|
|
|
|
When I talk to people who are thinking about starting an online business some questions come up again and again. They represent the fears and obstacles that are common to those who would like to generate additional income online.
Question 1. Do I need to be a computer 'geek'?
Answer - No! The days are long gone when you needed to be able to understand html code and write computer programs to create your website - thank goodness! The technology has been simplified and packaged in such a way that if you can follow instructions you can set up your own online business.
You can generate income online in various ways - 2 common models are selling your own products and recommending other peoples' products. If you'd like to sell your own products from your own website here are some of the basic things that you'll need. A computer with an internet connection, your own domain registered and a hosting account, a method of selling and collecting the money (a shopping cart) and an autoresponder service so that you can stay in touch with your customers.
That list might appear like quite a lot, but when you break it down into its individual parts it's not complicated and you don't need any specialist expertise to set the system up.
Question 2. Do I need lots of money?
Answer - No! Some years ago you would have to pay a significant amount to website designers to create your site for you. Although some people still do this it's usually because they aren't aware of the easy to use packages that are now available.
By following the directions you could set up your own WordPress site for free. It's a powerful, flexible, package that has all the features that you'll need, plus a lot more.
You will need to invest a small sum of money to register your domain name (tens of dollars for a couple of years), a small monthly sum for hosting your domain and then the costs of your autoresponder service (again in the low tens of dollars).
So the costs of setting up an online business are much smaller than those for setting up a traditional bricks and mortar business, with all the costs involved in that.
Question 3. How much time do I need?
Answer - This will vary depending on what your plans are. But it's perfectly possible to do the research work and set up your own online business whilst still fulfilling your other responsibilities. These could be family commitments, full time employment, leisure activities, hobbies etc.
Of course, the more time you can commit to your online business the quicker you will be able to set it up and start making sales. But most people aren't in a position to work at it full-time and I recommend that you come up with a realistic timetable that suits your personal circumstances.
Many find that allocating a small amount of time on a regular basis e.g 1 hour a day is better than an intensive session of several hours. If you work like that on your online business it will become a regular part of your routine and you're much more likely to stick at it.
|
|
