Mohit Tater's Blog, page 654

How to Market Yourself Online as a Freelance Writer

For success in any service-oriented field, optimal marketing is not just merely important but absolutely essential. Freelancing is no different. You may have a flair for research and writing, but in order to succeed as professional freelance writer and be able to quote higher prices for your services, you need to build your brand and show your clientele that you are worth it. Effective online marketing should do the trick. Here’s how you can better market yourself online as a freelance writer.

Start Blogging:

Granted that it’s a lot of hard work, but starting your own blog can be an amazingly effective inbound marketing strategy. A well written, resourceful, and regularly updated blog can help build your brand as a writer like nothing else can. Platforms like Blogger or WordPress allow you to set up a user-friendly blog for free. Alternatively, you can host your own blog.

Participate in Online Forums:

Figure out what forums your potential clients may be using for online interaction and make a genuine effort to participate to those communities. Answering questions on Yahoo Answers and/or Quora might be one simple way for displaying your expertise online – and may bring in new clients. However, you do need to make sure your engagement is relevant and useful rather than annoying and spam-like.

Get Social Networking:

Social Media has today emerged as a key marketing tool for businesses and services alike. Everybody has a Facebook or a Twitter. But being merely present on the social media scene will do your career as a freelance writer no good. You need to be post consistently, share useful content, and actively engage in network building. Being on top of your game in all your social media accounts might sometimes prove to be a cumbersome job. This post may help you get there.

Guest Blog:

After the Matt Cutts fiasco, guest blogging may seem like a risky tactic to employ. But it is worth keeping in mind that Google only penalizes guest posts of poor quality and those using black-hat SEO. As a means of spreading awareness and gaining exposure, guest blogging remains not only functional but also effective. Be particular about choosing your host blogs carefully and posting content of the highest quality. This will help build your brand as a blogger – which may well translate into great business leads.

Learn the ropes of SEO:

If you have a blog or a website promoting your services as a freelance writer, you may want to optimize your web page for search engines – thereby enabling potential clients to find you easily. There are multiple SEO plugins available for the purpose. If you are new to the field of SEO, for help with the basics in language that’s free of technical jargon.

Brag about your Achievements:

Say, you have been featured on a well-known web site, or created the landing page for some highly-converting site – be sure to advertise the same on your blog. This constitutes ‘social proof’ of your merit as a freelance writer. Also, be sure to request testimonials from your customers. Reviews and testimonials have always been an integral part of marketing. Having real examples of satisfied customers gives your marketing campaign an added and unparalleled value.

As a freelance writer, you need to constantly market yourself for better pay and greater successes. Thankfully, the above  mentioned marketing techniques allow you to do so for free. Alternatively, you can also pay for targeted advertising via Google Adsense or Facebook – they really aren’t that expensive. If you already have a few happy clients, you could set up referral discounts for them – and thereby turn them into your marketers. Explore the different marketing techniques in combinations or lumped together before zeroing in on your favourites.

The post How to Market Yourself Online as a Freelance Writer appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

How to Get More From the Disposable Income You Earn From Your Business

When you start to gain some success as an entrepreneur it can be a fantastic feeling, having a good income at your disposal from something you built up yourself and poured your blood, sweat and tears into. Of course, having your own business can also mean you have to be quite careful with the money that you do pay yourself, as it can be harder to predict how your income will look in the future than it can when you are in relatively stable employment. This means that as well as funding the lifestyle you’ve been working so hard for, you also probably want a good strategy for using some of your disposable income as investment money, or even to use to try and gain further profits. One of the best ways to use some of your capital is to get involved in trading of one kind or another on the financial markets.

Investing in the Markets

You have a lot of options when it comes to the markets, and deciding which suits your lifestyle and the level of involvement you are interested in having is key. If you simply want to invest money in long positions with a view to making money and potentially earning dividends, then investing in stocks and shares can be a good choice. You can research and decide on which stocks you want to purchase on your own, or talk to someone like a wealth management consultant.

The aim here is to look for businesses that are likely to gain value over time. This means investing on long positions is less time consuming and hands on than being an active trader, and well suited to people who want to put their capital somewhere where it has the potential to increase in value, while of course, being able to unlock it at any time by selling the shares (something you can’t do with other long term investments like property).

