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Ready Launch Build Studios
From Idea to Selling Online
Every step. Every option. Every budget. The complete roadmap for building a business website from scratch.
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Your Complete Roadmap
Building a website that actually sells is a 9-step process. Each step has options for every budget and skill level.
Step 1
Business Setup
LLC, EIN, business name, bank account
Step 2
Domain Name
Your web address and where to buy it
Step 3
Website Platform
Where you actually build your site
Step 4
Content
What to write on every page and why
Step 5
Email Capture
Building your list before you need it
Step 6
Payments
How customers pay you online
Step 7
Bookings & Forms
Scheduling, intake, and contact forms
Step 8
Automation
Work smarter, not harder from day one
Step 9
Launch Checklist
Everything to check before you go live
The Big Picture
Most people build a website and then wonder why no one buys. The reason is always the same: they set up a pretty site without connecting all the pieces. A website that sells has a domain, a platform, a way to capture leads, a way to take payments, a way to book appointments, and automated follow-up. This guide covers all of it in the right order.
1
Business Setup
The legal and financial foundation before you build anything
Why This Comes First
You need a legal business entity before you open a business bank account. You need a business bank account before you connect payment processors to your website. If you skip this, you end up mixing personal and business money, which is an accounting and tax nightmare. Do this first so everything else connects cleanly.
What You Need and In What Order
Choose a business nameSearch your state's secretary of state website to make sure it is not taken. Also search the USPTO trademark database at tmsearch.uspto.gov before you commit.
Form your LLCFile directly at your state's SOS site (GA: sos.ga.gov) for ~$100. Or use Northwest Registered Agent (~$39 + state fee) for guided help. Avoid LegalZoom — overpriced for what you get.
Get your EIN (Employer Identification Number)Free at IRS.gov. Takes 5 minutes online. This is your business's Social Security number. You need it for your bank account and tax filings.
Open a business bank accountRelay (relay.fi) is free and excellent for small businesses. Mercury (mercury.com) is also great. Avoid big banks for small businesses — fees eat you alive.
Get a business email addressyourname@yourbusiness.com builds trust immediately. Google Workspace is $6/month. Zoho Mail has a free tier. Never use Gmail or Yahoo for business communication.
2
Domain Name
Your address on the internet. It is what people type to find you.
Why You Need Your Own Domain
A domain is yourbusiness.com. Without it, your website URL looks like yourbusiness.wixsite.com or yourbusiness.squarespace.com, which signals that you are not serious. Your own domain costs about $10–15 per year and instantly makes your business look established. It also connects to your email, so you get name@yourbusiness.com instead of name@gmail.com.
Naming Tips: Always aim for a .com first. Keep it under 15 characters if possible. No hyphens. No numbers. Say it out loud — if you have to spell it out when telling someone, it is too complicated.
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3
Website Platform
Where you actually build and host your site
Why the Platform Choice Matters
Your platform determines what you can sell, how much it costs, and how hard it is to maintain. The right answer depends on what you are selling. Physical products need Shopify. Services and digital products can use Squarespace, Wix, or a simpler tool.
| Platform | Best For | Monthly Cost | Skill Level | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Physical products, POD, e-commerce | $39–$105 | Beginner–Intermediate | Best for selling products. Everything is built for transactions. |
| Squarespace | Services, portfolios, small shops | $16–$49 | Beginner | Prettiest templates. Easy for non-tech people. Good all-rounder. |
| Wix | Services, local businesses, portfolios | $17–$35 | Beginner | Most drag-and-drop flexibility. Can get messy if not organized well. |
| WordPress.org | Any business, maximum control | $5–$25 (hosting only) | Intermediate–Advanced | Most powerful. Steeper learning curve. Not ideal for beginners going solo. |
| Kajabi | Courses, coaching, memberships | $69–$199 | Beginner | All-in-one for knowledge businesses. Expensive but replaces many tools. |
| Stan Store / Linktree | Digital products, social media sellers | $0–$29 | Beginner | Fastest to launch. Good starter option if you sell through social first. |
Recommendation by business type: Selling physical goods or POD → Shopify. Selling services or coaching → Squarespace. Selling courses or memberships → Kajabi. Just starting and testing → Stan Store or Squarespace trial. Doing all of the above → Shopify with apps covers the most ground.
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4
Website Content
What goes on every page and why each piece exists
Why Content Is Not Optional
A website without clear content is a digital brochure no one reads. Every page has a job to do. Your homepage converts visitors into buyers or subscribers. Your about page builds trust. Your services or products page closes the sale. Your contact page removes friction. If any of these are missing, vague, or boring, you lose the customer right there.
| Page | Its Job | Must Include |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | Hook the visitor in 5 seconds. | Clear headline, what you do, who you help, one strong call to action |
| About Page | Build trust. Make them like and believe you. | Your story, your why, credentials or experience, a photo |
| Services/Products Page | Make the sale or move them closer to it. | Clear descriptions, pricing or price range, what they get, buy or contact button |
| Contact Page | Remove every obstacle between the customer and you. | Contact form, email address, social links, response time expectation |
| FAQ Page | Handle objections before they become reasons not to buy. | Top 5–10 questions customers always ask |
| Privacy Policy | Legal requirement if you collect any data. | Use Termly.io or Iubenda for auto-generated policy |
Content shortcut: Before you write a single word, answer these three questions. Who is my customer? What problem do I solve for them? Why should they choose me over anyone else? Every page of your site answers some version of these three questions.
