Ecommerce Pulse

In this episode, I answer questions sent in by my fantastic listeners and readers. I asked you what the main thing was that's holding you back from starting your own online store, and you sent me some great questions. Here's a rundown of this episode: 0:53 - New podcasting schedule: new episodes will be published every Saturday morning  1:50 - Quick Tip: LastPass.com 3:10 - Question 1: Alfonso asked about how to know what to sell. He has experience with building and managing ecommerce sites for clients, but he asked for some help in deciding on what to sell himself. I discuss the 2 main challenges you face when trying to choose a niche, and how to approach those challenges. 12:30 - Question 2: Tom asked about how to set up an online store targeting customers in the US, while he is from Belgium. We discuss the issues involved, including how to accept payments, whether or not he needs a US bank account and LLC, and whether or not it's a good idea to just sell your products on Amazon. 17:38 - Question 3: John asked about how to make his website look professional without hiring a designer. He's using a Shopify theme, but is having a hard time making it look like the theme demo. I discuss 3 tips for bootstrappers to help make your site look more professional. 23:33 - Question 4: Barb asked about how to make her marketing emails more interesting for her subscribers. We discuss 3 strategies for effective email marketing. Links referenced during the show: How I chose the niche for my new online store LastPass.com Sites to use for brainstorming niche ideas: BarnesandNoble.com Amazon.com Craigslist.com eBay.com SBA.gov's page on setting up a US business as a foreign national Shopify Theme Store Practical eCommerce: How to Take Gorgeous Product Photos Quote of the week: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison Subscribe to Ecommerce Pulse in iTunes!

I am absolutely thrilled to share this episode with you, as I've had the chance to interview one of my entrepreneurial role models, Andrew Youderian of eCommerceFuel.com. We talk about a number of topics that are relevant to beginner ecommerce entrepreneurs, as well as some points that I think you'll appreciate even if you're more experienced in ecommerce. One great tip you'll find at about 13:20 in the episode is a great tip Andrew shares for how to set goals for yourself as an entrepreneur, so be sure to check that out. Here are the links referenced during the episode: eCommerceFuel.com (Andrew Youderian's blog) OnlineJobs.ph (John Jonas's recommended site for finding virtual assistants in the Philippines). You can also read John's blog here. Subscribe in iTunes! Subscribe in Stitcher!

Subscribe in iTunes! Subscribe in Stitcher! In this episode, we discuss the top 3 reasons that most ecommerce stores fail within 1 year of launching. In my experience working closely with a wide variety of ecommerce startups, I've seen a few specific things trip them up over and over. To find out what they are and how to avoid them, give this episode a listen!

Subscribe in iTunes! Subscribe in Stitcher! In this episode of the Ecommerce Pulse podcast, we talk about what it means to add value, why this concept is so important, and some practical ways to implement it to grow your online store. Here is a rundown of the episode: 1:00 - Quick Tip: Asana.com (Project Management) 3:25 - Featured Segment Intro: The importance of adding value to the products you sell online 12:00 - 3 ways to compete in ecommerce--you need one of these 3 ways to succeed (and I'll share which way I think is the best) 15:00 - The first way to add value to your products (Note: Some concepts in this segment are inspired by topics discussed in Andrew Youderian's eBook Profitable eCommerce. Grab a free copy of this ebook at eCommerceFuel.com) 33:40 - The second way to add value to your products 39:35 - Today's motivational quote: "Try not to be a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." - Albert Einstein    

After many hours of recording, editing, figuring out hosting and feeds, and a lot of other things, I'm so excited to announce the first episode of the Ecommerce Pulse podcast! In this first episode of Ecommerce Pulse, I introduce myself, give today's Quick Tip, and then talk about 6 essentials to figure out when planning your online store. We close with a motivational quote from Paul Rand. Links referenced during the show: PicnicCards.com - My first ecommerce website (that never really took off) Stripe.com - An easy way to accept credit card payments for your online store Shopify - My top recommended ecommerce platform (affiliate link)