One of the great advantages of opening
a business on the Internet rather than on
Main Street is money — or rather, the
lack of it. Instead of having to rent a
space and set up furniture and
fixtures, you can buy a domain name, sign up
with a hosting service, create some
Web pages, and get started with an investment
of only a few thousands of naira or a
few hundred dollars, or perhaps even less.
In addition to your virtual
storefront, you also have to find a real place to do
your business. You don’t necessarily
have to rent a warehouse or other large
space. Many online entrepreneurs use a
home office or perhaps a corner in a
room where computers, books, and other
business-related equipment reside
Assembling the equipment you need
Think of all the equipment you don’t
need when you set up shop online: You
don’t need shelving, a cash register,
a parking lot, electricity, fire protection
systems, a burglar alarm, shop
assistance, office cleaning . . . the list goes on and on. You may need some of
those for your home, but you don’t need to purchase them especially for
your online business.
Easy Steps in Starting Your Own Online
Business.
For doing business online, your most
important piece of equipment is your
computer. Other hardware, such as
modems, and monitors, are
essential too. You need to choose a
good domain name and hosting good for your business You need to make sure that
your computer equipment is up
to snuff because you’re going to be
spending a lot of time online: answering
e-mail, checking orders, revising your
Web site, and marketing your product.
Many people who start online
businesses learn how to
create Web pages and promote their
companies by reading books, attending
classes, or networking with friends
and colleagues.
Of course, just because you
can do it all doesn’t mean that you have to. Often, you’re
better off hiring help,
either to advise you in areas where
you aren’t as strong or simply to help you
tackle the growing workload — and help
your business grow at the same time.
