With 2020 upon us, now is a great time to start a business
So you’ve worked hard for the past few years and you finally have some money saved for your online business. In some circles, this is just the balance of your savings account. But to you, this is called seed capital. Why? Because you are an entrepreneur and you think differently. Maybe you remember the unemployment pain your parents went through during the Great Recession and you have decided that you are going to call your own shots. Maybe you have retired from one career and you’re hearing the call of entrepreneurship. Maybe your growing family requires that you find ways to earn an income by working from home.
Whatever the reason a new year is a great time to start a new business. There are many great guides out there too like The Complete, 12-Step Guide to Starting a Business. In the old days, you had to find a product or create a product, build sales material, and then find prospects to sell to. Today the Internet makes starting a business easier than it used to be and starting an online business only makes sense.
If you can dream it, you can build it
It has never been easier to start a business than now. The Internet has made it easier than ever to reach the people who want your goods or services. Maybe you have a craft that you want to sell. Maybe you are finally pursuing your dream of working from home full-time.
No matter what direction you go in to start your online business, you are going to need a website and we’e here to help you build your online business.
How to Build Your Business Website
1. Find the Domain Name that is Right for Your Business
Choosing your business name and your domain name can make or break your online business. First, you have to see which domain names are available. A great way to check is right here. You should also check with your state to make sure your business name is available in case you plan on incorporating.
Since the Internet is much more competitive than in the past, you may need to exercise a little creativity in finding the perfect domain name for your business. Never fear, there are still a ton of great domain names out there just for you.
2. Decide which Platform is Right for You
There are many different web builders and platforms to build your website with. The most popular web platform in the world is WordPress. In fact, 34% of websites that use a content management system (CMS) use WordPress. There are other CMS platforms such as Drupal, Joomla, Laravel and even Bootstrap has great themes for the more code-savvy website owners.
Some platforms and CMS’s are easier than others and you don’t have to be an expert. That’s what we are here for. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to talk about making your online business goals a reality.
3. Get a Hosting Plan that Fits your Platform
To help clear up the mystery of choosing a hosting plan, we’ve put together this guide to our hosting services.
How to get started in your online business
1. Become a freelancer
Freelancing is a quick way to get started with a new business. There are platforms and tutorials everywhere on how to start your freelancing business and start making money from home. All you need is a skill that is in demand, a computer and an internet connection and you are in business. Then all you need is customers. With our marketing tools, you can get your site noticed by search engines, start an email campaign, and more!
2. Start an eCommerce site
With an eCommerce site, you can sell your products or services on the Internet. In the 1990’s a small book store began selling books online, and over the years became good at selling other goods and services. That company today is a website everyone knows as Amazon. Your online business over time could become the next Amazon!
3. Sell other company’s products
Another option to build your online business is to sell other companys’ products for them. Finding companies who will pay you a commission for each sale is not as daunting as it sounds. It’s called affiliate marketing and it has been around for a while now. In fact, one of the largest companies that pays a commission for your sales is Amazon.
You can also check an affiliate directory such as Commission Junction or ShareASale. And there are many more affiliate directories and companies who have affiliate programs. To see just how many companies have affiliates, scroll down to the bottom of your page and see if you see a link for “affilates” or “partners.”
Getting Started is the Key
There are many quotes about how dreamers change the world. But none of them change anything if those dreamers don’t believe in their dream enough to get started building their dreams. Get started today and start building your online business.
