You can make any interest into a business nowadays. By definition, a business is the method an individual uses to earn an income.

With such a diverse array of opportunities online, it’s almost impossible to know where to start.

Let alone know what to do with your business once you’ve formed it. Is there even space online for new businesses anymore?

But fear not! For as full of content as the Internet is, there are billions of viewers going online every day. Unique products and content are highly sought after.

Any new business, idea, or concept that is created grabs the attention of at least one group on the Internet. There is an audience for any niche that you can think of.

While some groups may be smaller than others, every person counts.

With any business you start up, there are endless services and products you can sell. If you’re smart about it.

Yes, you can spend your entire life’s savings buying enough stock to sell online. But you won’t know what to do when you have no money and nothing to sell.

You can bypass going bankrupt and make money immediately. Keep reading for tips on how to build a business by selling practically nothing!

Starting a Store that Sells Nothing

When you first stare down the barrel of starting an online business, your heart can skip a beat. How does a single publisher begin to compete with well-established companies that have millions of loyal viewers? This is the first mistake anyone makes when starting a business.

If your goal is to make more money than other businesses, you’ll burn out quickly. A business that establishes strong roots is built around the needs of the customer. Find a solution to a common issue, and you’ll create a stable income for years to come.

Other than the functionality of a business, the traffic potential depends on:

  • The type of niche;
  • The target audience;
  • Global and seasonal trends.

 
While a business can have a helpful function, this means nothing if it’s incorrectly classified. The niche you decide on completely changes your potential target audience.

For example, imagine if a butcher advertised himself as a grocery store. This will only attract disappointed customers. A business can only receive the revenue it deserves when it’s advertised properly.

The other factor that affects traffic is the ever-changing world of trends. This can range from the type of public holiday it is—like Christmas or Easter—to which celebrity made a weird sound. What worked last month won’t generate enough income for the next month!

What’s Your Selling Point?

Those who enjoy their work run the best businesses. If you enjoy the task at hand, you’ll be a hundred times more likely to have better service. Also, those who are nicer tend to get more done!

It can take an hour to argue with a customer, only to prove your point and lose a sale. But it only takes a minute to apologize and offer a win-win solution.

That’s why it’s important to choose a niche that matches your interests.

There’s nothing worse than having to sell a product you know little about. Once you’ve figured out what niche you’d like to enter, you can look for a problem within it.

This can be anything from bad customer service to low-quality products. Looking through reviews and comments can give you a good idea of what common issues arise. Then you can just choose an issue and design your business around the solution.

Now, not every niche that exists has an issue that you can solve. You might have chosen a very functional niche. But don’t let that scare you. You can still make an impact within your selected niche. Though you’ll have to prove to your audience why your business is better than others.

Your selling point is exactly that—the reason why a customer should buy from you compared to anyone else. The uniqueness your business offers is what keeps viewers returning for more.

Regardless of which niche you choose, present the content from your unique point of view. Nothing sells like sincere interest. Each person is different and has a distinctive way about them. Be confident about who you are. Viewers will more often buy from those they relate to and understand on a personal level!

The Customer is Always Right

A word to the wise: never underestimate the power a single customer can have on your business. Especially online. The Internet already finds every possible way to pick apart something new. Rather, don’t give the Internet trolls a reason to break down your business.

That means you’ll need a thick skin. Plus, some patience to think through your responses properly. It’s heartbreaking to wake up to a third of your following gone after you’ve posted an angry video! That’s why you should keep the following in mind when interacting with anyone online:

  • Listen to all issues and feedback;
  • Suggest multiple solutions;
  • Be available and open to communication;
  • Apologize, even if the customer is wrong;
  • Recognize your business’s limitations.

 
The sustainability of your business relies on the strength of your customer relationships. Yes, it’s much easier to fool a few hundred people into buying your product today. But where does that leave you tomorrow?

Providing true and helpful information may not get as much immediate attention, but it’s worth it in the long run. The type of audience you’ll attract through honest interactions will keep your business alive during tough months.

By scamming your customers, you’ll only leave a trail of bad reviews behind you!

The Best Way to Sell Nothing

When you look at inflation rates, you won’t question why businesses need to learn the art of selling nothing.

But what does it mean to sell nothing online and still create a profitable business?

There are two main ways a business can make money selling nothing. Either through third-party sales or by selling products that don’t need restocking.

For example, a business that has a website full of product pages. These pages allow a customer to buy a product. Part of the payment is used to buy the stock directly from the manufacturer at cost price. Then the business can sort out delivery.

The other option is when a business has nothing to sell but services or content. A business can sell access to articles or information. A business can sell digital products like courses. You could even sell music or films, provided you have the rights to do so.

We’ll dive into these options and alternative routes to selling nothing online below.

Ecommerce Stores

Whether you’re selling products, content, or services, you’ll need a platform. You can either invest time in building a website or try out the endless social media networks online.

Though most publishers use both types of platforms. This way, you can exponentially expand your reach.

Ecommerce stores can sell physical or non-physical products. Let’s start with a physical product store.

A business can sell physical products but doesn’t have to buy and store the stock itself. Dropshipping is exactly that. A business that accepts a customer’s order without having the stock on hand. Dropshipping saves time and effort for both the business and its clients.