Becoming an Active Trader

If you want to use your investment capital in a way that allows you to be more involved in the markets, then taking shorter term positions on stocks or engaging in forex trading can be a more suitable option. This allows you to trade in sessions, and to come up with strategies based on events and analysis. The goal is to make money by trying to open and close trades at the right times to benefit from price fluctuations during your session. This can not only be a good way to get more for your money, but is also an interesting and engaging activity, and you may also find it helps boost your business skills and market knowledge.

CFD Day Trading

A third option is to trade contracts for difference (CFDs). This is a popular option that is available from some great online trading platforms and can also be done using mobile apps. Here, you are still looking at making money out of short term positions if you day trade, but rather than buying and selling shares, currencies or commodities you instead profit when markets move in the directions you predict. This means you can gain even when the assets you are concerned with actually lose value. You have the freedom here to work with all kinds of different markets rather than focusing purely on forex, a stock exchange or commodities, and it can be a fascinating and exhilarating way to get involved with financial trading.

Whichever style of investment or trading best suits your preferences, it can be a highly beneficial way to use some of your disposable income to try and generate even more money, as well as giving you a new interest, knowledge and skills. However it must also be done with the knowledge that there is some risk attached, and capital is not fully safe.

The post How to Get More From the Disposable Income You Earn From Your Business appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The 5 Most Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a QSA

As a merchant that accepts credit card payments, you are undoubtedly aware of the need to certify your compliance with PCI regulations each year. If you process more than 6 million transactions with any one card issuer, that compliance assessment must be led by a QSA, or Qualified Security Assessor, an independent third party.

The QSA-led assessment process is often time consuming (and in some cases, stressful) but much of the stress can be alleviated by working with the right QSA. All too often, companies hire a QSA firm that offers the fastest and/or the least expensive survey, and the result is a subpar experience. While costs are always a concern, when it comes to determining your compliance, there is more to consider than just how much the process will cost. The following are five important questions that you simply can’t afford to overlook when choosing a QSA

1. What Are Your Qualifications?

All QSA’s must have at least some background in IT or IT security, and must pass a challenging exam to be certified as a QSA. However, that doesn’t mean that all QSAs are created equal. It’s best to hire a QSA who has a background and experience, or at least in-depth knowledge, of your industry and the challenges it faces. For example, healthcare companies are different from retail companies which are different from financial services, and a compliance assessment must take those factors into account. In addition, the assessors can leverage their experience to expedite the assessment process, and apply more relevant guidance to your business.

In addition, it’s usually wise to choose a firm that has experience in both information security consulting and implementation. These companies can provide a more in-depth assessment that goes beyond a checklist, while also guiding your company on how to correct problem areas and become more secure overall.

2. Has Your Company Ever Been in Remediation?

If a QSA company does not comply with PCI DSS reporting procedures, then it is likely to go into remediation, and must complete steps to correct the identified deficiencies. When evaluating potential contractors for your compliance audit, ask candidates if they have ever been in remediation, and if so why and how the issues were corrected. You can also find out information about remediation on the PCI Security Standards Council website. However, the website only lists companies that are currently in remediation, and not those that have successfully completed a remediation. Keep in mind that just because a company has been cited by the PCI Security Council doesn’t mean that they aren’t completely capable or right for your company. Violations can occur for any number of reasons, and companies generally go to great lengths to correct the issues.

3. Have Companies Ever Improved Their Security as a Result of Your Assessment?

A QSA Assessment is not only about satisfying the PCI Security Council and getting a task off your to-do list. When done well, it will provide insight into the overall security of your company, and areas in which you can improve. When reviewing prospective firms, ask questions about their previous experience, and request examples of companies that have improved their security posture as a direct result of your assessment and recommendations. PCI DSS is only a baseline for security measures – you want to work with a company that can help you exceed those requirements.

4. Who Will Conduct the Work?

All too often, the QSAs that companies meet with during the data gathering and analysis phase of the assessment are not the same people who make the on-site visit to evaluate the implementation of the security controls. This can be problematic because the on-site evaluators may not understand all the nuances of the business and what is in place, which is reflected in the final report. Before hiring a QSA, ask who will be handling the work, and for a breakdown of all the responsibilities and who will be handling them, and how the firm avoids miscommunication and disconnects between multiple assessors.

