Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................1
You Can Do It! ...................................................................................................1
The Water’s Still Fine .......................................................................................2
Where This Book Is Coming From..................................................................3
How to Use This Book .....................................................................................4
What This Book Assumes ...............................................................................4
What’s Where in This Book.............................................................................5
Part I: Strategies and Tools for Your Online Business .......................5
Part II: Establishing Your Online Presence..........................................5
Part III: Successful Online Business Models .......................................6
Part IV: Running and Promoting Your Online Business.....................6
Part V: The Necessary Evils: Law and Accounting.............................6
Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................................................6
An Online Feature: The Starting an Online Business
For Dummies Internet Directory.......................................................7
Conventions Used in This Book .....................................................................7
Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................8
We’re in It Together..........................................................................................8
Part I: Strategies and Tools for Your Online Business .......9
Chapter 1: Opening Your Own Online
Business in Ten Easy Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Step 1: Identify a Need...................................................................................11
Getting to know the marketplace .......................................................13
“Cee-ing” what’s out there...................................................................13
Figuring out how to do it better .........................................................16
Step 2: Determine What You Have to Offer .................................................16
Step 3: Come Up with a Cyberbusiness Plan ..............................................17
Drawing up a business plan ................................................................17
Step 4: Assemble Your Equipment and Set Up Shop .................................18
Finding a host for your Web site ........................................................18
Assembling the equipment you need ................................................19
Choosing business software ...............................................................20
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Step 5: Find People to Help You ...................................................................21
Hiring technical experts ......................................................................21
Gathering your team members...........................................................22
Step 6: Construct a Web Site.........................................................................23
Make your site content-rich................................................................23
Establishing a graphic identity ...........................................................25
Step 7: Set Up a System for Processing Sales .............................................26
Providing a means for secure transactions.......................................26
Becoming a credit card merchant......................................................26
Keeping your books straight...............................................................28
Step 8: Provide Personal Service .................................................................28
Sharing your expertise.........................................................................28
Making your site a go-to resource......................................................29
Becoming a super e-mailer..................................................................31
Step 9: Alert the Media and Everyone Else.................................................31
Listing your site with Internet search services ................................32
Reaching the entire Internet ...............................................................32
Step 10: Review, Revise, and Improve .........................................................33
Taking stock ..........................................................................................33
Updating your data ..............................................................................34
Chapter 2: Choosing and Equipping Your New E-Business . . . . . . . . .35
Mapping Out Your Online Business .............................................................36
Looking around.....................................................................................37
Making your mark ................................................................................37
Evaluating commercial Web sites.......................................................38
Flavors of Online Businesses You Can Taste Test......................................39
Selling consumer products .................................................................39
Hanging out your professional services............................................40
Selling your expertise ..........................................................................41
Opportunities with technology or computer resources .................42
Being a starving artist without the starving .....................................42
Marketing One-to-One to Your Customers..................................................44
Focus on a customer segment ............................................................45
Boost your credibility ..........................................................................47
Customer to customer contact: Everyone wins...............................48
Be a player in online communities.....................................................49
Add ways to sell and multiply your profits.......................................52
Easyware (Not Hardware) for Your Business .............................................53
The right computer for your online business...................................54
Processor speed ...................................................................................55
Hard drive storage................................................................................56
CD-RW/DVD±RW drive.........................................................................56
Monitor ..................................................................................................57
Fax equipment ......................................................................................58
Image capture devices .........................................................................58
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Getting Online: Connection Options............................................................60
A second phone line.............................................................................61
Beyond dialup.......................................................................................61
Software Solutions for Online Business ......................................................62
Web browser .........................................................................................63
Web page editor....................................................................................63
Taking e-mail a step higher .................................................................64
Discussion group software..................................................................64
FTP software .........................................................................................65
Image editors ........................................................................................65
Instant messaging.................................................................................66
Backup software ...................................................................................66
Chapter 3: Selecting the Right Web Host and Design Tools . . . . . . . .67
Getting the Most from Your Web Host.........................................................68
Finding a Web Server to Call Home..............................................................70
Installing software to build a Web site...............................................72
You’ve got business: Creating an AOL store .....................................76
Investigating electronic storefront software.....................................79
Moving into an online mall..................................................................81
Turning to your ISP for Web hosting..................................................84
Going for the works with a Web hosting service..............................87
Fun with Tools: Choosing a Web Page Editor .............................................91
For the novice: Use your existing programs.....................................91
For intermediate needs: User-friendly Web editors.........................92
For advanced commerce sites: Programs that do it all...................94
Chapter 4: Exploiting New Ways to Build Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Advantages of Doing Business Online .........................................................98
Operating 24/7 ......................................................................................98
Communicating with new tools ..........................................................99
Taking advantage of micropayments’ rebirth.................................102
Auctioning off your professional services ......................................103
Exploring New Products and Services You Can Sell ................................104
Providing music files and other creative work...............................104
Groceries and other household services ........................................105
Exploring m-commerce......................................................................106
Online Content and Commentary ..............................................................107
Blogging to build your brand............................................................107
Finding your niche .............................................................................108
Building Community ....................................................................................112
Partnerships........................................................................................113
Market research..................................................................................113
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Part II: Establishing Your Online Presence ..................115
Chapter 5: Giving Your Business Site Structure and Style . . . . . . . .117
