Anyone who says that business is simple, was never a new business owner. With options, techniques, tools and advice appearing everywhere online, it’s difficult to separate the useful tips from the white noise.
So what do you need? The bare bones. The essentials. A checklist, that you as a new business owner can fall back on to make sure that you’re making the most of the opportunities you have in front of you.
If you complete our upcoming checklist, your business should be prepared to:
- Analyse market trends
- Focus your target market
- Choose the right eCommerce platform
- Build brand loyalty via social media
- Begin your success story!
#1 Find that niche
Perhaps your business plan is already solid. You know what you have to offer, and how you can market it. If that’s not the case, then don’t worry! With the right mental attitude to launch your own business, you can back it up with skills that you already have.
As a new generation of business owners, your business can cover any sector. From homemade arts, crafts and jewellery, to creating personalised dog jumpers. Every new business owner who ever existed had different skills.
Don’t imitate. Be yourself.
#2 Study up
It’s not just checking out the competition. Obviously examining their products and price ranges should be included in your business plan without prompting.
We’re talking about learning how NOT to build an online business.
Yes it may sound contrary, but you can learn as much from the mistakes of another business as you can from their successes. While you brush up on your market analysis, don’t just look at what your competition does well – look at their failures and weaknesses.
Maybe their presentation is boring. If so – why? Perhaps they use too much technical jargon and your eyes immediately glaze over when you read their product description – make a note of it!
Key phrases are essential in building an online presence. So if it’s related to your business – remember it! The more frequent and more precise your key phrases are, the more likely you will appear in the Google search results of your potential customers!
The more you learn about weaknesses from other businesses, will only make your business that much stronger in the long run.
#3 Identify your target market
With market analysis out the way, now you need to prepare for marketing. This is predominantly encompassed by three questions:
- Who?
- Why?
- How?
Your “Who” defines who you are targeting.
- Are you going to target 10-15 year-old teenage girls, or middle-aged men?
- Is your product technology-oriented or strictly for athletes only?
We hate stereotypes as much as anyone, but there are certain assumptions that you are understandably allowed to make.
Your “Why” is the reason why customers will buy from you.
- Do they have problems that your product solves?
- Do you provide an advantage over other alternatives?
Your “How” covers how you customers will access your business.
- Is your target market heavily present on social media?
- Are there enthusiast clubs that will work as a marketing channel?
Answer these questions, and your business plan is nearly complete.
#4 Online eCommerce platform
There are a ton of platforms out there. Some proprietary, some open-source. The trick to identifying the right one for you will vary on your business, your web development skills and your personal preferences.
In general, you will be looking for one that:
- Charges ZERO commission on sales
- Grants access to international markets
- No developer skills needed
- Provides an easy-to-use app for on-the-go management
- Social media integration
We could go on, or you could check out our comprehensive eCommerce platform guide!
#5 Expand your social media influence
Remember the previous step? With the right platform and social media integration, you can set your business up for a high-volume flow of orders. After all, social media has become a marketplace in and of itself.
Customers are sharing recommendations via their online profiles all the time, so allowing them to purchase via their social media accounts is a perfect way to streamline the customer journey. It also increases the likelihood of impulse purchases as well!
To fully optimise your social media presence, think back to step #2. Do you recall those keywords? By utilising the hashtag functions across social media platforms you can ensure that your products reach the correct target audience. After all, they can’t purchase your products if they never see you!
Facebook, Instagram… wherever you can – get yourself an online presence!
#6 Study, evaluate, reassess
Yes it is a little like homework at school. Proofreading and double-checking that assignment that you *think* you’ve completed. However, it’s part of running a successful online business.
Even if you are doing well, you can always do better. You can revisit your keyphrase use, get extra opinions on your website designs, even consider your product placement on your online store.
What you believe is your greatest product, may not be what your customers see.
Only by reassessing your online presence can you truly optimise your sales.
Become a successful new business owner today!
Now that you have a clear checklist for your immediate business future, there is nothing stopping you.
With our eSuperStore options available from SuperDisty, we offer leading advantages for startups and SMEs of all kinds. Set up your store free of charge today, and start designing your online store to perfectly fit your target market.
With eSuperStore:
- We take zero commission on any sale
- You require no developer knowledge
- Gain full social media integration
- Offer multilingual storefront without using 3rd party plugins
- Offer multiple international payment pathways
- Provide full integration with Facebook, Instagram, Google marketplace
In short, everything we mentioned from step #4!
It’s never been easier to launch your own online store, and with SuperDisty you are in safe hands. So get in touch with us today, check out our range of tools available for businesses, and start building your own business empire today!
SuperDisty – Your passport to global markets
