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