A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Your Online Business

Megan LaFrance’s journey into entrepreneurship started during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was home with her three young sons and facing a never-ending cycle of messes. She found that the towels she was using were ineffective at absorbing spills and cleaning sticky surfaces. On top of that, their boring, one-sided designs left much to be desired. These insights sparked the idea for Bloom Towels, a line of efficient microfiber dishcloths with vibrant patterns printed on both sides. Through research, hard work, and determination, Megan has grown her passion into a thriving business that supports her family and employs other moms of young children.

Here are the steps Megan recommends to start your own online business.

Step 1: Choose Your Product

To start, Megan had to think of a problem that needed to be solved. She first tried selling tiered trays and wall decals, but she wasn’t passionate about the products. Dish towels proved to be a perfect fit, as they are lightweight, easy to ship, always in demand, and they solve an everyday need.

Step 2: Research Suppliers and Order Samples

After brainstorming an idea, Megan had to source her supplies. She ordered towel samples from various suppliers and tested them at home to compare quality and functionality. She prefers to buy through Alibaba— a business-to-consumer (B2C) platform that keeps prices low by requiring a Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). The MOQ is usually higher for custom designs and lower for items they already have in stock.

Step 3: Design and Brand Your Product

Megan, along with her mom and sister, comprise the design team that shapes the aesthetic of Bloom Towels. They brainstorm pattern ideas based on seasonal themes and customer feedback, drawing inspiration from places like Pinterest and other image sites. Together, they develop cohesive design themes like bright pinks for Valentine’s Day or neutral tones for autumn, creating three to five trendy towel designs for each launch.

Step 4: Start Small and Test the Market

Megan recommends starting small when launching an online business. Instead of committing to a large inventory, focus on a limited selection of products. Test the market and assess customer interest without overextending your finances. Selling out of your products can benefit your business, as “out-of-stock” products create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among your customers. As demand for your product grows, you can gradually increase your orders. If the product you are trying to sell isn’t successful, you can pivot to something else. However, Megan cautions against switching products too often. “I’ve seen many businesses jump from one product to another, leading them deeper into debt without becoming successful,” she says. “Make sure to sell your initial batch of products before moving on to the next.”

Step 5: Build Your Online Presence

Megan uses Instagram and her website as her primary marketing channels. She has also expanded to Facebook and TikTok, but she advises focusing mainly on one platform to avoid spreading yourself too thin. She says, “Put up a lot of videos and pictures on whatever social media platform you’re using because when you reach out to influencers, that’s the first place they go. If you have no images or videos to show them, they won’t want to represent your brand because they can’t see what you’re selling.” She sends samples of her towels to a professional photographer who takes “flat lay” photos for the product catalog. Her sister oversees content on her social media sites, including stop-motion animation, lifestyle videos, and slow-motion clips of people using the towels.

Step 6: Use Influencer Marketing to Grow Your Audience

Influencer marketing played a significant role in growing Bloom Towels. Megan markets to influencers in the cleaning and home organization niches who resonate with her target audience. She uses an outreach strategy to get influencers to notice her messages by commenting on their posts before sending direct messages to ensure her message goes to their main inboxes. She explains, “I’ll leave a message that says, ‘Hey! We have these cute towels, and we’d love for you to try some. Let us know if you’d like more details.’” She then offers influencers affiliate marketing opportunities, allowing them to earn a commission from sales generated through their posts.

Step 7: Create a Reliable System for Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing systems help business owners facilitate partnerships with influencers who promote their products. Megan uses UpPromote to streamline her affiliate program and organize her sales data. The software tracks sales, assigns discount codes, and calculates commissions. She says, “When an influencer signs up to be an affiliate, the software will assign them a coupon code that gives their followers a 15% off discount. The system will track sales for us so when we pay our influencers, we know exactly how much we owe them.”

Megan likes to reach out to influencers a couple of weeks before her launch days to get them on board. Influencers will share sneak peeks of the product leading up to the big launch party when the towels become available, including their unique affiliate link.

Step 8: Engage with Your Customers

Megan listens to customer requests and suggestions to guide her designs. She uses her email list and social media to engage with customers, build customer loyalty, and decide on new products and themes.

Step 9: Invest in Coaching and a Support Network

Megan credits much of her success to using a business coach and following their process. She explains, “I used the program ‘0 to 100K’ from Alison Prince. She was also a mom who started a business selling online and then taught others how to do it too.”

As her business grew, Megan sought out different coaches who specialized in areas she wanted to improve, such as wholesaling to retail stores. Networking with other business owners also provided her with valuable advice and support that helped her when her business reached a plateau in sales. She shares, “When I started my business, it helped to have a group of other business owners I could talk to all the time who were on the same level as me because we could grow together.”

Step 10: Adapt and Evolve Your Strategy

Over time, Megan expanded her product line, tried out new opportunities, and fine-tuned her influencer marketing strategy. She also started selling her towels on Faire, a wholesale platform where retailers can buy products to sell in their stores. By earning a “Top Shop” ranking, Bloom Towels got a huge boost in visibility. Then a team of sales reps reached out, wanting to represent her products. Today, customers can find Bloom Towels in 180 brick-and-mortar stores.

Step 11: Celebrate Your Progress

Megan enjoys running a business that allows her to support her family financially, explore her creative side, and give other moms the opportunity to earn extra income. She says, “Starting out slow has been a gift. It took me five years to get to where I am now, and I’m growing steadily and doing well, which is exactly what I want. I don’t want it to be overwhelming for anyone. Don’t measure your success against others—just focus on yourself. If your business is growing even just a little bit each month, you’re doing great.”

Kami Pehrson

Kami Pehrson lives with her husband and five teenage children in Stansbury Park, Utah. She recently finished her master’s degree in English and creative writing and has written three novels—but is still trying to figure out what to do with them. She loves editing, reading, and playing word games on her phone. She also enjoys listening to audiobooks while half-heartedly doing Pilates in the living room.