Notionet

Is it possible to create and run a successful online business in Kenya? Yes it is possible. Some business have made it. An example is Tunu Bakeries which generates all sales online through social media. They have done it, others can do it too. But you could have already heard of some businesses that went online and failed badly. Its true, that happens and one of the reason it does is because they aproach it with a “make money quick mentallity” which is wrong because running an online business is not any different from running an ofline business. The platform is different for sure but the same effort is needed. The same way one wakes up every morning to attend their clients, they have to do the same with their online business

Some mistake online investors make that you should avoid

One mistake that business people make is creating an online business without the right materials. The online version is just like an extension of your business. Before you start an online business, you need to have an offline version or space where you operate. It can be an office, a store or just a room in your house but it has to be there.

Another mistake is, they rush to create websites. They leave their followers and friends on facebook, twitter, whatsapp and other social networks forgetting that a website needs traffic and maintainance to become productive. Traffic and following are potential customers. They are not easy to get but social networks gives them to us for free. So why not start with your instagram, twitter or a facebbook page

When one aims to create an online business, the intention is to get more clients, create awareness through marketing and to ease the business operation. Like we said its an extionsion of your ofline space and market. Assuming that you have a place where you operate, let see how you can take your business online. But first;

Whats an online business?

An online business simply means selling goods or services through the internet. The goods can be physical or digital. For services, they can be virtual or real.

An online business can be fully online or partially online. Fully online is when all orders are recieved and processed via the internet. In such a model one only stocks the products. When it comes to partially online, the merchant has their business setup somewhere accessible to clients i.e a store somewhere in town but also takes orders online through a website.

Starting an online business steps

1. Choose a site

Assuming that you already have the necessary materials, the first thing you need to do is choose a site. A site can be an app, a page, timeline, blog or website. The site you choose should be one that you have most followers or one that can give you many viewers in the future. If in your instagram you have 2K followers, and in fb you have 500 followers, then Instagram would be a better choice. Then name your site with your business name, brand it with a logo and maybe a slogan.

2. Display the products

The next thing you need to do is to add content, this is the online version of your products. They should be photos of what you sell. Start uploading them and posting them on your site. You can have a schedule of how many times you post but its best if you make sure to post at least ones everyday.

3. Offer support

Now that your products are published, you can start receiving orders anytime. You need to be ready as to make a perfect first impression. If you are selling goods, you need to have a way they will get to your clients. It can be through a pick up station or door delivery. You can come up with your own delivery methods or use companies like Sendy, to deliver your products .You also need to provide contact details i.e phone, email and physical address

4. Start marketing

For certain reasons, client may not be intersted in your product and to make sales, you will need to find a way to get to your clients. First what you need is a target market. They are those people you intend to sell to. Sometimes the target market you choose may not be the one that takes your products and will need to adjust a little bit. With time you get to see more cleary the segment of the market that is interested in your products and then you can stick to that specific market.

The next step is to choose a marketing tool. It can be banners, articles, videos or just product images. If you choose a banner for example, its the one you will be sharing across social media and other parts of the internet. Always try to choose a tool that works well with your target market. A good marketing tool should captivate its viewer and give them a reason and desire to purchase your product even when they dont have one.

When choosing where to market your products, opt for sites, networks and platforms where there are potential clients. For example, if you sell sport shoes, you will target sites which focus on sports people. Lets say its a group for basket ballers. It can also be a page for athletes.

6. Choose a payment method

Now that your business is online, you will need a convenient payment method. Lipa na mpesa Till is the best. Why? Because its easy to use and its accessible to almost all kenyans. Its also free to get a till number. If you aim to recieve payments with your name i.e using your mpesa account, getting an individual till is quite easy and fast. Click here to apply for a till number

7. Have a schedule

A plan is needed for when you will be posting, providing support to clients and processing orders. You will need to keep checking your site for new orders and messages. The quicker you respond the better. It will keep you from losing clients.

With that much, you can have an online business setup and running. All the best in creating your business. If you have any question, feel free to leave it down in the comments section.