Is going in an online business still a thing?

[ExcuseMyIgnorance]

How do you go about starting? Is there a guide I can refer to?

[clatoden99]

For an online business to flourish there are 3 crucial steps every firm must take.
These include:
Social Media:- the most efficient way to reach out the consumer and generate leads.
Releasing PR:- an easy way to be in the news is that a firm must release PR about various event or collaborations or product launches etc.
Content Marketing:- plays a major role as relevant and kick ass content about the product and services attracts most of the client giving them a clear idea of your firm.
Thus the key objective of http://nibirusolutions.com/online-marketing/ is to promote brands, build preference and increase sales through various online marketing channels.

[dojo]

Yes, it's still a thing and you can earn well enough with it.

The steps are pretty easy (although they do take some time):

1. find out what you can offer - what you're good at, what services you can provide
2. create a portfolio website - even if you are probably gonna be present in the main freelancing websites (at first, at least), you do need to have your own site. This will get you clients that pay well, since most clients on freelancing sites are looking for small prices. So your main focus is not to work like crazy for small rates, but to actually get high-paying clients.
3. do some work, get testimonials and more people interested in your work.
4. grow your business.

[Gailete]

How do you go about starting? Is there a guide I can refer to?

there are many posts about the subject of selling on line here on the Saving Advice Forums. Have you looked at them yet? Have you goggled "ways to make money on line"? There is not one guide, there are many and each venue that you can sell on has a different guide. As to a guide about what to sell, where to find it, etc. No you aren't going to find that. Current sellers aren't in general going to give out the information about their sources of inventory just though can can end up with one more competitor. I would read up and reasearch and find out what you can and then if needed, ask specific questions.

[Gailete]

forget about it

Well you are just full of comments today aren't you, at least 25 of them with pretty much zero content. Why would you tell someone to forget about starting an on line business? It is a very legitimate way to make money, although it isn't neither fast or easy and from the comments I've seen from you, that seems to be what you are looking for.

[Sam1000]

This is how I would start. You can take it or leave it, but please keep in mind this is only my opinion.

1) Write a detailed business plan

When setting up a business, start with a solid business plan. So you structure all your ideas and have a clear overview. Put in the plan what you want to do. Add and define all your goals. Judge how realistic your plans really are. Let friends, family and acquaintances see your business plan and ask for their opinion.

2) Choose the correct legal structure

It is important to think about the legal structure of your company. Write out a dual-column list with pros on one side and cons on the other. You will probably starts small and end up with a sole proprietorship (this is how the vast majority of businesses start) or limited liability company (LLC), or a limited liability limited partnership (LLLP). The advantage of the sole proprietorship is that it is the easiest to set up, not requiring much more than a name, address, and social security number. The disadvantage of the proprietorship is that you are personally liable for all of your company's debt. That means that your creditors can come after your personal assets if you default on your payments. With a LLP or LLLP, you are only liable for your debt up to your total investment in your company, assuming you have structured it correctly. However, if you have agreed to be personally responsible for debt, for example, a mortgage on rental property, then your creditors can still go beyond that investment.

3) Acquire funding

You probably don't need any funding to start your online business, depending on what you're planning to do. Without funding, you probably don't have too much concern with the debt mentioned in the previous step anyway.

If you do need funding, you can try to get a bank loan. Try a few community banks, as they're more likely to consider funding you if you're local. Why would they give you a business loan? Because you wrote out a solid business plan in step 1 and know how to present it!

If you take the unadvised route of borrowing from friends or family, make sure ALL the terms are spelled out in writing. Don't let them say "You're family! We don't need a paper agreement!" or "You're a friend. I trust you." Let them know that you're protecting them and don't want to borrow from them if they don't agree to accept a contract stating exactly how they will be paid back.

[Gailete]

This is how I would start. You can take it or leave it, but please keep in mind this is only my opinion.

1) Write a detailed business plan

When setting up a business, start with a solid business plan. So you structure all your ideas and have a clear overview. Put in the plan what you want to do. Add and define all your goals. Judge how realistic your plans really are. Let friends, family and acquaintances see your business plan and ask for their opinion.

2) Choose the correct legal structure

It is important to think about the legal structure of your company. Write out a dual-column list with pros on one side and cons on the other. You will probably starts small and end up with a sole proprietorship (this is how the vast majority of businesses start) or limited liability company (LLC), or a limited liability limited partnership (LLLP). The advantage of the sole proprietorship is that it is the easiest to set up, not requiring much more than a name, address, and social security number. The disadvantage of the proprietorship is that you are personally liable for all of your company's debt. That means that your creditors can come after your personal assets if you default on your payments. With a LLP or LLLP, you are only liable for your debt up to your total investment in your company, assuming you have structured it correctly. However, if you have agreed to be personally responsible for debt, for example, a mortgage on rental property, then your creditors can still go beyond that investment.

3) Acquire funding

You probably don't need any funding to start your online business, depending on what you're planning to do. Without funding, you probably don't have too much concern with the debt mentioned in the previous step anyway.

If you do need funding, you can try to get a bank loan. Try a few community banks, as they're more likely to consider funding you if you're local. Why would they give you a business loan? Because you wrote out a solid business plan in step 1 and know how to present it!

If you take the unadvised route of borrowing from friends or family, make sure ALL the terms are spelled out in writing. Don't let them say "You're family! We don't need a paper agreement!" or "You're a friend. I trust you." Let them know that you're protecting them and don't want to borrow from them if they don't agree to accept a contract stating exactly how they will be paid back.

Just curious. Have YOU actually started an online business?

[Gailete]

This is more or less a dead thread, but I find it interesting all the ways that people propose of things you have to do to sell on line and not one of them mentions whether or not they have had a business on line other than me I believe.

I pretty much did none of the starting up process that is called for in these threads. I started a business 'accidently' because we thought I was dying and I wanted to get rid of some of my things, so hubby wouldn't have to figure out what to do with them! Almost 16 years later I have an ongoing business that for years has been helping us eat, pay bills, SAVE & INVEST money, etc.

The biggest thing that anyone needs to know is starting a business on line is that it requires work, dedication, excellent customer service, finding what people need and supplying it. Any time you read that you can make passive income, or make quick and easy income, pass it up. I read many books and one started out with the idea of how you could make passive income with their first suggestion of selling on Amazon! I sell on Amazon and have for about 15 years and there is absolutely NOTHING passive about it. It requires a seller to be very active in their business.

[tom_a]

Yes. it's still a thing. People become lazier)

[Gailete]

If I will start my online business, first of all, I need a website with the attractive domain name as well as appearance then it comes with the product or services with my website would deal keeping in mind the taste and preference of consumers.

Actually that isn't first of al at all. It is actually down the list. First you have to think of what you want to do as a business or fall through a rabbit hole like I did. You have to see what the need for the business is. How you can supply whatever to customers, etc. Figure out what the income that you could achieve might be. You would also have to decide if you need a website of your own and piggy-back onto a different venue. You need to educate yourself about how to run a small business, you need to understand tax laws as they relate to an on line busines. etc. It is no small task.