Considering starting an online business? Overwhelmed by where to start and how to get your new business off the ground and onto the internet? Following a few easy steps to build a business can increase your odds of success two-fold! Using these tips can be the key to your new business! 

1. Ensure your product or service is filling a market need. Research market needs through online forums and using real time search and keyword information. What are consumers searching for but having trouble finding? 
2. Write copy that sells your product! Steps to online selling with good copy:
   1. Headline grabber. 
   2. Your reader’s headache and how your product relieves it. 
   3. Establish credibility through customer testimonials. 
   4. How it [your product or service] benefits your buyer.
   5. Offer a fair price point. Use a guarantee and a sense of urgency with demand. 
   6. ALWAYS ASK for the sale! 
3. Build a professional website. If this area of expertise isn’t in your wheelhouse, look for companies like Localmize, that can help. Your website is EVERYTHING your customers will see to make an initial decision to shop or move on. Either put in the time to create a safe and welcoming site or budget start up money to hire someone to do it for you.  
4. Use search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure your website is going to receive online traffic. Again, using a professional company, like Localmize, can take care of this for you. 
5. Have a consistent, quality social media presence and ALWAYS include a link to purchase the highlighted product/service of each post. 
6. Stay in touch with your customers regularly by creating an email or text list from your interactions and give them a reason to return over and over again. 
7. Ensure you continue to engage your first time buyers after the sale. The first sale is your  most expensive sale. Once you have gained a customer with a product in hand, continue to engage them with products that enhance their first purchase or with loyalty coupons. 

Starting an online business doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Take the steps. Stay in your wheelhouse and hire out the technical aspects as needed. Think of it this way; If a website doesn’t work, or doesn’t look professional, you’d never trust it with your credit card information. So, why would someone else?

With the right planning and guidance pretty much anyone can start an online business… Is it your time? If so, Go For It!