In my previous article "What Will it Take to Succeed Online (or in Life)", I listed several positive characteristics to improve your chances for success: Desire, Planning, Faith, and Perseverance just to name several. If you believe you have what it takes to succeed online, you're ready to find an internet business which is reasonably tailor-made to meet your personality, talents, investment (whether it is financial, in time, in talent, or all the above).
WARNING: I stated "reasonably tailor-made" above, as no business is 100% perfect for everyone. All internet sites, like those in the real, 9-to-5 world, require some planning and work. If you're not willing to invest the time needed to adequately support and promote Your company, running one is NOT for you. There is no free lunch!
NEVERTHELESS... If you do have what it takes-Desire, Plans, and Perseverance, to title a few-then, by all means, find the online business of your goals. How, pray tell, do you do this? Well, first off, it begins with:
RESEARCH. If you have no idea what type of online business you intend to offer and promote, research is the key to unlocking a wealth of home elevators a wide-variety of businesses. Without research, it's like a first-timer making homemade cookies with no recipe. Do your homework! Grab a pen and notebook, and take a few notes.
Start your journey to success online-that's right: the internet. Read articles by home based business professionals-no, not the folks trying to sell you business programs, kits, as well as pie-in-the-sky potions. I mean real, legitimate online business professionals, such as Scott Sibel, Juliette Powell, and Ewen Chia, just to name a few.
NETWORK. Regardless of whether Online or in-person, talk to area business leaders to get their viewpoints and feedback on successful internet sites. No, I am not talking about classifieds who tout their online work at home opportunities, but networks of local business people from business organizations (such as BNI, Company Network International), forums (Ryze and LinkedIn are good ones), or your area chamber of commerce (ask for any business directory, often free).
PLAN. Put pen to paper and carefully, thoroughly develop an internet business game plan. Brainstorm with your closest, trustworthy friends and professional acquaintances to generate a steady stream of ideas.
Together, ask several important questions:
(1). Who's your customer base and/or niche audience? Be as specific as possible, and realize you cannot serve everyone in the universe. (For example: My audience is small to medium-sized business people in the southeastern United States.
(2) What product(s), service(s), or program(s) would you plan to offer? Again, try to be as specific as possible. Don't overwhelm your audience with a lot of unrelated products, services, or opportunities, as this will only confuse them. (My website primarily offers tools to advertise businesses, thereby hopefully increasing my customer's image and profits. )
(3) When would you plan to purchase a domain and website? The correct answer to this two-part question should either be Immediately or Immediately. There's no better time than the present to project a professional picture. Also, be creative when deciding on a domain name. Just make sure your site is lightening fast, as many search engines can ignore slow websites.
(4) How much can you safely buy business? Be brutally honest with yourself. If you don't have two dimes in order to rub together, the last thing you want to do is get deeper indebted. Good news: The internet lists well-written articles on free and inexpensive methods to start a business.
(5) How much time do you have to buy business? Read that last question again, please. If you are not willing to put (invest) time in your online business-say 2 or 3 hours a day depending on the business, then don't waste your period. Collect baseball cards, garden, or do anything else. After all, an internet business requires some sweat equity.
(6) Who is your competition? What do you realize about them? What sets you apart from them? You need solid, cement answers to these three questions, so you can beat them at their own game. The best place to learn more about the competition is on the internet. Check out their websites and information to discover how you can become much more competitive.
(7) What type of content will you offer your visitors? Numerous websites simply promote products, services, or opportunities! Boring! Set yourself apart in the competition with a site rich in content. Let's say you're a insect control operator: Write an article or blog about what causes wasp, hornet, or even rat infestations. Whatever you write, show them that you Are the expert inside a particular field.
(8) Have you thought about a logo, motto, or mantra? If you have, make sure they look professional and set you in addition to the others. Suggestion: If you have an artistic friend or sign maker in your town, see if they can offer input.
(9) Anything else? YES: Always be sure you use spell-check. Nothing looks less professional than a website full of punctuational errors!
SEARCH. Make sure the product(s), service(s), and opportunities you plan to advertise interest you, so the visitor senses your passion for the item(s). Additionally, make darn sure these items are scam-free (so you can be proud of what you do) and marketable to your audience (so you may make money online). Whether good, bad, or downright ugly, you can find items and their reviews on the web.
If you already have a product, service, or opportunity that can end up being promoted online, I would start there first. After all, you are the actual expert. And, hopefully, your passion and interest for that item shows.
Nevertheless, if you lack passion for your item(s) or need a product, support, or opportunity to promote online, realize they fall into several categories:
(1) Affiliate marketer Programs: A company rewards you to promote their product or products. Ideal for the beginner, many marketers earn thousands monthly for their efforts-even more. Touch: Don't join every affiliate program on the planet. Join something that intrigues a person. For me, it is panic attacks and relationships.
(2) Free Online Companies. Just like the name implies, these businesses cost nothing to join or even promote. Many business "owners" can generate an excellent return on their expense ( by working smart).
(3) Networking or MLM programs. Here, you assist others succeed, so you can earn several layers of income. While a few are free, most are not.
(4) Paid Online Products and Services. The greater the internet grows, the greater the need for related services. Among the best money-makers online are effective tools to increase your business. Warning: Some of those products are much more superior to others.
(5) Online Businesses. These need a fee to join, but may generate the income you desire. Word associated with advice: Check them out before you join. Like anything, most are great, reputable businesses, but a few are rotten to the core.
(6) Immediate Selling. This one is iffy. I am a business consultant by day time, yet find promoting some of my services does well online. However, outcomes do vary.
(7) eBay. Though some products are overly saturated on the website, many make a decent living on this site. Overall, it has a great reputation.
(8) Blogging. If you enjoy writing, this may be down your own alley. Bloggers often make money from ads surrounding their blog.
(9) Recommendation Sites. There are numerous sites promoting networking, advertising, and free sign-ups. The jury continues to be out on this, but some folks reportedly make money.
(10)Everything Else. A brand new opportunity, product, or service pops up almost every day. Some will function; others will fail. Do the research online and you may discover the goldmine-or fool's gold.
SET-UP. Well, you've thoroughly planned, researched, and listened towards the experts, both online and off. You've asked yourself thought-provoking questions, registered a website name, and you or a professional is setting up your website. You've actually selected products, services, and opportunities which, you hope, will generate a good profit.
Congratulations! You are ready to begin. But, wait! Don't forget in order to:
PROMOTE. This is such a lengthy and important subject; I will discuss this entirely in another article. In the meantime, I suggest you start promoting your own program, business, product, or service with free online classifieds.
One thing is perfect for sure, however: You must promote, promote, and promote in order to be successful. Don't simply rely on basic word-of-mouth to promote your product, service, or even program.
PERSEVERE. Don't let anything-and I do mean anything-stand in your method of online success. Study your product(s), service(s), or opportunities to the point you're the expert. Avoid negative people, as all they bring to your globe is negative energy. (Constructive criticism, however, can be beneficial. ) Invest more time in your web business, if needed.
Do whatever it takes to succeed online. Nurture your business watching it grow! Reap the rewards of a job well done!