If you’re an international entrepreneur like Jason Hartman, you’ll probably end up operating at least partially online. Perhaps you’re interested in an online business as a way to supplement your income while you travel or live as an expatriate in another country. Perhaps you’re looking for an income opportunity that provides the flexible schedule you’ve been dreaming of.
While it can seem overwhelming, an online business can actually be quite simple (and successful!) if you’ve got the right tools.

Before
First, you’ll want to carefully choose a domain name that identifies your brand. Think short and easy to remember, but remember to read it through and make sure it can’t be misinterpreted. Make sure it is spelled correctly and is easy to recall. Your domain name should give users an immediate idea about what it is you are offering but unique enough to stand out. Focus on picking something relevant—a domain name involving food won’t be the best choice for selling furniture.

Next, choose the platform from which you’ll be conducting business. If you’re a small business, a basic HTML site may be enough for you. WordPress or a similar system may be more than enough for your purposes. You can design and update the site yourself (tutorials are everywhere if you get confused) and operate with ease. If you’re going bigger, you’ll want to think about getting a larger, more professional site. This will likely require hiring someone to write code for you, but you’ll end up with a more functional site.

Assuming you want to make money, you’ll probably want a secure payment mechanism. Banks or third party services (like PayPal) each offer different advantages. Research your options and consider the size and scale or your potential business. You may need to adjust your prices bases on the fees associated with your payment system, so consider your options carefully.
You’ll also need a privacy policy and a terms and conditions page to identify and outline the rights of the website and the rights of the buyer. Write and lay these out clearly to prevent problems down the road and establish liability early on. Clarify refund policies, shipping policies, intellectual property infringement penalties, etc. You’ll probably want to hire a legal professional, but do a little research online so you have some idea of what you want. Make sure these are clearly visible on your site and give customers the option to save/print the document.

After
Now that you’ve got a fancy new website, you’ll want to do some marketing! Brush up on social media and get a plan in place to draw attention to your site. Mass emails rarely work these days, but Facebook, Twitter, and Google + are great ways to get people to check out your site. Writing guest posts for blog owners with similar interests is another great way to broaden your audience.
(photo credit: danielbroche via photopin cc)

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The Jetsetter Team

Tags: entrepreneur, income property investing, Jason Hartman, online business, The Jetsetter Show