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5
Email Capture
Building a list of people who want to hear from you before you need them to buy
Why Email Is Still the Most Valuable Asset You Can Build
Social media algorithms change. Platforms go down. Accounts get banned. Your email list is yours. Nobody can take it from you. Someone on your email list has already raised their hand and said they are interested. They convert at 3–5x the rate of social media followers. Start building it on day one, even before you have anything to sell.
What You Need to Capture Emails
A lead magnetSomething free you give in exchange for their email. A checklist, mini guide, discount code, or free resource. Nobody gives their email for nothing.
A sign-up form on your websiteEmbed it in your homepage, footer, and any high-traffic page. Pop-ups work but use them sparingly.
A welcome email set up and automatedThe moment someone joins your list they should receive an email. Introduce yourself. Deliver the lead magnet. Set expectations for what they will hear from you.
6
Payments
How customers give you money online and what you need to make it work
How Online Payments Actually Work
When someone pays you online, three things happen: a payment processor handles the transaction (Stripe, PayPal, Square), the money lands in a merchant account temporarily, and then it transfers to your business bank account. Most modern platforms combine all three. You need your LLC and EIN set up first for this to work without complications.
| Processor | Transaction Fee | Best For | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe ⭐ | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction | Any business. Most versatile. Best for recurring payments and subscriptions. | Online setup, 2–3 days to verify |
| PayPal | 2.99% + fixed fee | Customers who do not want to enter card details. Great for invoicing. | Instant setup |
| Square | 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person) / 2.9% online | Businesses that sell both in-person and online. Free card reader included. | Online + ships free card reader |
| Shopify Payments | 2.4–2.9% depending on plan | Shopify store owners. Lower rates than using external processors on Shopify. | Built into Shopify dashboard |
| Venmo / CashApp | 1.9% + $0.10 (business) | Early stage only. Not a real payment processor for a real business. | Instant |
Recommendation: Set up Stripe as your primary processor. Add PayPal as an option since some customers will not buy without it. If you have a Shopify store use Shopify Payments. Always offer at least two payment options — you will lose sales if someone cannot pay the way they prefer.
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7
Bookings & Forms
How clients schedule with you and how you collect information from them
Why You Need These Before You Start Selling Services
Without a booking system, you are playing phone tag to schedule every appointment. Without a form, you are getting incomplete information from clients and chasing them for details. Both of these cost you time and make you look less professional. The right tools make you look like a full operation even if it is just you.
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8
Automation
Making your business run without you being involved in every single step
Why Automation Is Not a Luxury — It Is a Survival Strategy
As a solo business owner, your time is your only non-renewable resource. Automation handles the repetitive tasks so you can focus on the actual work. When someone buys from you, automation should send the receipt, deliver the product, add them to your email list, and send a follow-up — all without you touching anything. That is the goal.
| Tool | What It Automates | Cost | Connects To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Connects apps so they talk to each other. Example: form submission → email list + notification | Free (100 tasks/month) / $19.99/month pro | 6,000+ apps |
| Make (formerly Integromat) | Same as Zapier but more powerful and cheaper. Better for complex workflows. | Free (1,000 operations/month) / $9/month | 1,500+ apps |
| Your Email Platform | Automated welcome sequences, abandoned cart emails, post-purchase follow-up | Included in MailerLite, Klaviyo, etc. | Your website and store |
| Shopify/Squarespace built-in | Order confirmations, shipping updates, receipts, review requests | Included in your platform | Your store automatically |
| Blotato | Social media posting and scheduling across platforms | Varies by plan | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter |
Start simple: Your first automations should be your welcome email sequence and your order confirmation. Get those right first. Then layer in abandoned cart emails if you have a shop. Then social media scheduling. You do not need everything at once — you need the right things in the right order.
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9
Launch Checklist
Everything to verify before you tell the world you are open
Why a Pre-Launch Check Saves You Embarrassment
Nothing hurts credibility faster than sending people to a broken link, a site with placeholder text, or a checkout that does not work. Run through this list before your first launch announcement and fix anything that is not checked. Test it on your phone too — more than half your visitors will be on mobile.
Business Foundation
LLC filed and confirmed
EIN obtained from IRS
Business bank account open
Business email set up (yourname@yourbusiness.com)
Website Basics
Domain purchased and connected to your website
All pages have real content (no placeholder text)
Site looks good on mobileCheck on your actual phone, not just a simulated view
Privacy policy published
All links and buttons work
Contact form tested and confirmed to send
Selling and Collecting
Payment processor connected and testedDo a real test transaction. Refund yourself. Make sure the money actually moved.
Email capture form working and added to your list
Welcome email automated and tested
Booking link live and tested (if offering services)
Order confirmation emails automated (if selling products)
Optional but Smart
Google Analytics or similar tracking installedYou need to know where your visitors come from to grow intentionally.
Google Search Console set upTells Google your site exists and shows you how you appear in search results.
Social media accounts created and linked to your site
FAQ page published
You're Ready When... Every item in Business Foundation and Selling and Collecting is checked. The Website Basics section is fully checked. You have tested a real transaction yourself. Your welcome email works. Perfection is not the goal. A working, professional online presence is the goal. Ship it.
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