in the afternoon. Topics covered included affiliate marketing, email marketing, Bitcoin, strategic partnerships, video marketing, blogging and more. 

The day wrapped up with a panel of economic development speakers who discussed various opportunities for businesses to take advantage of local support, including business services to help get started, funding, and how to connect to the right sources. 

The event was an overwhelming success. Attendees filled notepads with ideas, talked to other business professionals with similar goals and ideas, discovered new opportunities, and got actionable advice that they could bring back to the office and immediately implement. 

Sad you missed it? Stay tuned. We’ll be sharing more information and tips from the speakers, including links to their presentations. You can also check out some event photos on our Facebook page. And if that isn’t enough – we’re planning the next Ecommerce Day for spring 2016!