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Get Your Online Store & Grow Your Ecommerce Business

Get Your Online Store & Grow Your Ecommerce Business

Get Your Online Store & Grow Your Ecommerce Business

Starting an e-commerce business takes research, planning, and passion. With the right tools, you can tap into the market of online shoppers seeking products from the comfort of their own homes.

When you’re ready to pursue your venture, follow the steps here.

Step #1: Choose your product

Before getting started, make sure you have a clear idea of ​​your niche. Even better, it helps to consider what you want to contribute to the market and start with a vision of the items you hope to sell.

Once you have arrived at a specific product or service, take your time and do some research. Start by looking at other businesses in your industry. Pay attention to what they are doing well and what you think you could improve on. Carefully examine their business model, marketing techniques, and functionality of their website. These observations can help you shape your own plan.

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Step #2: Find your target audience

Once you know what you want to sell, it’s time to identify your target customer. Consider who your ideal buyer is and what qualities they have. Developing a customer persona can be helpful during this part of the process.

A customer or buyer persona is a fictionalized version of your ideal customer. This personality can help you predict customer behavior and understand your future customers more deeply. Factors you want to consider when developing a personality are age, location, income level, and personal goals or values.

Whether or not you make up an expansive persona, keeping these qualities in mind can help you gauge the online presence and marketing preferences of your actual customers.

Step #3: Validate your product

Even with a clear picture of your product vision and your target audience, you need to overcome some significant hurdles before you can launch your brand. First, you need to determine whether your idea will be viable in the real market. You will want to consider market-based criteria such as market size, competitors and industry trends, and product-based criteria such as price point, markup, sales strategy and regulations.

When validating your product, you must come up with a firm understanding of the costs you will face as a business owner. For e-commerce sellers, you often have more flexibility in your pricing because you won’t have the cost of a storefront or, in the case of digital products, warehousing and manufacturing expenses.

Step #4: Shape your business

If your business is centered around a physical product, you will need to establish a model for receiving, packaging, and shipping your orders. Some of your options include:

  • Handling the cost of self-manufacturing the product and shipping
  • Your product being manufactured by another company
  • Resell bulk items at markup
  • Dropshipping items by working with third-party inventory handlers
  • Introducing a digital product that eliminates the need for production or shipping

Once you have determined how you will move your product, it is time to write a business plan. This plan will be essential to refine your goals and guide your next steps. Think about the type of business you are starting, your product, your ideal customer, your source of income, your staffing needs, and your operating model.

Step #5: Pick a name

If you don’t already have one in mind, your e-commerce store will need a memorable name. A great business name is compelling, descriptive and one of its kind. Check to make sure your business name is listed on your Secretary of State’s website and in the U.S. Available on the Patent and Trademark Office website. After you’ve decided, you’ll want to:

  • Claim your domain name.
  • Consult an attorney to legally register your business as an LLC, corporation, partnership, or proprietorship.
  • Apply for your Employer Identification Number (EIN) through the IRS.
  • Apply for any required business permits or licenses, including sales tax permits, health and safety permits, and more.

 

Step #6: Build your website

After building your new business, it’s time to build your e-commerce website. Your goal should be to create a great website that reflects the values ​​and aesthetics of your new brand. The basic steps of website building include:

Buying a domain-  If you haven’t done so already, you can purchase a custom domain with us. This makes it easier for customers to find you and gives credibility to your new site.

Choosing a Website Builder- We makes it easy to design and build the website you are envisioning for your brand. The all-in-one platform simplifies the process of building and promoting your website.

Mapping your site- Creating a site map helps once you take the time to explore the website builder and its capabilities. Focus on making your site easy to navigate and fun to explore.

Designing your own aesthetic- Take your time setting up a visual package that represents your brand’s values ​​and culture. Mailchimp’s flexible tools make it easy to upgrade your website design with professional formats and attractive branding.

Build your pages-  Every page on your website should meet the needs of your target audience. Remember that all roads should lead to new customers.

Connecting your payment processor-  Make sure your website can accept payments before launching.

Optimizing your SEO- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the key to achieving online visibility. Make sure you are using keywords wisely so that you can connect with as many customers as possible.

Step #7: Develop a marketing strategy

Before and after your launch, marketing for your store is essential, so you’ll want to make sure you develop an engaging marketing strategy to get the word out.

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