How to Start an Online Business?

Learning how to generate sales and run a business isn't easy in no way shape or form. Some people get into drop shipping with the mindset that they will start selling instantly and running an online business will be a breeze. People often get this mindset from seeing ads from companies such as Amazon or Shopify where they are fooled into believing they will make thousands and thousands of dollars a month with little to no effort and with no investment at all. Unfortunately these people are in for a rude awakening. Once these people finally launch their first online store and see that they aren't getting the results they want, they quit in 1 or two months. If you don't want to end up like these people. Here is how to start an online store while at the same time obtaining potential buyers.

1. Build a social following before you launch.

Just because your business is mainly online, doesn't mean that you can't be social. While it is helpful to have your own Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account dedicated to your online business, it is still important to engage with other humans. A good way to build a following is to join forums and websites that are related to your niche, and start to give tips and helpful advice to others who are using the products and services just like your business or product. Here's an example of how building an online presence before launching is a good idea.

Sara is a professional at baking. She knows a variety of different recipes and hosts her own cooking classes online and offline. Before she launched her online business she'd give people small samples of her cooking skills, join events, and give people helpful advice on how they can bake the best cookies possible. By the time she launched her business she already had 29 customers willing to pay.

2. Offer free samples or free services to your product or business.

If you have a new store and haven't established a list of customers or created buzz around your store yet, then you should offer samples of your products for free and get people to review and share them with their friends and family. Even though you aren't getting paid, you are getting the exposure and feedback needed to possibly secure paying customers. Paying your product testers to provide feedback is also a great way to boost exposure.

3. Use google ads to promote your business.

Google's Adsens can be an expensive tool to use. If you use google ads the right way it can bring in a lot of business. I especially love Google Adsense because you can choose to target people based on location. For example if you have a local coffee shop in Texas, you can target people in Texas with your ad. If you aren't experienced in creating ad campaigns, you can always hire a google ads expert.

Did these tips help you with your online business? Which helpful tip was your favorite? Tell us in the comments section below, and don't forget to share us with others!