5. Are You Independent?

Finally, it’s important to be aware of any connections that a QSA may have to specific companies or products. Some QSA firms are associated with security products, for example, and may use the assessment as an opportunity to sell a new security system. Be aware of such arrangements before you sign on with a partner.

Choosing the right QSA can make the difference between a smooth, and beneficial, process, and one that is a major headache. Ask the right questions, get all the information, and make an informed choice.

The post The 5 Most Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a QSA appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

7 Most Important Leadership Qualities for Entrepreneurial Leaders

The definition of a great entrepreneurial leader has been debated and discussed for years. It seems everyone has an opinion on what makes a good leader, but one thing that everyone can agree on is that entrepreneurial leaders are a different breed altogether.

In fact, it can also be argued that an entrepreneur’s leadership abilities are fundamental to the overall success of a small business. Without a strong leader, the business is likely to lack focus and will inevitably struggle to find footing in a competitive marketplace. As you launch your own business and work on growing it, keep these qualities in mind as the most important to maintaining good leadership and keeping your company on track.

1. Good Communication Skills

Communication is the cornerstone of any entrepreneurial endeavor. Without clear, concise, and honest communication, it’s unlikely that your business will ever get off the ground. Encourage an environment of open, two-way communication between you and your managers, as well as among staff and leadership. Avoid being vague or ambiguous in your vision and instruction. Perhaps just as important, practice your active listening skills, and foster an environment of honest feedback and constructive criticism. By being transparent and willing to listen, your team will be willing to communicate with you.

2. Trust Your Colleagues

When you put together your team, you chose individuals for the skills and knowledge that they brought to the table. You saw something in them that made you believe that they could get the job done. So let them do their jobs. Don’t get in their way and try to micromanage every aspect of their work. Trust that they know what they need to do, and that they will seek clarification and input when necessary. Yes, the business is your “baby,” and you’re passionate about it. By giving your team ownership of their work, there’s a better chance that it will become their passion as well.

3. Supportive of Ongoing Development

Knowledge is power, and there is always more to learn. Encouraging your team to build on their skillsets, whether via enrolling in a program to earn an online MBA in California, attending conferences and tradeshows, or simply attending seminars or reading journals and new books, can have immeasurable benefits to your business. Devote a portion of your annual budget to employee development, or if that’s not feasible, give your team time away from work to spend on learning and development activities. The new skills and perspectives they gain will pay off in spades.

4. Honesty

It should go without saying, but a dishonest leader can never be a great leader. There will be times when you need to share bad news, or have difficult conversations. Approaching these situations with honesty and transparency is always going to engender more respect for you than trying to hide information or sugar coating the situation. No one wants to follow or be associated with a liar, or with someone who withholds or misrepresents information, so be honest and forthright in every situation.

5. Integrity

While honesty and integrity are often used interchangeably, they are quite different. In the simplest terms, honesty is about what you say, while integrity is about what you do. That being said, there are some nuances in that definition, but suffice to say that integrity is about your moral character and the consistency with which you behave. In terms of leadership, integrity means “walking the walk” and not just “talking the talk.” You are a living, breathing example of the values that your business purports to hold, and everything you do aligns with those values. Having integrity builds trust, and inspires your team to act in a similar manner.

6. A Willingness to Share in Success

Great leaders recognize the contributions of others to their success. If your business takes off, and you take all the credit (and retain all the spoils of that success) then you’re more likely to create resentment than loyalty. Giving credit where credit is due, celebrating wins as a team, and creating a “we’re all in this together” atmosphere is the mark of a great leader.

7. A Change-Focused Mindset

Finally, great leaders are not willing to accept the status quo. As Harvard professor and leadership guru John Kotter noted, leadership is all about dissatisfaction with the present and a vision for how things should be in the future. Great leaders don’t rest on their laurels and wait for things to happen – they make things happen.

Entrepreneurial leadership is complex, and you will undoubtedly have strengths in some areas and need to work on others. But if you focus on these seven qualities, you will be well positioned to create a successful enterprise – and be a great leader.

