There are many reasons why people choose to start an online business and ditch their 9-to-5 job. Some might want more flexibility and freedom, while others may simply feel uninspired by the prospect of another desk-bound day at the office.
Whatever your reasons for making the switch, transitioning from an offline business to an online one can be a challenging change. After all, you’re moving from something that’s proven to work in almost every other industry to something that’s still relatively untested within your own market.
However, if you have the right support network around you and a clear plan of action, it doesn’t need to be so difficult after all.
What is an online business?
An online business is one that is conducted primarily or entirely over the internet. This might include a website or blog where you sell products or services, you may be an affiliate marketer (someone who promotes other people’s products and earns a commission from sales), or you might have your own online store.
An online business is usually focused on digital products and services, so you might not have a physical storefront like you would with a traditional business.
Why switch to an online business?
There are many reasons why people choose to start an online business and ditch their 9-to-5 job. Some might want more flexibility and freedom, while others may simply feel uninspired by the prospect of another desk-bound day at the office.
Whatever your reasons for making the switch, transitioning from an offline business to an online one can be a challenging change. After all, you’re moving from something that’s proven to work in almost every other industry to something that’s still relatively untested within your own market.
However, if you have the right support network around you and a clear plan of action, it doesn’t need to be so difficult after all. When you start an offline business, you can plug into an existing support network of established companies and seasoned entrepreneurs who have already been through many of the same growing pains you’re facing right now.
When you start an online business, you don’t have that same guidance or mentorship. You’re on your own to navigate the ups and downs of a new industry, which can make it feel like you’re climbing a steep learning curve with no end in sight.
How to know if you’re ready to make the switch?
Are you looking for a change of pace? Do you feel that your current job is holding you back from pursuing your passions? Do you want to make a bigger impact on the world through your work? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you may be ready to make the switch from an offline business to an online one.
However, there are a few more questions you should ask yourself before jumping in headfirst and ditching your current job for the promise of an online business.
When considering whether you’re ready to make a big leap from one business model to another, ask yourself these questions: Do you have a passion for this industry? If you’re thinking about making the switch, it’s a good sign that you’re ready to make the switch.
You can’t succeed in an industry that you don’t love and feel like you belong in. Make sure your passion for this industry is strong enough to fuel you through the difficult learning curve and challenging early stages of your online business.
Are you ready to take the risk? If you’ve ever taken a look at how many online entrepreneurs earn a living, you’ve probably noticed that the majority of them don’t make enough money to quit their day jobs. While some may have made a calculated decision to continue with their 9-to-5 jobs and use their online business as a side hustle, others may have just not reached success.
If you’re thinking about making the switch from a regular job to an online business, make sure you’re ready to take this risk. You may find that your online business doesn’t bring in a steady income like you had hoped, and you may need to go back to your old job.
Make your product or service digital first
It may seem like an obvious step, but many people who make the transition from offline to online forget to make their product or service digital first before attempting to sell it online. Why? Because it can be a challenging process that requires changing the way you’ve been doing things for years.
If you’re trying to sell coffee mugs or t-shirts online, you may need to digitally transform your products so that they can be purchased online.
While it may be tempting to sell the same products you’ve been selling offline, you may need to make some tweaks to make sure they’re sellable online. For example, if you sell coffee mugs offline, you may need to sell coffee on demand (i.e., a subscription for coffee beans) so that people can brew it at home.
Develop a strong digital marketing plan
Once you’ve made your product or service digital and ready to be sold online, you need to have a strong digital marketing plan in place to help you bring those products to the attention of the right people at the right time.
If you’re running a coffee shop and have your product ready to go, but you don’t have a marketing plan in place to bring that product to the attention of the right people at the right time, your online business probably won’t see the same level of success as your offline one.
You may have a successful product on your hands, but if you’re not bringing it to the attention of the right people at the right time, you won’t see the same level of success online that you would offline. As an offline-to-online entrepreneur, you may have to completely re-imagine how you approach marketing in your new industry.
You may have been promoting your products or services offline by visiting customers and making sales in person, or you may have been making sales over the phone. While these forms of marketing are still viable in your online business, you may also have to learn new skills and tools to promote your products successfully online.
For example, if you’re promoting your coffee shop’s products online, you may have to learn about digital marketing best practices like creating a solid marketing plan and digital marketing budget, or how to do content marketing for your business.
Build a strong team around you
Finally, you want to make sure you’re surrounding yourself with a team that can support you throughout your transition from an offline business to an online one. Whether it’s colleagues, mentors, or even people who have successfully made the switch from offline to online, it’s important to have people who can guide you through the process and help you avoid some of the common pitfalls that come with making a big leap like this.
If you’re making the transition from offline to online, make sure you have mentors and colleagues who can guide you through the process and help you avoid some of the common pitfalls that come with making a big leap like this.
You’re entering a new industry with new rules and new challenges that are unique from what you’ve been doing in the past. Be sure that you surround yourself with the right team to support you and help you navigate the transition successfully.
Conclusion
The transition from an offline business to an online one may seem like a difficult journey. After all, you’re attempting to make the switch from something with a proven track record to something that’s untested in your own market.
However, if you make your product or service digital first, develop a strong marketing plan, and surround yourself with a team that can support you, it doesn’t need to be so challenging after all. When you make the switch, you may have to re-think the way you approach marketing, but it can be an incredibly rewarding change for you and your business.