Archive for the ‘1. Getting Started’ Category

7. New Business Checklist: Things to do Before You Open for Business

Monday, September 10th, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

Before you launch your online store there are a few loose ends you’ll need to tie up. First, you need to decide how your business will be organized. Is your business going to be a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation? If it’s going to be a corporation, what type of corporation suits it best? I am not going to get into a lengthy discussion on the advantages or disadvantages of the different types of business organizations. However, I do have a few observations to offer. (more…)

6. Domain Name Forwarding (Get Your Customers to Your Website Not Your Competitors)

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

Now that you’ve researched and chosen the products you are going to sell online, picked out a business and domain name, and chosen your shopping cart and web hosting service, it’s time to wrap up a couple of loose ends before you launch your online store.

Purchase and Forward Similar Spellings and Common Misspellings of Your Domain Name
Let’s think about your domain name for a moment. You may want to forward similar spellings, common misspellings and different extensions to your domain name. Here’s an example of a typical forward for misspelled domains. Xanadu’s is pronounced Zanadu’s. My main domain was xanadus.com. I did not want to miss repeat business because somebody could not remember the correct spelling  (more…)

5. Selecting a Shopping Cart and Web Hosting Service for Your Online Store

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

I apologize for my absence over the past month. Unfortunately, I have a day job that has been rather hectic lately and some unforeseen travel came up. On top of that I’ve been wrestling with the proverbial question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Or in this case, “Which came first, the web hosting company or the shopping cart?”

I would rather get into choosing a web hosting company first. However, since you can’t choose a web host until you know what type of servers your shopping cart software will need to run on, I think we’d better figure out what type of shopping cart will best suit your needs. In some cases, this will go hand in hand with choosing your web hosting company so we’ll address both issues here. (more…)

4. What’s in a Name? Choosing Your Business and Domain Name

Monday, July 9th, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

Once you have chosen the product or service niche for your online business and further researched the availability and profit potential for those products, it is time to choose a name for your business and your online domain.

Pull out your notebook and start brainstorming again. The name you choose should be a definite reflection of the items or services you are selling. Repeat after me, “My business is about my products or services, it is not about me.” Your potential customers will be searching for your products or services, they will not be searching for you. Yes, you have to sell yourself as someone they can trust but this will be conveyed indirectly through the professionalism of your website and the excellent customer service you are going to provide. (more…)

3. How to Research the Products You Are Going to Sell Online

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

Once you have found your niche it’s time to do some product availability research. What I mean by this is, will the manufacturers or wholesalers be willing to sell to you? Not all vendors will sell to a store that is home-based. Many are stuck in an archaic mindset that an online store is not the same as a brick and mortar store. I could argue this until I’m blue in the face but many vendors have this policy in place. My policy was if they did not specifically ask if I had a brick and mortar store, I usually did not offer it up.

Another thing you need to consider when choosing vendors is whether or not they sell their own products online. While I don’t consider this a deal breaker, I will caution you that it may not be the best idea to go into direct competition with the supplier. (more…)

2. How to Choose a Product or Service for Your Internet Business

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

Before we get started I suggest you grab a notebook or open up a new Word document on your computer. We are going to be doing some brainstorming and then focus in further on those ideas. These answers will become part of the basis for your business plan (don’t groan, yes you need one) which we will delve into in the next chapter.

One of the most important decisions you will make before starting your Internet business is, “What product or service am I going to sell?” You want to choose a product that you are familiar with. Think about your hobbies and interests. What excites you? You are in this for the long haul and you don’t want to become bored with what you are selling after six months. (more…)

1. The Closet Entrepreneur – Intro

Friday, June 22nd, 2012
The Closet Entrepreneur by Kendra Leah Fuller

By , @Writing2Day

I have many passions in life, among them are writing and entrepreneurship. I love to write fiction but my love and experience of starting my own businesses has led me to put that experience to paper. Yes, I said businesses. I have actually started several businesses over my lifetime, the first when I was nineteen years old. My how the world has changed since then.

When I was nineteen, the computer I was familiar with had a black screen and green lines for inputting information. I can still remember the fascination I felt when we got our home computer and I browsed the Internet for the first time. Amazing! Every once in a while technology will slap me upside the head and this was one of those times. Little did I know then that a pastime would lead me in to a new business venture. (more…)