A solid business idea is undoubtedly the first step to launching an ecommerce company. However, this alone isn't enough to get your online business off the ground. Executing a successful launch may seem like a long and complicated process, especially if you don't have much entrepreneurial experience.
Fortunately, these days, anyone can start an online business in a few simple steps. In fact, you may be able to launch your digital company in just a couple of hours. With the right approach, you can set up your website, social media accounts, and finances in a flash.
In this post, we’ll discuss why you may want to start an online business. Then, we'll walk you through the basic steps involved in getting your ecommerce company up and running quickly. Let’s get started!
Why You May Want to Start an Online Business
In the past, starting a company required a lot of time, money, and effort. However, the digital age has changed all of that. Now, you can start an online business with minimal time and investment.
What's more, an ecommerce company can provide you with flexibility and limitless growth potential. There are many viable online business options for beginners, such as selling digital products or dropshipping. Other popular alternatives include affiliate marketing or running a membership site.
With over 2 billion digital buyers in 2021, there’s never been a better time to start your digital business. Additionally, WordPress makes it easier than ever to start a website. Therefore, you can be on your way to starting and growing an online business in no time.
How to Start an Online Business Fast (4 Steps)
Now that you know some of the many benefits of running an online business, here's how you can start your own in just four steps.
Step 1: Launch Your Website
Your website will be the hub for your online business. It's where people can learn about your company, buy your product (or services), and find out how to contact you.
Before you launch your site, you'll need to choose and purchase your domain name. You'll want to thoroughly research your different buying options and select a domain name that is relevant to your business.
After you’ve chosen your business name and domain, you'll need to choose a WordPress hosting provider. With some web hosts, you can quite literally launch your site in minutes:
We recommend Bluehost for its affordability, ease of use, and flexibility. Plus, its hosting options include a free domain name for your first year, one-click WordPress installation, and 24-hour customer support.
Once your hosting is set up, you can begin building your website. If you don't want to spend much time on web design, you can choose from tons of free WordPress themes. Many of these have a focus on ecommerce, which can further simplify the process.
As you construct your website, be sure to keep branding in mind. This is something you can flesh out later, but it would be wise to start thinking about what you want your logo to look like and what tone of voice you want to use in your marketing copy. With your website up and running, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Step 2: Set Up Your Sales Funnel
A sales funnel describes the potential consumer’s journey to buying a product or service. It can look different depending on your business model and what you’re selling.
A simple sales funnel can include an entry point, a middle, and an end. An entry can be a home page (visitor), a middle can be an email registration page or form (lead), and an end can be an email sequence (conversion).
You can use sales and marketing software to help you easily set up a successful sales funnel. For example, if you’re looking to start a membership business or create gated content, you might consider MemberPress:
This plugin can help you create an exceptional membership site, sell online courses, and more. Our tool, the Easy Affiliate plugin, is another great option if you want to create a self-hosted affiliate program. Regardless of your business model, creating a solid sales funnel will kickstart the process of growing your online business.
Step 3: Create Social Media & Bio Links
Every small online business should consider prioritizing a social media presence. That's because being active on social media can increase brand recognition, improve your return on investment (ROI), and develop trust among your audience.
You can start by creating a business profile on any social media platform of your choosing, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Next, add a bio link that leads to your website (and other social channels).
Pretty Links offers a simple way to shorten links, and can also help you track, cloak, and share affiliate links in one step:
Long links can look unprofessional and may deter visitors from clicking them. By making social media accounts with shortened bio links, you can more rapidly create an online presence for your small business.
Step 4: Establish Your Payment System
Figuring out how to process payments is an important part of launching your business. Since most consumers say that credit or debit cards are their preferred method of payment, you would be wise to set up this option.
To do this, we recommend Buy Now Plus, a plugin that provides a smooth checkout experience and manages recurring payments without requiring customers to create an account:
Also, if you’re going into ecommerce, WooCommerce is an excellent plugin that you can add to any WordPress website. It is customizable, can help you receive secure payments, and allows you to manage shipping options.
Conclusion
Starting an online business can seem overwhelming. You may be worried that it's not worth the time, hassle, and investment. However, launching an ecommerce business can be quick, simple and affordable.
To recap, here are the four steps you can follow if you want to start an online business fast:
- Choose your domain name and launch your website using Bluehost.
- Set up your sales funnel and consider using a plugin such as MemberPress or Easy Affiliate to simplify your process.
- Create social media and bio links and shorten them with Pretty Links.
- Establish a streamlined payment system using a tool such as Buy Now Plus.
Do you have any questions about how to launch an online business in record time? Let us know in the comments section below!
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