Many entrepreneurs start out doing most of the work themselves, largely because their financial resources are typically limited. This often leads to anxiety while they build up the business. So stress management is a skill that can be invaluable.
But there are also practical skills that you can learn that will help you become a successful ecommerce entrepreneur.
Learn to communicate through writing
Entrepreneurial ecommerce presupposes you will develop a web site and then use the full spectrum of digital media (including social media like Facebook and Twitter) to market your products or services. All of these demand writing skills. At very least it is absolutely vital to ensure that your grammar and spelling are accurate.
A good ecommerce web site will have multiple pages ranging from one that explains what the business is about to all the policies you have in place. You will have an advantage if you can write these well.
Read about writing and consider taking some sort of course.
Learn new skills
An entrepreneur is a person who aims to make a profit by taking calculated risks. This includes doing a whole range of jobs most have never done before. This is why it is so important to learn new skills.
Using your web site as the starting point, you will benefit from learning how to write basic HTML code for the site and how to manipulate photographs in Adobe Photoshop to use on the site (products for example). Presuming you are indeed selling items, you’re going to have to learn about shopping carts and ecommerce platforms – including how to choose them and how to use them.
There are different ways that you can learn new skills; by reading, watching videos, interacting with other people who already have the skills you want to learn, by attending real-time or long distance courses, or from a combination of these. Decide how you learn best and get started.
Learn to listen
Listening is a skill that all ecommerce entrepreneurs can benefit from. To grow a new business you need to be aware of what your customers want, particularly when they are critical or unhappy. You need to learn to listen to those teaching you new skills. You also need to learn to listen to advice.
There are various ways to improve listening skills, starting with learning not to talk! Whether you are conversing with people in real life or communicating via email, Skype or via a social network, pay attention to what they are saying. Listen and think.
Often we misinterpret what other people say and think, so double check you understand. Restate the conversation and ask questions.
Learn to delegate
Even if you do launch your entrepreneurial business as a one-man or woman enterprise, there are people you can sub-contract to help you in certain important areas. Accounting is just one of them.
Even though writing and web design and development skills are invaluable for ecommerce entrepreneurs, these are also functions that you can delegate or sub-contract.
You may even involve a partner or outsider to help manage your business while you concentrate on getting the business up and running.
Learn to embrace the challenge
Starting an ecommerce business can be an exciting challenge, but the more skills you acquire and develop, the more successful you are likely to be. Embrace the challenge.
About the Author
This is a blog post by Neil Jones, Head of Online Marketing For eMobileScan. With 18 sites across Europe they are on track to become one of the largest suppliers of barcode scanner and industrial handheld computers like the newly released Motorola MC65. Specialising if offering companies the tools they need to increase productivity and lower costs.
Image: graur razvan ionut