In Business, Creating Sustainable Enterprises & Communities

GOING ONLINE FOR GREEN SHOPPING

In Business, May-June, 2005, Vol. 27, No. 3, p. 20

Internet directory gives site users the ability to rate green products and services offered - improving options before the next purchase is made.

Michael J. Ross

EVEN THOUGH it is a technological, man-made phenomenon, the Internet is bringing together environmentally active people and organizations. Green shopping directories that do exist on the Internet make it easier to find green products, services and organizations.
One directory, PristinePlanet.com allows site users to rate the products and services offered, and share their own opinions. Founder of the company, Cathy Finn based in San Diego, California, notes her goal is to make it easy for people to educate themselves before they make their next purchase. Participation in the PristinePlanet.com community offers products or services that adhere to fair trade practices and makes consistent efforts to recycle and reuse resources.
Once signed up, a member organization is able to include its products in over 110 categories, specify links back to their own web site, add small images of the products (“thumbnails”), see their products featured in rotation, help educate visitors by contributing Did-You-Know's, and have products profiled in the site's newsletter. In addition, a member firm gets 24/7 access to their traffic statistics via a secure login section, thereby allowing finetuning of their product descriptions for improved traffic.
The PristinePlanet.com staff works to maximize the attractiveness of their web site to search engines. This ongoing process of “search engine optimization” (SEO) is an essential component of any online business's marketing campaign. Finn urges every ecoentrepreneur whose business depends upon web site traffic, to take the time to learn the basic principles of SEO - or at least get some assistance in optimizing their own web site - as it can make a significant difference in improving the visibility of one's clients to Internet users.

BUSINESS CHALLENGES
The tallest initial hurdle for any new enterprise is building and integrating the various components of the business. For PristinePlanet.com, there were several major stages of development: choosing and honing what exactly the business would be offering to clients, creating and securing the business name and web site domain name, filing for a business license, obtaining a merchant account, designing and developing the web site and backend database and code, fleshing out the front-end functionality, search engine optimization, and finally marketing and sales. Finn found that the completion of one stage led naturally to the next.
One of the difficulties of being an entrepreneur getting started, is that there is not always enough time to develop the infrastructure for handling business, and to anticipate everything that could happen. Sometimes miscalculations can end badly. Other times, one can only feel blessed for happy accidents. For instance, when Finn was first testing the database, she chose a particular member organization to test the log in capability. As a result, they received a test e-mail message inviting them to receive their new password, which they did. Unbeknownst to Finn, this allowed them to begin adding products to the database, which they naturally began doing, even though she had not expected it.
Demonstrating that the key to resolving issues is full communication, Finn immediately contacted them, explained what had happened, and offered them a free month of membership, which they accepted. That's how PristinePlanet.com gained their first client, and illustrates how easily the unexpected can happen.

SOME LESSONS LEARNED
For any small web-based business to succeed in the vastness of the Internet, it is critical to distinguish the business from the competition. Right from the start, Finn became dedicated to making PristinePlanet.com provide a better experience for the green shopper. The various product and sorting features were purposely designed to make it easier for the site visitor to find what they want quickly and pleasantly.
Yet the one factor that Finn points to as the most critical in the success of her venture, is flexibility. Finn commented that she views her entrepreneurial work as like riding a wave - a wave of change and fleeting opportunities - in contrast to many businesspeople, who tend to stick to a rigid business plan, and try to force circumstances to match their preconceived notions of how their business will progress.
Finn is constantly listening to what customers want and their feedback. This allows her to quickly adjust to what the members and visitors would prefer. For example, in the early stages of the business, PristinePlanet-.com was only going to be a site where consumers could write reviews. But seeing the consumer demand for green products, and the ability to compare them easily, Finn shifted gears and rapidly adjusted the web site so that members could list their own products, and include product descriptions and pictures.

ADVICE FROM THE TRENCHES
When asked as to what recommendations she would give to anyone else considering starting their own small business, Finn stated that you must believe in the business. You must know that your work is ethical. As long as you do something that you believe in, then your efforts will seem more like a fun project, and not a tedious job.
As noted earlier, the creator of a new business should be flexible, willing to go with the flow and make quick adjustments as needed. While it is important to remain committed to the business's current direction until modified, the entrepreneur should not operate with blinders on, trying to force situations. That can result in missing out on possible improvements, and being less capable of adapting to the demands and interest from current and prospective customers.

Michael Ross is editor of PristinePlanet.com's newsletter. The company can be visited at www.pristineplanet.com.

PHASES OF A WEB-BASED BUSINESS CONCEPT
While Cathy Finn and some friends were brainstorming ideas for a web-based business, she proposed an environmentally-friendly site that allows visitors to post and read reviews of companies and products. When it came time for a name, her husband Mark came up with "PristinePlanet" and she bought the domain. A business license was filed in April, 2004.
The second major phase involved building the web site framework which required her to explore multiple technologies: Microsoft SQL Server and Transact SQL for the database, ASP and VBScript for serving “dynamic web pages,” JavaScript, HTML and CSS as well as overall web design.
The third phase was to build the front-end infrastructure on top of the framework, then adding all the data (i.e., initial members and products). PristinePlanet.com initially built up members by offering everything for free, using guerrilla marketing techniques. Then a customer relationship management (CRM) tool was designed to manage all paying and prospective members.
Next phase was to build the back-end infrastructure, as well as several maintenance tools to allow easier data entry. As 2005 began, Finn was into search engine optimization (SEO) so the site would show up higher in search results. Now, Finn's growing knowledge of SEO lets her speak knowledgeably with prospective members who can benefit from increased traffic.
Sixth and current phase involves significantly ramping up marketing which takes many forms. On the sales side, Mark Finn is contacting environmental organizations; PristinePlanet.com has participated in many Earth Day events in the San Diego area. News releases have been distributed bringing more traffic to the site. A monthly newsletter is growing, and an RSS feed has been added to the site. - M.R.