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The idea of making money online is very attractive, especially for individuals who are fed up with their day-to-day job and would like to get some more freedom and create a sustainable business.
One thing that everyone needs first is the right idea. It all comes down to personal preferences, but there are some newbie-friendly methods. One of the best examples of that is print on demand.
It is recommended to start with selecting a good supplier. And Printify.com is one of out of the top drawer. A Print on Demand & Drop Shipping Platform | 250+ Products, 90 printing facilities, and over a thousand 5-star reviews on Shopify. What else do you need? And when you have the right platform, it is time to move on to the next step.
Writing a Business Plan
A business plan might seem like a pretty difficult ordeal to take, but it does not have to be something too complicated. So long as you include the most important aspects, you are good to go. A business plan will provide you with:
- Seeing the bigger picture and connecting different dots of the business that makes the whole thing.
- Choosing priorities. Working on multiple things at the same time is impossible if you are alone. Setting priorities will help with allocating resources more efficiently.
- Creating milestones. It is easier to find motivation when you reach a certain milestone. Every step forward shows that you are doing a good job and working in the right direction.
Choosing the Right Product and Niche
Now when it comes to print on demand, there is more than just selling t-shirts. You can sell mugs, hoodies, calendars, phone cases, and everything else that you can put a custom print on.
Covering too many different products at the same time is not the best choice because you will have too much stuff to work with and marketing multiple products at the same time with not enough resources is not efficient.
Since this business relies on the product and design quality, make sure that you are working with something durable. If people start bombarding your store with negative reviews regarding product quality, it will not be too long before your business goes under.
As for the designs, you can be in charge of them yourself, or hire a professional graphic designer. Freelancers can be found on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.
Developing and Optimizing a Website
A website is one of the cornerstones of the business because you would not be able to sell anything without a proper platform.
A relevant domain name and a hosting provider that ensures fast loading speed and uptime of about 99.9 percent are what you need to look for.
Mobile optimization is also important because according to OuterBox, 79 percent of American smartphone users have made at least one online purchase using the smartphone in the last 6 months.
A search bar, live chat, social media buttons, and a blog should also be included. Finally, you can always look at some examples on the internet if you are struggling to figure out how a good website should look.
Marketing
Entrepreneurs who take a proactive approach and dedicate more time to marketing on as many different channels as they can have an edge over those who are not as diligent.
Digital marketing has many different forms and the choice comes down to experience and personal preference.
For some, email marketing works best because they can write a persuasive text copy whereas others stick to pay-per-click marketing.
Social media is also worth mentioning because there were about in 2019, there were about 3.5 billion profiles across all social media platforms worldwide (Emarsys, 2019). Websites like Facebook and Instagram are also great for directly interacting with your audience and establishing a great relationship with them. Add cooperating with influencers and viral posts by organizing contests and giveaways, and you have proof of how great social media can be.
Learning from Competition and Insights
Collecting data from tools like Google Analytics allow you to determine which areas of the business are in good shape and which areas need improvements. Making use of these insights, especially when the tools are free is a must.
Your competition could also be another source of inspiration. Apply some of their best practices yourself.
Continuing to Scale
Hitting a wall is natural every now and then. You will experience some bad periods but that should not be a reason to get discouraged. Continue to look for new and innovative ways to move your ecommerce project forward and scale it up.
To sum it all up, these pointers are a good foundation for those who are looking to start an ecommerce business. And keep in mind that nothing beats hands-on experience, though, and the more time you spend working on any project, the better you will be. But as far as the basic information goes, this ought to cover the most of it.
