Starting an online business may not seem like an easy thing to do. There are many important factors involved with creating your own business and you may be unsure of what you need to know or do to get started.  What is important?   We at iScripts have gathered our information for you and developed a list of key points and topics for your review.

Focus:
You will need to focus on what is important and not get wound up in the details to early.  What will your business cards look like?  What will the site look like?  Which logo idea is best? You may be surprised to hear – these questions are not important right now!  Some things are really not that necessary especially when first starting out.  Some wonder if they should register a business before launching a site.  This could be important to do at some point, but for right now, it is not the best thing to do.  Until your business is stable, registering would be a waste of time. What matters most is your business model.

Your Business Model:
Basically, “Business Model” is a more professional way to ask “How do you plan to make money?”   There are certain things that go along with answering this and each aspect play an important role.
•    Who is your target audience?
•    How are you selling? Are you selling directly to your customers? Are you selling wholesale to retailers? Selling through distributors? Selling through auctions?
•    What value does your product or service provide? Does it solve a problem?
•    How will you keep customers?
•    How are you different from competitors?
•    What are your startup costs?
•    What is your profit margin?
•    How long will it take for you to turn a profit? (This one may be unknown to you, and that is okay, but it is still an important factor to consider)

(Read on to discover how iScripts helps you tackle these.)

Take Action:
Take the time to research and build your knowledge.  Books, ebooks, blogs, articles, videos, seminars and asking for help are all at your fingertips.  Besides your business model, another important subject of focus is marketing.  Are your going to utilize inbound or outbound marketing? A combination of both? (Hint: Inbound is more promising right now!)  Learn some marketing principles and skills and keep in mind that the nifty guru language of what you are exposed to is not nearly important as the concept behind it.  Be sure you understand the concepts as they are the most critical points.

Don’t be shy about asking for help!  Business owners are all different, but for all you introverts, this one may be a toughie.  Research is different than asking an individual one-on-one for help, but this step should not be overlooked.  We all have a fear of rejection as times, but dealing with it is part of your job now as an entrepreneur!  This part is not easy but keep this in mind:  if it was easy, all your neighbors would have their own business.  Just as with any job, this one has qualifications.  The tricky part is realizing when YOU are keeping yourself back from being hired.

There are ways to be part of a community also. Whether it be online or in person, sometimes it helps to join a community of like-minded individuals to exchange information and offer advice.  After all, your close friends and family may offer enormous emotional support, but may not have the slightest clue about running a business!

This is a learning experience and a great opportunity.  We at iScripts realize the importance of all these factors and that is why we offer affordable scripts with built-in business models.  This takes away some of the guesswork and also keep your startup costs low.  If you would like to expand on your business as it begins to grow, our scripts are also open source for this reason.  Developers, designers and programmers can edit your script at anytime now or in the future.  If you do not have your own contacts, iScripts also offers this service at a very affordable cost.  We take pride in being your resource and stepping stone, allowing you to make it all happen as efficiently and realistically as possible.  If you would like to  discuss your idea, business model, or have questions on how we can help you make it happen, we are only a call or email away.
sales@iscripts.com
1-(800)-569-5538

The original iScripts eSwap has undergone a makeover! We have altered the design and organizational aspects  of our popular software in order to give you and your users a more anesthetically pleasing experience along with some exciting new features!

See the DEMO.

With this enhanced version, we have made the following changes:

• FAQ integration added! – Offer your users a helpful FAQ area with preloaded and editable commonly used FAQ’s.
• Feedback feature added! – Strengthen trust in your site and your sellers by allowing users to leave feedback after transactions.
• Item Listing and Category improvement – Add more images, provide better front-end listings and glossy pop-up selections.
• New Admin Panel -  Be presented with statistical graphs and helpful information from the moment you sign in.
• Polished and attractive sliding home page Sign In – Utilize the space of your site stylishly and efficiently.
• Repositioned Search Bar -  Increase visibility and accessibility of the search option.

iScripts eSwap gives you the ability to own an online business where your users can buy, sell and/or swap goods and services.  If you need more information about these sites and business models, read on to see why bartering and swapping sites are a smart choice.

Contact us and try the live demo to start your own successful bartering website!

Generation Z has grown up in a world that is all about connecting through technology.  Websites today need to be in tune with social media practices and fill the needs of these users.  With help from iScripts programmers and PrintLogic software, an innovative site geared towards Generation Z-ers has been created.

SignMyShirt allows users to coordinate with friends, classmates, co-workers and team members to create personalized shirts. This site offers a convenient way for users, companies and businesses to deliver quality and custom shirts used for sports teams, graduations, birthdays and any other important event or milestone.

To make things easy, predetermined logos are selected by schools, companies or businesses and offered to users within design. If there is no need for a logo, images and text may be added.  After design is complete, the  shirts – along with all original artwork – are passed to friends via  Facebook, Google Plus, LinkedIn or personal email to collect digital signatures. These shirts may be kept as keepsakes, similarly to yearbooks.

Have ideas of your own? Go to our customizations page to receive a personalized quote and view some of our previous work!

iScripts Startup Challenge: Your Idea Brought to Life – Worth up to $10,000!