The post 7 Most Important Leadership Qualities for Entrepreneurial Leaders appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Best Buy Tip: Choosing High-Yield Remanufactured Printer Cartridges

The availability of remanufactured printer cartridges  has made printing documents and photos easier and more affordable these days. In the past,people would also only opt for the standard-sized cartridges because there’s hardly any other choice.Nowadays, remanufactured cartridges are readily available in high-yield XL variants as well. If you aren’t yet using these XL cartridges for your own printing needs, you’re surely missing out. Here are 3 important reasons why consumers like you should consider choosing high-yield remanufactured printer cartridges.

More Value for Your Money

While regular-sized printer cartridges from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can be cheaper upfront, high-yield remanufactured printer cartridges can prove to be more cost-efficient in the long run.High-yield remanufactured printer cartridges contain twice or thrice the amount of ink compared to standard recycled cartridges. Since XL cartridges can print more pages, consumers won’t need to buy ink as often as would with regular-sized cartridges.

Environment Friendly

Each ink cartridge can take several hundred years to completely decompose. High-yield remanufactured printer cartridges help the environment because the recycling process reduces the amount of old materials that are being introduced into the waste stream. When manufacturers turn old OEM cartridges into new, high-quality cartridges, tons of scrap metal and plastic parts are prevented from reaching the landfills every day. Aside from reducing waste, using remanufactured printer cartridges also lead to the conservation of resources like oil, natural gas, and coal, from which plastics are typically synthesized.Moreover, the remanufacturing process also reduces pollution associated with the production of new ink cartridges.

High-Quality Output

High-yield remanufactured ink cartridges go through a rigorous process of recycling before they can even be reused. Empty cartridges are disassembled, inspected, and thoroughly cleaned before being reassembled, refilled,and then resealed. These cartridges then go through a series of quality testing before they are sold in the market.This ensures that the products consumers are getting will produce results that are on a par with OEM products when it comes to performance and quality.

Convenience

Because high-yield remanufactured printer cartridges carry more ink, consumers will not need to replace them that often. Users who print large volumes of documents or photos will find this more convenient.Because they are not interrupted often by the need to replace the cartridges, they are able to do more work. This also lessens downtime, like when a printer user needs to leave their work to buy new cartridges.

High-yield remanufactured printer cartridges offer consumers a number of benefits such as extra savings, convenience,and high-quality printing.They are also more environment friendly, as they reduce waste production and help lessen pollution. While they provide a number of advantages, choosing the wrong kind of recycled printer cartridges can also cause a number of problems. In order to avoid substandard quality and poor performance, customers need to buy remanufactured printer cartridges only from reputable manufacturers. By being cautious and doing proper research, consumers can fully experience the benefits of using high-yield remanufactured printer cartridges.

The post Best Buy Tip: Choosing High-Yield Remanufactured Printer Cartridges appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

What Can Happen as Your Business Starts to Grow and Expand?

When you first start a business, you generally put a lot of effort into marketing and winning new business so that you can first, make your business viable in terms of revenue, and then aim to expand it. When you are in this exciting, often frenetic phase of your business’ life, things can move fast and the scale of your business can increase quite rapidly. As a business begins to grow and expand, many business owners fail to keep their strategies aligned with their size, and can feel overwhelmed trying to manage the needs of a rapidly scaling enterprise. However, by identifying new needs as they emerge and taking action to meet them, running a growing business doesn’t have to be so stressful.

Here are some changes that tend to happen as your business grows, and what you may need to do about them:

Some of The Roles You Are Filling Yourself Become Too Big

One of the first signs your business is expanding to the point where you need to adjust your approach is that there isn’t time for you to wear all the hats you were wearing at the beginning. When you start a new business, it is common for you, as the owner, to try and fill as many roles as possible yourself to keep costs down. You may be doing all of the financial management, running the marketing, human resources, admin, and lots of other things on top of doing whatever it is your business actually does for its customers. As you grow, these things all become more demanding. Some things may become big enough that it is worth hiring a full or part time employee to take them off of your hands. However, in other cases, using consultants can be a great way to get these important functions done without having to take on a new employee. Consultants for things like accountancy can easily free up your time and do a highly professional job of supporting your business.

