Got a case of entrepreneurial spirit running through your veins? Well, thanks to social media and access to technology, building an empire of your own has never been easier! You may be asking yourself, “Can I Start my own Online Business?”. Of course you can! Who knows, you might be the next big thing waiting to happen.
Steps to Starting Your own Online Business
Do the names Nadia Jaftha or Yaseen Barnes ring any bells? Of course they do. These are wonderful examples of people who have used the internet to their advantage and have become social media sensations. What’s holding you back from doing the same?
Find a Niche
Before starting your online business, first identify what your niche is. Are you good at baking, writing or maybe even events planning. Once you’ve figured this out, commit to it. Research everything you can about the specific field, or maybe even enrol into a short course.
Do Some Market Research
What are consumers interested in and how can you speak to those needs? Most importantly, have a look at other successful online businesses. What marketing strategies are they using and how can you get inspiration from them?
Check out Your Competitors
Your competitors are your biggest drive. Have a look at their prices and any promotions they have on offer. This will assist you with your own pricing and special deals. You could also have a look at what they’re lacking and see how you can speak to this.
Do a Short Course in Entrepreneurship
Official training in a field is the easiest way to gain confidence. Because you have so much on your plate, why not enrol for a short course? They usually take between 3-9 months. So you’ll get qualified quick!
Identify and Analyse Your Target Market
Get to know your target market. Who will your consumer be? Consider their age, gender, interests and needs. Once you understand your clients, you’ll know what products and services to offer them.
Social Media is Your Friend
An easy and cheap way to start an online business is to simply start small on Instagram. Creating an Instagram business account does not have to kill your budget. You can do things in steps. First try and gain some traction and then once your business grows you can consider investing in sponsored ads on the app.
Why Start an Online Business?
Getting established with an online business, holds a lot of benefits. Firstly, it saves money. You won’t have to rent out office space and cover the additional expenses attached to having a physical location. You can work from anywhere in the world and your clientele will be broad. Another great perk? You’ll be able to gain traction FAST! People live on the internet. If there’s a new, exciting business they’ll definitely pick it up.
The Benefits of Becoming an Entrepreneur
Not everyone has the stamina to be an entrepreneur. It takes a lot of work and dedication to go from nothing to a success. But the reward is greater than the risk.
Be Your own Boss – If you dance to the beat of your own drum then becoming your own boss is perfect. You’ll be able to do things your way without any interference.
Build an Empire – Leave behind a legacy your family and friends can be proud of, but most importantly that you can be proud of.
Big Risk, Big Reward- People who stick to rules, seldom make history. Take the risk and watch your investment pay out. Success is waiting!
Top Online Business Ideas
The internet is crowded, making it very difficult to stand out. These are some of the top online business ideas that are guaranteed to flock customers. But remember, the biggest tip to succeeding at entrepreneurship is to stay true to yourself and the integrity of your products.
Coaching
Many fitness gurus have started their own business coaching people online. People are still weary to leave home and head back to the gym, so why not start a personal training business? You can do sessions via zoom. This will definitely bring in clients.
Sell Art on Etsy
If you’re crafty, why not start an Etsy store for yourself? Etsy is a marketplace where people sell their handcrafted products. If you knit, paint, mold or build something this is the place for you. Etsy also provides business templates, so if you’re a beginner you won’t feel overwhelmed at all.
Freelancing
Good with words and have a certain set of expertise that could help others? Starting a freelancing business could really rake in a lot of cash. There’ll always be a university student who needs help writing their research proposals.
Baking
Thanks to Buddy Valastro, extravagant cakes and pastries are all the rage. Become your local cake boss and get to baking. Every occasion needs a good cake and with all the birthdays and weddings happening right now, you’ll always be fully booked.
Thrifting
All the cool kids are into thrifting, so why not start an online store where they can fulfill all their vintage dreams? Apps like Yaga have made starting a thrift store very easy. Simply get the app and register your store. It is also super easy to use.
All Things Beauty
Get your inspiration from the icon Rihanna and dive into the beauty world. You can start selling beauty products or you could offer your services as a make-up artist. Become credible and enrol for a beauty course and let the blending begin!
Can I Start my Online Business With no Money?
This might come as a surprise, but in fact, many online businesses start with very little capital. There are tons of free tools available on the Internet that you can use to set up your business. All you need to do is do some research and find what works best for you.
Entrepreneurial Courses in South Africa
Now that you’re set on becoming a boss, you might want to look into studying an entrepreneurial course. Here, at Skills Academy, we offer entrepreneurship courses to anyone in the country via distance learning. Distance learning gives you the opportunity to get flexible learning that considers your busy schedule. You’ll have time to start your business and learn all the basic essentials.
Our Courses
We offer the following ICB Entrepreneurship Courses. ICB courses are incredibly credible within the professional world and clients will definitely take you seriously once you’ve obtained your qualification.
- ICB National Certificate Entrepreneurship Small Business Management
- ICB Higher Certificate Entrepreneurship Office Administration
- ICB National Diploma Entrepreneurship: Financial Accounting
Entry Requirements – Study Without Matric!
The best part of these courses is you can study without matric. All you need to enrol is have your Grade 11 qualification. These courses build on one another, so once you’ve completed the entry level course, you can go ahead and complete the next level.
Become Your own Boss! Build Your Online Empire With us.
Let’s build your kingdom together. Enrol for our entrepreneurship courses and start your online business. Contact us today on:
- Call us for free on 0800 39 00 27
- Or fill out this contact form and we will get back to you
