So, you want to start selling online? Well, let us reassure you that you’re doing the right thing. Selling online is more popular now than ever in the past, and what’s more, it’s only going to continue growing.
That means that by starting now, you can put yourself ahead of the future competition coming your way.
And if you’re stressing over whether this article is right for you or not, relax.
All of this information will transcend industries and products. That means that whether you’re selling online books, selling online business or even selling apps— This is perfect for you. We’ll help you and your blossoming online business become successful and will enable you to make money online. Just open your mind, and get ready to learn from a business that understands the online market.
Continue reading below.
First Thing in Selling Online
Before you get too excited about your future selling online, there are some things you need to consider. And before you worry, I want you to know that there’s nothing too daunting. There are only some routine things you need to be aware of— Seven things, to be exact.
We’ll help you prepare yourself below.
1. Devise your business plan.
There have been many failed ventures in selling online in the past. And almost every failure stemmed from one mistake early on— They didn’t devise a business plan.
So before you dive in, create yours.
A good plan will help you hit your targets and avoid going over budget. So consider how much your new online store will cost and how much financial backing you have prepared. Use that information to make planned payments.
You can also ask yourself:
- “How much are my shipping and production costs?”
- “What taxes do I need to pay?”
- “Will I pay employee wages?”
- “How much will the domain name and web hosting cost us?”
- “How much can I put aside for marketing to attract my ideal audience?”
Once you have those numbers, consider them in your plan.
2. Set out to be different.
There’s a lot of competition online. And many of your closest competitors will provide similar products or services to you. So unless you’re okay with them stealing your ideal audience, you need to be different.
Prove to your online audience that you’re better than the alternatives. Give them a reason to buy something from you.
We recommend scoping out your closest competitors and carefully examining their offers. Try to find something they aren’t doing, so you can fill that gap in the market.
It can be helpful to ask yourself, “If I was my ideal audience, what would I like to see?”
3. Test the likability of your products.
After you find a way to be different, it’s an excellent idea to examine how people view your product/ service. Simply put, you want to know how someone would react to your product if you were a street vendor.
Do they like it?
Do they think it’s overpriced or something could be better?
Will it sell on a large scale?
To find out without claiming your spot in a street fair, you can sell your product/ service on eBay. (Or Facebook Marketplace.) Just ask for customer feedback so you can get their honest opinion.
This is a great way to test a product before dumping all your money into the project. You can check this resource out for more of a how-to.
4. Choose a domain name and SaaS E-commerce platform.
So, at this point, you have a plan, your product refined and your very own market niche. Now, it’s time to pick a domain name and SaaS e-commerce platform.
When choosing your domain name, try to think of one that is short and memorable. You want it to pop and float on someone’s mind. A common assumption is that it has to relate directly to your product or service, but that’s not the case.
Take Amazon, Google and Apple as examples.
Just remember that it needs to be easy for Google to find, so you have good SEO numbers. Once you have a few good options, see if your name is claimed on a site like GoDaddy. As for your web hosting, make sure that whatever you pick aligns with your needs.
SaaS e-commerce platforms can be a great option. They allow you to offload the backend operations to someone else.
5. Choose an E-commerce platform.
This part is critical. Your e-commerce platform should give your business room to grow and provide your customers with everything they need. And make sure that whatever you choose is fully customizable.
You want your brand image to pop.
It’s also essential to ensure the platform is safe and secure for you and your customers. You can check out this article to learn more about e-commerce platforms.
6. Set up a merchant account.
You, of course, want to be paid for your products and services, so this is important. The most common solution is to create a merchant account with a bank. That way, you can process transactions through credit or debit cards.
There’s also a big benefit to doing things this way. Because all the payments are nearly instant, you get paid, and your customer gets their product fast.
If you don’t want to fully commit with a bank, that’s fine too. There are plenty of other options like PayPal.
7. Get selling!
Okay, now, you should have everything lined up and ready to go! That means one thing. It’s time to start selling online!
At this point, you should revisit your marketing strategy and ensure you have everything you need to attract your audience. If you want to make your life a million times easier and ensure your ideal audience sees you, let us help!
We can provide you with a 12-month strategic marketing plan to get the ball rolling and keep you growing! All you have to do is click here to book your call with Business Marketing Engine now!
We’ll make you have everything you need to be successful.
Benefits of Online Selling
We’ve been in this business for a while. So, we understand that some people, perhaps you, get cold feet nearing this point. To help with that, we’ll give you a few benefits to keep you optimistic.
Save on workforce cost
By selling online, you can avoid the financial commitments involved with traditional stores, such as paying workforce costs. Think about it. You can say goodbye to handing out checks for people staffing the front office or rearranging the store.
That means you’ll have more money to cycle back through products and website improvements.
Reaching a wide portion of consumers throughout online platforms
Let’s face it. Fewer and fewer people are making the journey to storefronts. Instead, they want to shop online.
So by meeting your audience online, you’re really reaching a larger group of consumers than ever before. People will have access to your products and services from coast to coast. That also means that you’ll be able to find your niche audience easier than before.
In the process, you’ll boost sales and grow your business.
Saving time and execution of what you sell
Selling online will help you avoid the massive time commitment of running a traditional storefront. That will allow you more time to spend with your loved ones and enjoy your new success.
Deliver What You Presented
Here’s one last note before you get going on your new online adventure. Make sure that you deliver exactly what you present to your customers. In other words, give your customers a 100 percent accurate version of your online pitch.
There should be no differences between the pictures they saw and the product they received in the mail.
There’s no quicker way to doom your new online adventure than delivering shabby products. Because if there’s anything your customers are unhappy with, they’ll be sure to leave a review stating that. And that will destroy your future sales.
That’s all there is to it! You should have all the information you need to face the brave new world of selling online! We can’t express how excited we are to see you and your business succeed. Just remember, do it differently and better than your competitors.
If you can manage that, you’ll have a great start and a bright future.
If you’re ever ready to ensure the success of your new online business, get marketing help from Business Marketing Engine. We have the expertise and world-class marketing strategies to deliver your ideal audience to your offers.
From social media to high-quality websites designed 100 percent for you, we can help your business on every front.