Starting an online business is not for the faint of heart, and with a MILLION and one choices for courses, tools, and mentors, it’s no wonder people get confused when they step out! The truth is, before you make a plan, you first need to understand what KIND of online business you’re going to run because the steps look rather different.
People mush all of online business into one big niche or industry and this couldn’t be a bigger mistake. So in the post below, I’m going to identify the most common categories of online business, and give you a step by step list of what needs to happen in order to get it off the ground.
What Kind of Online Business Do You Have?
- Local business with an online presence: These are fitness gyms, restaurants, dentists, doctors, shops, carpet cleaners, roofers, and the like. People who have a geographically limited customer base but still understand that the Internet is necessary! Whether you sell products or services doesn’t really matter because you have to do it in your area of residence.
- *Service provider freelance business: These are virtual assistants, digital marketers, copywriters, coders, graphic designers, web designers, facebook ad strategists, funnel builders, digital marketing agencies, social media managers, etc. There is not a geographically limited customer base but your primary service SAVES your customer time and provides them with strategy, expertise, and a digital asset at the end (i.e. website, funnel, written document, etc.)
- Service provider coaching business: These are coaches, consultants, strategists and mentors. These people still give their expertise and time, but not as much their hands (they aren’t BUILDING a website for example). The deliverables are purely mental, emotional, and intellectual and happen within a 1:1 or group program. These people may ALSO be one of the businesses below.
- Info product online business: These are course creators who sell a digital product. It’s very common that these people are usually one of the above as well, though some start without any of the above experience (not something I recommend, but it’s done everyday regardless).
- Digital product online business: Do you sell WordPress themes, Photoshop actions, downloadable planners, resumes, graphics or other deliverable products that are digital in nature? They you have this type of business. Again it’s very common for these people to have this type of business PLUS one or more of the above. These are not courses as much as they are digital assets.
- Physical product online business: These are the ecomm owners of the world. Whether you sell food, supplements, clothes, jewelry, art, etc. an ecomm business is one that exists purely online but sells and delivers physical products that must be mailed out.
- Traffic-driven online business: These are bloggers and affiliate marketers. They rely on TRAFFIC to their sites and funnels, and their “clients” are really the brands, partners, sponsors, and JV relationships they have. These people create free content to get views and make money when they make a sale or get a brand to pay them to sponsor a product.
- SaaS online business: These are businesses that sell a web or app that has a continuity program. Examples would be ConvertKit, Mailchimp, Clickfunnels, 17hats, Dubsado, etc.
Okay so most of you will fall into one category, or several. Good news is there are only a FEW that deviate from the typical setup formula. Ready?
If you are a #1 [local business with online presence]
- Build a website with a blog.
- Optimize your website for SEO.
- Write blog content that search engines will love.
- Make a lead generation funnel that will capture leads from your website and so you can run ads.
- Run ads (Google and/or Facebook).
- Use Facebook and/or Instagram for your social media. Pick hashtags that will make you found by your prospects.
- Figure out what kind of NEW product (digital) you want to offer so you can start capturing non-geographic customers. Then proceed to THAT to-do list and scale!
If you are a #2 [service provider with a freelance business]
- Get thee to a Network (cyllnetwork) for job opps and support.
- Setup your online presence (fb page and BASIC website – Home, About, Services, Contact).
- Setup your list of services with an hourly rate (packages can be done later when you know how long things take).
- Write your about page.
- Get a general contract to use for your clients.
- Setup a CRM for your customers (for proposals and invoices).
- Start prospecting (all of this is taught in our Freelance Business Planning Bundle and Sign a Client)
- DON’T worry about blogging, list building, funnel building right now. It’s not the fastest way to get work!
- Help people, solve problems, build your skills, and eventually, you can proceed to one of the ideas below!
If you are this type of provider and you can’t really sell yourself until you have skills (like Digital Marketing skills), you should definitely LEARN how to operate and run all the businesses below. The Digital Gangsta will help you do that!
If you are a #3 [service provider with a coaching business]
- Get a WP blog set up and create some content to test your audience and avatar.
- Create your brand assets (logo, brandboard, hashtags, etc.) and add them to the blog.
- Don’t get bogged down with creating a beautiful amazing website just now!
- Plan out your offers (free, low cost, and high-end).
- Build a consulting/coaching funnel (usually a VSL funnel or auto-webinar funnel) for your high-end offer.
- Run ads to it and network in groups.
- Get some clients!
- With your money, optimize your website with professional photos, and more custom homepage.
- Join groups and get known as an expert.
- Pick your social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest.
- Write content (or do video) to get seen by social media and SEO. Post is on your blog.
- Do guest posts and interviews and send everyone into your funnel from your bio.
- Write a book or speak.
- Consider another type of business (infoproduct) to scale! Use your clients needs as a platform to figure out what that might be.
- Consider finding programs to become an affiliate for to supplement your income.
If you are a #4 or #5 [infoproduct or digital product business]
- Get a WP blog set up and create some content to test your audience. Add content upgrades and run ads for data.
- Create your brand assets (logo, brandboard, hashtags, etc.) and add them to the blog.
- Don’t get bogged down with a website right now. A blog is fine.
- Plan out your offers (free, low cost, and core).
- Build out your free offer lead gen funnel and start growing your list through ads and by adding the entry of the funnel to your blog.
- Plan out your first product and what it will include. Start with a core offer (and skip the low cost for right now).
- Outline it and make a sales page and order form and launch it to your list. See if you can PRESELL it.
- Build it as you go (only possible in some cases).
- Get feedback.
