How to sell
on the Internet

When an entrepreneur decides to start selling online, they begin to research the subject and most likely come across agencies that are at the top of Google search results. They then review the price tags and start to realize that a significant budget is needed for promotion and extensive knowledge that cannot be acquired in just one or two months.

At this stage, agencies do not guarantee that the project will be successful. This often discourages the desire to proceed, but it’s important not to jump to hasty conclusions. One can delve deeper into the topic of online sales, outsource certain tasks, and handle others themselves or with partners. In any case, learning and acquiring knowledge will be necessary, but I can tell you from the heart that it is incredibly interesting and engaging.

To initiate sales, at least three tools are essential:

▪︎ A website filled with products and content.
▪︎ Properly configured internet marketing, including social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as contextual and banner advertising. You could get by with just Instagram, but why limit yourself to one leg when you can run on two?
▪︎ At the initial stage, it is also important to have proper management of the online store, resource allocation, both financial and intellectual, and prioritization of tasks.

The processes that need to be managed in an online store:

✓ Timely product uploading to the website and monitoring the accuracy of inventory levels and prices. Administration.
✓ Visual design of the website and business pages on social media. Graphic design.
✓ Content marketing on social media. Building sales funnels with content and targeted advertising. It’s important to have a solid understanding of this process, even if it’s being handled by an agency.
✓ Order processing, logistics, and fulfillment. Communication with customers and suppliers: chat support, call centers, email communications, and other means. ✓ Accounting and financial transactions with customers and suppliers.

For these tasks, you can hire individuals or agencies if you have the budget to do so. In most cases, a balanced approach is necessary at all levels and stages of online commerce to avoid overspending and project closure.

When it comes to choosing a website platform

WordPress is a great option due to its modern design, ease of management, and flexibility for future development. All available templates are already responsive and mobile-friendly. I won’t go into detail about other open-source platforms as I find them to be similar and lacking individuality in terms of visual perception. An internet project should stand out from competitors in terms of design since people perceive and evaluate the visual aspect first before anything else.

WordPress offers a wide range of ready-made solutions, modern designs, and affordable customization options if needed. Moreover, basic functionalities can be learned and simple customizations can be made independently. Such a solution and approach can cost around $1500 to $2500, which is quite reasonable for a start. As the project grows, it is possible to transition to “custom-built” platforms and develop functionalities tailored to specific needs, providing greater flexibility. However, such solutions tend to be more expensive.

When the website is ready, filled with content and products, and basic search engine optimization is done, you can start focusing on online sales. Allocate a budget for advertising and find skilled professionals who will build sales funnels tailored to your business’s specific needs. At this stage, it’s crucial to effectively allocate your advertising budget across different traffic channels.

As for creating a content plan for sales funnels, I will cover that in the next article. You can either do it yourself or engage competent specialists with whom it will be beneficial to work, saving your time and money ?

Follow the business page ? Digitalgenius marketing to learn how to boost your online sales.