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Starting An Online Business In 2021
Are you postponing starting a new online business until you have enough money to invest in paid advertising, transformative software tools and business training programs? What if I tell you that you can start an online business right now for less than $100? Because this is exactly what I and most people I know did, and so can you.
The number of low-cost or free online resources and tools available to build an online business today is astounding. Literally, all you have to do is start using them to monetize your online business idea. This makes me think we live in the best time in history, at least in terms of creating your dream business.
So, if you’re interested in this topic, then continue reading this post to discover 10 low-cost or free online tools, apps, and software to start a profitable online business with little or no money.
Elementor
Let’s start with the most obvious one: an online business needs a website. And if you want to attract as many customers as possible you need a unique, well-designed and professional-looking website. Because, whether we like it or not, most customers will not even consider a business with a poorly designed website.
At this point, you’re probably thinking that building an awesome website requires a huge budget. Nothing could be further from the truth! You can create any website you can imagine for FREE using Elementor! Furthermore, the Elementor Website builder allows you to build a website without knowledge of code! Oh my gosh, what an amazing era we live in!
Benefits Of Elementor
- Elementor is the best FREE WordPress Website Builder, with over 5 million active installs.
- Elementor allows you to build a professional and unique website without website development knowledge or advanced technical skills.
- Elementor offers its customers the highest quality support (I’m telling you this from my personal experience!)
- Elementor offers you hundreds of professional templates and blocks
- Theme Builder lets you customize EVERY part of your theme
- Elementor is mobile responsive
- Elementor makes editing content extremely easy and quite fun
- With the free version of Elementor, you can design a breathtaking website.
- Elementor offers a FREE plan and PRO plan (more about pricing here)
- The company doesn’t offer a demo version of Elementor Pro for trial BUT they have a refund policy which lets you cancel your purchase and get a refund during the first 30 days.
Web Hosting
Once you’ve built your business website you need a web hosting service provider to store your website’s files. Web hosting is basically the space that you buy on a webserver to store your website files. When you buy website hosting you basically rent server space on a server where your web files will be placed.
The most popular web hosting services in 2021 are:
- SideGround (Best for WooCommerce hosting!)
- Bluehost
- GoDaddy
- Dreamhost
- Hostinger
- Nexcess
- HostGator
- WP Engine
- InMotion
Sideground hosting pricing
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MailerLite or MailChip?
Email marketing is STILL a king of customer engagement. So if you want to create a unique relationship with your customers, create highly engaging experiences for the readers and boost your sales you will need to an email marketing software provider.
There are many email marketing services for business offering you different features and capabilities you might want to check out:
- MailerLite
- Mailchimp
- ConvertKit
- AWeber
- Constant Contact
- SendInBlue
- Drip
- GetResponse
In my personal opinion, MailerLite and Mailchimp are the best options for beginners. Both offer free plans, landing pages, unique email design and fantastic customer support in many languages. I personally use, MailerLite because it’s more generous on features, extremely easy to use, has much easier subscriber management and it’s FREE for up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails a month! But probably one of the best features I should mention here is their excellent customer support.
Canva
canva
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With Canva you can create any type of visual asset you can imagine without photo editing knowledge or experience. And then, once you create your designs, you can simply share them on your social media platforms or upload them to your business website. For those who want to order high-quality prints delivered straight to your door for free, this Australian graphic design company offers that too! Seriously, is there any reason not to start using Canva?
This graphic design platform offers a paid subscription (Canva Pro and Canva for Enterprise) for additional features and functionality. However, with that amount of templates that Canva offers for FREE I really don’t think you will need a paid subscription, certainly not at the beginning of your journey.
Productivity Boost FREE Worksheets
PayPal Business
paypal
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Most of us already use Paypal for buying on Amazon or eBay but did you know that you can use PayPal for business transactions? Yes, you can! Honestly, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t. It’s a perfect solution, especially at the beginning when you’re only starting out.
At PayPal For Business, the flat-rate pricing structure is a base rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. So as you can see, it’s quite a reasonable pricing policy. But, as always, the choice is yours!
