10 ways to develop a platform for your online business

The ultimate goal of your online business is to develop a seller platform. You want to have repeat customers, subscribers to your newsletter, readers of your blog, and followers on social media. It’s a matter of promoting yourself, and it’s easier than ever to do online.
Follow Wilko’s example
Wilco made headlines in 2002 when her record publisher rejected her album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The record company granted the band all rights to the album; They started broadcasting it online to their fans. It turned out to be the band’s most successful album to date, selling 670,000 copies.
Wilco has over 500,000 likes on Facebook and 92,000 followers on Twitter. They let people listen to their music online before selling it on their online store. It’s about attracting fans to their various online sites and building a sustainable customer base.

Create a logo
The logo looks like a storefront sign. A good logo is professional looking. It represents who you are, the service you provide, or what you sell. But it can be simple, semi-homemade, like the Enchanted Hen website logo.
If you’re building a business or brand that you want to promote for years to come, it’s worth your effort to spend some money on a professional designer (check out Elance for Designers).

List in EveryPlaceISell
This business has the advantages of multiple storefronts and entry points by having a single location where all these places are grouped together under one virtual ‘roof’. A website called EveryPlaceISell provides a free home base.
A typical EveryPlaceISell listing not only lists different storefronts operated by one individual or company, but also includes basic information about the owner, something customers may not be able to find elsewhere.

Become an expert in social marketing
E-commerce, like traditional business types, is built on concepts such as trust, branding and reputation. The better you can differentiate yourself and prove that you are either an authority in your field or a person with desirable goods, the more successful you will be.
You can bypass participation to give away free gifts, run contests, and even post items for sale through a social networking site or, at least, advertise them online.

Email campaign development
Paying a modest monthly fee to your email service provider (ESP) will likely benefit your business. ESP keeps track of mailing lists and simplifies the process by which individuals can subscribe or unsubscribe from those lists, which is required by law.
The email also helps you design and review email messages. You can save the email as a draft; You can resend emails with one click; You can copy and review emails with new content. Finally, you can track how many people have opened your email and how many links have been clicked in the message.

Post on your blog
A business blog has a special purpose. Shares the news and views of a businessman who is familiar with a particular field of commerce and wants to communicate with people who are interested in the same topic.
A blog is another way to build your own platform. By inviting and responding to comments from your readers, you give your customers another reason to visit.
One of the biggest benefits of having a blog and updating it regularly is improving your search engine position.

Offer something to your supporters
A small Chicago company called The Scrumptious Pantry sells organic and heirloom food products. When they were just getting started, the owners went to Kickstarter, where anyone can raise money from sympathetic individuals for a personal project or cause, in an effort to raise $12,000, and they hit their target and then some.
Search for this business on Kickstarter, and in the right column you’ll see all the things The Scrumptious Pantry is doing to keep up with donors and give back. This is a great way to market, expand your customer base, and build a brand.

Pop up on other people’s websites
Look for sites that sell merchandise that complement the things you sell. Ask if you can trade ads or links. Since the other site is not a direct competitor, the owner must be receptive.
Look for blogs that discuss topics or areas of work related to what you do, or focus on your area of ​​expertise. Ask if you could write a guest blog post that sparks discussion.
If someone asks you for an interview, take the opportunity. Having your name and your website URL in an article about a good place to travel is like gold in business. It can be available in Google search results for months or even years.

Publish your newsletter
You need to collect names and email addresses, and one of the best ways to do that is to create a newsletter. Here are some ideas of what the newsletter might contain:
1. Advertisements of special discounts and promotions
2. New products
3. Instructions on how to use your products
4. Memorabilia
5. Bonus
Once you sell to someone, put his or her name on a mailing list. Send that person a newsletter or email telling us about your new products or simply describing what you intend to do.

Keep your content up to date
Do you have a favorite blog, humor site, or newspaper columnist that you prefer to visit every day? With luck, your customers will want to visit your site, eBay store, or other sales place every day, too. Of course, that wouldn’t be the case unless you were creating new materials on a regular basis.
If you have so many things to do that you can’t revisit your website every day and make new sales online, consider hiring a student or friend to help run your site.