It was the end of the last century when I decided to start my first online business. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy. All the work of website design and programming was on me since I was dirt poor, having lost my job months ago, and didn't have the money to hire a crew -- which I happily would have done had I the means.
That was then, this is now. Today, lots of powerful tools and plentiful web templates make the process of starting an online business super easy. Where once you might have to seek out a business partner to handle all the stuff you were bad at, these days there's not much reason for anyone to split up a new business by recruiting extra hands.
Having started a few online businesses myself, I can attest to its ease. In just a few steps, you too could be owner and operator -- president -- of your very own internet-based business. Let's take a look at the first major steps shall we?
Being that your website is, in the online world, your storefront, you'll need to get that set up first. Back in the early days, having a reliable website meant setting up your own web server and getting access to very expensive high-speed digital lines. Today, you just pay a web host a few bucks a month for access to their web server and high-speed lines. Most even come preinstalled with a litany of powerful tools that can set you up virtually any way you desire -- automatically.
After choosing your web host and getting your website live, you'll want to install a CMS (content management system). These are designed to allow you to create content and other media for your website even if you don't know HTML or other web-programming languages from Morse code. If you chose a good web host, they'll have a variety of CMS's to choose from, all for free.
Next, get content up on your site! With your newly installed CMS, this is as easy as using a word processor. Start setting up each individual webpage according to your needs. If, for example, you are selling a line of products, then create sales pages for those products.
From here, you want to monetize your site (i.e. start making money), There are a couple ways to do this. Selling advertising space is one way to go, or you can go the more traditional route of selling stuff. Whether that "stuff" is information, ebooks, or actual physical products is entirely up to you. But whatever you choose to sell, you'll need a way to accept payment from your customers. Once again, a good webhost will come to the rescue with full integration of a variety of payment systems. In most cases, a few clicks of your mouse should be all it takes to get set up to accept credit cards, echecks and more.
If you're selling physical products, look for a wholesaler that can provide you with a data feed of their inventory. By uploading their data feed to your webhost, you can automatically populate your webstore's virtual shelves with as many hot items as you wish. Just be sure to check with your webhost to ensure that they have the technology to accept such a data feed. If they don't, find one that does. Any self-respecting webhost will.
And that's the end. Wait, what? Yep, it really is that easy! In fact, 60 minutes is truly a conservative estimate. But now you've got to get customers to your virtual door. And that's a whole other article. In the meantime, enjoy your shiny new business!
That was then, this is now. Today, lots of powerful tools and plentiful web templates make the process of starting an online business super easy. Where once you might have to seek out a business partner to handle all the stuff you were bad at, these days there's not much reason for anyone to split up a new business by recruiting extra hands.
Having started a few online businesses myself, I can attest to its ease. In just a few steps, you too could be owner and operator -- president -- of your very own internet-based business. Let's take a look at the first major steps shall we?
Being that your website is, in the online world, your storefront, you'll need to get that set up first. Back in the early days, having a reliable website meant setting up your own web server and getting access to very expensive high-speed digital lines. Today, you just pay a web host a few bucks a month for access to their web server and high-speed lines. Most even come preinstalled with a litany of powerful tools that can set you up virtually any way you desire -- automatically.
After choosing your web host and getting your website live, you'll want to install a CMS (content management system). These are designed to allow you to create content and other media for your website even if you don't know HTML or other web-programming languages from Morse code. If you chose a good web host, they'll have a variety of CMS's to choose from, all for free.
Next, get content up on your site! With your newly installed CMS, this is as easy as using a word processor. Start setting up each individual webpage according to your needs. If, for example, you are selling a line of products, then create sales pages for those products.
From here, you want to monetize your site (i.e. start making money), There are a couple ways to do this. Selling advertising space is one way to go, or you can go the more traditional route of selling stuff. Whether that "stuff" is information, ebooks, or actual physical products is entirely up to you. But whatever you choose to sell, you'll need a way to accept payment from your customers. Once again, a good webhost will come to the rescue with full integration of a variety of payment systems. In most cases, a few clicks of your mouse should be all it takes to get set up to accept credit cards, echecks and more.
If you're selling physical products, look for a wholesaler that can provide you with a data feed of their inventory. By uploading their data feed to your webhost, you can automatically populate your webstore's virtual shelves with as many hot items as you wish. Just be sure to check with your webhost to ensure that they have the technology to accept such a data feed. If they don't, find one that does. Any self-respecting webhost will.
And that's the end. Wait, what? Yep, it really is that easy! In fact, 60 minutes is truly a conservative estimate. But now you've got to get customers to your virtual door. And that's a whole other article. In the meantime, enjoy your shiny new business!
About the Author:
Stu Lisonbee is a former eBay employee and PowerSeller helping others learn to start an online business from home, including the art of selling on eBay.
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