Millions of potential customers are on social media, so you don’t need an ecommerce website, right?
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
A professional-looking website gives you and your company credibility and builds brand recognition. It will give customers a place to go and interact with you, even if your favorite social media platform is down for some reason or their algorithm just isn’t working for you.
An ecommerce website will allow you to sell from home safely and securely. It will also help potential customers find you through a Google search.
And the good news is that setting up a website to start selling your products or services from home doesn’t have to be time-consuming, difficult, or costly.
6 steps that make building a website and selling from home easier than ever
Many solopreneurs shy away from creating a website because it seems complicated and time-consuming. And in some cases, expensive. According to MonsterInsights.com, some companies can spend up to $30,000 for a feature-heavy website.
Thankfully, you don’t have to invest that much in building a site and you don’t even have to hire a professional.
1. Choose a domain name
This might sound easy, but it’s one of the top things that trip up new solopreneurs. They’re not sure whether they should use their own name, create a business name, or try to think up something clever.
The most important thing to remember about a domain name is that you want it to be memorable and SEO friendly. If it’s easy to remember, customers are more likely to end up on (or return to) your site.
Remember this, your website domain must be:
- Easy to say
- Easy to read
- Easy to type
- Easy to remember
Stick to shorter domains if possible and avoid numbers and symbols like dashes or underscores.
2. Register your domain and sign up for hosting
You’ll find there are a number of web hosts available. Bluehost, HostGator, DreamHost, and GoDaddy are just a few. Most offer affordable hosting packages, ranging from around $3 to $10 per month.
Don’t let this step slow your progress too much. Look at reviews and see what other website owners have to say about the service they receive. Also, make sure the host has the following services.
- Customer support (24/7 live chat is best)
- Custom email
- Unlimited/unmetered bandwidth
- Free domain name with SSL
- One-click WordPress installation (for free)
If possible, talk to customer support or look for information on the host’s website pertaining to site speed (how fast your site loads) and uptime reliability (how often your website is operational).
3. Choose your content management system (CMS)
A content management system allows you to:
- Create content for your site more easily
- Limit how much you rely on website developers (if you choose to use one)
- Share your content across various social media platforms
WordPress is one of the most popular CMSs, especially for bloggers. Others include:
- BigCommerce
- Joomla
- Magento
- Shopify
- Wix
- OpenCart
- HubSpot
4. Create a memorable brand identity
Now it’s time to get creative.
Think about who you are, what you represent. Think about your audience and what they need.
Your branding will make an impression on people who come to your website. It’s what they’ll remember long after they’ve left it.
If you’re having trouble with this part of the process, you can try a variety of branding guides, such as HubSpot’s Free Brand Building Guide.
Based on what you find, you’ll be able to choose things like brand colors, fonts, your website theme, and communication style.
You can make changes to your logo, colors, etc., directly within your website theme. This will take a bit of practice, but it can be done. You can find an abundance of How To videos on YouTube pertaining to each CMS and theme that you choose.
5. Start marketing your business
Once your website is up and running, it’s time to start marketing. The easiest way to do this is to create an SEO-friendly, informative blog that provides value for your potential customers.
6. Nothing is forever—Let go of perfectionism
Something that holds people back from creating their website (or even going after the best job opportunities) is the idea that they must do it perfectly.
Oftentimes, you’re the only one who notices the glitches and errors. As long as your website loads quickly, provides value, and doesn’t look like it was built in the 90s, your customers aren’t going to care. You have a site. They found you easily. They know what you sell and how you can help them. That’s all that matters to them.
Remember, too, that just because you create something now doesn’t mean you have to keep it forever. As time passes, you will evolve. It only stands to reason that your business and website will, too. Whatever decisions you make now—whether it’s who’s your host, what website theme you use, or even your brand colors—can and most likely will change down the road. And that’s ok. Even big companies rebrand and make updates regularly.
You can start a side-hustle with little-to-no start-up costs
You may have heard stories of entrepreneurs (part- or full-time) who put thousands of dollars into their company in start-up costs.
This is out of range for a lot of people.
Thankfully, though, making money from home doesn’t require a huge investment. You can find a ton of free or low-cost—yet professional-looking—options for websites, images for your site, web hosting, and more. As time passes and your income grows, you’ll be able to upscale as needed.
If you’re not quite ready to go your own way, consider starting a side-hustle with Vector. There are absolutely no investment fees. We give you everything you need—including training—so that you can build a successful work-from-home side business. You’ll also develop the skills you need to create your own lucrative business down the road.
Do you want to start a profitable side-gig in 2021? Contact Vector today to schedule an interview.
