Here Are 7 Things You Should Not Do When Launching a Startup Online

True enough, some startups do well right in the beginning, but then wear out after a few months? Why is this? Most probably, it’s because the entrepreneurs sometimes are way too eager to start without even looking at what will happen in the long run. This happens, as with most cases, this lack of foresight and preparation.

To work than out, here are 7 things you should not do when you’re just starting you online business.

1. Not doing your “homework.” Preparation is of outmost importance when you’re launching a startup online. It’s like “cooking.” You begin by setting your ingredients. But before that, how do you decide on what ingredients to use? It’s through research. Without doing any research, the consequences are dire and doleful. Do a research on who your customers will be, your product, and what people are willing to pay for your services. Set yourself off on a good start even by before the real business begins.

2. Planning without data. Planning is useless unless you’ve done your research thoroughly and gathered sufficient data. You need the right data before you can even start to plot out a plan. Where else will you base your plan anyway? It’s all based on data.

3. Not paying attention to your finances. Money is admittedly what sustains a business. Without financial stability, you’ll never be able to make your business stand from the ground, let alone make it survive. When doing business, there is always a chance that you’ll run out of money before you can even make a profit. So plan out your financial goals before it’s too late. Have contingency plans already prepared in case something happens.

4. Setting the price too low. When you’re desperate in selling, you’ll sometimes set the price at the lowest cost. Do not do that. This is something you must avoid, for this means the business is not working. Never undervalue yourself. Set the necessary price to be able to make a decent, worthy profit to make your business go on.

5. Not taking an effort to come up with a friendly, catchy domain. Your domain is among your prime tools online. The customers’ first impression relies heavily on how your domain looks and works. It must have a simple and clear navigation so that your customers can browse leisurely. Another important thing is to ensure the web hosting of your domain. Choose a trustworthy host to avoid downtime in your webpage. A downtime causes a serious loss in profit when it happens.6. Not considering SEO tactics and branding, and taking your social media presence for granted. To make your online business work, you must be able to generate massive amounts of web traffic. Regardless whether your product is great or not, without search engine optimization (SEO), it will be buried by thousands of websites and be forgotten. You must be active in major social media sites as well. This means advertising and cultivating brand awareness. Facebook and Pinterest are good places to start.

7. Neglecting customer service and experience. Never forget that customers are looking not just for a good product but also for a good shopping experience. Interact with them, show them that you want them to make the best choice, and answer their questions promptly. That may be through chat, e-mail, phone, or surveys. Make them feel free to address their concerns. In most likelihood, they will return to your website .