The Bay Hammock Company
Four years ago, Anne and Archie Chisholm discovered the benefit of high-speed access to the Internet to increase sales in their new business. The retired couple had just purchased The Bay Hammock Company, located near beautiful Peggy's Cove in Seabright, Nova Scotia. The only experience either of them had with the Internet was using email. However, the company had an existing website, which meant the couple needed to learn more about eBusiness, fast.
"Now we have two websites - an information site for our customers, which links to an e-commerce site where we sell, says Anne Chisholm. Customers from all over the world can access the e-commerce site, order and pay for a product. The order is received here in Seabright, and when it's ready for delivery, company staff request a pick up from UPS via the high-speed connection.
Because of its websites, the company has access to hammock users from all over the world. "We sell primarily in North America, but we also have customers in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Fiji Islands, in Indonesia and a couple of Disney World resorts, says Anne.
Lynn Sallans, who works at Bay Hammocks, thinks she has the best job in the world.
"I get to tie knots, stand outside and talk to people from away; a no stress job, playing with rope, says Sallans, as she stands outside the company store, weaving a new hammock in the spring sunshine.
"With access to high-speed you can work when you want because the Internet is 24/7, you can sell to the world, and you can present your business in a very personal way. These are all important assets of being set up to sell online, says Anne.
Bay Hammocks installed a web camera in the workshop, so online costumers can watch how to install their new hammock correctly.
"With our video camera, we can show people how to get in and out of the hammock, how to set them up, how to put the hanging kit around the tree properly so it doesn't hurt the tree or anything else people need to know.
The company does most of their promotional work through social marketing sites. By logging onto sites like Facebook, Twitter, Digg, and StumbleUpon, they are able to send potential costumers to The Bay Hammock Company website. Anne explains how she uses Twitter to read what people are saying about their business, and about hammocks and other products they sell. "This can give you a lot of good ideas of how you can sell.
Anne and Archie feel they couldn't have a business without access to high-speed Internet. The social marketing sites wouldn't work, the webcam wouldn't work, and the instant response customers expect wouldn't be possible. With access to high-speed Internet, however, using social marketing is possible, the webcam is live, and Bay Hammocks' response to international customers can be immediate. That's what helps them stay ahead in their rural-based business.
