As is the nature of modern business, choosing to run a company solely online is seen as a very logical step to take, and there are many reasons to choose the screen over the store. In starting a business purely for online punters, what is there that needs to be done differently to the normal businesses? Is it a harder pursuit, or is it something you can have a lot more control over when it comes to the whole process?
Going online means that there are fewer costs in the physical sense, but there are other things you need to think about. While there is no cost in building permits, you still need to plow costs into the website and the distribution parts of the company. The best way to think of it is to think that you are setting up a real store, and that amount of money can go into the site and domain, which will be a sizeable chunk of your cost. But the more money you can put into making a site look as professional as possible, which is a big task when you are limited in staff members. There are many companies that specialize in website design, and by outsourcing to these, you are able to focus on the more prescient tasks.
The important aspect of a small business that is run online is to develop an image and brand that communicates your company instantly. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, and by having a basic understanding of the concept, it can really help when you are designing things like your logo or developing your marketing plan. And by finding a logo that communicates itself well, it is a very significant part of your business brand that, when the popularity increases, it becomes a symbol of your high quality. And is something you can market, like on pouch packaging, bags, or small items that can be sent to the consumer as part of their order.
The other aspect to be aware of when trading online is when the business is not able to meet the demand for the product. This is especially potent in the very small startups that operate from their home or a tiny office, and usually with staff members of 1 or 2 employees. While it is everyone’s goal to increase custom, being able to cope with the demand is another thing entirely. So when you develop your business plan, you need to factor in the opportunity for growth if you plan on the business being a certain size. It is the difficulty in upscaling a company that causes ructions in the process, and you don’t want that to affect your business ethos, your brand, and most importantly, your product. The reason people start a business online instead of in a store is to take advantage of the vast market out there, and while it is a big market, make sure that you have targeted your correct audience first, then everything else will follow.
