This blog post was first published in https://blog.vesicash.com/things-you-should-do-before-starting-an-online-business/

Starting an online business is a decision that requires taking deliberate and goal-driven steps so as not to make avoidable mistakes. It is true that online is the future of all businesses but you might have to ascertain that your business has enough reasons to move from being a physical or mobile store to having its own space on the internet. Here are some of the things that you need to pay attention to before starting that online business of your dream:

A business plan is key

It is not enough that you already have a plan for your existing business or that you have committed the road map to memory. An online business is a different ball game that requires you to plan from the scratch and figure out what would work well for you and won’t. 

You can include how you intend to sustain the business, what payment methods would be made available and what marketing forms would be explored. All that is important is that you draft your plan in a way that reflects how certain you are of the new world you are exposing your business to.

Know the customers you want to target and how to get them

A good part of sustaining an online business is to have a target on the people that are more likely to buy from you than others. With a physical store, you can cater to all age groups since anyone can make a stop at your shop but with an online store,  the responsibility of figuring out the best groups to put focus on falls on you.

So, one of the things that you should work on before taking that business online is to map out your target customers and the ways of reaching them quickly. This little exercise will help you make a decision on the marketing channels to use, how to craft the message and when to deliver these messages to them.

Explore the Marketing Channels you’d use.

Taking that business of yours online means that you have to find a way of marketing what you do to people that are always online to see it. You should also remember that your business would not be the only one that wants to convert customers, this is why you should explore all the channels that can be used to reach your potential customers and get them to see what you do.

Would you be focusing more on Instagram and Facebook  because you have beautiful pictures of your goods to show? Would you rather spend on email marketing because you want to have a personal relationship with these people or would you rather upload explainer videos and how your goods and services will enhance people’s lifestyle. All of these should be properly thought out before making the decision to go online.

Social media is your new store and you should do all that you can to harness its potential for the success of your business.

Decide on the payment methods for your business

One of the tested ways of gaining customers and retaining existing ones online is by giving them flexible and trusted payment methods. No customer wants to go through too many processes before they can pay you. They also want an assurance that you will not scam them since they might not even know the face behind the brand.

In order to ease payment for your business, Escrow is a good way of combining seamlessness and transparency- your clients are assured that their money is safe and won’t be disbursed till you deliver and you, on the other hand is motivated to proceed with the transaction since your money awaits you in a secure account.

There are different Vesicash escrow products that you can harness at every stage of your business, all very smooth to use and understand.

Conclusion 

The decision to take your business online is a good one but it requires proper planning so that it doesn’t burn out before starting. The internet is a place with many people that can either grow or mar your business if not properly harnessed. The above tips would come in handy so that you take all the necessary steps before going online.

For the Escrow payment solution earlier mentioned too, you can reach out to us via info@vesicash.com or call 08066589385 on how to go about our products and services. We would love to help you give your clients a smooth payment experience.
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