How to Start an Online Business

Are you tire of your current job because of office politics or your work is not being appreciated no matter how hard you tried to prove you’re are a contribution to the success of your company? No one is indispensable, that’s what we are always told. Today society doesn’t practise 20yrs ago that loyalty count. Many of us afraid to leave the company due to age or they are still in the comfort zone even though every day is hell to them. If you’re unfortunate, retrenchment find you, resigning on impulse caused you temporary out of job and even you have difficulties in searching for another job.

Have you ever think of be your own boss and start working for yourself by starting your own idea company. Tried sending hundreds of resume and not even one reply? Everyday worry about finance to support your family and bill payment received. There is advantages working for yourself more than job hunting. You can decide what is the job that interested you, determine your office hours and where office space / location, and yet all the profits go into your bank.

Budget is always the great factor starting your own business, don’t worry, you don’t need thousands of dollars on setup costs. Don’t spend money online or equipment that you don’t need or there are better and cheaper alternatives for all your plans. Plan your business systematically, organize and manage your funding, standard and quality of your product, and with a positive mind to work. You can obtain everything from the internet that you required to start up a business online, with minimal effort and do some research thru the internet.

There are various types of online businesses that are interesting to begin, the existing platforms that many people choose to use like the Etsy and eBay, and self-hosted eCommerce sites. What you need to know is to follow the steps you’ll need to take to get your business start and executing. No doubt there are less risk, cost and effort involvement. Search for more detail about the different aspects of starting your online business, such as setting up your website and how to register your business name.

Different types of online businesses

Etsy store

It is quite easy to setup an account in Ety store, their format quite similar to store to store sales, but it pretty much standard of the layout which you do not have the ability to customize how your layout is. All customers will search and buy through the Etsy interface, not only your products appear in Etsy but you have other competitors displaying their products side by side with you. There are pros and cons to it, depending on how much control you wish to maintain over your site.

Etsy is more for creative kind of goods or products, and focuses on items that are not in big quantity or mass produced. More for business into handcrafted goods, resell vintage items, self-made and one-and-only item, which might be perfect for your consideration.

eBay store

eBay is more for people selling their good online and is an auction marketplace on the web. This gives you much more flexibility as a seller—you can put items up for auction to get a higher price. The option to set a reserve prices ensures that you won’t sell something for a fraction of what it’s worth. For everything that doesn’t auction well (such as the majority of in-production items), you can use eBay’s fixed-price listings.

Similar to Etsy, starting an ebay store has some significant advantages, which are also at the same time potential downsides. As with Etsy, you won’t have to set up a website, customize your online storefront, or choose a shopping cart software—when you use eBay to sell your products, that’s all included.

However this means, like Etsy, that your customers will have to go through eBay to buy from you, and you’ll also have little control over the visual layout of your store. As with Etsy, this may be a pro or a con for you, depending on your business.

Unlike Etsy, there is no stipulation with eBay stores that the goods be handcrafted or vintage resale, unfortunately, no physical goods sold. Also, disadvantage that your business are selling consulting or other services.

If your business still needs to accept payment via your site, you’re most likely better off setting up your own website, with a very simplistic shopping cart software.

eCommerce Site

One of the most direct and easy to access form of online business is eCommerce site. You can obtain it selling your products and services directly to your customers, without a ‘middle man’ such as eBay or Etsy. It is fast and effective for any customers to get in contact with you.

The advantage of eCommerce site is you have fully control over your business. You are able to customize virtually and to your preference of all the options when setting up your eCommerce site account, the appearance and how you want to look in your site, however the process of the skill knowledge of how to programme and knowing the internet work can makes the process complicated and challenge to you.

Everyone will definite impress with a good eCommerce site which give the user best experience and ease of shopping. Compare the different web design model and choose the best suit you, as is making sure that your shopping cart software is best work for your business. Be sure to check out the various shopping cart options available—from shopify to x-cart and many more.

 

Below guidelines that’s benefit to newbie who has the intension of starting your online business for your consideration.