This workbook includes 53 PDF printables that:
INCLUDE:
- Tips for Working from Home Effectively
- Tips To Stay Organized & Motivated
- Work from Home Motto
- Tools for designing your own schedule, rock your to-do list and create an ideal daily routine
- Time Management Tips (The Eisenhower Box, The Pareto Principle worksheets included)
- Yearly, Monthly & Weekly Goal Setting (+ Goal Progress Index)
- Yearly, Monthly, Weekly Planner
- Daily Plan & Schedule
- Monthly & Weekly Organizer
- Time blocking method schedule
- Daily Routines for Successful Entrepreneurs
- Work Task Checklists
- Powerful Work-Breaks Planner & Checklist
- Yearly, Monthly, Weekly Project Planner
- Creative Worksheets
- Password Keeper
- Healthy Meal Planner
- Flow State & Mindful Motivation Checklist
- Professional Skills Development Tracker
- Healthy Habit Trackers
PERFECT FOR:
- Entrepreneurs
- Small Business Owners
- People currently working from home due to Coronavirus
- Work from home Moms & Dads
- Direct Sales & Network Marketing
- Online Shops
- & more!
Social Media
Social Media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube or Reddit, Quora are amazing tools for getting more visibility for your business, promoting your products or services and attracting potential customers. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.
However, one thing to remember while using social media platforms to promote your business is that you need to be consistent. People need to know what your brain is about, what problems you solve, what are the benefits of working with you and what kind of transformation your product or service provides for them.
Consistency is the key to success in pretty much everything that we try to achieve. And building a brand is no different from that. creating a consistent brand across multiple social media platforms will help you to grow in audience engagement and attract your ideal customers! And if you need some branding ideas you can find thousands of free templates, worksheets, visuals, color pallets on Pinterest!
Grammarly
grammarly
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Spelling or grammar mistakes in your professional emails, textbooks, newsletters, website, or customer response make you look unprofessional. Thus, they should be avoided. Fortunately, we have Grammarly - a FREE digital writing assistance tool based on artificial intelligence that keeps you look polished even when you’re writing a quick customer response from your phone.
Grammarly checks everything you write and corrects all written errors before you broadcast them to the world. Of course, the company provides a premium version that offers additional advanced suggestions, more sophisticated word choice, or even plagiarism detection. But, again, a FREE version is where you should start!
Freelance & Entrepreneurship Online Courses
2 weeks may not be enough time to build a profitable business but it’s definitely enough time to take your business knowledge to the next level, gain clarity on your vision and set smart professional goals. And what better way to do that than watching high-quality content created by those who have already achieved the results you want? With this approach, you can not only save time and money but also avoid making common mistakes.
There are many e-learning platforms that give you instant access to thousands of online courses, projects, and tools to develop professional skills but not all of them offer you free trials so you can test the service and see if it’s right for you without paying for a subscription. Skillshare gives you that opinion. Because you can try Skillshare Premium for FREE for 14 days, take classes on
- Freelance & Entrepreneurship
- Marketing
- Graphic Design, Logos & Branding
- Web Development
- Productivity
- Photography
- Fine Art
without spending a cent. And when the free trial ends, you can choose whether you want to extend your membership or not. You can learn more here
The Grow Your Business Bundle
Life’s too short to spend 40 hours a week at a job you hate (or wishing you could be earning extra money from home)! Why not learn how to start your own business and make money online — on your schedule and your terms!
That’s exactly what the Grow Your Business Bundle is all about: 20 eCourse, templates, and more to help you grow your own business.
You can read my full review of this Bundle here.
I will only add that the Grow Your Business Bundle consists of 20 products divided into several more specific topics:
Just $147 for 5 days only. Get it HERE before it’s gone!
- Marketing and Branding
- Business Growth & Operations
- Traffic & Lead Generation
- Profit Margins & Revenue
- Product Development
- Perfecting Your Offer
- Leadership & Personal Growth
- Customer/Client Acquisition & Retention
- Finance & Tax Strategies
- Content Creation
- Public Speaking
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3 Hacks for Better Marketing Engagement
3 Hacks for Better Marketing Engagement with Mike Michalowicz
Grow your business by learning the 3 Hacks for Better Marketing Engagement.
