Start Your Own Online Business

Lesson 1

Build a Foundation for Your Online Business

In this lesson, we will build the foundation you need to start and grow a successful online business. You will understand what an online business is, the key components that make it work, and the steps for building your own. You will also learn about the three most popular online business models. Finally, you will be introduced to the concept of a Visual Business Strategy (VBS) diagram, which you will use to summarize your Internet business plan.

Create a Digital-Ready Business Brand

Learn how to build a business brand that's ready to be launched online. First, you will discover some secrets about developing an influential and recognizable name for your business. Next, you will learn how you can quickly and easily stake a claim to that business name throughout the Internet. After that, we'll examine ways to get a logo to support your business branding. And finally, you will gain an understanding of the importance of keywords and learn how to craft an effective keyword strategy for your business.

Build and Optimize a Product

See how to create products and services that you can sell as part of your online business. First, we'll explore the various types of products and services and how to build them. Next, you will consider what makes a "good" product and zero in on the right product for you. Finally, we'll look at how to tackle building your product, from creating your product development plan to leveraging your past efforts to develop your product more quickly and efficiently.

Develop and Launch an Engaging Website

Tackle the task of creating and launching a business website. You will understand what type of website you should build and learn how to align it with your business strategy. Then you will see how to develop an outline for your website, wireframe individual pages, and create or find the content you will need to make your web pages come alive. After that, we'll explore ways to build and launch your website without having to know anything about website design or coding. Finally, you will learn what it means to "host" your website.

Set up Your Online Selling Process

Gain an understanding of the basics of selling products on the Internet and learn how to design and document a sales process that aligns with your business strategy. Next, you will learn how to implement your newly created sales process by selecting the right mix of third-party tools and accounts that work with your website to conduct business transactions online. And finally, we'll examine how you can monitor, track, and measure the effectiveness of your sales process and use that information to increase your sales over time.

Install a Digital Communication Network

Learn what a digital communication network is and why you need to develop one for your business. Next, you will gain an understanding of the different types of digital communication methods and how you can use each to engage and develop relationships with your followers. Finally, we'll examine some advanced strategies that you can use to optimize and automate your communication with your prospects and customers consistently.

Your Email Management System

First, learn about the importance of utilizing an email management system to communicate with your prospects and customers. Next, we'll examine how you can set up your system, write engaging content, and deliver emails in a timely and automated manner. Finally, we'll explore some advanced email marketing strategies that you can use to help grow your email list and increase engagement.

Socialize Your Online Business

Build a foundation for using social media to grow your business. You will understand the definition of social media and explore critical principles to make sure that you're using social media in the right way. Next, you will learn about a process you can follow to consistently and effectively engage with prospects and customers. Finally, you will learn about different ways to generate and publish content quickly and easily.

Build Multiple Online Lead Streams

Examine the importance of generating leads to maintain a healthy and vibrant online business. First, we'll explore the concept of a lead generation process and review the types that exist. Next, we will work together to outline a lead generation strategy that is customized for your business. And finally, we'll outline the steps necessary to implement and systematize the lead generation processes you have selected to drive targeted prospects to your website.

Using Video to Grow Your Online Business

Why should you consider using video as one of your main lead generation processes to grow your online business? In this lesson, you will find out why, and we'll walk through the steps you can take to create compelling videos without being a video expert. Next, we'll take a peek at basic and advanced methods to create and distribute videos to gain exposure for your online business. And finally, you will learn how to host, record, and automate the delivery of videos through webinars.

Create an Online Partnership Program

Gain an understanding of how you can build a partnership program to introduce more people to your online business. First, you will learn what a partner program is and how it can help grow your business. Next, you will explore the critical aspects of any partnership program and how to integrate it into your website. Finally, we'll examine some crucial strategies for introducing your partnership program to prospects as well as new and future customers to generate an ongoing stream of fresh leads.

Implement an Online Support Center

See how to implement an online support center for your business. First, you will learn about what types of expectations online customers have for customer service and support and examine the essential pieces of any online support center. Next, we'll explore both basic and advanced ways that you can provide customer service support over the Internet and investigate various support solutions that you can use. And finally, we'll examine some key strategies for engaging with new and legacy customers to maximize customer satisfaction and minimize refunds.