My eCommerce teacher…
…has started a new blog and is encouraging the class’ participation. I feel like we’re taking a field trip! What a good idea - to get us off the discussion board (although, really, it’s kind of the same thing) and out into the world wide web :) Anyway, I’ve added the link to my blogroll, it’s called eComNext. If you’re looking to start an eCommerce site, it may prove to be a good resource.
Also - I’ve changed my song spot from the much loved Be Good Tanyas to Gregory Douglass - give him a listen, he’s awesome.
Uncategorized: eMillionaire life mompreneur small business
by Blabby
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breakthroughs
Well, I’m feeling pretty smart these days. I’ve gotten Apache and PHP loaded on my computer, and I’ve started developing my first site using Dreamweaver 8. That program is amazing. I know there are die-hard hand-coders out there, but not me. I’m all for using Dreamweaver to do the heavy lifting.
Also, my super smart friend Spankratz shared the secret of viewing other peoples’ style sheets. It’s so simple, I feel like an idiot for not figuring it out, but now that I can see what they’ve done, I’m learning so much more about the capabilities of CSS. Very exciting stuff.
Here’s the latest to do list regarding my online business:
- Get a PO Box
- Apply for State and City licenses, run my newspaper ad, and then apply for Fed. EIN.
- Keep working on site #1, create landing pages for sites #2 and#3
I’m going to stop there so I don’t get overwhelmed. That’s a lot of work.
School-wise, I’m a little sad that I’m even taking these classes. The good news is that I’m halfway done - 8 weeks to go. The bad news is that I have two midterms due this week, two major projects, the standard pile of homework and reading and five more discussion board entries to write. I wouldn’t mind any of this if it didn’t keep me from working on the things I want to do, like develop my sites.
The worst part is that I took these classes essentially for personal enjoyment/enrichment. They’re neither enjoyable or enriching at this point.
I walked two miles today, uphill. I read Body & Soul magazine while I walked. It was very peaceful. But that magazine is so lame. It’s so full of new-agey crap, that I can hardly find the good info in it. I didn’t renew my subscription, and they sent me a letter that said, “So, we see you’re no longer interested in health.” Ridiculous. There is maybe one good article that actually improves my life in each issue.
So, Martha, I’m still a big fan, but I don’t like that magazine or your other new one, Blueprint. I’ll stick with Everyday Food.
Book #2
Winter Baby by Kathleen O’Brien.
I’m a Harlequin junkie when the mood hits me, and I got this great book off of eHarlequin months ago. Luckily, I got the Signature Select edition, which has two books in it, so I’m already starting the next one. Great small upstate-New York town, believable characters, sweet love scenes…great find. I especially like that it’s a series, and there are four of the romances, and at least one mystery. Check out the author, Kathleen O’Brien’s website - she’s a stay-at-home mom living the dream! Congrats to her on her success. RWA members rule!
back in the saddle
We went to Maryland for a few days to visit my husband’s grandfather. He’s moving into a full-time-care facility, and we were helping my husband’s aunt clean out his cottage. Very depressing. But my grandfather lives in a trailer in Florida and refuses to leave. He’s two years older than my husband’s grandpa. At least one of them is taken care of.
On the mompreneur front, I am supposed to have a business plan prepared to enter into a contest in two days. I haven’t even started. Well, I’ve done a lot of research, and I have bits and pieces spread all over, but I haven’t started typing the actual document into Word yet. I don’t know what I’m waiting for. It’s free money, if I win. 1st place is $1000! That would go a long way as my advertising budget. But still, here I am, typing this blog post instead of my executive summary.
A friend sent me a blog by a girl that reads reads reads. She keeps track of the books she’s read by writing a short blurb in her blog and numbering each one - both keeping track of stories and how many books she reads. I believe I will start this. She also keeps a running journal. I don’t run that much, but I might keep an exercise journal. Basically, I love her blog and I’m going to copy it :) I’ve put her in my blogroll - “She Books It”. Get it? She’s a runner and a reader? Very witty, my friends, very witty.
