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.

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.

Mind your business with this updated edition of the bestselling online business how-to guide Have a computer, an Internet connection, and a dream? Then, you're already on your way to starting your very own online business. This fun and friendly guide can help you turn your big idea into big bucks whether you're expanding your real-world storefront online or creating your own virtual startup. Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 7th Edition will show you how to identify a market need, choose a web hosting service, implement security and privacy measures, open up shop, and start promoting to the world. Covers the latest trends and techniques for online discoverability - from social media marketing to search engine rankings, online couponing to optimization for mobile devices, and beyond Highlights business issues that are of particular concern to online entrepreneurs Walks you through the best practices of successful online businesses, including customer service, marketing, analytics, and website optimization tools Provides advice on choosing an e-commerce platform, protecting your domain name, securing trademarks, working with vendors and distributors, and keeping your customer's personal data safe There's no time like now to start a new endeavor and no guide like Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 7th Edition to get your online business going.

The fast and easy way to start and run an online business Starting an online business is no longer a novelty. It's a fact of life for individuals and established companies alike. The good news is that e-commerce and the practice of selling goods and services through a Web site and is not only here to stay, but it's thriving. More good news is that the steps required to conduct commerce online are well within the reach of ordinary people, even if you have no business experience. All you need is a good idea, a bit of start-up cash, computer equipment, and a little help from the practical, hands-on information in Starting and Running an Online Business For Dummies. With strategies to help you identify your market, design your website, choose services, trade securely, boost sales, and stay ahead of the competition; Starting and Running an Online Business For Dummies is just what you need to succeed. You'll discover how to open an online business in ten easy steps, how to select the right web host and design tools, why giving your e-business site structure and style is vital, techniques on attracting and keeping customers, and much more. Advice on how to get your business on the Web quickly and economically Completely revised and updated Includes the latest information on web hosting, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, harnessing the power of social media marketing, and more Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a small business owner looking to expand your business online, this up-to-date and easy-to-follow guide covers all the essentials you need to know to get on the Web quickly and economically, without all the technical jargon and hype bogging you down.