There is a proven sequence of steps you can follow to guarantee your success when you're starting a small business online. I've seen thousands of people start and grow successful businesses by doing the following:
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| How to Start your Business Online |
Find a need and fill it.
Write copy that sells.
Design and build an easy-to-use website.
Use search engines to drive traffic to your site.
Establish an expert reputation for yourself.
Follow up with your customers and subscribers with e-mail.
Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling.
Step 1: Find a need and fill it
Visit online forums to see what questions people ask and what problems they're trying to solve.
Do keyword research to find keywords that a lot of people are searching, but for which not many sites are competing.
Check out your potential competitors by visiting their sites and taking note of what they're doing to fill the demand. Then you can use what you've learned and create a product for a market that already exists--and do it better than the competition.
Step 2: Write copy that sells
Arouse interest with a compelling headline.
Describe the problem your product solves.
Establish your credibility as a solver of this problem.
Add testimonials from people who have used your product.
Talk about the product and how it benefits the user.
Make an offer.
Make a strong guarantee.
Create urgency.
Ask for the sale
Step 3: Design and build your website
Choose one or two plain fonts on a white background.
Make your navigation clear and simple, and the same on every page.
Only use graphics, audio or video if they enhance your message.
Include an opt-in offer so you can collect e-mail addresses.
Make it easy to buy--no more than two clicks between potential customer and checkout.
Your website is your online storefront, so make it customer-friendly.
Step 4: Use search engines to drive targeted buyers to your site
It has two advantages over waiting for the traffic to come to you organically. First, PPC ads show up on the search pages immediately, and second, PPC ads allow you to test different keywords, as well as headlines, prices and selling approaches. Not only do you get immediate traffic, but you can also use PPC ads to discover your best, highest-converting keywords. Then you can distribute the keywords throughout your site in your copy and code
Step 5: Establish an expert reputation for yourself
Give away free, expert content. Create articles, videos or any other content that people will find useful. Distribute that content through online article directories or social media sites.
Include "send to a friend" links on valuable content on your website.
Become an active expert in industry forums and social networking sites where your target market hangs out.
Step 6: Use the power of e-mail marketing to turn visitors into buyers
You're giving them something they've asked for.
You're developing lifetime relationships with them.
The response is 100 percent measurable.
E-mail marketing is cheaper and more effective than print, TV or radio because it's highly targeted
Step 7: Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling
So use back-end selling and upselling to get them to buy again:
Offer products that complement their original purchase.
Send out electronic loyalty coupons they can redeem on their next visit.
Offer related products on your "Thank You" page after they purchase.
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