Literally speaking, or based on statistics and market evaluations, this is the best time to start your own business. And with digital platform set to become the spine of the current and future market-place, there is no doubt that eCommerce is quite popular and the most approached business idea for any entrepreneur-in-waiting.
If you are one of those that want to leverage the benefits of the digital sphere and grow your own online retail store, then we have round up a comprehensive steps-guide to help you launch your eCommerce website with full proficiency and confidence:
Step 1: Decide Your Industry and Product
Like any other business plan, you must start at the bottom and get your basics right, which starts with what product and industry you want to set foot in. For some it might be the hardest task at hand, but it is the most important. Choosing the right niche is so much significant for your success spell. Pick the category in which you have knowledge and interest, and you know you can sell.
The best way to pick the industry and niche is to evaluate what people in your circle complain about most. You need to assess lifestyle of yours and people in your social circle thoroughly, determining what problems they are mostly concerned about, and see if you can provide the right solution in that category or not.
Step 2: Research about Your Product and Start Preparing
With research we mean, study the industry, the online sector, and the existing competitors comprehensively. Take every assessment and evaluation into your business plan development consideration.
Upon doing this, it is time to start writing your business plan. It should be prepared as your road map. Bring your thoughts, ideas and constructive criticism of others into the writing. Start communicating with the variables of your business, including partners, suppliers, fund providers, infrastructure providers. Draw a plan about developing your team.
Step 3: Set Up Your Website
After you have created your plan related to the physical verticals, it is time to develop, design and launch your website. While many would think that creating a website would be your second step, but in empirical terms you need to understand that without a business plan in writing, it would be difficult to ascertain what type of precise website you would want, what elements to include in that. Getting the manufacturers on board also becomes a hard task when the site is empty, in comparison to preparing its launch in the future.
An eCommerce website is not like any other site; therefore, it is not that anybody can create that. You need to have on board a professional
eCommerce website design & development service provider. An eCommerce website needs to be designed and developed on a specific platform, such as Shopify, Magento, and many more. Consult your website developer what platform would be most specific to fit your needs, market demands, scalability and budget.
Make sure that before getting your website developed, determine your business name as well, and register your business. Apart from this, your website development company must also provide you with logo design service. Also ensure that your site is developed taking into consideration the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) basics.
Step 4: Build Your Online Store
This is an extended process of the above step, where, after developing the website, your service provider must be able to provide you with store development and product display service. Usually, if this is handled by a SEO company, then it becomes more beneficial for you, as they will be expert in the methodological management of the website, optimising the store development according to the Google and other search engine guidelines.
Your products must be displayed with clear images, precise and clear descriptions, and the entire inventory must be fully optimised.
Step 5: Marketing
Now, the development and creation process is over. You must start with marketing your store and products, and start developing a brand authority. Utilise on-page and off-page SEO tactics in-depth. Create social media channels of your store, where you need to promote your brand and products, your offerings, industry news; and start developing follower base and communicate with them in an engaging and responsive manner.
As a matter of fact, apart from these channels, it will be good to utilise pay-per-click (PPC) or paid campaigns also alongside the SEO in the initial stage. It will help you bring instant traffic, which will help you to develop a strong foundation for the future growth. You can also look for traditional offline marketing strategies in the early stages.
There’s a lot that goes into having an idea, and realising it into a successful business model. And having a robust, innovative, responsive and impressive website developed from an eCommerce website developer is one of the most important steps for your business success.
