Online Business For Dummies

The nuts-and-bolts for building your own online business and making it succeed Is there a fortune in your future? Start your own online business and see what happens. Whether you're adding an online component to your current bricks-and-mortar or hoping to strike it rich with your own online startup, the sixth edition of this popular and practical guide can help. Find out how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more. The book explores the hottest business phenomenon today—social media marketing—with full coverage of Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other technologies that are now firmly part of the online business landscape. Dives into all aspects of starting and establishing an online business, including the very latest big trends Highlights business issues that are of particular concern to online businesses Reveals how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more Covers the hottest social media marketing opportunities, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs Shows you specific types and examples of successful online businesses Provides the latest on B2B Web site suppliers, such as AliBaba.com Build a better online business from the ground up, starting with Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 6th Edition!

Start a successful online business—and be your own boss! Being an online entrepreneur means more than just building a website—and this book breaks down everything you need to know to be successful. Inside, you'll get plain-English explanations and easy-to-follow instruction on online business basics, legal and accounting issues, website design, Internet security, boosting sales, e-commerce, and so much more. While the ideas and concepts behind starting an online business are tried and true, the tools available to entrepreneurs change and evolve quickly—and often. Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies gets you up to speed on the best new tools, resources, and communities, and shows you how to best leverage them to up your chances of success. Discover your niche and create a business plan Design your website and storefront Increase your reach and market with social media Choose the best web host for your needs If you're a budding entrepreneur with dreams of running your own online business, this book has everything you need to get started and grow your company to extraordinary heights!

Having your own business isn’t the same as having customers, and one is useless without the other. Whether your business is a resale store or a high-tech consulting firm, a law office or a home cleaning service, in today’s competitive environment, strategic marketing is essential. Small Business Marketing For Dummies, Second Edition is updated from the original version that won rave reviews and inspired thousands of small businesses on their way to becoming big businesses. Updates include more information on online marketing, a whole new section on getting and keeping customers, new cost-effective, fast-acting ideas for instant impact, and more. The book covers: Marketing basics that prepare you to rev up your business and jumpstart your marketing program Information to help you define your business position and brand Advice on bringing in professionals A quick-reference guide to mass media and a glossary of advertising jargon How-tos for creating print and broadcast ads that work Ideas for getting the word out without advertising, including information on direct mail, brochures, publicity, promotions, and more Ten steps to follow to build your own easy-to-assemble marketing plan With pages of ideas for low-cost, high-impact marketing from author Barbara Findlay Schenck, a marketing consultant with more than 20 years experience with clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, Small Business Marketing For Dummies, Second Edition helps you reach and keep new customers. Whether you’re running a home office, a small firm, a family business, a nonprofit organization, or a retail operation, you’ll discover how to: Custom design your own marketing program Create effective marketing messages Produce marketing communications that work No matter what field you’re in, Small Business Marketing For Dummies, 2nd Edition will help you make your dreams come true. If you buy it, read it, and implement some of the marketing strategies discussed, customers will come.

Start a successful online business—and be your own boss! Being an online entrepreneur means more than just building a website—and this book breaks down everything you need to know to be successful. Inside, you'll get plain-English explanations and easy-to-follow instruction on online business basics, legal and accounting issues, website design, Internet security, boosting sales, e-commerce, and so much more. While the ideas and concepts behind starting an online business are tried and true, the tools available to entrepreneurs change and evolve quickly—and often. Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies gets you up to speed on the best new tools, resources, and communities, and shows you how to best leverage them to up your chances of success. Discover your niche and create a business plan Design your website and storefront Increase your reach and market with social media Choose the best web host for your needs If you're a budding entrepreneur with dreams of running your own online business, this book has everything you need to get started and grow your company to extraordinary heights!

