The current situation is not easy to live but it might be the best moment to start a business online! I know that 2020 doesn’t seem to be the best year to start becoming an entrepreneur but that could be a silver lining! During this time, we are all questioning our selves, our existence, our jobs and our purpose on this earth. This crisis is making big changes in everyone’s lives. Some of us has been losing their jobs, other had to adapt themselves and be more flexible to find clients and other have decided to start a totally new business. It doesn’t look like this but it might be an amazing opportunity to create something new in 2020.
There are news perpectives on the markets that you should explore! However, habits are changing, consumptions ways are evolving, and the situation is unpredictable. So to be able to create a business online in 2020, you still need to find a niche, bring something new to the market and give value to other. But you will also need to be ultra flexible, adapt yourself constantly, and always being up on the trends.
3 years ago we started our own business online and we had to adapt ourselves so much this year. It has been and it is still a difficult time but it is also an opportunity to start or grow a business if you know how to do it! We wanted to share our own experience with you and give you our recent feedback on the situations and out personal tips. You can expect in this post the answer to the questions: how to start a business online in 2020? How to adapt to the situation? What are the steps to create a business online? And everything about our personal experience. If you are ready, read on! 😉
Why to start a business online in 2020?
It might be the best time
It might not sounds like the best year to start a business online due to the actual unpredictable situation. But in reality, that could be an awesome opportunity! First of all, so many people have lost their job this year and many of them have understood that they wanted to become their own boss. If it’s your case, you need to know that losing your job could be an amazing opportunity to start something new! Creating our own business helps us to be the only responsible of our success. Instead of being constantly afraid of losing your job due to the situation, creating your own business and working for yourself can be a great solution.
You can bring something new
On the other side, I know that many fields are suffering from the crisis and especially the tourism industry. But there are so many fields that are doing well and that are growing! And the e-commerce is definitely one of them. So we need to focus on the positive sides and start thinking about what could we do. If you were thinking about launching your online business, that might be the right time for it!
Even during a lockdown, people are still shopping for food and beverage, fashion, home decoration, or yoga/fitness products to name just a few. But they will shop it mostly online. So it’s totally possible to develop a business online in 2020 but we need to adapt to the situation and be very flexible to create a successful solid business and resist to the crisis. If you have something new and different to bring, and you are able to adapt your way of thinking to the situation, you can succeed!
Before reading this post, you can also read our post about “how to become an entrepreneur : the reality behind the process“
How to adapt your business online to the current situation?
The key to resist to this crisis is to be constantly adapting yourself to the situation and be very flexible. The situation is so uncertain, but if you manage to always be looking for the new trends and adapt your business to it, you will be successful.
During this year, we have learned to take nothing for granted and always trying to be flexible and do our best to improve what we can offer. The situation, regulations and habits consumptions are changing so fast. You will need to always stay aware of these changes and adapt your business to this.
Think about how you could help people in 2020? What do they need, what do you have to bring value to people? What product or service you could launch to concretely help people in their daily life? This can be something existing but different, or something totally new. You can sell so many different products or services online but you need to make sure it is really useful for people. Think about how you could help other in the current situation.
You should always launch something that you are passionate about and that will enhance people lives.
Find a niche and stick to it
Many fields were already saturated and so concurrency but more than ever, you will need to find a niche and stick to it. For example, if you want to start a blog about food, find a niche in it. Will you be talking about vegan food? About gluten free cakes? Be different, that will be your value in the market!
Also, if you are starting a e-shop, what kind of products will you sell? Boho dresses? Pretty plates? Swimwear? Some cozy decoration? If you are launching online courses what will people learn thanks to you? Yoga? Personal development? Photography? Business?
To make sure to be different on a saturated market, you need to find a niche and stick to it! That will help you to stand out and be visible.
Bring value to people
The most important thing when launching a business is to bring value to other. If you want to be successful you need to help people. Think about what makes your offer different from existing products and services. But also how this will bring value to other.
For example, if you want to launch a swimwear brand, think about how this can be concretely useful and brining value. Is it a swimwear for all the bodies? Is it made from recycled materials? Or maybe is it a swimwear dedicated to sports with technologic materials?
Always imagine how you can help and enhance other people lives with your products/services. I mean, why they would buy your products/services? Make your offer different and valuable!
Identify your target
When you have found your niche and your offer is getting concrete, you will need to identify your target. Who will buy your products/services? What age is your target? Are they men, women, couples, families? What are your interests?
It is very important to identify your target and make sure your offer is matching a demand! Why they would shop your products/services? Are you offering something that is adapted to them? Are you targeting the right people for your offer?
Unfortunately, many business are not successful because it is not the case. This is why it is a very important step! Even if the product or service is amazing, if there is nobody to buy it, that will not works!
Once you have identified your target(s), make sure your offer is adapted to them. And then, make sure you are visible to reach them!
Develop your visibility online
This one is one of the most important part of starting a business online! But also for all the businesses! Once your products/services is ready to be launched, you absolutely need to think about how people will see it. Think about the online communication you will do to promote it.
Social media will play a huge role in your online promotion! In 2020 it is absolutely essential to know how to promote your business on social media! Especially for online businesses. Nowadays everyone is looking on Instagram or Facebook before buying something. Customers are making their own opinions before buying anything!
So you not only need to be present on social media but also have a real digital communication strategy! You should read our “guide to develop a community on social media“. This will help you to create a successful strategy online.
Ready to start a business online?
To conclude this post, we sincerely hope this post will help you and motivate you to create your own business online!
If you have something new to bring to the market and you are sure that your offer matches a demand, you should definitely start a business online! Don’t forget that you have to be different and constantly adapting to the new trends. Also, due to the current situation, you need to be flexible and adapt your business to the new consumptions habits.
When you are truly passionate about something, and you really want to create a successful business, you will always managed to do it!
Let’s connect on Instagram @chiarabarrasso and @jelafaille
