steptwo_internet

Getting Started Making Money on the Internet: Setting Up the Business

By Kathy Wilson

Hopefully you have already read part one of Women-on-the-Net.com’s step by step approach to making money on the internet. If you haven’t go to http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com/stepone_internet.html and give it a good read.

Now that you have your passion, you are ready to start a business around that passion.

First things first, though, and that’s getting your business affairs in order. First get yourself a filing system set up for your business. This may start out as something as simple as an accordian file. You will also set up a directory in your computer specifically for business related items.

You need to check out your state and local liscense requirements. A great place to start with the business aspects is the Small Business Administration. You can view their start up guide and sign up for their online entrenpenuer course for free at http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/guide.html . You will also need to contact your county clerk to find out what permits are required locally.

The next step is to write up a business plan. This can be as simple or as complicated as you desire, it is meant to give you direction. It also can be used to gain business loans if you choose to go that route. You can get a good intro to business plans here at http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,287323-1,00.html#howlong.

Sample business plans and guidelines can also be found at the SBA website at http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html. They also have a page specifically for women entrepenuers at http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/special/women.html.

Ok, it’s not fun yet! Taxes! You will need some understanding of taxes as they relate to a small business. You can either get a tax professional to advise you, use tax software such as TurboTax.com, or learn as much as you can and go it alone. You can get free tax booklets to help you learn what your deductions could be at www.IRS.gov. Remember, SAVE all your receipts! This is where your accordian file comes in! You may also want to check into an accounting software such as Quicken.com. Make a day each week to fill in your income and your expenditures, and you will stay right on track!

Now that the boring part is done, here’s where we get to have some fun! I receommend no matter what form of internet business you choose, you have a website and a domain name. You DO NOT have to hire a webmaster and designer to have a professional website! I specifically recommend you check out SiteSell.com at http://workfromhome.sitesell.com/kwpub.html. They can take you all the way through the process, and get you in a good place in the search engines as well. (Hey, if you don’t have traffic, you don’t have a business! Don’t underestimate the importance of this!) If you can afford the initial cost, this is definitely the way to faster profits.

Alternatively, if you just can’t find it in your budget, I highly recommend using Homestead at

There is no faster way to get a quality site up and going. They buy the domain name for you, their drag and drop software is easy to use, and you could have your site up today. You get domain related email accounts, and you can pay for this service monthly. I recommend you start out with their silver plan, you can always add more options later.

Once you make a choice in your website provider, you are off and running. Remember website designing is a process, and we will be covering that in other articles. In the meantime, one good rule of thumb is to find a successful website, and use ideas to help create your design. DO NOT copy someone elses website! Not only are you likely to garner their wrath, you violate copyright laws, and make a bad name for yourself right off. But its ok to borrow ideas. Again, this is a great reason to use one of the two services I recommend…they have predesigned templates and design options!

Now that you have your website, it’s time to decide how to supply it with content, and what type of business your site will concentrate on. There are four basic types of web businesses that I use…Content Websites, Network Marketing sites, Affiliate sales sites, and Product Sales sites. Most people surfing the web today are looking for information. It is the #1 reason people are on the web! So I concentrate my sites on rich content, and use the other types of money makers as “partners”, and I strongly suggest you do the same. Right now in the three step approaach we are just trying to get you off the ground, so let’s just get you started on the content website! You can read more on how to add other money making methods to your website at our Business Ideas page at http://www.women-on-the-net.com/business_ideas.html .

So your final step is going to share with you how to get your content rich website up, where to find content, how to find traffic, and how to find the info to grow your business and make money, plus a checklist to wrap up your three step approach to learning how to make money on the internet! So click over to the third article in the series at http://www.women-on-the-net.com/stepthree_internet.html and get started!

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of Women-on-the-Net.com, where any woman can learn to make money on the net. Visit her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com for step by step guidance, free ebooks, and her free newsletter packed full of money making tips for women!