Getting The Basics Right For Your Online Business
If you have never started an online business before as a senior or retiree then there are a few basics that you need to understand and get right. These are essential foundations that will help you to build the successful online business that you want.
The online business world can be overwhelming for a senior or retiree because they know that there is so much to learn. Nobody knows everything about online business no matter how much experience they have. Things are always changing, so focusing on the basics is always recommended.
Get a good Domain Name
The first thing that you need to do is to get a good domain name. A domain name that you probably know very well is Google.com. You need a name for your website and it is easy for you to find one using free tools.
Think about what your website is going to be about. What niche are you going to be in? If you are going to sell your services as a consultant for example, then you could use your own name. An example could be PeterLamont.com or JulieSmithers.com.
We recommend that you try and obtain a .com domain as these are the most popular and favored by search engines like Google. The problem is that a lot of .com domains have already been taken. If you have a common name then try adding another word such as BillSmithConsuting.com for example.
You can use a domain registrar like Namecheap.com to look for and register your domain name. A .com domain costs less than $10 here and they will present you with alternatives if the name that you want is taken.
Web Hosting
In order to make your website live on the Internet you will need a web hosting account. You can connect your domain name to your hosting and then create your website. There are literally thousands of web hosting companies around and you can find good hosting deals starting from around $5 a month.
There are a few things that you need to look out for when you are choosing a web hosting company. These days there are reviews available online from real users of these companies. It can be a real eye opener reading what customers really think.
When you are a senior or retiree starting a new online business, you are going to need all of the help that you can get. The support offered by a web hosting company is very important. You will want to work with a web host that will respond to your questions promptly and courteously.
WordPress
Always choose a web host that offers one click WordPress installation. WordPress is a website creation platform that is really easy to use and ideal for seniors and retirees who know nothing about website creation.
You can easily customize your WordPress website by using a theme that you can either find for free online or pay a few dollars for. There are WordPress themes available for just about every niche you can think of.
Adding new content to a WordPress website is very easy. You can create a new page or post with no technical knowledge. There are also plugins available for WordPress that will enhance your website. The majority of these are free and you can find them easily with a Google search.
“There are no miracle online businesses where you can click a few buttons and money starts pouring in overnight..”
It doesn’t matter what some product vendors tell you on their fancy sales pages, it really doesn’t work like that.
You will need to dedicate some time to your online business to make it a success. So, the first thing you need to do is to assess the amount of time each day you are willing to commit. The last thing that you want is for your online business to make you a slave so that you do not have any time to do anything else.
Think about the other things that you want to do and then decide on the amount of time you will have available for your new online business. There are different online business models that all have different time commitments so you can choose the one that best suits your time availability.
Set a Goal for your Online Business
There is a great deal of power in setting goals for your online business. Most people do not do this and then wonder why things are not turning out as they wanted them to. It is critical that you take your online business seriously if you want it to be a success. You are not doing this as a hobby.
How much additional income do you want your online business to generate for you in the first year?
Create a goal around this. Use the SMART goal setting process to write your goal(s) properly. This is an acronym for:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timed
Your goal needs to be specific, there is no room for vagueness here. Specify the income that you want your online business to generate for you in the first 12 months for example. All goals need to be measurable because you need to know how well you are progressing. With a financial goal this is easy to measure.
Achievable and realistic are similar but not the same. What you can achieve with your online business is probably going to be related to the amount of time that you can spend on it. While it is possible to make 6 figures a month with an online business, this is unlikely to be realistic for you as you are just starting out. Always add a timeline to your goal.
Plan to Succeed
Once you have your goal(s) for your online business you need to create a plan of how you are going to achieve it. As a senior or retiree, you probably have a lot to learn about online business and you can make this part of your plan.
What you want to end up with is a daily list of tasks that you can perform to move you closer to your goal. By working on tasks every day, you will reaffirm your commitment to your online business. It is very important that you take consistent action.
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