Are You In a Position to Start an Online Business?
When I first started my online business, I did everything I
could to save a little money -- I didn't want a domain name, not
even for a mere $35/year (it was expensive back then!), and I
certainly didn't want to pay recurring monthly fees for a web
host.
That was a mistake. What I came to realize was simply that if I
wasn't willing to make these small investments -- well, I just
wasn't in the position to be starting a business. Sometimes the
truth hurts!
I came to accept that I could learn from the experiences of
successful online entrepreneurs. From them, I learned that it
just doesn't help to try to 'cut corners' on certain things. So
what are some of the things you need to get started on the 'net?
= Your own domain. At GoDaddy, http://www.godaddy.com/ , you
can register a domain for a mere $8.95/year. There is NO excuse
not to have your own domain at these rock- bottom prices! Your
own domain will help your business build credibility -- plus,
it's easier to remember a simple www.yourcompany.com then
something like, www.afreedomain.com/userpages/~yourname/homedir !
= Web hosting. Don't skimp on it, but don't get a whole bunch
of features you don't need, either. Be willing to spend money
for a reliable web host with a great uptime record, one that can
offer you excellent customer service. Start your research at
TopHosts, http://www.tophosts.com/ .
= Website stats. Knowing who your visitors are, how they're
finding your site, which pages they're viewing most, etc. will
help you to refine your site and your marketing efforts. Check
with your web host first to see what type of website stats or
demographics they offer with your hosting package. Other options
include the AXS Visitor Tracking System,
http://www.xav.com/scripts/axs/ , and WebLog,
http://awsd.com/scripts/weblog/index.shtml Both are currently
free.
= Ad tracker. An ad tracker will help you to see which one of
your marketing campaigns is giving you the best results. For
example, how much response are you getting from your ad on a
website? How much interest did your article generate? You can
then focus your efforts on the marketing techniques that are
giving you the results you want -- and dump those that aren't.
'AdTrackz' is one excellent ad tracker, and is available from
http://buildyourhomebiz.com/rd/adtrackz.html .
= Autoresponders. These excellent tools help to automate
customer follow-ups (you *do* follow up with your prospects,
right?) and other tasks, such as mailing out articles or reports
to visitors who request them. They typically run about
$20/month... but WorkYourLeads offers unlimited autoresponders
for $10/month, http://buildyourhomebiz.com/automate.html . Other
good choices are GetResponse, http://getresponse.com/ , and
AWeber, http://www.aweber.com/ .
= List hosts. You may already know that capturing your
prospect's email address is the one of the most important things
you can do -- it gives you the ability to build a credible and
trusting business 'relationship' with them, and you'll be able
to market to them repeatedly. Many Internet businesses offer a
newsletter to keep in touch with their customers. To deliver
your newsletter you can use either an autoresponder (see above)
or a list manager. Two popular list hosts are Yahoo Groups,
http://groups.yahoo.com/, which is currently free; and Topica,
http://www.topica.com/ .
Note that free tools aren't necessarily either the best or worst
choice, and they're not guaranteed to be free forever. Please
don't use price as your only criteria.
And finally, don't forget about investing in two more vital keys
to success: education (for example, copywriting manuals,
Internet marketing courses, etc) and marketing. All of the best
tools in the world won't do you any good unless you can get
interested prospects to visit your site and make a purchase.
The old saying, 'You have to spend money to make money' is true
of businesses everywhere... and that includes the Internet.
Fortunately, starting a business online can be very affordable,
even for the 'average' person.