When it comes to business, the basic thing that you need to consider is the amount of capital required to run the business. The best thing about online business is, it requires lower capital compared to offline world business.
These four (4) elements are the essential tools that require small amount of fee but will bring tremendous impact on your online business if it is being planned and utilized properly. The elements are as follow:
- Internet connection
- Domain and hosting
- Autoresponder
- Knowledge and skills
Internet Connection
You need to subscribe to your local Internet Service Provider (ISP). For example, you may search using Google "your country or town internet service provider" on the internet. Ask your friends, colleagues or someone who have subscribed to any ISP near your residential area. My sincere advice is, choose an established ISP which can cater high or unlimited volume of internet quota. Let me share my experience using an internet broadband. I am currently using an internet broadband with 3 gigabyte (3GB) internet quota with monthly charges at approximately $13 per month. Technically, if I have downloaded 3GB files from the internet within a month, my internet connection speed will be reduced from its normal speed. I do not have better alternatives for the current ISP since my residential area do not have a telephone cable to support high speed internet connection. Nevertheless, I am quite happy with my current ISP because the internet connection speed can support my online business needs. Now, my current ISP is providing an option for their customers to buy the internet quota. So, I only need to purchase additional internet volume quota according to my current business needs. Therefore, do research for your future ISP and choose it according to your business needs.
Domain and Hosting
To build your online business, you need a website. Website requires a domain name and hosting account. Domain or domain name means a name of a website ended with an extension like abc.com, abc.net, abc.org, abc.info and more to say. To make your life easier, you may assume that a domain is just like your "online house". How to go to your real house? Off course you need an address to get there. Same goes to your "online house or website", it needs an address so that people will know how to reach your website. You may purchase a domain name from a domain registrar. Examples of domain registrar are GoDaddy and NameCheap.
What about hosting? Hosting (also known as webhosting) is a server meant to store your website files. You may assume that hosting is like "a land to build your online house or website". Space for a hosting varies depending on the package offered by the hosting provider. An example of hosting provider is HostGator. Personally, I highly recommend HostGator because it provides the best affordable hosting plan. In addition, HostGator customer support are willing to help you should you encounter any difficulties when handling your hosting account. Although you're new to "hosting" terms, the support team are more than happy to help.The most important part is, you can use discount coupon to save your money more.
In order to have your "online house or website" live on the internet, you need to purchase a domain and a hosting account. It is better for you to purchase domain and hosting account from a domain registrar and hosting provider respectively for greater savings which brings more value for your domain and hosting purchase.
Autoresponder
An autoresponder is a special software which captures name and email address of individuals who are interested to an offer from a squeeze page. A squeeze page is a type of website with an optin form which requires visitors to fill in their name and email address if he or she is interested on the squeeze page offer. This mechanism is also known as permission marketing.
There are two (2) types of mechanism involve in permission marketing; single optin and double optin. Those who have filled in their name and email address via single optin mechanism will receive the newsletter to their inbox automatically. No confirmation link involved in single optin mechanism. However, the tendency of the newsletter ending up in the spam or junk folder in email is quiet high.
Double optin mechanism requires visitors which have filled in their name and email address (subscribe) to a squeeze page to click a "confirmation link" sent to their email. Visitors will only receive the newsletter once they have clicked the "confirmation link". The act of clicking the "confirmation link" hereby acknowledge that they allow the squeeze page owner to deliver content and value to the subscriber's email. Double optin mechanism may increase the tendency of the newsletter to be sent directly to the subscribers' mailbox or inbox.
Basically, there two (2) types of autoresponder, free or paid versions. I highly recommend the paid version. Why? Because they are committed to deliver value on their customer business needs in exchange to their customers' investment. Since an autoresponder service is also part of online business, they are willing to give value to the highest extent to gain their customers' satisfaction.
Examples of paid autoresponder are Aweber, Getresponse, Trafficwave and more to say. Choose either one of the said brand which suites your budget and business needs.
If you're still on hesitation to go for paid autoresponder, you may search "free autoresponder" using Google search engine. However, bear in mind that the purpose of trying those free autoresponder are only for learning purpose, not for your online business.
Knowledge and Skills
One thing in common that binds the above three (3) elements; internet connection, domain, hosting and autoresponder, they need knowledge or skills to get started.
I will not elaborate more on internet connection because the ISP varies depending on the geographical location, availablility of infrastructure for an internet connection, broadband coverage, internet volume quota and budget.
To own a domain name and hosting, you need to have a basic knowledge of domain and hosting management. First and foremost, if you purchase a domain name and hosting account from a domain registrar and hosting provider respectively, you need to know how to point your hosting nameserver on your domain. Otherwise, your website will not be live on the internet.
Same case goes when you are using an autoresponder account. You will need to familiarize yourself on the autoresponder control panel or dashboard in order to learn how to use it.
In conclusion, you need to invest your time and money to gain the four (4) essential tools that will bring tremendous impact on your online business; ISP, domain and hosting, autoresponder, knowledge and skills.
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