There’s more diversity in a business that sells non-physical products. This can include digital courses with certifications or freelancing services. Such as graphic design and web development.

You can even invest some money in a good camera and sell your photography. One of the more popular services a business can provide is consultation. Either for marketing, life coaching, design, or especially medical advice.

A quality business considers the following when running an online store:

  • The power of SEO;
  • Desktop and mobile compatibility;
  • A server that can handle anticipated traffic.

 
Someone using the Internet will immediately exit a website that has a bad design or takes too long to load. If you want your target audience to click through multiple pages, you have to make it pleasant for them. After all, they’re spending their time and money on you.

This applies to actual products as well. The design of products and courses can either chase away customers or keep them coming back for more. The choice is up to you!

Affiliate Marketing

The affiliate market, worth 8.2 billion dollars, is a job source for publishers everywhere. Surveys show that 80% of affiliate marketers make $20,000 annually through advertising. High-paying marketers can make up to $100,000 a year! When you’re wondering how to make money while you sleep by selling nothing, affiliate marketing is your best choice.

Affiliate marketing works like this. You’ll need to find an advertiser that is looking for publishers to market for them. The advertiser will then provide referral links to product pages. These links are unique to each publisher. Every time a viewer clicks on a link or buys a product, the publisher will get paid by the affiliate.

The advertiser you choose can increase or decrease the quality of your business. When choosing an advertiser, keep these factors in mind:

  • The niche compatibility between your business and the advertiser;
  • The advertiser’s reach and traffic potential;
  • The quality of the advertiser’s display ads and products;
  • The validity and trustworthiness of the advertiser and their content.

 
Choosing an advertiser can take up time and effort you need elsewhere. So, you can try to go at it alone, or you can use a platform that connects you to the right advertiser.

Admitad Partner Network is a platform to try out. Admitad Partner Network connects publishers to the right affiliate advertisers. Through Admitad Partner Network, you can connect to high-end brands like Nike and SHEIN. As well as Admitad Partner Network provides a digital business model for their advertisers.

Join Partner Network Now!

Affiliate marketing takes time to set up in the beginning. Gaining enough traffic to make a substantial income each month takes long-term effort. But if you keep going, you’ll only need a percentage of the effort to make twice as much money.

Memberships and Subscriptions

Another route for selling nothing is a platform that has limited, free access. Full access requires an annual or monthly fee. This is a great option to ensure your business makes a profit every month.

A membership website creates desire among potential members. When a viewer receives the title of “member,” it creates a level of exclusivity in their minds.

A website with paid membership access has to have a limited free membership version. Nothing sells better than free access to good quality products.

The free version should have just enough functionality. A person should still be able to use it without the full version.

A common mistake publishers make is that the free version is too limited. This only annoys your audience.

The free version is the perfect opportunity to gain passive income with ads. Either way, your viewers will provide you with income.

Subscription-based businesses work in the same way. The only difference is that a community is formed within a member-based business. A subscription allows an individual to enjoy a renewed product each month.

Membership and subscription platforms require a strong server to handle the traffic load. If the pages aren’t loading quickly, your members and subscribers will feel cheated.

High-definition images can drastically slow down pages. As well as CMS plugins, these add redundant code to your website. Even seemingly insignificant changes in size and speed eventually add up.

It’s a Group Effort

Collaboration is a powerful marketing strategy for younger generations. So powerful that 88% of consumers buy products based on an influencer’s opinion.

Influencers have an uncanny ability to convince their audience to buy certain products. A collaboration between a business and influencers shows your human side to viewers. People will buy from a business that has earned their trust. Plus, nothing sells like celebrities!

A few ways you can collaborate with an influencer as a business include:

  • Influencer gifting;
  • Account takeovers;
  • Product collaboration;
  • Giveaways and competitions;
  • Sponsored posts;
  • Joint live-streams.

 
Most collaborations happen through a social media network. Monetization is extremely important here. You can make a bunch of passive income through built-in monetization methods. Certain platforms ask you to reach a certain number of views before you can monetize.

An easier option is to use ConvertSocial. This is a platform that allows you to monetize a wide range of social media sites, even messaging apps. Through ConvertSocial, you can monetize any of the following accounts:

 
Collaboration takes a certain level of social skills. Make sure to communicate with your influencers and collaborators. This ensures no harm comes to your business through their advertisements. Remember that influencers are humans. Building interpersonal relationships will ensure that they continue to send viewers to you.

The Bottom Line

Figuring out how to become a millionaire by selling nothing is no easy task. Especially as this means you have to bypass buying stock yourself. It becomes even more difficult when you don’t put in adequate time and effort into your business. As well as when you neglect the needs of your audience.

While you can follow all of the tips you find online, a business’s traffic can vary regardless. Traffic relies heavily on the current trends that define the Internet globally. If all your traffic is stolen by the newest piece of drama, this isn’t a reflection of your efforts.

As long as you know that you’ve put in as much effort as you can, you’re on the right track. When things start looking gray, try a new method. Try finding a new niche. Keep trying. The Internet changes every day. What was popular yesterday could be detrimental to your business tomorrow.

Though, no matter how much traffic you could potentially lose, you can always build it up again. If you started from scratch once before, you can do it again. The only shame in failure is not being brave enough to try again.