There is a proven sequence of steps you can follow to guarantee your success when you're starting a small business online. I've seen thousands of people start and grow successful businesses by doing the following:
事实检验过的如下7个步骤能够确保你开网店成功。我看到数千人依照如下做法取得成功：
(1)Find a need and fill it.
(1)寻找需求并满足它。
(2)Write copy that sells.
(2)写一份有卖点的计划书。
(3)Design and build an easy-to-use website.
(3)设计并建设方便使用的网站。
(4)Use search engines to drive traffic to your site.
(4)使用搜索引擎增加网站流量。
(5)Establish an expert reputation for yourself.
(5)建立专业声誉。
(6)Follow up with your customers and subscribers with email.
(6)使用邮箱跟踪客户和会员。
(7)Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling.
(7)通过后端销售和增销增加收入。
Anyone, from newbie to seasoned online entrepreneur, can benefit from this process in learning how to start a business online.
无论你是新手还是网上企业家，都可以从这一开网店的过程中受益。

Step 1: Find a need and fill it.
步骤1： 寻找需求并满足它。

Most people who are just starting out make the mistake of looking for a product first, and a market second.
大部分人创业都是先找产品，后找市场。
To boost your chances of success, start with a market.
为增加成功率，应该先找市场。
The trick is to find a group of people who are searching for a solution to a problem, but not finding many results.
方法是，找到一群寻找同一问题解决方案的人，但不要寻找太多结果。
The internet makes this kind of market research easy:
这类市场调研使用网络很容易开展：
(1)Visit online forums to see what questions people ask and what problems they're trying to solve.
(1)访问网上论坛看看人们常问的以及需要解决的问题。
(2)Do keyword research to find keywords that a lot of people are searching, but for which not many sites are competing.
(2)搜索寻找那些多数人搜索的关键词，但不要竞争网站的。
(3) Check out your potential competitors by visiting their sites and taking note of what they're doing to fill the demand. Then you can use what you've learned and create a product for a market that already exists--and do it better than the competition.
(3)找到潜在的竞争者，通过访问他们网站并记录他们为满足顾客需求所做的工作。然后，利用自己所学，开发一个比竞争者更好的产品来满足现有市场。

Step 2: Write copy that sells.
步骤2：写一份有卖点的计划书。

There's a proven sales copy formula that takes visitors through the selling process from the moment they arrive to the moment they make a purchase:
在销售过程中，从顾客访问到完成购买，有已经被成功实践过的销售模式。
(1)Arouse interest with a compelling headline.
(1)使用有说服力的标题吸引注意。
(2)Describe the problem your product solves.
(2) 描述你产品可解决的问题。
(3)Establish your credibility as a solver of this problem.
(3)作为一个问题解决者来建立可信度。
(4)Add testimonials from people who have used your product.
(4)添加使用过你产品人的评价。
(5)Talk about the product and how it benefits the user.
(5)讨论产品及其对使用者的好处。
(6)Make an offer.
(6) 提供所需
(7)Make a strong guarantee.
(7) 强大的承诺
(8) Create urgency.
(8)创造稀缺
(9)Ask for the sale.
(9)要求出售
Throughout your copy, you need to focus on how your product or service is uniquely able solve people's problems or make their lives better. Think like a customer and ask "What's in it for me?"
在此销售过程中，你需要关注产品和服务是如何独特地解决人们的问题或者使他们生活更美好的。站在顾客的角度思考，并自问：“它能为我带来什么？”

Step 3: Design and build your website.
步骤3：设计并建设自己的网站。

Once you've got your market and product, and you've nailed down your selling process, now you're ready for your small-business web design. Remember to keep it simple. You have fewer than five seconds to grab someone's attention--otherwise they're gone, never to be seen again. Some important tips to keep in mind:
一旦找到市场和产品，建立了自己的销售过程，你就做好了小企业网站设计的准备。记住：要简单。获取别人的注意力，时间小于5秒——否则他们将会离开，再也不会回来。切记如下方法：
(1)Choose one or two plain fonts on a white background.
(1)在白色的页面背景上选一两个常规字体。
(2)Make your navigation clear and simple, and the same on every page.
(2)让导航清晰简单，每页都一样。
(3)Only use graphics, audio or video if they enhance your message.
(3)如果能提高信息量，只使用图片、音频或者视频。
(4)Include an opt-in offer so you can collect e-mail addresses.
(4)提供“选择性加入”的服务，这样就能搜集到用户的电子邮箱地址了。
(5)Make it easy to buy--no more than two clicks between potential customer and checkout.
(5)使购买更容易——不超过两次点击即可使潜在客户付账。
(6)Your website is your online storefront, so make it customer-friendly.
(6)网站是脸面，所以从客户的角度出发。

Step 4: Use search engines to drive targeted buyers to your site.
步骤4：使用搜索引擎将目标顾客引到你网站。