At this free webinar, you’ll learn:
- Why do you have a moral responsibility to out-market your competitors
- The big reason why most marketing fails
- How to use the D.A.D. method to fix these mistakes
- Keys to increasing sales through more effective marketing
There is only one time to catch this class on Thursday, November 4th at 3 pm ET, so make sure to not miss it!
1 Live Session:
Thursday, November 4th at 3 PM EST
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How to Create Digital Products that Stand Out + Sell with Mim Jenkinson
At this free webinar, you’ll learn:
- The fastest and easiest way to create products people WANT to buy
- Tips for courses, memberships, printables, eBooks, apps, and more
- 3 mistakes digital product creators keep making
- How YOU can avoid common pitfalls to move forward efficiently
There are two times to attend! One on Thursday, November 4th at 7 pm Eastern and one on Friday, November 5th at 7 pm Eastern.
2 Live Sessions:
Thursday, November 4th at 7 PM EST
Friday, November 5th at 7 PM EST
5 Bonuses In Grow Your Business Bundle
3 months of access to Supporti worth $47.97
Supporti pairs goal-oriented people together as mutual accountability partners through a mobile app. Supporti is more than a matching service (although it does find you incredible buddies!)—it’s an entire accountability system designed to motivate you to stick to daily behaviors through the power of one-on-one peer support. If you struggle to follow through on your own goals or can’t seem to work on them consistently, experience the game-changing difference of an accountability partner with Supporti!
2. The Entrepreneurial Spirit From Within from Georgia Foster Pty Ltd worth $49
Georgia Foster’s self-help on-line programs offer an important range of emotional wellbeing strategies. From alcohol reduction to emotional overeating, anybody who would like to shift unhelpful patterns of behaviour will find the resources amazing. Georgia believes self-esteem is something we learn - we are not born with it. Whether there is anxiety, or sleep issues, the mind can create new healthy habits without having to delve deeply into the past but rather learn neuroplasticity methods that can transform unhelpful thinking in a natural habitual healthy state.
3. Get Different by Mike Michalowicz worth $23.40
Mike is a small business author and keynote speaker. His mission? Eradicate entrepreneurial poverty.
US customers only
4. Courage Magazine by Emperors Media worth $19.99
Emperors Media is a Brand and Design Consultancy. They utilise nearly 20 years of experience and expertise in advertising and branding design for corporate and medium-size businesses. Emperors Media creates artwork for printed and digital media ensuring business owners have more time to focus on reaching their marketing goals to grow their business and increase engagement. Emperors Media is a publisher of a digital magazine called COURAGE Magazine Global which supports women entrepreneurs in recognising authority within themselves and provides visibility to those who are making a positive change in the world.
5. $30 off an annual Pro, Advanced, or Max plan for new Tailwind users from Tailwind worth $30
Tailwind is the tool that feels like a marketing team.
Tailwind automates the most difficult parts of your social media marketing so you can grow smarter and faster! Push your small business marketing to the next level with content creation and scheduling for Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.
Make 2021 Your Best Year Ever
- How To Upgrade Your Life For Maximum Results & Happiness
- How To Figure Out What You Want In Life: 12 Simple Exercises
- Discover 10 simple ways to train your self-discipline muscle
- Use best time management apps to keep you on schedule at work
- Organize your day around your goals
- Use the Eisenhower Box to identify your top priorities and avoid the urgency trap
- Create and maintain a powerful morning routine
- Develop morning rituals to make your motivation flow effortlessly
- Create motivation through action
- Start before you are ready
- Improve your decision-making process
- Overcome your self-limiting beliefs that block your progress
- Balance productivity and happiness
- Cultivate self-care routine
- The 3 x 8 rule for Perfectly Balanced Day & Life
- Create rituals to induce a flow state
Stay positive
be mindful
and start your business for less than $100!!
xo Kate