Your Premises and Resources May No Longer Be Adequate

As well as the minimum amount of people, a lot of businesses start out with the minimum amount of space and resources. If you are running your business from home, or you have a small office in a less than prestigious location, this may no longer be enough to support your business in its current size. If your business operates from a physical location like a shop or restaurant, you may find you have enough demand to look at opening a second branch. Not all businesses need to scale up their HQ, but it is well worth considering.

You Get to Reinvest

Your strategy can have more freedom now you are bringing in more money, and you can consider reinvesting profits into further marketing to keep the business growing exponentially. However, it is more important to invest in addressing the points above before you start investing in further growth.

A growing business is a great thing, and as long as you make the changes needed to support your growth, you can enjoy the experience of your venture being a success without the stress of having too much on your plate!

The post What Can Happen as Your Business Starts to Grow and Expand? appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Smart Moves for Your Career – Sales Recruitment Agencies in London

New Year, new mode of thought – there is something wholly cleansing about turning over a new year, with the old problems swept away under a rug and a new leaf in the book of life beginning for us all. When you are looking to change career or haven’t even begun working in our field yet, it can seriously put a dent in our confidence levels. Many of us choose wrong sales recruitment agencies in London – many people don’t even choose to visit sales recruitment agencies in London. This could serious hinder your chances of finding a viable career solution.

Sales is a fiercely competitive field, with many people competing for the same lucrative positions, but only a small percentage actually getting to hold a long term, high paying job that offers the ability to further their career. There are established companies with stellar reputations, there are up and coming newbies that offer a more modern, laid back approach – whatever it is you are interested in, I guarantee you that there are hundreds if not thousands more competing for these very same jobs.

If you are already in the game, then you don’t even have to be reminded of how difficult it is to fight off the competition and outshine others that may be younger, or more experienced, or hold more qualifications than you do. Having access to reputable sales recruitment agencies in London really does mean the difference between success and failure.

How do sales recruitment agencies in London help?

For those new to London, I am sure that you know that it isn’t a small, quant town that lets you get by on fluke or by someone putting in a good word for you – it’s a highly populated, fast paced environment with no time for delay or error. Jobs become available and are filled within a blink of an eye – giving you little time for thought. If you are ready to find your dream job, you need to be ready to locate the opening immediately – something that sales recruitment agencies in London can help do for you.

If you are currently without a job and trying to get into the market

Without an agency to represent you, to offer you up to date job information, in your field, you will be wasting hours, upon hours of your precious time, trying to find legitimate and available listings online, or by taxing ways such as taking to visit each building by foot, just to ask if there are any openings available. Time isn’t just money in this case, it’s also very discouraging and damaging to your confidence. When it seems like things are hopeless, or you become overwhelmed with information and searchers, it could cause a very negative effect on how you will perform in job interviews.

If you are currently employed or would like to switch careers

If you are currently employed, and want to find a better deal to further your career, then there is no question as to why you will need to use an agency. Taking into account that you will be fully occupied with your current situation, there is only one way to find time to search for work that is convenient and that is through an agency that can take down all of your needs and requirements and offer you something truly better.

Agencies are used by professionals in all fields of work – especially by people who know what they want and don’t want to waste any time in getting it. I recommend that if you are truly serious about furthering your career, then you will take my advice and looking for a reputable agency today.

The post Smart Moves for Your Career – Sales Recruitment Agencies in London appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

The Marketing Toolbox: 101 Online Marketing Tools & Resources For Entrepreneurs & Startups to Grow Their Business

Do you know what the secret mantra of successful entrepreneurs is?

I am talking about the multimillionaire marketers who started from scratch and achieved stupendous success within a short span of time.

Well, they knew exactly what tools will work best for them, what the cheapest resources are and how to use them.

The Marketing Toolbox brings you the exact same advantage now…

With thousands of secret arsenals available online, not all are created equal. This book cherry picks the ones that work instantly and gives quick results. Moreover, for every surefire tool that your business needs, the book covers a host of resources so that you can compare and pick the one that best satisfies your business needs.

The Marketing Tool Box is no nonsense, straightforward book that gives clear direction about the marketing tools and resources to entrepreneurs and startup companies.

