If you break it down into small steps, it is less intimidating:
Decide what you might want to sell. Remember to price whatever it is so you can make a living. None of this two-dollar-an-hour stuff. If it is going to be higher priced than whatever else is out there, you have to explain to the customer why it is worth having. And that means you have to believe that yourself. It's important to build your self-esteem.
Get a domain name and a business license from your county (a dba), which will allow you to open a checking account in your business's name.
Get a webhost for the domain. I pay a lot for my webhost--$18/mo. Lots of people pay less than $10/mo.
Get a WYSIWYG HTML editor (lots of free ones out there) to design the site and put it up. You don't need to know any code for WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). These things are tough to learn, but you don't need a very sophisticated site. I started out with a three-page site. Google is more likely to include multiple-page sites in its results, and we all know how important Google is.:) People like to know how a thing is made, how the quality is built in, so show it. The more text you have on a site, the more likely it is for it to turn up in search results.
Decide how you will take payment. I started out with an order form people could print out and then mail in with a check, but nowadays it is easy to start out taking Paypal. They explain how to do it on their site.
Once you get some business, get a credit card processor. Your income will greatly multiply. You can usually get one by paying a fee of $100 or less if you are selling a tangible object instead of a service.
Don't forget to make quarterly tax payments. The IRS is just starting to focus on online businesses.
My first year online, I grossed $450 from mail-in payments with my three-page site (16 products). The second year I started taking Paypal, expanded the site to about 20 pages (about 20 products), and grossed $4000. The third year I had about 100 pages (about 1 product per page) and started taking credit cards and grossed $35,000, with a net income of about $12,000, which was just enough for me to live on. I quit my other business, at which I made a lot more but was doing something I was sick to death of. I have grown quite a bit since then, no evil eye.
There are no easy riches online. I still net less than the average income in my state and I get no benefits, but I wouldn't trade what I do for anything. I love being able to work at home, do what I care about, answer to no one but myself, play with my cats or go outside and work in the garden whenever the weather permits, just take the phone with me. Of course, no one is responsible but myself if I screw up. That is the frightening part. I think a lot of people find that hard to deal with, but it seems to me that if you are interested in homesteading, you are already trying to deal with the concept of being responsible for your own well being. The difference is that with an online business (or if you are selling in a farmer's market, a CSA, or whatever), you also are dependent on the will of the public.
It is nice to be able to sell something that is tied to growing, since that is what we are all here on this site for. I do this, but I also make things and sell goods that I buy wholesale. I also know people who sell services. One woman I know writes up biographies for people, for example.
Anyone doing a Bootstrap Business?
Paracelsus, thanks so much for taking the time to put all that down in writing for us. VERY HELPFUL & motivating.
You're very welcome, summerkid! I am always willing to share this knowledge. I really feel that more people could make a happy living for themselves online and live a homesteading life. An online business is just perfect for rural areas, because you don't need any local public and the cost of living is so much lower.
I just discovered a site called etsy.com - it's a site where people can sell things that they make. ONLY handmade items are sold on this site. You do pay a fee to post your stuff, but there's lots of traffic and you don't need your own website.
Etsy isn't really an option for those of us on the high end. My artwork sells for up to $8,500, but my only customers are those who can see & touch it.
Paracelsus, sorry I missed your post way back when. That is really great you that you so kindly shared! ^_^
Summerkid, way to go on your artwork! I'm not anywhere near that good...YET!