Starting a business today does not necessarily mean you have to set up a physical store in a commercial area. The trend to do business online remains popular in recent years and many prefer to do it this way to avoid the stress and other paperwork needed.
Whether you are offering a product or a service, it’s very possible to launch your business online. What matters is you plan your business well and find ways to market your offerings in as many channels as you can. Keep in mind that planning and research are keys to a successful project.
Product or Service
When deciding on your business offering, it’s very important to choose a product or service that you know very well. For products, pick those that can easily be sold to consumers and those that are lightweight. It would also be a good idea to offer unique products that make people’s tasks easier. You can even become a reseller of popular products such as clothes, toys, accessories and gadgets among others. Just remember to do your research by checking products online and visiting websites that offer useful tips such as F3Y.
For services, you can offer a useful one that can help solve people’s problems. Make sure that you have the skills to perform the task or a team that can provide the service to consumers within your locality.
Prices and Fees
Make your prices and fees competitive. Again, do your research ahead of time and compare the rates being offered in your area.
For products, you can create incentives that appeal to your target market. For instance, you can offer free shipping or a lower price for orders of two to three items.
For services, you can start low to attract customers while you’re still establishing your business. You can always raise your fees later once you have gained the trust of people and have received a positive feedback from your work. Testimonials from satisfied customers can help boost the image of your business and make sure to post them on your website for people to see.
Marketing Strategy
Having a marketing plan is also a must. This will be very helpful in exposing your business offerings to more people and gaining more customers moving forward. Make sure that your marketing plan specifies the strategies you’re going to take both for the short term and long term.
For a start, you can promote your product or service on your preferred social networking sites. You can create accounts specifically using your business name on Facebook through the business page, Twitter and LinkedIn via its company page. This is the most cost effective way to tell people about your products or service and you have an option to use the sites’ paid ads feature later on when you have extra budget for advertising purposes.
Other than social media, though, you have other choices available such as blogs and blog directories to article directories and business directories. You can also contribute guest posts on other sites related to your niche.
Consider these steps when you are planning your online business and you can be sure to start right.
Originally posted on November 5, 2015 @ 12:18 pm