Starting an Internet Business on a Minimal Budget

With so many different ways to make money and conduct business through the internet, it’s no wonder that everybody wants to have a stab at starting their own online business. While starting an online business can be done quickly and cheaply, if you don’t think it through thoroughly enough the chances are it won’t cut the mustard, and ultimately will be unsuccessful. One of the problems is that there are so many people out there trying to do the same thing, so the competition is stiff. The other thing is that many internet businesses simply don’t stand out from the crowd, and really are only worth anything as long as people use them. You only have to look at the recent sale of the Digg website. The owners were offered $200 million by Google for the sale of the website in 2008, and just four years later the website was let go for just $500,000. The lesson learnt here was that without dedicated users, this social media website became worth a fraction of its previous value.

The riches are there for people who put the hard work into an internet business, and it doesn’t have to cost that much to get up and running. As long as you have a home computer and a solid internet connection, you have the necessary tools to get started. Many of the things you need for starting an internet business can be initially obtained for free, or at a small cost. Of course, you need that amazing idea that nobody has thought of yet, but no-one is going to give that away for free! 

Take Advantage of Free Software

You don’t have to buy expensive software to get your business off the ground, instead use the plethora of free software available online. First of all you’ll need a program to help you create your business plan, budget sheets, and possibly presentations. For a full office suite on par with Microsoft Office, use the free to download LibreOffice instead. When it comes to making a logo for your business, try out the website LogoMaker. This website creates a brand logo for you depending on the different criteria you input into the unique image generator, and can achieve some impressive results. You can then use the image online absolutely free, or pay a small charge to download a high quality version of the logo for printing. When it comes to actually setting up your website, costs can be quite high if you need to employ and developer and designer to do it for you. Instead, go to the Moonfruit website and take advantage of a user-friendly website creation tool that is completely free too! 

The Cheapest Ways to Advertise 

Spreading the word about your new business can be done in a variety of different ways, some free and some for little expense. First write a variety of press releases about your business and get them published on websites like Articlesbase and Ezinearticles. You can also use social media to raise awareness of your business, but this is only as effective as the number of people you are connected to. To generate lots of traffic for a minimal outlay, consider spending a little money on GoogleAdWords. As long as you write a compelling and relevant advert and choose a keyword that targets the correct potential customers, it is a cheap and fast way to get people to your new website. 

Extra Financing and Protection for Your Business Idea 

If you find yourself in need of extra financial support during the initial stages to setting up your business, you may need to find extra financing. This can be done in a variety of different ways, one of them being the new concept of crowdfunding. Using a website like Kickstarter, you can post your business idea and financing proposal for thousands of potential contributors to see, and receive cash to help you achieve your aims. If you have an idea that just has to be realised and put into action, using crowdfunding to get the cash you need is a great idea, but don’t expect people to take notice of your just opening a run of the mill internet shop. Once you have the cash you need to take your project to the next level, it’s a wise move, to protect your business and assets, so check online for a run-down of the best business insurance quotes so that you get the best deal. Another aspect you need to think about is your business brand and how much you value it. If you have a new and unique idea for an internet business, it is a wise move to register your brand name so that no-one can steal your idea while it is in its infancy. 

The Road to Success 

There is no easy way to create a new internet business, but there is plenty of help out there that can keep the costs of starting up as low as possible. So stop thinking of excuses for not trying to realize an awesome internet business idea if you have one. There are many resources out there for you to take advantage of, so start putting your plans into action and you could be one of the lucky people who create a successful internet business!

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