When it comes to investing, no investor became an expert overnight. Not even Warren Buffet. Equity Investment is not rocket science however it takes some time, experience, and experimentation to understand the depth of investments. Newcomers are always concerned about their investments. Whether it will give them favorable results or not, whether their money is in safe hands, and whatnot. You can keep all of these worries in the back seat by doing your homework well. By homework, we mean thorough research on the market, determining what type of investment you want to go for, having an investment guide by your side, and on. Determine where to invest, how to invest, and how much to invest. Then, you will have an organized plan to take forward. If you follow these steps, online equity trading would be much easier for you.

Here are the steps that every beginner investor should consider:

1) Your Documents: First things first, get all your necessary documents ready for your Demat account. Just like any other bank account your Demat account also needs to have some documentation. This list includes:

- Aadhar Card

- PAN Card

- Residential Proof

- Passport Size Photos

- A canceled cheque of your bank account with your name.

2) Your type of Investment: Every investor has to manage his portfolio. If he is investing in an equity fund then it’s his job to manage the portfolio and make the decisions of when to sell it to the brokers. However, this is not the case in every investment. For instance, When someone invests in Mutual Funds, he need not run after managing his portfolio. There are Fund Managers dedicated to managing it and the person who invests, just needs to sit back and relax. Hence, determining which type of investment you want to begin with is crucial. Since equity mutual funds give the comfort of hassle-free returns and are ideal for beginner investors. 

3) Your amount: Be it, beginners or experienced investors, it’s always advised to begin with a smaller amount. The reason behind this is simple: Less amount = lesser risks. Invest small, learn how things work and once you’re through with the process, you can change the gears and level up your investment. You may not get very high returns on the small amount that you have invested but you will get to learn about how stuff works in investment. 

4) Your approach: Always follow an organized approach to avoid the hassle. Have a look at the below checklist:

- Open a Demat/trading account and make sure it’s linked with your bank account.

- Select the type of investment that you wish to buy or sell from the equity share market.

- Determine the price of the share that you want to buy or sell.

- Let the buyer/seller respond to your request.

- End the exchange by completing the transaction.

If you’re completely new to the concept of equity trading and investments, here are a few Do’s and Don`ts that you can follow. 

Do’s:

- Have a thorough look and analyze the points stated in the Risk Disclosure Document.

- Always remember: The return on the equity market is not 100% guaranteed. 

- Keep the communication between you and your agent or broker clear and transparent. 

- Make sure your transactions are done with organizations registered under SEBI.

- Check whether your forms and documents are filed properly.

- Whether you’re buying or selling, keep a track of your investments.

- Do a background check on the company that you’re investing in. 

Don’ts:

- Do not deal with organizations or brokers that are not registered.

- Do not sign or accept anything without reading and going through it.

- Never skip the terms and conditions of any company. 

- Avoid getting mislead by schemes that promise guaranteed returns