Do you have a unique and creative website idea? Enter it in the iScripts Startup Challenge to receive your complete internet startup brought to life!

iScripts is awarding the winner the opportunity to create, operate and own a website based off his or her winning idea submission. On top of that, the winner will receive free hosting for 2 years and online marketing perks to get the site seen, heard and noticed throughout the web.

The winner of the complete internet startup package will receive:

• Up to 250 hours of FREE programming, graphic design and development until project completion.
• The iScripts Premium SEO Service Package: Website Keyword Analysis, Competitor Keyword Indentification, 500 Directory Submissions, 200 Social Bookmarking Submissions, 10 Articles, XML Sitemap Creation, Site Verification, Google Analytics Added to Site, Submission of Keyword Targeted Articles, Meta Tag Analysis and a Complete SEO Report
• 2 Years of Free Hosting
• A Set of 10 Advertising Banners
• $500 Google Credits
• A Professional Facebook Fan Page

If your idea does not qualify for the grand prize, there is also a chance to win 2^nd and 3^rd place prizes!

2^nd place winners will receive $500 towards iScripts software (10 winners)

3^rd place winners will receive a unique iScripts t-shirt (25 winners)

How to Enter

1. Enter your submission HERE by April 20th.

How to Win

Public voting will take place from April 20th to May 18th and will be narrowed down to five finalists.

Of the five finalists, one will be selected by the iScripts team.  This selection will be based on creativity and business potential.

The grand prize winner will be notified on May 23rd.

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom ages 21+

An increase in the frequency of number of international tourists has shown an exponential growth in the travel related economic markets of US and Canada. As new business ventures along with international corporate and leisure travel increases, so will opportunity within the hospitality industry. With this knowledge, we have made some significant improvements to iScripts ReserveLogic.

Page designs are now entirely coded in CSS and give a fresh look and feel.  We are also introducing 2 tabs – Spotlight Destinations and Spotlight Packages with detailed displays of all destinations.  Pop up buttons are also provided for “Book Now” “Login” and “Register Now.”  To experience the enhanced iScripts ReserveLogic for yourself, try the new demo!

iScripts ReserveLogic allows you to create an online reservation system and simplifies the task of online booking.  The software can be used for hotel and motel reservations, time-share booking, vacation rentals, resort reservations, camp grounds, bed and breakfasts and much more.

MyBeedz is a revolutionary social networking site where users get paid to socialize. No businesses or advertisers are allowed on the site and profiles are 100% private.  Users may join for free, or take advantage of the referral program. The referral program is centered around a points system called “Beedz.”  These beedz can be traded for goods and services or exchanged for cash. Members can subscribe to a $10 monthly account and receive $5 every month for each person they refer to the network. We created this site using iScripts Socialware. If you are interested in creating your own social network, visit our customizations page and receive more information!

We’re human. There’s a limit to the amount of work we can accomplish in a given period of time. By frantically filling tasks into every minute of the day, working longer hours,  and not taking breaks, we’re actually hindering our productivity. There are many aspects effecting how much gets done during the day.  We have gathered online tools, apps and some personal tips to help you reap the benefits of productivity within your business and daily life.

Hipcal is an online calendar and to-do List. Be reminded of important events via alerts sent directly to your cell phone or email. Join or create a group for projects and link up with colleagues so you always have each other’s contact information.

inDinero can help you keep on top of your budget. For anyone who is familiar with Mint.com, inDinero is similar but geared specifically toward businesses. You can link your business accounts within the site and inDinero will categorize your expenses. A dashboard will then be produced to help you see where you are spending your money and even suggest ways you can be more profitable.

RescueTime is a tool that allows you to easily understand and optimize how you and your team spends their time and attention. One of the most important things about RescueTime is that there is no data entry. You install a small application on the computers at your company and we magically track what software and which web sites are actively being used. Rescue Time claims to recover 3 hours and 54 minutes a week per person.

Remember the Milk allows you to make your to-do list anywhere with this feature-packed app; never forget the milk (or anything else) again. Remember The Milk (RTM) for Android connects with the popular online service of the same name. With millions of users worldwide, Remember the Milk is everywhere you are: from your phone, to the web, to your Google apps, and more.

CamScanner is a free android app that turns your phone into a scanner. With CamScanner, you are able to digitize paper documents by photo shooting. Take a picture of any paper and create an industry standard PDF file. And you can easily upload documents to cloud like Dropbox, Google Doc, Box.net, and manage them by tagging or searching.

Evernote is a brainstorming, idea clipping, bookmark storing powerhouse. Evernote syncs beautifully across all devices and allows you to outline your life without having to commit anything to memory.

Dragon Dictation is an iPhone app allows you to speak a memo and have it converted to text. The app then allows you to e-mail the text or manage it in various other ways.

Pixelmator can be your replacement to Photoshop. At $29, this tool comes with most of the basics included in Photoshop and is also much easier to use.