Research

Know the market and problem they are facing instead of doing the product analysing first. Higher chances of success is to start out with the market. Survey the online forums to find out what questions people ask and what the problems they’re trying to solve are.

Keywords that many people are searching or google is the most important factor of the popularity of the business. Don’t stuck with sites that are too competing.

Check out your potential competitors by visiting their sites and study what they’re doing to fill the demand. Then you can use what you’ve learned from them and other sites to create a product for a market that already exists and do it better than the competition.

 

Selling Technics 

Give every visitors a good remarkable experience through the selling process from the moment they login your site to the moment they make a purchase.

Start out with an interesting compelling headline that capture their attention. Describe what your product that help them solve their problems. Promote your credibility as a solver of this problem and able to help them in future. Testimonials from your previous customers who have used your product and their good feedback. Promote your product and it beneficial to them. Make an offer to them that they can’t resist and inform them of the guarantee result. Always make follow up serive with the clients to create that they are your important customer. Lastly but not least, sale recommendation.

Focus on how your product or service is uniquely and competitive with others, most important is able solve their problems or make their lives better.

Simple and yet Creative website

You’ve got your market, your product and finalised your selling process, the next important is your business web design tool. Creativeness, simple and easily capture attention is the theme. Select one or two plain fonts on a plain background. Make your navigation clear and simple, and standardise on every page. Try to use graphics which are catchy, audio with good attention or video that make them to remember if they can assist to enhance your message. You can have an option for customers to provide their e-mail addresses for enquires. Simple to use and fast and easy checkout. Friendly users site and easy to use.

Search engines to direct buyers

There are costs involved if you want the search engines to appear your site in priority, pay-per-click advertising are available as this will be the easiest way to get traffic to your site. There are two advantages over waiting for your site to appear in your customer’s search in the first page. First, PPC ads appear on the search pages immediately on the first page, and second, PPC ads allow you to test different keywords, as well as headlines, prices and selling approaches. Not only do you get immediate traffic, but you can also use PPC ads to discover your best, highest-converting keywords. You can distribute those keywords throughout your site in your copy and code, which will help your rankings in the site search results.

Reaching potential customers

Internet are getting its popularity and common to people using the internet to find online information. By providing information for free to other sites, you will create more traffic and better search engine rankings in your website. Always include a link to your site with each headline of your information. Write and post free content to the searchers. Create articles, videos or any other content that people will find it useful for them. Distribute that content through online article directories or social media sites which include your address book list links on valuable content on your website. Be an active and continue provide content in industry forums and social networking sites where your target market are. You’ll reach new readers and every site that posts your content will link back to yours, that’s an advantage to you. Search engines track links from relevant sites and will reward you in the rankings your site to appear more visibilities to others.

 

E-mail marketing

E-mailing is one of the important tool and most valuable assets of online business. Your customers and subscribers provided their e-mail address to you for your production information and updates. You’re constantly providing them something they are interested, and developing a lifetime relationships with your customers. The results and respond are measurable in return. E-mail marketing is cheaper and more effective than advertisement, flyer or TV or radio commercial because it’s highly targeted and focused. Anyone who visits your site and opts in to your list is a potential business opportunities. And there’s no better tool than e-mail for following up with those leads.

Follow-up and upselling sales

One of the most important internet marketing strategies is to develop every customer’s lifetime value. People who have purchased from you once will buy from you again if you follow up with them. Closing that first sale is by far the most difficult part, so use follow-up selling and upselling to get them to patronise again. Offer your products that complement their previous purchase. You can email them with loyalty coupons they can redeem on their next purchase. Promote related products with your kind appreciation message after the transaction purchase. Reward your customers for their loyalty and maintain their support.

The internet changes fast and we need to up-to-date with the technologies. Fortunately, the principles of starting a business and to grow to a successful online business are not out-dated. For people who are just starting a small business online, follow the sequences. For those who are already online awhile, review your business and check if you’re neglecting something or things that need to improve.

 

Looking for a Web Designer agent? Want to have a chat with OVOC, find out how they can help your business prosper and discuss about the best digital marketing strategies for your business?

Visit www.ovocreatives.com or send them an email at info@ovocreatives.com today.