How to Pick a Selling Platform for Your Business in 2023
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Hey there goal getter, welcome back to the campfire! 🏕️
When it comes to selling online, there are so many platforms available that it can become overwhelming. You might think you're doing yourself a disservice by not trying out every single one of them, but in reality, starting with one selling platform and sticking with it is usually the best way to go.
Good news: you don't have to be a genius. It's not hard to make money online, and it's not that complicated either!
If you want to learn how to start a side hustle, make money from your blog, or launch a full-scale online business, here are some tips on how you can do it in 2023 (and beyond).
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Understand your buyers
First and foremost, you need to know where your customers shop and what they like to buy.
This is important because it allows you to tailor your product or services accordingly. Let's say that you're selling an innovative new kind of shoe, but the majority of people who buy shoes never search for them online. They prefer brick-and-mortar stores because they're cheaper and easier to find in person, so offering your shoes on a digital platform would be less effective than offering them through an offline store.
Knowledge is power when it comes to knowing exactly who your target audience is so that you can offer products specifically designed for them!
Whether you choose to sell your products on Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, or a traditional website… or you offer online courses on Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi, or your DIY website—just know that you’ve got options.
Drop your name + email to get your FREE download of our Total Business Startup Checklist, which outlines every tiny little step you need to take before you launch your dream biz!What do you need?
1. Understand what you offer.
To know what kind of platform you need, you have to understand the products and services you offer. That sounds basic and obvious, but it's important. If your product is a consumer good that most people would buy in stores (like clothes or shoes), then Amazon may well be your best option. On the other hand, if you're selling something more specialized and specific—like a high-end electric guitar or an unusual piece of furniture—you might want to look at platforms like Etsy or SamCart instead.
If you’re offering online courses, I’m a huge fan of Kajabi or Thinkific, but Teachable is also quite popular and reputable. If you offer digital products, like e-books, templates, checklists, or something similar—I highly recommend getting yourself a website, and offering your products there (or even just landing page software like SamCart or Systeme.io) and on Etsy.
The best part about selling on Etsy, is their GIGANTIC customer base and search capabilities. The platform has many amazing features (like automating daily flash sales), but if you learn how to optimize your listings with SEO, you can get your products in front of the people who want them at an amazing rate.
2. Think about your ideal customers.
You also need to think about what kinds of products your customers typically buy from online retailers like yourself. Is there a certain type of person who buys from you? Are they mostly younger consumers interested in practical items for their everyday lives? Or do they tend toward luxury goods like jewelry or art? Knowing this will help determine where your business should focus its efforts when it comes time for choosing which platform has the best audience match for your brand identity and target market demographics.
Say you’re offering a group coaching event, or a paid webinar—Eventbrite events are free to set up and come with incredible marketing capabilities, which can supercharge your business’s expansion and get the word out to lots of people fairly quickly.
3. Consider the services you need.
Picking a platform is like picking a third-party app for your phone. You can download tons of apps, but not all of them are going to be useful or relevant. Some apps may even be counterproductive and drain your battery life (the equivalent of an expensive SaaS subscription). Before signing up for any platform, make sure you understand what you're getting into and whether it will help or harm your business.
If you have physical products that will be delivered to your customers, think about delivery updates and notifications. If you’re using a dropshipping or print-on-demand service to fulfill your orders, make sure your website or chosen selling platform can integrate with that service! That’s why I love using WordPress sites; because there’s a plugin for literally everything.
If you’re offering any type of service that requires booking appointments (like coaching or consulting), try to find a platform that can organize your contacts and send them professional text or email reminders. (I’m seriously obsessed with Calendly—it’s quite affordable and very beginner-friendly!)
4. Narrow down your choices.
Here are some key questions that should help you decide which platform is right for you:
→ What kind of business do I want to sell my products?
→ How would I like my products to be sold?
→ Do I prefer an online marketplace or a more traditional eCommerce store?
→ How much time and money do I have available for managing this aspect of my business?
Know your options
Which platform is most convenient for you?
If you’re a busy, on-the-go entrepreneur who wants to make money but doesn’t have much time to spend on your business, then you should probably choose the most convenient platform. Here are some factors that can help you decide:
→ How much do you want to make? If it’s not a lot, then it might be worth choosing a platform that allows for quick sales and quick returns. (Like Etsy or Amazon)
→ How much time do you have available? Do you want something that takes up more or less of your day? If a platform is going to take up all of your free time, then think about the possibility that there’s a better setup that works for you.
It’s also really important to mention that every business—no matter how small—takes a lot of time and consistent effort. (Especially in the beginning!)
Notice the small (but important) details.
→ You will have to pay attention to the small details.
→ Read the fine print.
→ Research everything you can find, including user comments on social media and reviews on blogs or independent sites.
Think about features
Don't forget to consider customer service.
Picking a selling platform for your business is like picking a hair stylist; it's a process that involves making a lot of decisions, but it's also one where you have to trust the experts. If you're looking for an easy way to make sure you don't miss anything important, check out the reviews of each platform on Trustpilot or similar review sites. You'll want to focus on what customers are saying about the reliability and dependability of their customer service.
If there isn't much information available on this topic, it could be because they don't offer any kind of support at all (and if so, maybe reconsider your decision). Or maybe they've got great support and no one has complained about them yet! In either case, make sure you know what kind of experience other people have had before committing yourself.
If you want an *extensive* list of (100+) tools and software that we recommend and use in our businesses daily, look through our Resources Library and learn about how they can help your business!
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Every business is different
If you’re serious about launching an e-commerce business, you really should try out a few different platforms to see what works best for you.
Once you've decided which platform to use, be sure to do your research on all the ways it can help your business. It's important to remember that the best selling platform for your business may not be the same as it is for someone else's business. You'll want to consider all of these factors before making a decision on where you want to sell next!
At the end of the day, keep in mind that it’s okay to switch platforms. You can always change your mind later on—it just requires some time and effort!
Head to Our Helpful Resources Library
to check out our recommended tools that help grow your business into a money-making machine.
Conclusion
It might feel overwhelming at first, but once you’ve decided on where you’ll be offering your products and services, launching your business gets super exciting!
At that point, you’ll understand how HUGE your potential audience is (no matter which platform you use) and you’ll know that your ideal customers will be able to find you and the wonderful things you offer!
If you still need some help or guidance on deciding what will work best with your ideas, head to our Resources Hub or book a free 15-minute strategy session with me to learn what’s possible for your future business!
Happy building! ⚒️
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Don’t put it off any more. Learn what you need to start a life-changing online business.
As I’m sure you might know already, starting and maintaining a successful business—more than anything—is a complicated journey full of reroutes, twists, and turns. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for being a part of this wild journey with me… the most important part! <3
Stay hungry, my friends. 🍟
-Coco
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MEET COCO
An ex starving artist and 13-year-bartender who finally decided to take a huge leap of faith, she opened her first business in 2020. Through a series of false-starts and what some would call failures, Coco learned how to finally get it right, and now coaches other business owners and hopeful entrepreneurs in the vast world of online business.
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