Addressing Personal Habits:

• Make it a point to take breaks! Working without taking breaks is actually very counter-productive. Everyone has a set amount of time in which they can be productive and get work done. If you feel bored or cannot concentrate fully on your task, it is probably time for a break. It is important to change pace completely – walk away, read a book on a different topic, have a quick conversation. Rather than diminishing productivity, these short breaks will allow you to maintain focus and quality on your task when you return.
• Create and follow flexible to-do lists. You don’t have to be a stickler, but keeping tabs of goals within your own set timelines is important.
• Don’t excessively wander online. If you have a problem with distraction, try something like Google Chrome’s website blocker, which allows you to set restrictions to your online time by either totally blocking your favorite websites or just restricting the timeframes within which you are allowed to check them. In addition to surfing the Internet, it’s important to watch your email habits.

We are proud to announce another innovative site brought to life! Classroom2Classroom was designed to create an open marketplace allowing teachers to maintain classroom libraries by buying and selling books online. Teachers may create a site login for buying and selling access and create a wishlist. Once in the main site, users may search by grade level and reading level to ensure appropriate products are selected for classroom libraries. Searches can even be narrowed down by themes, language and reading ability.  This breakthrough site helps teachers and educators maintain classroom and student libraries efficiently and easily.

There are many reasons to participate and even own a bartering site. Swapping is a smart way to attain products and services when times are tough. Due to the number of people choosing to “go green” and the hurting economy, people are wising up to the benefits of swapping products, services and even real estate. Businesses are also embracing swapping as an alternative way of conducting business and saving money. Bartering may be used to cut costs or to reduce personal expenses. If there is a surplus of inventory, businesses sometimes trade them for other goods and services. With this type of trade, businesses reserve cash to use for other important things such as debt. The most important aspect of bartering is to trade something (an idea, product or service) you have for something you want or need. This is what makes it such a versatile business model.
The Wall Street Journal has described barter as a “powerful cash-saving tool”. Barter News goes further by stating: “We’re moving into the golden age of barter,” and adding that 600,000 companies in the US alone actively traded both locally and across borders.

Any good or service that is desired by another person can be bartered. From housecleaning and haircuts, to recliners and digital music players, bartering is limited only by your imagination. In 2010, 17-year-old Steven Ortiz made national headlines by bartering a cell phone to start a series of trades that ultimately put him in the driver’s seat of a Porsche. Even healthcare isn’t out of reach: In 2011, Matthew Wagner of Connecticut was able to exchange his photography services for Lasik eye surgery through a barter exchange.The most popular items that can be bartered are personal care services (like haircuts), technology, clothing, toys, gifts and crafts. Another great option is offering trading points or credits. The credits can be used in place of good or services and used later.

A software that makes all of this possible at a reasonable price is iScripts eSwap. Your swapping site may be free or paid depending upon the type of setting you choose. The software allows users to buy, sell and swap goods and services. These can be physical and/or digital products. iScripts eSwap also supports a individualized user wishlists, negotiation capabilities and an editable user guide and Help section. You may also charge your users listing fees, “featured” listing fees, optional escrow fees or monthly subscription. Contact us and try the live demo to start your own successful bartering website!

You may have heard the sayings before: All you need is one big idea.  Ideas can be more powerful than guns.  Ideas can change the world.

Naturally, you may feel the same applies to your business idea.  It may be a genius idea that solves a problem or something that has never been done before.  Maybe there is a key aspect that makes your idea different from the rest.  It can be a very exciting feeling.

What should you do with that idea?  You may have been told or assume you require what is called a non-disclosure agreement, which sounds pretty powerful, professional and glamorous in itself.

A non-disclosure agreement is a legal contract that protects the confidentiality of ideas, knowledge and information between two parties.  This sounds and seems pretty necessary.

The ironic downside is, requesting one is an obvious sign of inexperience and may even encourage business relations to fizzle fast.  Why is this?

Professionals know the weight of a non-disclosure agreement and frankly, it is no more than the paper that is signed.  For one, it is nearly impossible to prove who has leaked your idea.  Even so, you will have to spend time and money fighting a legal battle for years – time and money that could be devoted to your idea in the first place.

So knowing this, why wouldn’t they be signed anyway just to make you happy and feel secure?  They probably could, but let’s put it this way:If you were going on a first date, would you ask them to sign a prenuptial?  On top of declaring the elephant in the room (trust issues), your date would probably run away!

If anyone were to sign an agreement, they would then be legally bound to your idea – and any others they may hear like it in the present or future.  If ideas or even approaches ever overlap, you are a risk. Why should a company take this risk?  You may have a great idea, but they do not know how it will be implemented yet.  They do not have anything concrete to validate the reason for their own risk.  The most important aspect of an idea is not the actual idea, but how it can or will be executed.  You will not be able to prove or show this before discussing your idea.

The benefits of discussing your idea far outweigh the possible negatives.  The goal is for people to be excited.  By discussing your idea, you can see reactions to it. You may gain valuable feedback, opinions and facts you did not have knowledge of previously.  In turn, this will also allow you to build future business relationships and even a team.  These are precious valuables for the future any business.

If you are just getting started, you cannot afford to keep secrets.  Keep in mind your focus should not be threats.  You need to have a successful business first in order to have anything worth protecting.  Concentrate on business plans and relationship building; those are the next steps to focus on after you think the idea you have is something to put effort into.