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Get Your Business Online in 30 Days
Build your site in just 5 minutes! One of the greatest allures of the Internet for entrepreneurs is the speed at which an online business can be opened. In a matter of minutes, hours, or days, you can set-up an online business for very little cost, and begin marketing your products and services to the millions of other people that are already connected to the Internet. In fact, as you become more familiar with the process of establishing an online business, you will see numerous claims like the one above from Max Pages that state "Build your site in just 5 minutes!" Now it's time for a reality check. Yes, you can build a Web site in five minutes with Max Pages, or open an online retail store with Bigstep.com (www.bigstep.com) in a matter of hours, but this does not mean that you will have created anything of value for your prospective customers. Simply opening an online store, without providing your customers with any benefits, means that you've simply opened an online store. Not until you figure out how your Web site will actually benefit customers, can you consider it an online business. One of the best places to address how your online business is going to benefit customers, and actually make some money, is in your business plan. You can create a simple business plan that describes your online business, how it is going to make money, and how you plan to promote it, in a matter of days. This is time well spent, since it will make you think more about the fundamental aspects of business, and not just about displaying pretty pages on the Web. After you have developed a well thought out business plan, then you can begin the process of building an online business. You can start by selecting a computer, choosing a dial-up service, and identifying any other software and peripherals you will need to get your business online. If you already have a computer and a connection to the Internet, then your only concern should be whether you will need some off-the-shelf software to develop your Web site, and perhaps a digital camera to take pictures of the merchandise you plan to sell online. Once your computer equipment and connection to the Internet is in place, your next steps include selecting a Web site host, registering a domain name (www.yourbiz.com), and creating your Web site. These three steps are not mutually exclusive, and depend mainly on the service you are going to use to publish your Web site, and whether your site will be content oriented or e-commerce capable. It's important that you select a Web hosting service that is flexible enough to meet your needs, and a domain name that is easy to spell and conveys the nature of your online business. The last step, and one that is usually underestimated by most business owners, involves marketing your online business. Because the barriers to entry are so low on the Internet, you will find that you have many competitors, both large and small. In order for your online business to be successful, you will need to execute successful advertising and promotion strategies. These can include getting listed with the major search engines, starting a direct e-mail campaign, sending out a press release, running banner advertisements, and creating an affiliate program.
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