Make Money Operating Your Own Creative Business E-Store

Operate Your Own E-Store to Earn a Living Doing What You Love

Operating your own e-store allows you to earn a living doing what you love. You can also hire and manage staff, attend professional events as a keynote speaker, connect with media professionals and help strengthen economies as you create job opportunities for employees and/or independent contractors. To be successful as a creative business leader operating your own e-store you need to take a few basic steps, some only once, others for as long as you operate your online company.

Operating Your Own Creative Business E-Store

Early Steps Required to Get Your E-Store Off the Ground

Several of the early steps required to get your e-store or virtual company off the ground are set by government agencies. Local requirements vary depending on the state you operate your e-store in. When it comes to the federal government, to launch your virtual company, you need to:

• Create a detailed business plan that includes items like a line item budget, marketing plan, industry research analysis, etc.
• Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). You can apply for an EIN online via the Internal Revenue Service’s official website. If you’re a sole proprietor you can also use your Social Security Number (SSN) as your EIN.
• Maintain records on revenues received through your e-store. Also keep records or receipts for business related expenses (e.g. office supplies, marketing, business mileage) you pay for. You’ll need these records when you file your quarterly and annual income tax returns.
• Official website (Consider working with an experienced website designer to create your website, someone who knows how to create a website for search engine and sales optimization. Also have a vision for your website so you can partner with the designer to build what you want.)
• Reputable web host (You can find free web hosting companies like Bravehost, Free Web Space or Dot Easy. However, these companies generally require you to run ads on your website. Free hosted websites also tend to have longer, hard to remember URLs than do websites that you own.)
• Credit card processing company to process orders through. (If you choose a credit card processing company that also accepts e-checks, you can increase the numbers of sales you receive at your e-store.) 

Get Sales at Your E-Store as a Creative Business Leader

To get sales at your e-store write and distribute press releases, schedule and conduct online and offline interviews and write and send weekly or monthly newsletters (some companies send daily newsletters or e-alerts to opt-in customers). Places you can send press releases, schedule interviews and/or create newsletters at include: 

Press Release Distributors

• PR Web (prweb.com)
• Associated Press (ap.org)
• Business Wire (businesswire.com)

Radio Stations

• Blog Talk Radio (blogtalkradio.com – search through the thousands of radio shows, contacting host of shows your e-store products and services align with)
• Live 365 (live365.com)
• Pandora (Pandora.com)
• Blake Radio (blakeradio.com)
• National Public Radio (npr.org)
• Radio Row (radiorow.com) 

Newsletter Templates and Distribution Companies

• Constant Contact (constantcontact.com)
• iContact (icontact.com)
• Vertical Response (verticalresponse.com) 

Create an easy-to-remember domain name, pick a web hosting company and offer secure credit card processing so your customers can purchase your products with the confidence that their personal information will not be compromised and you’re on your way to generating revenues as an online creative business leader. Also file necessary federal, state and local licenses and permits. Depending on the state your business is headquartered in, you also might have to file sales taxes you collect while operating your e-store. 

Check Out Spiral and Long Walk Up online at:  www.chistell.com 

Sources:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small (Internal Revenue Service: Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center