How to Start Online Business | Online Earning 2023

 With strict social distancing measures still in place throughout the U.S., and with so many industries taking a hit during the pandemic, many Americans are considering the next steps in their careers.

For those with a special skill set, from baking to a background in SEO best practices, "there is no better time to start an online business than right now," says online marketing and business expert Amy Porterfield. 

"Right now, people's minds are opened up around learning something new online," says Porterfield, both because many people don't have the option of leaving the house and because "we all have more time."

An online business is any business where services are exchanged on the Internet. A fitness trainer might do Zoom training sessions with their clients, for example, or an artist might offer Facebook Live courses teaching various arts and crafts.

Porterfield coaches her clients about how to start online businesses. Some of them have had great success. Mother of three Danira Cancinos took Porter field's webinars and built an online course teaching businesses and hobbyists how to make, package, and sell perfect caramel apples.

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"People struggle with making caramel apples in the baking industry," says Cancinos. "You have to really scrub your apples before dipping in caramel. Sometimes the caramel just falls off the apple."

The course consists of nine, hour-long sessions streamed on Facebook Live over a three-week period. She taught the course twice in 2019, to 633 students, and grossed $126,400.  

Here are Five Tips from Porterfield For Starting a Successful Online Business

'Think about something that you've got a 10% edge on'

When considering a potential business, Porterfield says to start by thinking "about something that you've got a 10% edge on." Is there something you've accomplished or created, maybe a diet plan or a social media strategy, that people are curious about? "That's a really good sign that people would pay for something like that," she says.

You don't have to be the best, or even an expert, she says. "You just need to be able to teach others to reach the same results as you!" Results are key, she says. People pay for results. 

Salesforce and Hubspot are 2 popular CRM systems. 

"An effective website and CRM system that you're comfortable with is essential," says Porterfield. "It doesn't have to be fancy, but there has to be some sort of base for your business that your marketing can point to."

Find some resources

There is a tremendous amount of content on various platforms that can help you build a successful online business by expanding your knowledge base and honing your sales skills. It can teach you key steps like how to write your business strategy, research competitors, and build a marketing plan that resonates with your target audience.  

Porterfield recommends books like "DotCom Secrets" by Russell Brunson or "Building a Storybrand" by Donald Miller, podcasts like Entrepreneurs on Fire, StartUp, or her own, Online Marketing Made Easy, or blogs like that of SEO (search engine optimization). 

"Creating an online business can change your life," says Cancinos, who recently launched a Cookie Dealer Course and grossed another $61,000. "I love the freedom it has given me and my family. I love being able to make money while I sleep. I love being able to sell something that I already put in the work and delivered on so it generates money all on its own."

The article "How to Start Online Business in 2023", From a Coach Whose Clients Have Made as Much as $126,400 a Year" originally appeared on Grow by Acorns + CNBC.