By now it’s no secret that if your business doesn’t have an online presence, you’re missing out on some money. That’s probably why so many of my coaching clients want to learn about how to move a business online.
You see, many of them already have some sort of business. Some are freelancers, others are business managers and others still are designers. The issue is they’ve built their businesses offline and now want to focus on scaling by moving online.
Here are some of the advantages of moving your business online:
- You can start having leads come to you.
- It’s easier to get media attention.
- You have multiple ways of communicating with your market.
- Your content can be used to prime people to work with you.
- You can get paid faster and more easily.
- Online systems allow you to scale and automate so you can earn more money without needing more time.
The good news is it is easier than it used to be to move your business online. You can even start small and work your way up. In this article, I’m laying out a few of the ways to do this.
Start getting paid online.
Perhaps the simplest way to starting moving your business online is to start getting paid online. The fees are reasonable, it’s easy to set up with business banking accounts and you get paid much faster.
Getting paid online could look like anything from sending invoices online to accepting credit cards. Additionally, you can automate things like invoicing and payment follow-ups to save you time.
Focus on the most efficient social media platform for your business.
Often times, business owners feel overwhelmed at the thought of social media. Usually, it’s because some online marketer told them they need to have a presence everywhere.
I would argue you’re much better off just focusing on one or two social media platforms that work best for your market. For example, in my business, that means I focus on Facebook and Instagram.
Where you decide to focus your social media efforts will depend on your market, so be sure to do your research before spending time or money. And by the way, if you’ve thought about hiring a digital marketing agency, they are just going to tell you the same thing.
Get a website up (and actually update it).
Most of the small business owners I speak with already have a website, however they don’t update it. This is a major problem from a marketing standpoint because you don’t stay top of mind.
The most surefire way to build your brand online is to consistently provide good content. This requires you to actually update your website. The reason you want to focus on a website is so you can build your list of email subscribers.
That being said, many businesses owners stress about the kind of content to publish. First, only focus on the information your market needs. Second, don’t try to do a podcast, video and blog posts all at the same time if you’re just starting out. Instead, just pick one. Preferably, the one your market likes best.
Final Thoughts
Fortunately, there are several small things you can do to start moving your business online. The internet has made it easier than ever to run everything from your laptop. All you need to do is get started.
