With the Internet today, the opportunities for starting an online business are virtually endless. There are many opportunities to start and grow an online business, even if you have zero experience in running a business. It does not matter at all.
Whether you’re looking to escape your day job, or looking just to start a side hustle along your job, the internet has a lot of avenues to explore. From affiliate marketing to e-commerce and beyond, each model comes with its unique characteristics, points of entry, and benefits. Let’s take a close look at the most popular ones online.
- Affiliate Marketing:
Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services offered by other companies and earning a commission for each sale or lead generated through your referral. This model eliminates the need for creating products, customer service, dispatch, or stocking products, making it an attractive option for those with limited resources or experience in product development. By leveraging your online platform, such as a blog, social media presence, or YouTube channel, you can recommend products to your audience and earn passive income.
Point: Affiliate marketing allows you to monetise your content and audience without the hassle of product creation or inventory management.
Benefits: Flexibility in promoting various products, low startup costs, passive income potential, and scalability as your audience grows.
- Network Marketing:
Also known as multi-level marketing (MLM), network marketing involves selling/promoting products or services through a network of distributors. As a network marketer, you earn commissions not only from your direct sales but also from the sales made by your recruited team. While network marketing has mixed opinions due to its pyramid-like structure, it can be a viable option for those passionate about the products and willing to invest time in building a team.
I am sure you have heard the names of the following companies: Forever Living Products (FLP), Herbalife, Avon, Telecom Plus
Point: Network marketing offers the opportunity to build a business with the support of a network and benefit from leveraging the efforts of others.
Benefits: Flexible working hours, the potential for high earnings through team building, access to training and support from the parent company, and the ability to work from anywhere with an internet connection.
- E-commerce:
E-commerce involves selling products or services online directly to consumers. Whether you’re starting your online store or leveraging platforms like Amazon or Etsy, eBay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, etc, e-commerce offers endless possibilities for entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products to a global audience. From handmade crafts to digital downloads and everything in between, the e-commerce space caters to a wide range of niches and industries.
Point: E-commerce provides a platform for entrepreneurs to sell their products directly to consumers without the need for a physical storefront.
Benefits: Global reach, scalability, ability to customise branding and customer experience, access to analytics for data-driven decision-making, and the potential for high-profit margins.
- Dropshipping:
Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn’t keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. Dropshipping eliminates the need for inventory management and upfront investment in stock, making it an attractive option for those looking to start an e-commerce business with minimal risk.
Point: Dropshipping allows entrepreneurs to start an online store with minimal upfront investment and eliminates the need for inventory management.
Benefits: Low startup costs, flexibility to test different products and niches, scalability without the constraints of inventory, and the ability to focus on marketing and customer acquisition.
- Coaching:
Coaching involves providing guidance, support, and expertise to individuals or businesses to help them achieve their goals and overcome challenges. Whether you’re a life coach, business coach, health coach, or career coach, the online space provides ample opportunities to connect with clients and deliver your services remotely via video calls, webinars, or online courses.
Point: Coaching allows individuals to leverage their expertise and passion to help others achieve personal or professional growth.
Benefits: Flexibility to set your schedule and rates, the ability to work from anywhere, fulfillment from making a positive impact on client’s lives, and the potential for high earning potential as you establish your reputation and client base.
- Virtual Assistant:
Virtual assistants provide administrative, technical, or creative assistance to businesses or entrepreneurs remotely. From managing emails and scheduling appointments to social media management and graphic design, virtual assistants offer a wide range of services to support the operations of their clients’ businesses.
Point: Virtual assistants help businesses streamline their operations and focus on core tasks by outsourcing administrative or specialized tasks.
Benefits: Flexibility to work with multiple clients, the ability to specialise in specific skills or industries, no geographic limitations, and the potential for a steady stream of income with the right client base.
The above are the top 6 business models you can start from home alongside your day job, and keep it as a side-line business or you have the opportunity to build the business and make it a full-time business which will enable you to leave your day place of work! The choice is always yours.
Always remember, anything you start, there will be some risks involved. The risk is you will have to give up your weekends watching TV/movies, to work on your business. You will have to give up going out with your friends. The main risk will be if you take zero action, your business idea will never work and that is a guarantee.
Until the time,
Chigs
Hi Chigs,
This is a good information-sharing post on types of online businesses with key points and benefits.
Have you heard of MLM, called Strong Future International (SFI)? I have a friend very involved for many years and is dedicated to it so it is working for him.
Affiliate Marketing is where I am starting. I initially came online to market my life coaching service, but have put it on pause as this for me is key to anything you want to do online.
Hi Eleanor, thanks for your comment. I have heard of SFI and they have been going for a very long from my knowledge. Good to hear this is working for your friend!
Chigs