Guest Author Lance Cody-Valdez, Digital Nomad at free-lance-now.com
Are you ready to tap into the endless potential of ecommerce? Launching an online store requires a lot of hard work and smart strategy. But if you prepare accordingly and stay committed to the long game, you can set yourself up to flourish. And it doesn’t even have to be overwhelming! Here is a quick guide for getting your ecommerce business up and going:
Doing Your Research
The first thing you want to do is explore your options and study what you’re getting into.
- Conduct market and product research to define your target audience and the products you will sell.
- Look into various product sourcing options. This is where you will decide whether to make your own products, work with a drop shipper, or find a wholesaler.
- Assess the viability of your product. Ensure that there is a sustainable demand and that you can make a profit after everything is said and done.
- Educate yourself on online business laws, and figure out which legal structure will best suit your needs.
Building Your Store
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time for the fun part—creating your online store!
- Take the time to develop your brand and image. This includes the logo, typography, color scheme, and other design elements that will represent your company.
- Choose a hosting platform (e.g., Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, etc.) that will allow you to easily create and manage your store.
- When uploading your products to your store, be sure to include quality product photos and descriptions.
- Choose your shipping strategy (e.g., carriers, same-day delivery, free shipping, etc.).
Growing Your Reach
You’ve got a beautiful store with great products. Now is when you begin to expand your audience and turn them into customers!
- Start looking for social media influencers who can push your products to the masses.
- Invest time and energy into increasing traffic to your store via social media. Use paid advertising along with engaging users to organically grow your audience.
- Develop a content strategy for your site’s blog, and ensure that every webpage associated with your business is optimized for SEO.
- Prioritize your email list. Strategize how you can collect email addresses from the people who visit your store and then promote your products through email marketing.
If you’re thinking about starting an ecommerce business, don’t be overwhelmed by the seemingly endless to-do list of getting a store up and running. While creating and managing an online store requires a lot of work and commitment, it can all prove well worth it when you start making a profit. And if you consult the guide above, you will be starting at an advantage!
Image via Pexels