Running an online business can be an exciting prospect, but do you know what you’ll need to do to get your idea moving and monetised?

Product and brand

Don’t make the common mistake of deciding on your product without first considering the market. Seek out people with a problem and consider how you could fill this need. You can do this through online forums, keyword searches, and social media. Also make sure to check out the competition – find out what they do and think about how you could do it better.

Since your shop front and product or service are entirely online, you’ll need to put as much effort as possible into your online brand. This includes your website, social media presence, and everything in between. Include relevant keywords in all online text so search engines will pick up your website, and make all online presence consistent with your brand, fuelled by a central marketing plan, and update these as often as necessary. It goes without saying that if your business is entirely online, you’ll need to invest in good computer hardware and a strong internet connection.

Think about shipping

Once you have determined the type of product you wish to sell on your online business, you must then think about how these items are going to reach the most important people of all – your customers. Not only do customers shop online because of the experience it provides, but they also prefer this way of shopping as they can get their much-awaited delivery within days. When this happens, they are more than likely to continue shopping with you in the future, and this is increasingly important when it comes to establishing yourselves as the best business on the market.

To ensure that your customers are receiving a high-quality service, you should take the time to learn more about the shipping resources that can be found on sites like AfterShip. With their help, you will have an insight into the tracking data of each shipment, as well as the opportunity to receive notifications and look into the analytics to ensure that any incidents that may occur are dealt with as soon as possible. While this will put your business in a good position when it comes to making sure that customers are getting their products on time, but it also means that they are likely to return for more in the future. As a business, this is all you can wish for, so take the time to think about the shipping process before launching.

Growing the business and finding support

A common misconception is that online businesses grow fast. However, successful entrepreneurs usually have to put in a considerable amount of work behind the scenes, and they make use of several tools to enhance their efficiency. These include automating their social media, invoicing software, and analyzing information using data mining tools. They also outsource tasks that they aren’t good at or don’t enjoy. Both of these tactics give them more time available for the things that they can do most efficiently and enthusiastically. For a range of software solutions that save time in business, have a look around our website.

Legal requirements

Another very important thing to remember is keeping accurate records, including everything from your inventory to customer details to how you spend your time. You’ll also need to keep up to date on legal requirements, particularly withholding customer data. Familiarise yourself with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements before you take any information from customers, as mistakes, however inadvertent, could have devastating consequences for your business.

In the same way, make sure you understand the business tax system, for businesses in general and your area specifically. Making Tax Digital software is a key part of the government’s plans to make it easier for businesses to get their taxes right, so make sure you read up on VAT requirements, whether you should register as an LLC, partnership or a sole trader, and how the Government Gateway portal works. The tax implications become more complicated as you move up from sole trader. Of course, taxes are so important for businesses, so many of them do seek support from accounting firms like Porte Brown (https://www.portebrown.com/services/tax-services). They can ensure that taxes are done correctly.

Persistence pays off

Lastly, remember to be persistent. Your business is likely to grow at a “slow burn”, and have plenty of setbacks. Continue to focus on your goals and maintain good business practice, and take good care of your customers.

Useful links
https://gdpr-info.eu/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs