How to Successfully Build Your Online Business

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Decide on an online storefront. I have had several storefronts set up trying to figure out which one worked best for me and the products I sell. Yes, it is important if you want to set up a web page be sure to pay for a good site and especially get a domain name. Research all of your options. Unfortunately, I did not do good research when I paid for my site; I was looking at the financial aspect of it instead of the quality of the site. That is another "How to" all together. When I decided on the storefront that would work best for me, I had to look at a lot of things and eCrater met all of expectations.

At eCrater you have unlimited items that you can list. It is a free site that offers many things that I have seen web page sites offer- that cost a lot of money. At eCrater you have different payment options which are VERY important! The more pay options you offer the better chance of getting sales. eCrater offers: Google Checkout, PayPal, money orders, cashier checks, personal checks and COD.

You also have inventory control; you can add categories, weight scales, tax scales and choose shipping zones. You can enter the weight of your item and have your shipping amount calculated. eCrater offers widgets to help promote your store and a whole lot of other stuff. I have really been impressed with the whole experience. Like all sites, they too have a few bugs, but since it is a free site, for everything you get, it is well worth checking into. I personally have three different business sites there. Their address is: eCrater.com
Step 2

Purchasing supplies for your storefront can be a bit challenging. Of course you will have to apply for your State Taxpayer Certificate in order to purchase wholesale. Once you do, the inventory amount you decide to carry is up to you. If you want to do a test run on your store to see how it will go, then of course you will want to purchase small quantities of inventory. Have you ever heard the expression: if you only have item to sell, chances are it will sit there, but if you offer several items you will make more sales? I do not know why, but I have seen that to be true ever since I have been in business.

When I first started building my inventory I made a mistake-but at the time it made sense why I did what I did. One of the companies I purchase from had a huge sale, and I stocked up on a lot of the sale items. Now, most of the time when businesses do this, they no longer plan on carrying that particular item. SO now I am stuck with bits and pieces of products and when a potential customer contacts me to see if I can order more of a certain product they need, I have to tell them no. So I am not only stuck with bits and pieces of products, but I also lost a potential customer. So just be careful when purchasing sale items that seem too good to be true. Be sure to ask the company if they are discontinuing the items, or they plan to continue to sell the product after the sale. Trust me it makes a difference.
Step 3

Since I take my business very seriously, I take every aspect of my business very seriously. It does not matter if I get a dollar sale or a fifty dollar sale, every one of my customers are treated the same. The post office is offering a great deal with the new flat rate boxes. You can order free supplies from http://www.usps.com/
I wrap every item I sell in tissue paper. I know that may sound a little extreme, but not only is everything wrapped in tissue paper but it goes with a color theme I have. I pack every order the very best way I can. So spending a few extra dollars for shipping materials was very important to me.

Every order I ship, I send an invoice with it. I just create an invoice in my word program and I make sure I have my logo on it, the date, the order number, product, price, and shipping. I post my eCrater link on the invoice and ALWAYS tell the customer how much I appreciate their business! I always send two of my business with each other, one for the customer to keep and an extra one to be given away.

I also always try to send a little thank you gift. Sometimes we have little things that either does not sell, or you have an abundance amount of, so I send a small gift to show my appreciation. This is just a tiny little thing you can do, the choice is yours.

I keep a customer list of their addresses and email addresses and once every month or every other month; I write a newsletter and send it to each customer. In the newsletter I will offer special deals, share short stories, and tell them about new products I am now carrying.
Step 4

PROMOTING is among the main keys in building your online business. Promote, Promote, Promote! I write about my business everywhere I can. I am on so many forums, honestly I lost count. I write on several forums where you can generate extra income and will write pieces that talk directly about my business.

There are so many very simple things you can: attach your link to your signature in your emails and in all of the forums you post at. Purchase some business cards-I got a wonderful deal on business cards at VistaPrint.com. Send an extra card with your orders, hand them out when you to go places and your business comes up. Send your friends some extra ones; so they can hand them out to their friends.

Do not be embarrassed- if you make homemade items like candles, make sample sizes and give your husband's friends wives a candle with a business card. At one of my eCrater Stores I make and sell soy candles. I gave some out at the post office, when my mail lady stops by my home to pick up a package I am mailing, I gave her one. When my UPS guy drops off orders, I gave him one for his wife. The list is endless and the task in promoting your business is endless. It really is non-stop.

You are the only one that knows how you want your business to be. It will never just grow on its own; it needs to be nurtured just like seeds when you plant them. If you decide to start an online business, remember it too will have slow times, just like a regular store does. Never stop promoting it, even during your busy times, remember to promote. You are building a customer base and you want it to be strong

Comments

whiteoak said

on 10/25/2009 Thank you rspears, I greatly appreciate your comment.

on 10/25/2009 Great article. When running an online business you have to treat it like any type of business. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you treated each customer great no matter what the dollar amount was they were spending!