Investing in Your Business

Ladies, do you feel like your mind is on full tilt, but your body is in slow motion when you think about launching your own website?
If you do, join the crowd. But don’t let it get you discouraged. Building a business online takes a lot of energy, in addition to the risks. I’m going to break down what you need to consider.
THE IDEA AND THE PLAN
This is the most important part when thinking about a business. Over the last several years, the growth of the internet has created a host of high-profile entrepreneurs who have made a bundle from internet-related businesses. The internet has revolutionized the way we buy and sell, how we communicate, and is a global hub where individuals can compete with multinational corporations. But to do so you have to figure out what will be your niche, your product or service, and who will be your customers. If you’re clueless about your potential customers and what it will take to attract them, your business idea more then likely will be dead in the water. The starting point is a business plan, which will help you determine your target market, who will be your competitors, and how will you be able to attract the funding that will allow you to secure the resources for your business needs.
YOUR WEBSITE DESIGN
Are you an experienced website designer, or will you have to hire a website designer? The cost of designing and building a website will depend on whether you’re competent enough to take on the challenge, or have to outsource your vision to a web designer. The cost varies, and the web designers online are vast and usually unknown. Make sure you ask any friends and colleagues for recommendations. Even Google the name if you have to, as this is an excellent way to uncover a company’s business practices. Remember when considering your design to keep it clean and simple. Most online customers are like me. We hate clutter, or difficult to navigate web designs.
MARKETING
When your website is complete you’ll want to generate traffic. What techniques will you implement, and how often? Google Adwords is a cost-effective way to advertise, as is emailing your friends and family with details about your new business. Discussion forums, chat rooms, and networking with others are also ways to get referrals. Companies that specialize in search engine optimization (SEO) are another way to catch any potential customers searching for your product or service on search engines like Yahoo! And Google.
MAINTENANCE
Make sure your website’s content is updated constantly. Many websites are launched that can’t be updated by the designer who has disappeared, or because the owner doesn’t have the tools to do so. It is essential if you are going to succeed in the long term your website keep up with innovations that makes it easy for your customers to keep in touch with you.
The bottom line is to prepare you for a rocky road, and a lot of work.
“Everything STARTS with an idea,” says Kelly Robertson, Owner of Celebrity Lipstick and Co-Founder, ChemoDiva, “but what’s made my business flourish for 10 years now is a solid PLAN and with that, ACTION. Reading “Think & Grow Rich”, changed my life forever. Studying and practicing this way of thinking and “doing” keeps my life and business going and growing. Life is good and getting better – no stinkin ‘thinkin’ from Celebrity Lipstick and since I’m busier than ever, I must be doing something right. Thank GOD for that!”
A great source that provides a 10-Step Tutorial for Starting an Online Business is here-
http://www.oncallgeeks.com/