Pay-per-click advertising is the easiest way to get traffic to a brand-new site. It has two advantages over waiting for the traffic to come to you organically. First, PPC ads show up on the search pages immediately, and second, PPC ads allow you to test different keywords, as well as headlines, prices and selling approaches. Not only do you get immediate traffic, but you can also use PPC ads to discover your best, highest-converting keywords. Then you can distribute the keywords throughout your site in your copy and code, which will help your rankings in the organic search results.
点击付费广告是最容易增大网站流量的办法。对比等着流量，它有两个优点：第一，点击付费广告能够在搜索页面即时显示；其次，点击付费广告能让你测试不同关键词、标题、价格以及销售方法。使用点击付费广告不仅使你立即获得流量，它也能使你发现最好和拥有最高转换率的关键词。然后在你的网站上设置这些关键词，这样将会使你的排名在搜索结果中靠前。

Step 5: Establish an expert reputation for yourself.
步骤5：建立专业声誉。

People use the internet to find information. Provide that information for free to other sites, and you'll see more traffic and better search engine rankings. The secret is to always include a link to your site with each tidbit of information. 
人们使用网络获得信息。向其他网站提供免费信息，你将会获取更多流量和更好的搜索排名。秘密是：让每个小报道信息都包括你网站链接。
(1)Give away free, expert content. Create articles, videos or any other content that people will find useful. Distribute that content through online article directories or social media sites.
(1)提供免费、专家内容。撰写文章、录制视频或者其他人们感觉有用的内容。通过在线文章分类或者社交网站发布。
(2)Include "send to a friend" links on valuable content on your website.
(2)添加将自己网站有价值内容“发送给朋友”的链接按钮。
(3)Become an active expert in industry forums and social networking sites where your target market hangs out.
(3)成为目标市场业内论坛和社交网站的活跃专家。
You'll reach new readers. But even better, every site that posts your content will link back to yours. Search engines love links from relevant sites and will reward you in the rankings.
你会获取新的读者。甚至更好的是，每个转发你内容的站点将会有链接到你网站。搜索引擎喜欢从相关站点的链接，这会使你网站排名靠前。

Step 6: Use the power of email marketing to turn visitors into buyers.
步骤6：利用邮件营销力量将访客变为买家。

When you build an opt-in list, you're creating one of the most valuable assets of your online business. Your customers and subscribers have given you permission to send them email. That means:
当建立"选择性加入”清单，你就建立了网站生意最有价值的资产之一。顾客与注册者允许你向他们发邮件。这意味着：
(1)You're giving them something they've asked for.
(1)你给予了他们需求的东西。
(2)You're developing lifetime relationships with them.
(2)你建立了与他们的终身关系。
(3)The response is 100 percent measurable.
(3)反馈100%可测量。
(4) Email marketing is cheaper and more effective than print, TV or radio because it's highly targeted.
(4)邮件营销比印刷、电视或者收音机更便宜和有效。
Anyone who visits your site and opts in to your list is a very hot lead. And there's no better tool than email for following up with those leads.
任何访问你网站并进入自由选择清单的是热点优选者。邮件是跟踪这些优选者最好的工具。

Step 7: Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling.
步骤7：通过后端销售和增销增加收入。

One of the most important internet marketing strategies is to develop every customer's lifetime value. At least 36 percent of people who have purchased from you once will buy from you again if you follow up with them. Closing that first sale is by far the most difficult part--not to mention the most expensive. So use back-end selling and upselling to get them to buy again:
最重要的一个网上营销策略是开发每一个客户的终身价值。如果持续跟踪他们，至少36%的人会再次购买你的产品。关闭第一单是目前为止最困难的部分，更不要说最贵的了。所以进行补充销售并使他们再次购买：
(1)Offer products that complement their original purchase.
(1)用户初次购买产品，为他们赠送补充产品。
(2)Send out electronic loyalty coupons they can redeem on their next visit.
(2)发送电子打折券，这会使他们再次访问。
(3)Offer related products on your "Thank You" page after they purchase.
(3)在他们购买之后的谢谢页面上提供相关产品选项。
Reward your customers for their loyalty and they'll become even more loyal.
对顾客的忠诚给予回报，他们将会变得更忠诚。
The internet changes so fast that one year online equals about five years in the real world. But the principles of how to start and grow a successful online business haven't changed at all. If you're just starting a small business online, stick to this sequence. If you've been online awhile, do a quick review and see if there's a step you're neglecting, or never got around to doing in the first place. You can't go wrong with the basics.
网络变化是如此之快，一年的网上时间等于现实世界的5年。但，创建并成长为成功网上公司的规则一点都没有改变。如果你要开始一个小型网上企业，那就遵循这一顺序。如果网上销售有段时间了，可以快速浏览一下，看看是否有你忽略的步骤，或者从未放在首位的步骤。基本原则不能错。

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