Starting an online business is not easy. There are so many important decisions to make.what should you sell? Who should you sell to? How do you intend to acquire customers?
As if that wasn't enough, there seems to be a new online business trend every two weeks. There are chatbots, cryptocurrencies, Facebook ads, Instagram influencers, and more. What should you pay attention to? What really matters?
If you want to know how to start an online business in 2023, you've come to the right place. In this quick and easy article, we'll show you step by step how to start a small business online. Consider this a beginner's guide to starting an online business as we cover everything in plain language and list simple and practical instructions to get you started.
How to start an online business (from scratch)
#1: Don't start building yet
while watchingopen a business, it can be tempting to jump into action.
So if you feel like building a website, choose a name or company namecreate a logo, please wait now.
If you want to start a successful online business, you first need a strategy. And steps two, three and four in this article will show you how to create your online business strategy.
#2: Choose a business model
When learning how to start an online business from scratch, it helps to know some proven online business models.
Here are six types of online businesses to consider:
- affiliate marketing: Promote other businesses' products and services online and earn a commission for every sale you makepassive income idea.
- freelancer: Offer a service to other people and companies using your skills, e.g. B. advertising, writing, design or programming.
- training and consultancy: Become a trainer or consultant and sell your knowledge, advice and guidance.
- information products- Package and sell your expertise in eBooks, spreadsheets, templates, andonline courses.
- Software as a Service (SaaS)- Create a software or app and charge users a recurring subscription fee.
- electronic commerce: Use a service likeShopifyto create a website and sell physical products online.
Do you want more online business ideas to inspire you? Consult our guide"25 small business ideas to make money".
#3: Identify your target market
Next, you need to clarify your target market. In other words, who will you serve?
This step is absolutely necessary.
as the dealerPhilip Kotler once said that, "There is only one strategy for success. It is to carefully define the target market and drive an offer that is superior to that target market."
Here's the trick: make sure you're part of your target audience.
Think about it. If he has been camping all his life, he will understand the problems, desires and language of other campers. As a result, it would be much easier to sell camping products online.
Also, your marketing will be more successful because you will have a better understanding of how to communicate with other campers.
On the other hand, if you've never camped in your life, you'll probably have a hard time, and really have a hard time, selling camping products online.
So when choosing a target audience, ask yourself:
- What are my hobbies and interests?
- Is there something you know a lot about?
- What am I thinking, talking and reading about most of the time?
#4: Find a problem to solve
When learning how to start an online business, it's important to remember one important thing: every business solves a problem.
Plumbers fix leaky pipes. Hollywood movies satisfy people's boredom, curiosity, interest, and need to escape and relax. Clothing brands help people express themselves and feel attractive.
Here's the rule of thumb: the bigger the problem you can solve, and the better you solve it, the more money people are willing to pay.
Think of health services, for example. They solve a big problem, so almost everyone is willing to spend a lot of money on it.
On the other hand, few people will pay you to keep the table from rocking. It's not a big problem and they don't need any help to solve it.
Conclusion: If you want to figure out how to start an online business, you have to find a good problem to solve.
Here are three examples:
- target market: Trendy Teens
- Problem: Fashion-conscious people want to stand out from the crowd without breaking the bank.
- Solution:Create a clothing linethat's extravagant and cheap.
- target market: Marketing manager in a multinational software company.
- Problem: Businesses need to drive traffic to their websites.
- Solution– Write articles that rank on the first page of Google to drive traffic.
- target market: Working mothers with small children.
- Problem: Many mothers want to exercise regularly but don't have much time.
- Solution: Create a time-saving fitness program and schedule.
How do you find a problem to solve?
- Join Facebook groups and online forums and ask people who need help.
- To useGoogle Keyword Plannerto find out what people are looking for.
- Find successful online businesses and identify the problem they solve, then look for ways to do it better.
#5: Analyze the competition
Those who are learning to set up an online business should not sleepcompetitive analysis.
Analyzing your competitors will help you stay on top of what's working in your niche, identify winning tactics and new trends, and anticipate market changes. It also helps define your messaging, positioning, and overall business strategy.
So how do you carry out a competitive analysis? Here are some tips:Subscribe to your competitors' blogs
- Buy a product they sell
- Abandoning a product in the shopping cart
- Sign up for your newsletter
- Follow them on social networks
As you make these measurements, be sure to document your results with notes that accompany each approach. You want to find relevant information when you need it.
By analyzing the customer experience and how they interact with people through content, you can identify the tactics your competitors are using to increase sales.
Pro Tip:Consider performing a SWOT analysis to accompany your search results. It is a project that relies on the strengths and weaknesses of its competitors to define areas for improvement. To learn more about this tactic, read our guide “Everything you need to know about the SWOT analysis.“
#6: Cover your legal bases
Any business you start must be properly aligned with the laws and regulations in your area. So be sure to read the legal requirements for online businesses when starting a new internet business.
