How to succeed with your online business

How to Succeed With Your Online Business

YVETTE ADAMSTHE CREATIVE COLLECTIVE

@creativecollect

START UP PHASE: How do you set up an online business??Quick answer?•Domain name•Website

Better answer•Business plan including digital marketing strategy•Correct business structure•Domain name, business name registration & trademark•Professional website that you can update easily & quickly•Online systems and procedures

• Time with my children – beach, walks in the parks

• Time with my partner – no kids, quality, talking

• Holidays – international travel once a year, long weekend + at least 3 times a year

• Time with my girlfriends – wine & nibbles

• Music – time to download, enjoy, share

• Fitness – healthy, strong, high energy

• Relaxation & self care – day spa treatments, massages

• Personal development – time to read, grow, learn, experience

STOP! Before we go any further:What do you want out of your life?

Fitting it all in

Date nightFitnessKidsSleepSocial

The tools and equipment you’ll need to succeed

A decent computer – laptop v PC Back up system – dropbox Virus protection AND spyware protection

(AVG & Malware Bytes) Browser – Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google

chrome Email address Internet connection Microsoft v Google Apps Accounting software, wiki system, CRM, emarketing Efax? VOIP? Smart phone

http://www.ssoalertservice.net.au/

What platform?

What features?

How much to pay?

Who should do it?

Updates?

Design

SEO

Analytics

Hosting?

But don’t just design for the web…

Building websites is a lot like building houses

Then if you want to sell on it, you better go to market!

Top tips in start up phase Establish a schedule, communicate it with those around you

and stick to it! Get the best technology you can afford – but avoid buying

software outright or getting stuck in plans Invest in a website, and work at it until you get it right Always be looking for ways to build a database Social media is an excellent place to get started too - test

markets, price point, target market, gain feedback (polls, surveys), check what posts get most likes/clicks etc

Only buy what you REALLY need

GROWTH PHASE: How do you build your brand and make money???

• Leverage your time• Focus on ROI marketing• Commercialise your

website

• Systemise & procedurise everything

• Track & measure everything

Ways to commercialise your website

• Google Adsense• Affiliate

marketing• Ads – on site and

email broadcast • Sell products• Sell your

knowledge – ebooks etc

• Blogging & articles with hyperlinks

Leverage your timeOutsource what you don’t enjoy, aren’t good at, and don’t have time for. Train yourself to constantly think – could someone else do this?

Trainees

Franchisees

VAs

Interns Contractors

Work experience

students

ROI Marketing

• Do I think I will get the money back and MAKE money from the marketing activity that I am investing in?

• Will I break even?• Am I happy to do it for ‘building the brand’ / brand awareness

• Banner ads

• Emarketing

• Affiliate marketing

• SEO – search engine optimisation

• Blogging

• Facebook ads

• Google Adwords

• Article writing

• Press releases

• Social media

Online Marketing Strategies

More ways to grow your online business.. Optimise your website and dominate keywords you want to be found for Be a content making machine – blogs, videos, podcasts Apply for tenders & grants Collect testimonials & case studies

to prove your worth Seek speaking & writing

opportunities Diversify your income streams Continue to communicate with your

database – autoresponders, broadcasts

Form alliances/merge/acquire Target new markets Licence/white label/franchise

Top tips in growth phase

Build the brand using ROI marketing

PR, emarketing & awards submissions worked for me

Keep procedurising EVERYTHING!

Leverage your time – always! Get training in what you don’t

know enough about Build your networks – my one

coffee a week policy Surround yourself with a good

team – lawyer, accountant +++

MATURITY PHASE: Preschooler / prep Consolidate! What is working, what is not? Competitor analysis Revamp your brand Keep working on your website Keep marketing

Accept change, embrace it & progress, or be left behind…

Smart phones: anything BUT a phone!

TREND #1: Smart phones

TREND #2: The rise of the tablet

TREND #3: Apps

TREND #4: More online retail

TREND #5: Social media

Some more compelling stats…

TREND #5: Social media

TREND #5: Social media

TREND #6: More online video

TREND #7: More sharing

TREND #8: More broadband access

FACT: The Digital Wave is already here….

Which wave are you riding?

Free Government funded webinars[DEEDI initiative] thecreativecollective.com.au/webinars

BYO laptop sessions - $197 for a full day• Common problem: attendees

participate in seminar and return to business and struggle to execute – time & confidence

• Solution? Live, highly interactive and instructor led laptop sessions – working on their accounts live with support on hand

Locations•Sunshine Coast•Mackay•Brisbane – 27 March – Twitter, 2 Apr - Facebook

Topics•Linkedin•Twitter•Facebook•Google+•Wordpress•Pay per click•Video marketing•And more!

thecreativecollective.com.au/byo

Social media success squad

But it all changes so fast! How do you keep up to date?

You could spend hours upon hours of studying OR participate in our Social Media Success Squad and get:•Monthly webinars with our social media specialist – includes key updates + opportunity to ask questions and learn in group format•Access past recordings on topics – 8 now available•Extensive resources in secure zone•Private Facebook group – network with others and ask social media questions – share successes•$47/month

• 12 week program – most of it online• 12 webinars – all recorded – watch when it suits you• 12 eLessons – emailed weekly• Private Facebook group• Members only area full of resources• Accredited unit – BDBEBU501A - Investigate and design

e business solutions• AND a rebate valued around $200 to keep!!!

ALL THIS FOR ONLY $250!!

www.getuptospeed.com.au – live later today!