- Figure out what type of funnel you need for this product, and build it. In most cases, THIS is when you’ll need to create a low-cost offer to make the funnel work. But now that your core offer has been tested, you can come up with a better low-cost offer because you have feedback.
- Run ads to the funnel.
- Pick your social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest.
- Write content (or do video) to get seen by social media and SEO and to make more entry points to your funnel.
- Do guest posts and interviews and send everyone into your funnel from your bio.
- Write a book or speak. Send people into your funnel.
- Repeat the cycle with each new product you put out!
At any point, you can get your website more optimized but it’s not necessary to have a fancy website to succeed in this space!
If you are a #6 [physical product online business]
- Get a WP blog set up and create some content to test an audience to see what they like (run ads to it for data).
- Create your brand assets (logo, brand board, hashtags, etc.) and add them to the blog.
- Plan out your offers (free, low cost, and high-end) – figure out your manufacturer, pick-pack, fulfillment, etc.
- Build out your free offer lead gen funnel and start growing your list and run ads to it, even before the store is ready.
- Setup your basic get-it-done store website.
- Try to sell your product through email to your list when the site launches.
- Figure out what your best selling products are.
- Build a funnel for those!
- Get on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, and possibly YouTube.
- Use them to create content and build more entry points into your funnel.
- Optimize and pimp out your store with the products people love.
- Start blogging for SEO purposes.
- Create more funnels!
If you are a #7 [traffic-driven online business]
- Get a WP blog set up and create some content to test an audience to see what they like (run ads to it for data).
- Create your brand assets (logo, brand board, hashtags, etc.) and add them to the blog.
- Setup a free offer to build your list.
- Run ads to your free offer.
- Pick your social media channels that you will focus on.
- Pick your favorite affiliate marketing opportunities.
- Run ads to viral videos and blog posts and your free offer.
- Get as MANY views as possible to your content that’s littered with ads and affiliate links.
- Get a media kit and work with me package.
- Network with other influencers and businesses to find brand partnerships.
- Consider adding a service (like VA, writing, etc.) info-product or digital product to your business to help scale and add additional revenue!
If you are a #8 [SaaS online business]
- Get a WP blog set up and create some content to test an audience to see what they like (run ads to it for data).
- Create your brand assets (logo, brand board, hashtags, etc.) and add them to the blog.
- Setup a free offer to build your list.
- Run ads to it.
- Pick your social media channels.
- Put out content regularly to keep the audience hot and growing.
- Find a UX wireframe developer.
- Plan out your service or app.
- Work with a designer and a coder to bring the wireframe to life.
- Don’t stop engaging and putting out free content.
- Build the damn thing.
- Plan a launch.
- Launch it at a special price!
- Build info or digital products around it that will add additional revenue. Or consider making it all free if your SaaS really solves a problem. If your content can drive signups, it’s best to leave most of it free until you’re stable!
Okay so some of you might be wondering, “Why is [setup a WP blog] the first thing you do?” and I have several reasons for this.
SEO is a longterm game and even if it’s not your primary traffic driver, it’s better to start marinating content and a domain AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. You don’t need to be a content machine, you just need a few really good pieces.
Setting up a WP blog gets you the freedom and functionality of WP, which can literally – stay a blog, or grow into a MONSTER custom website that can do anything. To have that kind of engine installed from the start, means NEVER having to migrate from Joomla or Weebly or Squarespace. And if you want to do something like a Giveaway, you have WP right there to help you do it.
Having WP means you have to get hosting, which means you can get server space, a WP media library, and custom email addresses. It’s just these little things that all happen seamlessly when you get hosting, WP, and a blog.
Most people who start a business feel the need to get all their ducks in a row, and they do it in a vacuum without testing the market first. A blog with content upgrades and some ads is a FANTASTIC way to test your ideas, your avatars, etc. and it will help shape how you proceed from there.
The Digital Gangsta is the program I’ve developed to teach you how to build MOST of the businesses above. Obviously there are nuances and details to each one that require more specific help, but if you are 1, 3, 4, 5, or 6… Digital Gangsta is RIGHT for you. If you are #2 and NEED to gain skills to help the other types of businesses (because they are your clients), then Digital Gangsta is right for you.
If you’re #2 and need help setting up YOUR business, start with our freelance business planning bundle.
If you’re #7 or #8, The Digital Gangsta will help you with about 60-70% of what you need to do. The other stuff will need to be gained through a specific expert who specializes in that kind of business.
*This is the fastest way to start making money on the Internet in case you’re wondering.
Lei Edstrom says
This is exactly what I needed to help me determine my plan of action! Julie, you are so in tune with what CYLLers need in order to succeed. CYLL has already made all the difference in making a shift from death-by-a-thousand-wounds job to a sky-is-the-limit lifestyle! I can’t wait to take the next step!
Darlene says
This is very helpful Julie, thank you for taking the time to put this together. It helps to see the big picture and then have it broken down like this. Just starting out one does not know what they need to do the most so this definitely helps a lot.
Teacher Riya says
This post is so informative. I’ve been working in the online industry since a long time. Here I found many other forms of businesses that can be done online. Great post, Julie!
Simon says
I have been figuring out what online business i can do, and the list will be helpful
ray says
I want to have an online business someday. This is great. I am learning a lot. Thanks!
Deb Pearl says
Thank you for all the advice about starting an online business. I’m really glad that you broke everything up into great categories. My friend has been wanting to start an online business and I will definitely share all this great information to them! I love your tip about planning out offers for a physical product online business. I think it would be smart to think about deals before you start, then it will be easier to plan. Thank you so much for the tips.