E-commerce. Some businesses have enjoyed tremendous success, while others that have been in it a while wonder why it’s not working as well as they had anticipated. Some businesses think they should be in it, but don’t know where to start. Others think all you need is a URL and a Web site and you’re in business. E-commerce encompasses all aspects of buying and selling online. That necessitates several Internet technologies, including enterprise resource planning, electronic-procurement and payment transaction processing, Web site design, EDI and XML, networking protocols, and security. E-commerce is where sales and marketing and IT meet. Each group needs to know something about the other’s side of the business to do business online successfully. E-Commerce For Dummies helps bridge the gap between technical and sales with: Explanations of both business strategy and technology A comprehensive overview of the diverse areas of e-commerce, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C). Case studies that show real-world examples of what strategies are succeeding and what strategies are failing The authors include Greg Holden, the e-Marketplace columnist for CNET and bestselling author of Starting an Online Business For Dummies, and two prominent analysts from the e-commerce division of IDC, one of the premier technology and business forecasting companies in the world. They provide guidance to help businesses just entering the e-commerce and companies that want to boost their e-commerce sales, including information on: Marketing and competing in Cyberspace Planning your storefront Processing and fulfilling online transactions Dealing with the back office, including managing the supply chain and setting up distribution and fulfillment systems With online sales increasing at a phenomenal rate, established “brick and mortar” firms as well as entrepreneurs are realizing that e-commerce represents a tremendous opportunity. E-Commerce For Dummies helps businesses seize that opportunity and get down to business—online business—fast.

Get digital with your brand today! Digital Marketing for Dummies has the tools you need to step into the digital world and bring your marketing process up to date. In this book, you’ll discover how digital tools can expand your brand’s reach and help you acquire new customers. Digital marketing is all about increasing audience engagement, and the proven strategy and tactics in this guide can get your audience up and moving! You’ll learn how to identify the digital markets and media that work best for your business—no wasting your time or money! Discover how much internet traffic is really worth to you and manage your online leads to convert web visitors into paying clients. From anonymous digital prospect to loyal customer—this book will take you through the whole process! Learn targeted digital strategies for increasing brand awareness Determine the best-fit online markets for your unique brand Access downloadable tools to put ideas into action Meet your business goals with proven digital tactics Digital marketing is the wave of the business future, and you can get digital with the updated tips and techniques inside this book!

All the essential information in one place Starting a Business All-in-One For Dummies, 3rd Edition is a treasure trove of useful information for new and would-be business owners. With content compiled from over ten best-selling For Dummies books, this guide will help with every part of starting your own business—from legal considerations to business plans, bookkeeping, and beyond. Whether you want to open a franchise, turn your crafting hobby into a money-maker, or kick off the next megahit startup, everything you need can be found inside this easy-to-use guide. This book covers the foundations of accounting, marketing, hiring, and achieving success in the first year of business in any industry. You'll find toolkits for doing all the paperwork, plus expert tips for how to make it work, even when the going is rough. Access six books in one, covering the whole process of starting and running a new business Learn how to easily jump the hurdles that many new business owners face Tackle taxes, determine the best business model for you, and create a solid plan Keep the engine running with marketing tips, accounting ideas, and the basics on how to be a manager This book is perfect for any new or veteran entrepreneur looking to build a business from the ground up.

Do you come up with innovative business plans in your sleep? Are you ready to leave that dot-com and act on your own dream? If you've been thinking about starting your own business and want to see what it takes, or if you've already begun and want some advice, look no further than Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 2nd Edition. Find out what you need and how you need to think in order to start your new online venture. This book shows you how to . . . * Construct an irresistible Web site that anchors your business. * Advertise your idea to the general public. * Enable customers to conduct online transactions. * Build and maintain customer loyalty. * Consider general security methods, copyrights, trademarks, and other legal concerns. Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 2nd Edition, makes finding help easy with its 36-page Internet directory, which directs you to useful Web sites and other Internet resources of special interest to individuals starting an online business. The book's bonus CD-ROM includes trial versions of HotDog Professional, NetObjects Fusion, and Basic Bookkeeping for Windows.