Feng Shui Your Web Site..............................................................................118
Nip and Tuck: Establishing a Visual Identity ............................................120
Choosing wallpaper that won’t make you a wallflower.................121
Using Web typefaces like a pro.........................................................123
Clip art is free and fun .......................................................................125
A picture is worth a thousand words ..............................................126
Creating a logo ....................................................................................129
Extreme Web Pages: Advanced Layouts ...................................................130
Setting the tables for your customers .............................................131
Framing your subject.........................................................................132
Breaking the grid with layers............................................................133
Hiring a Professional Web Designer...........................................................134
Chapter 6: Attracting and Keeping Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
Features that Attract Customers................................................................136
Don’t be shy about what you have to say.......................................137
Making your content scannable .......................................................141
Freebies: Everyone’s favorite............................................................145
Make your site searchable ................................................................147
Writing Unforgettable Text..........................................................................149
Striking the right tone........................................................................149
Getting a little help from your friends .............................................149
Sharing your expertise.......................................................................152
Inviting Comments from Customers..........................................................152
Getting positive e-mail feedback ......................................................153
Web page forms that aren’t off-putting............................................154
Providing a guestbook .......................................................................155
Chit-chat that counts .........................................................................158
Chapter 7: Building in Security Up Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .161
Practicing Safe Business..............................................................................162
When you sleep where you work .....................................................162
Preparing for the worst .....................................................................163
Installing Firewalls and Other Safeguards.................................................167
Keeping out Trojan horses and other unwanted visitors .............168
Cleaning out spyware.........................................................................168
Positioning the firewall ......................................................................169
Keeping your firewall up to date ......................................................170
Public Keys That Provide Security ............................................................170
The keys to public-key/private-key encryption..............................170
Getting a certificate without going to school .................................172
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Keeping Other Noses Out of Your Business .............................................174
Encryption software for the rest of us.............................................175
Encrypting e-mail messages..............................................................176
Picking passwords that are hard to guess ......................................179
A mouthful of protection with authentication................................180
Chapter 8: Monitoring and Improving Your Business . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Strengthening Your Infrastructure .............................................................181
Improving your domain name ..........................................................182
Finding a new Web server .................................................................186
Performing Basic Web Housekeeping........................................................187
Making sure your site is organized ..................................................187
Adding navigational links ..................................................................189
Making sure your site is searchable.................................................190
Taking your site for a test run...........................................................193
Managing Goods and Services....................................................................194
Sourcing goods ...................................................................................194
Handling returns.................................................................................195
Adding shipping rates........................................................................195
Maintaining inventory........................................................................196
Part III: Successful Online Business Models ................197
Chapter 9: Setting Up Amazon.com, Yahoo!,
and Other Storefronts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Becoming an Amazon.com Seller...............................................................199
Become an Amazon.com Associate .................................................200
Join the marketplace..........................................................................202
Pro Merchant subscription ...............................................................204
Opening a zShop.................................................................................204
Amazon.com auctions .......................................................................205
The tip jar ............................................................................................205
Creating a Yahoo! Small Business...............................................................206
Creating Other Storefronts..........................................................................208
Letting CafePress sell your creative work.......................................208
Launching a PayPal shop ..................................................................210
Opening a Microsoft Small Business................................................210
Chapter 10: Running a Business on eBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Understanding eBay Auctions....................................................................212
Building a Good Reputation........................................................................213
Feedback, feedback, feedback! .........................................................213
Developing a schedule.......................................................................214
Creating an About Me page...............................................................215
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Preparing Sales Descriptions That Sell .....................................................217
Details, details ....................................................................................217
Include clear images ..........................................................................220
Be flexible with payment options.....................................................221
Providing Good Customer Service.............................................................222
Setting terms of sale...........................................................................222
Packing and shipping safely..............................................................223
Moving from Auctioneer to eBay Businessperson...................................223
Opening an eBay Store.......................................................................224
Striving for PowerSeller status .........................................................225
Part IV: Running and Promoting
Your Online Business .................................................227
Chapter 11: Easing the Shopping Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229
Attracting and Keeping Online Customers ...............................................230
Seeing your merchandise is the first step.......................................230
Tell me that the price is right, right now.........................................230
Show me that I can trust you! ...........................................................231
Give me the essentials; show me the products..............................232
Looking for a Good Web Host: The 411 .....................................................233
Domain name registration.................................................................234
Marketing utilities ..............................................................................234
Catalog creators .................................................................................235
Database connectivity .......................................................................235
Payment plans ....................................................................................236
Boosting Business through Efficient Communication.............................236
Making Sure Your Web Site Is Up to Snuff .................................................239
Using software to monitor performance .........................................239
Dealing with service outages ............................................................240
Outsourcing Your Business Needs.............................................................241
How ASPs can help your company ..................................................242
Before you sign on the dotted line . . . .............................................245
Chapter 12: Accepting Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Sealing the Deal: The Options ....................................................................248
Enabling Credit Card Purchases.................................................................249
Setting up a merchant account.........................................................250
Finding a secure server .....................................................................251
Verifying credit card data ..................................................................253
Processing the orders........................................................................254
Online Payment Systems.............................................................................255
Shopping cart software......................................................................256
VeriSign payment services ................................................................256