I’ve already read a few books this year, but I’m just going to start fresh. Exciting news on the book front - the new Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book is out. I didn’t know there would be a #4. I requested it from the library, it looks like its going to be a while. That’s okay though, because it gives me something to look forward to.
eProgress
Today I purchased 16 domain names and got one free. I also chose a webhost that so far, I’m happy with. Although I haven’t really done anything yet. But they have a live chat support person who has been very patient with my annoying (and retarted) questions.
So, today I spent approximately $206 on my business ventures.
I’m writing two business plans to enter in a contest at the CC. The winner gets $1000! I could really use that money. Plans are due by Mar. 1 - eek!
Here’s where I’m at with accumulating costs…
- I priced my post card marketing plan, and the mailing list alone is going to cost about $700. But with that list, I’ll get direct access (via mail) to over 7,000 businesses. Not bad.
- The postcards will also be about $700 probably if I use color - which of course I will.
- Then there’s postage. I may have to go to the post office to get the scoop on that. Their website info is a little hard to understand. I felt like I was back in the Army trying to decipher boring regulations.
- Then there’s labels - do I print them? If I order mailing labels with my direct mail list, it almost doubles the cost! If I buy them - I could probably buy a gross wholesale or something…I need to check eBay for that. But then what? Print them on my printer? That sounds expensive and wasteful. But getting them printed sounds expensive too. I’ll have to find out the price of printing vs. the price of my ink cartridges.
Anyway, I’m on my way. I may need to think of another solution to get the word out rather than direct mail. But we’ll see.
Looking forward to getting my sites up with “coming soon” messages and Google Ads making me a little start up money.
eBusiness Adventure
So I’m embarking on an ebusiness adventure in the next few months. I’m very intimidated by the technology of dynamic websites, but I’m forging ahead, planning on developing the site myself. This involves learning at least 2 programming languages, and enough of a third to keep myself out of trouble. I’m not a programmer, so it should be interesting.
The cool thing is that most people are not programmers, so programs like Dreamweaver 8 let the dummies like me jump in head first and create awesome stuff with almost no knowledge. This would be annoying to me if I was a programmer. Again, I’m not, so it makes me happy!
So here’s the plan.
- I have to map out my database.
- I have to purchase my domain name. (Should I borrow money for this, or use my money? Should I get a separate business credit card?)
- I have to choose a hosting plan with enough memory and bandwidth for my kick-ass site, and that supports the database format and language I choose to use.
- I have to learn how to code enough of the language to get by, and I have to learn how to use all the capabilites in Dreamweaver to make up for what I don’t know.
- Meanwhile, I need to write a business plan.
- I need to create a logo and some other custom artwork and start designing the site, which includes setting up my style sheets, choosing colors, fonts, images, etc.
- I need to learn how to send HTML emails.
- I need to write the first newsletter that will be offered on my site.
- I have to research affiliate opportunities.
- I have to figure out how to make PayPal work as my shopping cart/checkout feature.
- I have to decide on a fee structure for my ebusiness offerings (I guess this is part of my business plan.)
- I have to research publicity opportunites, viral marketing opportunities, and government and professional organizations that might help me.
I’m afraid to keep writing this list because I’m feeling overwhelmed. And this is just the eBusiness, I also want to start a consulting business at the same time. They go hand in hand, so I want them both up and running pretty close together. Here’s a to do list for the consulting business:
- Purchase domain name.
- Find out if I can host this site on the same hosting plan as my other site.
- Separate accounts? Or one corporation with two business entities under the umbrella? Research business entity types.
- Write business plan. Decide on financing.
- Create logo, custom art, brochure (print and PDF version).
- Design site.
- I have to research publicity opportunites, viral marketing opportunities, and government and professional organizations that might help me. Look into mailing list opportunities. (Chambers, SBA, etc.)
- Design mailer of some sort - send to prospective clients.
- Research printers…mailer, business cards, brochures. As about discounts for referrals through consulting co.
- Look into trademark info - trademark both names.
I better get off this blog and get started!
