Ten Reasons to Have an Online Business

Are you considering an online business, but need a little more convincing? We could probably list a hundred or more reasons why an online business is a good idea, but for today, we will start with ten basic reasons.

Cost Effective: all right, so it is downright cheap! You will not find any other business that is so inexpensive to start up as an online business. You can spend (literally) millions of dollars starting a brick-and-mortar business, but for an Internet site you can literally get started for a few dollars! By carefully watching my costs and purchases, I was pleased to determine that my first year in e-Commerce cost less than $300 and I had my first sale in the first month!

Reduce Order Fulfillment Costs: handling orders for your products by phone or mail can be very expensive and time-consuming. Handling orders via a website is more efficient, costs less and is fast and accurate. You can further reduce your costs, time and risks if you secure the services of an online payment processing center.

Your Catalog is Always Current: if you have ever struggled with updating a product catalog and then shipping it to your customers or as part of a marketing campaign, then you will love the online catalog! You can easily update and make changes to your catalog and immediately post it for your customers.

Say Goodbye to High Printing and Mailing Costs: Because your customers can download an electronic copy of your catalog or other materials, printing and mailing costs become ancient history. You may still want to print some materials, but your costs will be far less than if you were using professional printing or mailing services.

Reduced Staffing Costs: with a website there is no need for a lot of manpower and the associated high costs.

Service 24 – 7: while you are sleeping, vacationing, or off having fun, your website is still fully functional, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This brings all new meaning to the term “passive” income!

A Global Audience: The Internet is unlimited in terms of the global audience that it can bring to your business doorstep. The Web is a borderless market. It is great fun to watch your site log and see visitors streaming in from all parts of the world. Just a hint, but make sure your payment processing center can handle foreign money exchanges so you can reap the benefits.

No Permits and Minimal Hassle: You will want to check in your local region, but in most parts of the country, small Web businesses can be established without permits and with little government involvement. If you start expanding and adding employees you will need to know and understand the laws in your city, county or state, but for the most part, you can kick off a new business without the hassle of filling out a pile of paperwork or forms.

Customer Service is Simpler: with a Web business you will not have angry customers in your face or shouting at you. You can’t ignore a customer if they contact you with a problem or a complaint, but for the most part you can deal with these simply, easily and quickly without the hassle of face-to-face confrontations.

Broadcast Your Message Easily and Quickly: As the owner and Webmaster of your business, you are in total control of the email and marketing campaigns that you launch for your business. When your site is well designed and your products well done, you will have the ability to catch the attention of your customers and convert them into good-paying customers.

You may have other reasons for wanting a Web business and we recognize that there could be hundreds more on your list. The key here is in knowing what your reasons are for doing an online business and then being persistent enough to launch them through. Starting any business is not necessarily easy, but it is definitely a road that has transported many a person from rags to riches without risky start-up costs, hassle and time that is required for a traditional brick-and-mortar business. That makes online businesses a tough competitor with lots of value that is hard to beat anywhere else!

About the Author: Michele has successfully launched five websites. She enjoys learning more everyday about eCommerce and likes to share what she has learned with others.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved

A Crystal Ball for Your Web Business

Are you considering launching an eCommerce website? If you are, you may want to take your crystal ball down from the shelf to shed some light on whether or not your business will fare well online. In reality, there is no magic to eCommerce at all, it is all about preparing, thinking and implementing your ideas and products using sound business techniques. Here are just a couple of questions to ask yourself before you get started:

Will you be selling a product that can be delivered economically and conveniently from the Internet? If you are unsure or answered “no” you should go back and do some more research until you can safely answer “yes” to this question. For example: if you are selling custom-made glass products that require expensive packaging and shipping costs, make sure you can still make a profit from your sales, after expenses, before starting up.

Do you have a desire to market to customers outside of your own geographical location and can produce a product that has a broad appeal? This was important for me when I started my eCommerce site. Although I live in a major metropolitan area, there are not many cities or towns outside of our local region. A website business has opened up global opportunities for my products.

Are there significant economic advantages involved with taking your business online? This is a key factor to whether your business will succeed or flounder. But, if you ponder questions #1 and #2 very carefully, question #3 should be smooth sailing.

Can you economically draw customers to your website? If there is any potential for your website business to require a lot of cash flow, it is with marketing. But, by careful planning and research you can find affordable hosting domains or marketing packages to reach out to the entire global markets. Or, you can do like I did and start on a shoestring (with less than $500 spent in the first year) and be willing to start a bit slower, do a little more leg work on your own, and yet still succeed as a viable online business. Make sure, however, that you are not directly competing with large companies such as Amazon.com, Priceline.com or the like as you would need a seven- or eight-digit marketing budget to compete on their level.

There is still a lot of room in eCommerce for businesses that are based on targeted niche markets built on shrewd, but solid business plans. Take the time to do some careful planning before you launch your web business to ensure that you will achieve all your goals and dreams!

About the Author: About the Author: Michele has successfully launched five websites. She enjoys learning more everyday about eCommerce and likes to share what she has learned with others.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.

Defining "Go For It" Business Goals

Many business start-up kits or consultants will tell you one of the first steps to starting a business is to define your business goals. Your goals may differ from the goals of another individual, for example; some people want freedom to do what they want to do, whenever they want, and without having to report to someone else. For others, the goal might be financial security. For another, flexibility or creativity might be their goal.

Regardless, setting goals is an important part of choosing a business that is right for you. Logically, if your business does not meet your personal goals, you probably will not be happy or get any sort of satisfaction from trying to make your business a success. Sooner or later you would stop putting forth effort needed to make the business concept successful. Here are a few qualities to keep in mind when you are setting your goals and searching for the business that is right for you.

1. Be specific. You have a much better chance of achieving a goal if it is specific. For example, “getting rich” is not a specific goal. “Earn $8,000 per month” is a specific goal.

2. Be optimistic. Keep your goals positive and optimistic. This will help to fire up your energy and enthusiasm to work towards and maintain the goal. For example, “pay the bills” is not an inspiring goal. However, “be debt-free within 18 months” is much more positive and achievable.

3. Be realistic. Look at your current income and where you want to be. If you have never earned $100,000 a month or year, then that may not be a realistic goal for you to set as you start your business. Begin with small steps and then, perhaps, increase your monthly income goal by 25 percent. Once your first goal is met, set a new goal until you gradually reach your larger, long-term goal.

4. Think short- and long-term. Whether you are looking at income, or in terms of growth, marketing or product development, you should have both short- and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that may be attainable in a period of weeks to a year. Long-term goals can be those that you want to reach in three, five, ten, or even twenty years. Long-term goals should be substantially greater than short-term goals, but still realistic.

Writing your goals down will serve you well and be a constant reminder for you as you focus on your new business. Periodically review your goals and make adjustments where necessary so that you are always working towards something that is attainable. If you discover that a goal is too broad, or too difficult to reach, try breaking it down into smaller pieces.

These qualities are very simple concepts that you can apply. By defining specific, optimistic and realistic goals for both the short- and long-term focus you will be able to be energized and to develop a “go for it” attitude that will help you to achieve the goals in a timeframe that is best suited to your needs and business.


About the Author: Michele has successfully launched five websites. She enjoys learning more everyday about eCommerce and likes to share what she has learned with others.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Copyright 2005, Michele Webb. All Rights Reserved.