The need to have multiple sources of income has become more prevalent and one common question that the average Nigerian asks is “how can I start an online business.” Learning how to start an online business in Nigeria gives you the leeway to achieve financial freedom.
This article will expose you to the basic concepts of digital marketing. A skill that is fundamental to starting your online business. I have been able to successfully strike out a few deals leveraging this skill. If you follow the step-by-step process, you will start your online business as soon as you can.
Before I dive in, let me give you a brief historical background. Before acquiring digital marketing skills, I interned as a journalist with BusinessDay Newspaper. After 2 years I got an offer as a content writer with a digital marketing agency. These two experiences set the foundation.
At the agency, I learned only 3 major skills – Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Email Marketing, and Google Adwords. Later, I got interested in acquiring other skills such as Facebook Advertising by reading and practicing simultaneously.
I started running Facebook Ads as a business. When I needed to advance that skill, I started watching YouTube videos. I didn’t spend hours watching the video. I only watched a specific Facebook Ad process.
So, in reality, starting an online business requires you to have certain prerequisite skills, such as content writing, affiliate marketing, and social media advertising. There are other auxiliary skills, but these 3 I mentioned will help you kickstart your online business.
Let’s assume you have those 3 skills. Follow the steps below:
- Set up a Facebook Page
- Identify a product/service to sell
- Update educational content concerning those products or services.
- Run a Facebook Ad on the products or services.
- Close deals or make sales
SETTING UP FACEBOOK PAGE
This is the first thing you must do when starting your online business – create a page. Your business page is different from your Facebook profile. It’s called a business page because it’s for business purposes. While your profile remains different. It’s also possible to convert your profile to a business page.
- Open your Facebook profile.
- At the top of the home page.
- Select Create and choose Page.
- Name your page.
- Add a category to describe your page.
- Learn more about selecting a category for your page.
- Enter business information, such as address and contact information.
- Select continue.
- You can add a profile photo to your page.
- If you add a photo.
- Select next.
CONTENT – IDENTIFY A PRODUCT OR SERVICE TO SELL
This stage is one of the most critical steps as far as this type of online business is concerned. Whether you are selling a product or service. You have to be posting content on your social media pages.
These contents will educate potential customers about your services or product. This is a task you must carry out consistently.
In terms of identifying the product to sell, you must have done enough research to know what specific products or services to sell.
Let’s start with the selling of products – Once you know the products to sell online, your next move is to find the suppliers or top wholesalers.
For example, if you are in a place like Lagos, you will find suppliers and wholesalers in Balogun Market on Lagos Island, you will also find them at Trade Fair and other big markets.
There are big markets everywhere in the world, so your location won’t even matter. It is up to you to find these traders.
You don’t necessarily need to buy the products. All you need to do is to have a dialogue with the supplier or wholesaler.
Let them understand that you aren’t buying products; rather help them sell their products.
For example, let’s say, the product sells for $100. You can sell them to consumers for $150 and make profit of $50 without owning the product.
Service – This method is almost the same thing as selling a product for businesses. For example, I have helped a few organizations generate leads for their businesses using free webinars or eBooks as lead magnets.
Once you have gotten a client to work with, you can do the same thing by selling their services to the target audience on a commission basis.
How to find these clients?
First, identify the businesses you would like to work with. Reach out to them via social media or send a proposal to their emails. You will find these organizations when you do research online.
RUN A FACEBOOK AD
- Create an account with Facebook Ads Manager.
- Start creating an ad through Facebook’s Ads Manager.
- Choose an objective.
- Choose your audience.
- Set your budget.
- Create your ad.
- Launch ad
CLOSE DEALS
You are most likely to get people to respond to your Facebook Ad campaign. They are either asking you about the product or service.
What you are required to do is convert those leads into paying customers. Until they finally buy. Repeat the process. Document your experience and learn from it, even if you fail.
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