Nowadays, most businesses are taking advantage of the technical advances of the internet. The internet now means that we can be connected to others at all times and there is no such thing as closing time when it comes to putting through sales. The internet also means that we can all stay up to date with what is going on around the world, all at a click of a mouse.It comes as no surprise then that many people are choosing to start online business instead of setting up an offline business or finding a job. So, what is it that makes people turn to the internet instead of good old fashioned business?Well, the first attraction is the cost-effective nature of setting up an online business. The first thing that springs to mind when you first start thinking about setting up a business is cost. You start thinking “How much am I going to need to spend in order to make a profit” and “How much do I need to get started?” However, when it comes to setting up an online business, all you really need is a PC or a laptop and an internet server and away you go! Of course it’s not quite that simple, you will still need to advertise and market yourself but you can do this online. With an offline business, you will need to use traditional methods of marketing such as brochures and posters but with the internet marketing is made easy. It may cost you a bomb to design hundreds of brochures and distribute them but it doesn’t cost you anything to send out thousands of emails to your customers!Marketing is a lot more efficient when you do it online. It can take up valuable promotional time designing and delivering brochures to houses and businesses in the area but with email all you need do is press a button and thousands of emails will be sent out. As well as making marketing more efficient, running an online business eliminates the need to travel to work everyday as your office is now in your very own home! It also means that your business can travel around with you wherever you go, as long as you have your laptop with you.An online business doesn’t require a big workforce, unless it becomes very successful and grows in the future. In the initial stages of set-up, the only staff you will need are yourself, your laptop and your software. This eliminates the hassle of having to hire, train and pay additional staff.Once you have set up your website and arranged hosting, your online business will literally start working for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The beauty of the internet is that it never sleeps so interest can be flooding in all day every day. With an online business you won’t have to go through the hassle of meeting clients as you will be able to do all your communication via email. You also won’t be restricted by where your customers are in the world as the internet allows you to communicate and trade with people all over the world.With an online business you can do business wherever you are in the world. You can be working at home, on the train, in a restaurant or even in bed if you want to! It really is clear that an online business can bring you the kind of advantages that offline business never can.