Over 100 surefire tools to get you an instant leap

Written by Mohit Tater, the ebook is divided into 7 Chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of marketing. Instead of the usual mumbo jumbo that we see in the books on internet, Mohit’s book surprises us pleasantly.

He gives the precise tools, resources and even the price of each of these tools, so that one can compare and design a marketing plan in accordance to their individual business needs.  To make it simpler, Mohit has gone at length, giving the USP of each of the tools mentioned in his ebook.

Remember, these are the exact same tools that the business rockstars have been using to upscale their business to new heights!

 

Invincible Tools in 7 Categories

The Marketing Tool covers each and every aspect of marketing that a business needs to succeed. This includes email marketing, social media marketing, CRM, Analytics, SEO, Landing pages and Help Desk. The book does not stop at just compiling the tools, but goes beyond and gives pricing information on each of the tools and also gives the USP of each of these tools!

Accelerate Your Business Growth, Boost your Bottom line

If your marketing plans are not delivering as desired, chances are you need to relook into your marketing plan and check out the other options that are handy and perhaps yield better results. After all, all the pains you take is wasted, if it does not get you expected results.

Save time, money and efforts

Go through this book, try the time tested, proven to work tools and save your time, money and energy as a startup enterprise. If you implemented all the tools, your business will go to next level guaranteed! But, even if you try just a few, the returns will be enormous, promise!

The post The Marketing Toolbox: 101 Online Marketing Tools & Resources For Entrepreneurs & Startups to Grow Their Business appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

Selecting the Best VPN Service – Small Tips from Experts

Technologies for the protection of personal information on the Web have become popular in the twenty-first century owing to the Internet development and increase in the number of Internet users around the world. Therefore, people began to think about how to safeguard their personal data from scammers and third parties. This is why VPN services have appeared on the market with the main aim to hide your IP address and encode all the traffic from your PC. Thus, being connected to VPN unlocks content non-displayable in your nation.

Considering a huge diversity of VPN providers on the web, many users wonder how to recognize the best VPN program among thousands of services of questionable quality.To find a good service, you are to consider the following criteria.

Pay Attention to the Connection Type

There area few types of connection used by VPN providers; these include PPTP, Open, SSTP, and L2TP through IPSec. Each of them has its own technical features. However, the most reliable service is considered the one that has an L2TP connection through IPSec and can optionally support Open VPN (if a customer requires).

What about Anonymity?

Do not forget that one of the main objectives of using VPN is staying 100% anonymous when you are on the Web. That’s why you should carefully study the website of the provider. The firm may claim that the logs aren’t stored anywhere. However, in the Agreement on the service use (Terms &Conditions), which is automatically accepted when you register or buy VPN, it will be indicated that they store logs for two-three weeks. In this case,everything is obvious about the anonymity of the service.

Where the Company Is Registered

This criteria is the first to consider when selecting a VPN to use. There area lot of talks about what country registration is the best for are liable service.In case their office is disposed in Europe or the US, it is considered dangerous since the international police is actively working in the senations, which may cause a problem for each user having an account.Some believe it’s good when a service has a registration of third-world countries. However, we strongly believe that the most trustworthy service does not have an office at all.

Operating Systems Compatibility

Although all modern VPN is compatible with all operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android,iOS, and Windows Phone, it is still worth making sure that your platform is supported by service before purchasing it.

Free Test Access

Ensure to have free access to run a test of the service prior buying it. This will allow you to configure the connection and try yourself what and how it works.

Only researching on the above criteria will enable you to find a truly reliable VPN provider that will help you to change IP,make you anonymous, and protect any personal information transfer from the interception and hacker attacks.

The post Selecting the Best VPN Service – Small Tips from Experts appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.

8 Online Clothing Shops to Get Inspiration From

With hundreds of online clothing shops, you might be wondering how in the world you’d compete. Every now and then, you hear of a new one succeeding, indicating there’s still room for more at the top. Even when you’ve got a solid unique selling point, it wouldn’t hurt to learn from the big names before you start an online clothing shop. We’ve selected the top stores you can draw inspiration from and why consumers love them.

