From the September 1, 2004 EMagazine.

Interview with Nancy Bryant
Interview by Heidi Richards, MS

Jeidi: How did you become interested in Ecommerce? In other words, what motivated you to establish a web presence?

Nancy: The Internet! I had met my husband on the internet and ironically he is a web developer and creates multimedia. When we were planning our wedding we wanted to create something that conveyed the theme of the internet, computers, technology and how met. We decided to create an Interactive Wedding Invitation CD-ROM that would could mail out to our guests out of state that allowed us to have 2 video's of us personally inviting our guests and also a video of us telling the story of how met met. We also included information about the wedding, printable directions, electronic RSVP, photo album of us growing up and family members, direct links to our bridal registry and more. We were so pleased with the result and got amazing feedback from family and friends we realized we had just created a new technology for other tech savvy couples and the creation of Elegant Invites came to life.

Jeidi: What is the overall goal or mission of your website(s)?

Nancy: By having an internet presence we are able to offer our product nationally. Technology is always changing and we have not created a fad, we have created a new technology. It is already apparent in most of our lives that we are doing more and more via the internet and our computers than traditional paper and mail Eventually the traditional paper invitations will be eliminated and we are preparing other couples by moving them in that direction. Our goal is to provide other "tech savvy" couples the opportunity to create not only an interactive wedding invitation that is custom and personal to each individual couple, we are creating a memorable keepsake to give to all of their family and friends. Our website is designed around the ease of ordering online. The customer experience in this new technology was our main goal in how we set up the process on our website. We also created a Reseller Program which we promote on the internet and have reached other "wedding vendors" nationally that now offer our product with our unique and profitable reseller program.

Jeidi: How do you market your site(s)?

Nancy: Search Engine Placement is #1, Email Newsletters, Press Releases, Advertising on Wedding Related Sites, Trade Magazines, Word of Mouth, Participation at Tradeshows, & Networking Events.

Jeidi: If you could only offer one piece of advice about ECommerce to our readers, what would that be?

Nancy: Customers always come first and listen to what your customers say about your products, services and pricing. Provide a shopping experience for your customers that you would like to experience. Do online surveys after they purchase from you, send reminders about sales and discounts you might be offering. For instance we are offering a Summer Sale Promotion of 10% off all orders placed by October 31st. We not only notify our customers when they download the demo online they also get notified via our monthly newsletter. Keep your name in front of the customer for you never know when they will be ready to buy from you or have a need for your services. We do email alerts of new product designs, new concepts as well.

Jeidi: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Nancy: Do not use 3rd party ecommerce software. It can be very limiting and by having a site built from the ground up you have more flexibility to grow your website to fit the growth of your company. 3rd party software might cost less in the beginning but because of the limitations it might cost you more down the road to change as you grow.

Marry a web developer!

(To learn more about Nancy Bryant visit her website www.ElegantInvites.net).

© 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-ki) – an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on the WEB.” She can be reached at www.HeidiRichards.com .