I’m a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel. So until I create some better resources than what’s already out there (I’m working on it), here’s my recommending reading list for developing a successful online business.
Getting Started
Choosing a Product or Service
The harsh reality is that the rate at which new businesses fail is pretty depressing. The good news is that there are some tools and techniques you can use to validate your big idea before investing a ton of time or money.
- Evaluating market demand for your new idea
- Validating your business idea interview with Noah Kagan (of mint.com)
- The quickest way to validate your business idea
Email Marketing
I’ve said before that creating an email list is the single most important thing you can do when starting any kind of business. You can use your list to generate interest in your website, service, or product before it even launches. Here are some great resources for starting that list and making the most of it.
- How to create a free MailChimp email newsletter
- How to build an email list that builds your e-commerce business
- Writing an effective welcome email
- Segmenting your list for better engagement
Getting Traffic
Traffic is the life blood of any online business. Here’s four great articles on how to get some.
- Quick Sprout’s Double Your Traffic in 30 Days guide
- Why every business needs a blog and ideas to get you started
- Building an audience and driving traffic to video
- Tactics and tools for getting your business in the press
Converting Visitors to Customers
Traffic is great but thousands of visitors are almost useless if none become paying customers. Here’s how to turn browsers into buyers.