Some of the legal aspects that you should take into account are:
business structure
Register as an LLC or sole proprietorship of an online business? You can do your research and decide for yourself, but it's worth consulting a tax expert.
Licenses and Permits
Depending on the type of business you are starting, you may need a license to operate it. This depends on where you live. Therefore, contact your local Department of State for more information.
Fiscal obligations
Most online entrepreneurs have to pay income taxes. Additionally, you may be subject to VAT if you sell products to consumers in certain countries. Therefore, before starting your business, you should consider speaking with an attorney to learn more about applicable taxes and the list of online business documents required for filing.
Copyrights, patents and trademarks
You want to cover these legal items to avoid future problems. For example, registering your trademark prevents others from using your brand name and saves you the trouble and expense of rebranding.
#7: Choose your sourcing strategy
If you are interested in starting an online eCommerce business, you need to find trustworthy and trustworthy sources of inventory.
There are several possibilities for this:
- Look up product manufacturers on sites like Alibaba or directories likeCompass,Fuentesy Thomas Net.
- Find product wholesalers in your state or area athandshake.
- Discover dropshipping providers on platforms likeDSLR.
The latter option is extremely affordable and gives you the opportunity to start your business without making a large initial investment.
With dropshipping, your product supplier ships and fulfills an order only after the customer makes a purchase; You run the warehousing and logistics part of the business while taking care of marketing and customer service.
watch thisList of the best dropshipping providersto find valued partners you can trust to fulfill your order.
#8: Set up your payment methods
You're almost there! Now is the time to decide how your business will accept payments and how you, the business owner, will receive payments.
There are several online payment options available to you. Some of the most popular include accepting credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
If you plan to start an eCommerce business with Shopify, you can activate the provider's integrated payment solutionShopify Payments. It allows you to accept all major payment methods and comes with 0% additional transaction fees.
For a service-based web business like freelance writing, check out Transferwise, Payoneer, Stripe, and 2Checkout.
Regardless of the payment method, you should be able to set your payment schedule. You can choose to receive your money daily, weekly or monthly- depending on your preferences when it comes to money.
#9: Build Your Sales Platform
Once you've identified your business idea and covered your legal bases, it's time to build your platform.
And?
Well if you are planning to start an eCommerce business then build a website withShopifyand then find products to sell with DSers.
If you plan to freelance, advise, or consult, Shopify has the ability to connect many popular tools, such as digital downloads.sell digital products online, ReCharge to sell subscriptions online, and SendOwl to sell videos online.
Keep things simple.
At this point, your business is still in the realm of theory. So try not to invest a lot of money, time or energy in building a perfect website.
Instead, test your business idea and make sure it works before you invest.
Erich Ries, author of The Lean Startup, said, "We need to learn what customers really want, not what they say they want or what we think they should want."
#10: Choose a marketing method
When you're ready to promote your business online, you need to choose a marketing method.
There are many different methods of marketing online. However, when it comes to learning how to start an online business, some are better than others.
Here are four online marketing methods you can use to get sales pretty quickly:
- social media marketing: To usesocial mediato create and share content, engage with your audience, and drive traffic to your website to drive sales.
- direct disclosure: reach people in companiesOffer your services.
- paid advertising: Advertise on platforms likeFacebook,Instagram,Google, zYouTubeto increase brand awareness and increase sales.
- Influencer-Marketing:Join influential peopleto promote your products directly to your existing followers.
Summary: How to start an online business?
Do you want to know how to start an online business in 2023? Here are 10 steps to start an online business:
- Create a good trading strategy before you start building.
- Choose an online business model that suits your skills, interests, and preferences.
- Identify your target market and make sure you are part of it.
- Identify a problem your target audience has and find a way to solve it.
- Study your competitors to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Comply with legal requirements, including obtaining a business license.
- Choose a sourcing strategy that simplifies order fulfillment.
- Set up your payment and payment gateway to collect and receive payments.
- Create a simple sales platform to test your business idea.
- Choose a marketing method and start promoting your business.
After all, it can take a while to learn how to successfully start an online business. So don't worry if your first online business doesn't take off right away. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs have failed multiple times before finding success.
Like Apple co-founder Steve Jobshe said once, "I am convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from failures is sheer perseverance."
Start selling online with Shopify now
Bonus: additional resources to help you build and launch your online business
- How to build your own brand from scratch in 7 steps
- The 9 Best Shopify Tools for New Entrepreneurs
- How to Get Free Media Coverage for Your Business
- Decode (and optimize for) the stages of the product lifecycle
- 15 Ways to Quickly Increase Engagement on Social Media
- What you need to know about pricing before you start
- Ecommerce Shipping Solutions: A Guide to Ecommerce Delivery
- Product Page Optimization: 9 Timeless Ways to Increase Conversions
- 10 tips for dealing with customer complaints
- 9 ways to gain customer trust when you don't have sales