When I talk to people who would like to start an online business there are some questions that come up again and again. They reflect the obstacles and fears that are common to those who want to generate additional income online.
Question 1. Do I need to be a computer ‘geek’?
Answer – No! The days when you needed to be able to write computer programs and understand html code to create your website are long gone – thank goodness! The technology has been simplified and packaged in such a way that if you can follow instructions you can set up your own online business.
There are various ways that you can generate income online – selling your own products and recommending other peoples’ products are 2 common models. If you’d like to sell your own products from your own website here are some of the basic things that you’ll need. A computer, an internet connection, your own domain and hosting account, a shopping cart for selling and collecting the money and an autoresponder service to stay in touch with your customers.
That list might appear like quite a lot, but when you break it down into its individual parts it’s not complicated and you don’t need any specialist expertise to set the system up.
Question 2. Do I need lots of money?
Answer – No! A few years ago it would have cost a significant amount of money for website designers to create your site for you. Although some people still do this it’s usually because they aren’t aware of the easy to use packages that are now available.
You could set up your own WordPress site for free by following the directions. It’s a flexible, powerful package that will give you all the features that you need, plus a lot more.
You will need to invest a small sum of money to register your domain name (tens of dollars for a couple of years), a small monthly sum for hosting your domain and then the costs of your autoresponder service (again in the low tens of dollars).
So the costs of setting up an online business are much smaller than those for setting up a traditional bricks and mortar business, with all the costs involved in that.
Question 3. How much time do I need?
Answer – This will vary depending on what your plans are. But it’s perfectly possible to do the research work and set up your own online business whilst still fulfilling your other responsibilities. These could be family commitments, full time employment, leisure activities, hobbies etc.
Of course, the more time you can commit to your online business the quicker you will be able to set it up and start making sales. But most people aren’t in a position to work at it full-time and I recommend that you come up with a realistic timetable that suits your personal circumstances.
Many find that allocating a small amount of time on a regular basis e.g 1 hour a day is better than an intensive session of several hours. If you work like that on your online business it will become a regular part of your routine and you’re much more likely to stick at it.
In summary, if you can follow simple instructions and have a small amount of money that you can invest in starting your online business, you have all the tools you need to get going!
About the Author:
For more answers to commonly asked questions claim your free copy of Ruth Morgan’s 90 page report Internet Marketing Revealed today. You’ll also get her 5 part guide to starting your own online business. To get your free report and 5 part guide go to HowToBuildYourInternetBusiness.com now.
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