Online Business Development – 5 Steps to Success.

February 13, 2009

If you are starting a website, and pursuing a business where a great deal of your income could come from lead generation and general traffic, then there are several decisions you could make to develop your website – creating a truly profitable business.

What are the tools you’ll need to be able to convert that all important traffic into potential income?

Whether you are starting out online, or even if you already have a website in place, it’s never too soon or too late to put your strategy in place and start turning your website into a beehive of activity. The various key areas you will need to focus on are simple, and with a little time – and the right tools, you’ll start to generate the desired outcome.

Here are my 5 most vital steps for creating the perfect foundation for your online business.

1. A Website.

This is the foundation of the business. It is vital that you get this right. Your website will suggest to your traffic the quality and excellence of your product or service. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Think of your website in terms of surroundings. You wouldn’t necessarily want to sit for a while in car park, however if you were walking through a park with trees and pleasant surroundings, you’re more likely to stay a while. Your website is the same, and with the competitive nature of the internet, certainly seeking advice on style, colour and branding is vital for creating the perfect environment for your potential customers or clients. No matter what you are building, from a website advertising your services, to an affiliate portal, an eCommerce shopping cart site or a place to administer memberships or subscriptions, the same rules apply.

2. Clear, Concise well thought out Content.

Once your audience is sitting comfortably, they will need content, something of interest. Your website content is not just about words, as the text can contain several SEO factors which you may not have considered, for example, Flesch readability scores. You may understand your website, but have you considered whether or not other people do? Does your content contain key words and search phrases? Have you considered your ‘behind the scenes’ Meta Data carefully? Have you compared your site and your business with your strongest competitors? Seeking assistance in acquiring this data can be extremely valuable in terms of knowing what you need to do – content wise, to succeed.

3. SEO and a Fresh Flow of Information.

What happens to a place of business on an empty road? It just sits there empty, although sometimes, by chance, a few drivers find themselves lost and wander in as occasional visitors. You need to make sure that your website is not that location. You need a steady flow of traffic and a reason for the search engines to put your website higher up in the rankings. A vital part of your website is a fresh flow of content. Whether this is in the form of a Blog, a Forum, News Announcements and Updates, Regular Special Offers or Articles – there needs to be new data coming in as often as possible.

4. Lead Capture, Email Marketing and CRM.

It’s not what your customers can do for you, but what you can do for your customers. Adding a subscription box to your website will begin a relationship between you and your visitors. Once they have given you their email address – and their name, they are inviting you to tell them more about your business and your services. They would like to hear from you. Use this to your advantage. By taking care of your contacts with a really good CRM and Email Marketing System, you will acquire the privilege of having time to focus on building the relationship between yourself and your visitors.

5. Marketing.

Once you have built your website into a solid foundation for your online business, get creative with your online marketing. Article marketing, networking, blogging, digital media, press releases, and reciprocal links, along with contributing to targeted websites, groups and communities are all ways of promoting your website.

So what is this extraordinary method?

Bringing all these elements together with little or no knowledge can be daunting, and even if you know you are taking the right course of action, utilising various DIY options often results in a lot of time and money wasted, as the end product is rarely satisfactory.

To make sure you are using the right tools for the job, consider hiring an expert Virtual Assistant to help you with bringing these elements together. Work out a strategy with your assistant so that you can have a step by step – tailor made plan. Take time to share your considerations with your VA, and explain your situation thoroughly, so you and your new team can stay on track, moving as rapidly as possible towards the fulfilment of your goals.

The most important step is to remember – never give up, as building a business takes time, just stay focused on the primary goal and your efforts will eventually pay off.

Have your say and leave a comment, I personally review all of the comments on this site, and I would love to read yours ;)
Thanks so much!
Michelle

Posted by Virtual Miss Friday | Filed Under **Blogs**, **Business**, **Internet**, **Marketing**, **Media**, **Motivate**, **VMF**, **eBusiness**, Advertising, Development, Promotion