An ever increasing number of people around the world are choosing to run an eCommerce business – and many are achieving success! If you are fed up of the morning commute and like the sound of a career that can fit in around your family life and involve something you love doing, starting an eCommerce business might be just what you’re looking for.
Before you give up your day job, however, here are some tips to help you get started.
Determine Your Market
This is the starting point for all ecommerce startups. It’s going to require a certain amount of research, but you can do it all online. The aim of your research is to find a group of people with a common need. They also need to be having problems meeting that need. Visit online forums, do keyword research and check out any potential competitors.
Once you’ve determined your market, you can focus on a product. When this has been decided, you can move onto selling your product.
Design Your Website
There are plenty of website designers you can go to with your brief. It is, however, very quick and straightforward to design and build a website yourself. Keep it simple because you’ve only got a short space of time in which to grab their attention. Fill your homepage with masses of words, and they’ll very quickly look elsewhere. Navigating your website should be simple. It will also be advantageous if your site is mobile friendly. An increasing number of people now use mobile devices when shopping online.
Content Sells
To make a success of your eCommerce business, you need to be able to sell your products. To do that, you need to write compelling sales copy for your website. It’s possible to outsource this part of your operation, but you can do this yourself. Start with a compelling headline, then help your readers understand the benefit of buying your product. Once you’ve got a few customers, you’ll be able to add their testimonials. The focus of your content should be how your product can solve your customer’s problems or make their life better.
Work on Your Online Reputation
Why do people use the internet? It’s not just for shopping. They also go online to find out about different things. Create informative and entertaining content and distribute it across a range of different platforms such as online directories or social media sites. Always remember to include a link to your website with every piece of information you get published.
For the articles you publish on your website, remember to include ‘send to a friend’ links as well as social media share buttons.
If there are specific social media sites and industry forums where your target market like to hang out, spend time posting articles and work on becoming an active expert.
These four points are just a small drop in the ocean of the things you need to consider when starting your own eCommerce business. Things change so fast in the world of business that you’ll need to work hard if you want to keep up. Keep your finger on the pulse with regular research.