Net-A-PorterA pioneer of online retail, Net-a-Porter launched at the time the dot-com bubble burst and people were highly skeptical about purchasing anything online, especially fashion. Good thing for founder and owner, Natalie Massenet, she had good instincts. The brand is now considered the Vogue of ecommerce clothing – they even have their own magazine – and being sold on their site is now a coveted spot. Owe it to the company’s discriminating taste in design and labels, latest fashion trends and the high-quality black box purchases are delivered in. It was with this brand that the world discovered the almost-guiltless click of a mouse and the thrill of anticipation in online shopping.

Nasty Gal

We can’t talk about top online stores without discussing the wildly successful product of the #GirlBoss, Nasty Gal. The shop may have hit rock bottom just last year but it’s interesting to take note of what sent it skyrocketing from a humble eBay account in 2006 to $100 million in 2012. In an article published by the Business Insider, Sophia Amoruso stated listening to her customers that ultimately brought her success. She made sure she bought pieces her customers would love, styled them right and let her products take over social media mostly posted by satisfied buyers. However, what caught shoppers wasn’t just the items but the brand’s personality which reflected her own and began when she named the store but didn’t realize it at the time.

Bona Drag

This e-store sits on its own nice little niche. While everyone else is competing in the market with the same brand names, Bona Drag focuses on indie brands. From clothing, to shoes, to jewelry, to accessories, customers are more likely to see unique finds their friends won’t most likely have. It’s like a well-hidden treasure trove, especially since the designs are very unique and eye-catching. Offering a selection of eclectic pieces, it’s hard to get bored shopping on the site.

Farfetch

As huge e-tailers increased in popularity, the threat of a cut in revenue streams for boutique shops was growing as well. These stores did not have the technology and the money to compete with these well-known companies. That’s where Farfetch came in, offering a virtual store for these boutiques. But how does the online firm appeal to consumers? These small retailers weren’t ordinary shops but luxury brands where you can find rare designs by respected names such as Alexander McQueen and Alexander Wang. They don’t just sell timeless items but fresh off-the-runway merchandise.

The Chapar

It’s a store that understands the busy, modern man and the fashion-illiterate’s go-to-guru. They’ve made shopping for men easier, less time-consuming and clearer. The Chapar offers styling services with their own team, partnering with highly esteemed brands such as Dockers, Ralph Lauren, and Hugo Boss to name a few. Customers fill out a form online, after which a stylist calls to discuss his needs and preferences. A package with the suggested outfit, complete with accessories and shoes, is mailed to the buyer. He’s obligated to pay only for the items he decides to keep.

Opening Ceremony

Founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim wanted to do more than sell products but bring the experience of fun, excitement and adventure they love about shopping. Equipped with an eye for great pieces, a mix of well-known brands and independent designers, and a fun approach to fashion and business, Opening Ceremony was born. It’s founded on the principles of the lack of biases that come with little-known labels and a bet to see if their shop’s merchandise would do better than those of their New York designer friends. Some of today’s internationally acclaimed names were first introduced to the shores of the US through Opening Ceremony like Havaianas and Alexander Wang.

Stantt

One of the key elements to looking fashionable, especially with men’s wear, is the fit. Stantt understands this more than any other brand. Taking the issue of the perfect fit seriously after founder Matt Hornbuckle’s shirt was the butt of a joke on a first date, he and Kirk Keel started a business that offered clothes in 75 sizes. For the perfect dress shirt, all they need are your chest, waist and sleeve measurements, and they’ll tailor and deliver it to your doorstep. With returns only at a rate of 5% compared to the industry average of 30%, their business model has proven to be a success. They even ship free measuring kits.

Moda Operandi

Moda Operandi is to fashion-forward as burgers is to fast-food. The company prides itself on the exclusivity it offers its buyers while successfully creating a combined experience of the virtual store and the brick-and-mortar. The brand is anything but the usual. Via their website, customers get to pre-order items right off the runway which can only be viewed through private truck shows—only during a specific window of time, of course. Their store isn’t even a store but a showroom, with only invited guests allowed to buy merchandise during a booked appointment.

The post 8 Online Clothing Shops to Get Inspiration From appeared first on Entrepreneurship Life.