Starting an Online Business for Dummies 3175723993, 9781118607787, 9781118651940, 9781118652015, 1118607783

Table of contents :
Contents at a Glance......Page 5
Table of Contents......Page 7
You Can Do It!......Page 17
Jump In, the Water’s Fine......Page 18
Where This Book Is Coming From......Page 19
What This Book Assumes about You......Page 20
What’s Where in This Book......Page 21
Conventions Used in This Book......Page 22
Icons Used in This Book......Page 23
We’re In It Together......Page 24
Part I: Launching Your Online Business......Page 25
Chapter 1: New Tools and Strategies for Your Online Business......Page 27
E-Commerce Is Goin’ Mobile......Page 28
Businesses Processes Are Becoming Social......Page 30
Triangulating for Business Success......Page 33
Step 1: Identify a Need......Page 47
Step 2: Determine What You Have to Offer......Page 53
Step 3: Come Up with a Cyberbusiness Plan......Page 54
Step 4: Assemble Your Hardware and Software......Page 55
Step 5: Find People to Help You......Page 58
Step 6: Construct a Website......Page 60
Step 7: Set Up a System for Processing Sales......Page 63
Step 8: Provide Personal Service......Page 65
Step 9: Alert the Media and Everyone Else......Page 69
Step 10: Review, Revise, and Improve......Page 70
Chapter 3: Choosing and Equipping Your New E-Business......Page 73
Mapping Out Your Online Business......Page 74
Taste-Testing Flavors of Online Businesses......Page 78
Easyware (Not Hardware) for Your Business......Page 83
Getting Online: Connection Options......Page 89
Software Solutions for Online Business......Page 91
Chapter 4: Selecting Your E-Commerce Host and Design Tools......Page 95
Getting the Most from Your Storefront Host......Page 96
Finding a Web Server to Call Home......Page 101
Fun with Tools: Choosing a Web Page Editor......Page 116
Part II: Creating a Business Website......Page 123
Chapter 5: Organizing Your Business Presence and Attracting Customers......Page 125
Feng Shui-ing Your Website......Page 126
Creating Content That Attracts Customers......Page 129
Nip and Tuck: Establishing a Visual Identity......Page 143
Inviting Comments from Customers......Page 152
Moving from Website to Web Presence......Page 157
Extreme Web Pages: Advanced Layouts......Page 158
Chapter 6: Making Shopping Easy on Your E-Commerce Site......Page 163
Giving Online Shoppers What They Need......Page 164
Managing Goods and Services......Page 169
Keeping Your Website in Top Shape......Page 172
Keeping Your Business Safe......Page 177
Chapter 7: Accepting Payments......Page 189
Sealing the Deal: The Options......Page 190
Enabling Credit Card Purchases......Page 191
Choosing an Online Payment System......Page 196
Fulfilling Your Online Orders......Page 205
Joining the International Trade Brigade......Page 208
Shipping Overseas Goods......Page 210
Getting Paid in International Trade......Page 211
Chapter 8: Communicating with Customers and Building Loyalty......Page 213
Keeping Your Customers in the Loop......Page 214
Helping Customers Reach You......Page 219
Making Customers Feel They Belong......Page 230
Chapter 9: Sourcing Worldwide for Your Business......Page 235
Knowing What Sells Well Online......Page 236
Finding Products Yourself......Page 237
Working with Wholesale Suppliers......Page 242
Working the Trade Shows......Page 247
Part III: Social Networking and Marketing......Page 249
Chapter 10: Advertising and Publicity: The Basics......Page 251
Coming Up with a Marketing Strategy......Page 252
Publicizing Your Online Business Free......Page 256
Using Guerrilla Marketing Strategies......Page 266
Minding Your Ps and Qs (Puns and Quips)......Page 268
Chapter 11: Search Engine Optimization......Page 273
Understanding How Search Engines Find You......Page 274
Going Gaga over Google......Page 278
Leaving a Trail of Crumbs......Page 285
Monitoring Traffic: The Science of Web Analytics......Page 296
Listing Yourself in All the Right Places......Page 299
Marketing Yourself with Check-Ins and Offers......Page 306
Connecting with Locals with Interactive Content......Page 312
Chapter 13: Social Marketing: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Blogs......Page 315
Developing a Business Presence on Facebook......Page 316
Sharing Your Images with Pinterest......Page 322
Building a Fan Base with Twitter......Page 323
Using Your Blog for Profit . . . and Fun......Page 325
Part IV: Expanding Beyond Your Website......Page 329
Chapter 14: Selling on Amazon.com and eBay......Page 331
Becoming an Amazon.com Seller......Page 332
Understanding eBay Auctions......Page 346
Building a Good Reputation......Page 347
Creating Sales Descriptions That Sell......Page 353
Providing Good Customer Service......Page 358
Moving from Auctioneer to eBay Businessperson......Page 359
Chapter 15: Moving to Specialty Marketplaces......Page 363
Researching the Right Sales Venues......Page 364
Branching Out to Other Marketplaces......Page 367
Connecting All Your Outlets......Page 380
Chapter 16: Managing and Growing Your Online Business......Page 381
Choosing Channel Management Software......Page 382
Spreading the Word with Google......Page 384
Adding Google Apps to Your Business......Page 390
Part V: Keeping Your Business Legal and Fiscally Responsible......Page 395
Chapter 17: Keeping It All Legal......Page 397
Understanding Trade Names and Trademarks......Page 398
Licensing and Other Restrictions......Page 407
Avoiding Conflicts with Your Customers......Page 408
Deciding on a Legal Form for Your Business......Page 409
Chapter 18: Online Business Accounting Tools......Page 413
ABCs: Accounting Basics for Commerce......Page 414
Accounting Software for Your Business......Page 418
The Taxman Cometh: Concerns for Small Business......Page 425
Part VI: The Part of Tens......Page 429
Make Your Online Store Mobile-Friendly......Page 431
Enable Mobile Device Payments......Page 432
Offer a Coupon Deal They Can’t Refuse......Page 433
Go Beyond “Mobile” to Include “Social”......Page 434
Contact Customers in Your Area with a Geofence......Page 435
Following Wilco’s Example......Page 437
Listing on EveryPlaceISell......Page 438
Developing an E-Mail Campaign......Page 439
Giving Something Back to Your Supporters......Page 440
Publishing Your Own Newsletter......Page 441
Keeping Your Content Fresh and Up to Date......Page 442
Index......Page 443
About the Author......Page 457