Starting your own business from home using the web as your hub is similar to the traditional way of doing business. There are a number of threads that link these two, the only difference is that most of the transactions for an online business are done online and using the latest technologies.
One such similarity can be found is the need to have a 'showroom' for the business. For the traditional business, a 'brick and mortar' office and showroom should be available where products can be displayed and where services can be demonstrated and tested by the customers. The showroom is also important so that the potential customers can physically check out the products and services offered and clarify some questions. The same is true as well when setting up your own business online. You also need to pay attention to your 'virtual showroom' and in the case of an online and home-based business; the 'virtual showroom' can come in the form of a website. The virtual showroom is not just the place where you can show the products and display the services; the site will also serve as the hub for all transactions related to the business. Here's how you can set up the site for your online business.
To jump-start your dream of becoming an online entrepreneur, set up a site by securing first the domain and a web hosting provider. Ideally, the domain name that you will get should say the nature or the name of the business. But due to the high demand for online names and domains, there's a chance that your preferred domain name is already taken. If already taken, you can get creative and find other terms related to your business. When you choose a domain name, go for short and memorable names and the domain name should be easy to remember. The cost of registration of the domain name and renewal varies, and there are domain names that start at $10 to $30 per year. There are domain providers that charge on a monthly basis.
Once the domain has been identified, the next step is to secure the hosting services. Consider the domain name as your address online and the hosting service as your real property online. When looking for hosting services, you will find different kinds of options but choose the most basic first.
You may want to install a content management system. This is a free and easy to use system that allows you to easily make changes on the site. The top free CMS providers include WordPress and Drupal. Go for WordPress if you are new in the business. Even if you don't have a degree in computer science and don't know HTML, you can make changes on your site through CMS. Once you signed up for a CMS, this is the time to select the plug-ins. When working on WordPress, the recommended plug-ins includes All-in-One SEO, Contact Form 7, Google XML Sitemaps.
Once ready, you can start loading your content. When setting up you own business online and planning for a website, put a strong focus on the contents that you will put on the site. There should be a number of pages on the website. Some of the recommended pages that you should include on the site include the 'About Us' page, 'Contact Us' page, 'Products/Services' page and 'Testimonials' page.
Other pages may be included but the recommended ones that should not be forgotten. The 'About Us' page should tell your readers about the company or your business and the 'Contact Us' page should include the contact details of the business including e-mails and landline numbers. The complete list of products and services and simple descriptions for it should be listed on the 'Products/Services' page. The reader and site visitor should easily get as much information as possible when they are led to this page. Don't forget about the testimonial page. This can serve as your advertisement on site.
Use these recommended steps when you set up the site for your own business from home. Some business may need advanced steps in web planning and design, but for starters you can begin with these actions.
Dany Cooper
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