The internet offers a vast array of business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Each year, countless small business owners hit the web to promote their business and generate revenue. The bad news is, many of these attempts end in disaster with little to no profit for the business and a very discouraged business owner.
This article will explain six mistakes that first-time entrepreneurs make online and give tips on how to avoid making the same mistakes yourself.
Contents
1. Expecting Short Work Hours
Okay, we’ve all heard the stories about people who set up a website and instantly started generating a six-digit income with little to no effort; however, these stories simply are not true. Starting your own business involves a lot of hard work and, while the internet makes things easier, it will still require a lot of effort to see your business grow.
If you expect to only work four hours a week, then you should not expect to see your business flourish. Entrepreneurs reap what they sow online: if you only put forth a little bit of effort, you will only see a little bit of return.
2. Going the Cheap Route for a Website
Yes, the internet has a lot of cheap or even free website options available; while these are great for people who want to have a personal site or a blog, they are not a good option for those who are looking to grow an online business.
A website is generally the center of a business’ online presence. A website that is cluttered with advertisements or does not have its own, unique address will not leave customers with a good opinion of the business. Entrepreneurs need to suck it up, pay a small fee every month, and have a website of which they can be proud!
3. Using Social Media Platforms that Don’t Reach Customers.
The use of social media continues to be on the rise. These days, it is almost impossible to find someone who does not have an online presence with social media. One of the worst mistakes that entrepreneurs make online is wasting time on social media sites platforms that their target audience doesn’t use.
Before you jump into the social media scene, consider which sites will actually reach your targeted customer group and pursue them. Sometimes, what entrepreneurs do should be less about following the trends set by other big businesses and more about doing what will serve those they most need to reach.
4. Not Connecting to Customers
It’s a proven fact that customers want to have communication with the brands they use. As a small business owner with a more limited customers-base, you have the ability to reach out and touch lives in a personal way. Use this opportunity to reply to feedback, address concerns, and generally make friends with those you are serving. Just don’t forget the old saying: The customer is always right!
5. Ignoring or Not Implementing Analytics
Web analytics help entrepreneurs understand how they can improve their online presence to best reach customers. This collection of online data can help you understand how your marketing campaigns are working, what pages of your website are most frequently visited, and who is seeing your website; you can then take these results and use them to change your advertising strategies, apply keywords, and draw customers to your site. If you want to succeed online, it’s important to pay attention to analytics and learn from the results.
6. Trying to Do It Alone
Too often, online entrepreneurs think that they need to do everything themselves. While this may be fine in some cases, the do-it-yourself plan isn’t a method that should always be followed. There are times when you may need someone to help you design a website, set up social media platforms, provide photographs, and write material. I understand that many entrepreneurs don’t have unlimited funds; however, sometimes hiring a professional to help with a project can be a gigantic boost for online potential.
Internet success is a huge possibility; by avoiding the mistakes listed above you can see your business thrive online!
About the author: Cameron Johnson is a business consultant and entrepreneur. Over the course of his career he has conducted case studies on both social media optimization and non-profit marketing. Cameron has also had the opportunity to speak at international business conferences and was recently recognized as one of the world’s top 100 advertising experts to follow on social media.
