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Develop A Plan
This is where most people hoping to establish an online business venture stumble and fall. Rather than develop a solid plan of direction, they merely run with a general (even generic) overall concept in mind.
For the most part, they set up shop by creating a website and then begin a somewhat random procedure of adding this and that. Maybe they start with a particular product or service in mind but easily get distracted with numerous affiliate links and products that may or may not have anything to do with the original idea.
Basically, they lose all sight of any intent whatsoever, not necessarily because they didn't have one to begin with, but mainly because they had no definitive plan to keep them on the right track. Unfortunately, talking about a plan and actually developing one are two entirely different concepts.
Let's face it. Developing a plan is probably the least enjoyable part of any online business experience. It's like that outline your high school English teacher made you create long before you got around to writing anything creative.
Whether you thought that outline procedure was worse than having your teeth pulled or not, it was in fact imperative in determining how good or bad the ultimate writing turned out.
You have to approach your business (website) plan the same way. And by drafting an outline first, the overall chore becomes less difficult. Once you have a "skeleton" list in place, it's merely a matter of filling in the blanks.
The important thing is to make a point of actually preparing some form of business plan. Without one, there's a good chance your focus will get lost somewhere down the line, assuming you even manage to get off on the right foot.
Don't get me wrong. There are those rare individuals who can shoot from the hip, run with a random idea, and somehow turn it into solid gold with no plan or purpose whatsoever. But the operative word here is "rare".
For those of us in the vast majority, however, running loose and wild just doesn't cut it. We have to have a plan. A purpose. A set of guidelines that not only determine a sound basis for getting started but allows for focused future development as well.
Cut corners and you'll suffer the consequences. After all, if you don't know where you're going or how you'll get there, chances are that shot-in-the-dark attitude will leave you far behind in the race for Internet success. And you'll have no one to blame but yourself.
Now... what does it take to determine the basis of your plan? Like any venture, it begins with an idea. If you don't already have one (for example, selling digital info products or promoting affiliate programs), then you'd better spend some time researching what options are available.
But even before you decide, you need to be clear about what you yourself are capable of achieving. And the best place to start is by examining your own life.
Do you see yourself working the Internet full-time or merely a few hours a few days a week?
If your answer is full-time, then the sky's the limit on whatever business venture you choose. If you only have a few hours or days to invest, you might want to consider promoting existing affiliate programs or products rather than establishing your own solitary endeavor.
Are you self-motivated or do you have a tendency to rely on a more structured existence (i.e. the standard 9 to 5 job, someone telling you what to do, and reliable paycheck)?
If you're someone who is capable of being highly productive, even on your quote, days off, unquote, you certainly won't experience any difficulty when it comes to getting your daily Internet tasks taken care of.
Adversely, an individual who can only function productively under the guidelines set forth by some other entity will have a problem, not only staying focused day after day, but also generating the initial incentive it takes to "be your own boss".
Are you hoping (or worse, expect to) get rich overnight or are you willing to invest whatever time and effort is necessary to develop a long-term commitment?
There are only three ways to get rich overnight. One, you win the lottery. Two, you inherit wealth. Or three, you rob a bank. Other than that, getting rich takes hard work and dedication over an extended length of time. In fact, any form of financial freedom and security requires that same degree of hard work and dedication.
If you've not willing to invest in your future, you might be better off collecting that regular paycheck and leave the Internet ventures to those individuals who are willing to commit whatever time and energy is necessary.
Are you the type of person who thinks they already "know it all" or are you willing to learn what others have done and then follow the advice of those who have become an online success?
There are two kinds of people in the world... rocks and sponges. Rock personalities are so busy hearing their own words they're never going to increase their overall knowledge or capabilities. Sponges, on the other hand, remain silent most of the time, constantly absorbing information and expanding their intellectual database.
If you happen to fall into the latter category, you're a prime candidate for online success. If you're a rock, you'll spend most of your working hours in a "trial and error" existence. You may or may not succeed. And even if you do succeed, valuable time and energy will be wasted unnecessarily.
Do you plan to operate an Internet venture by yourself or will your particular choice of business require additional help and/or personnel?
There's basically two sides to this coin. First of all, there's a monetary consideration. Second is your level of expertise or capability in any given area of establishing and operating an online venture. And in some instances, the two will overlap.
For example, let's say you've chosen to sell ebooks. If you can write your own and you're capable of creating a website, properly submitting to search engines, and can also handle marketing and promotion, the entire business will be possible (and reasonable) both financially and physically.
Of course, if you don't happen to be so multi-faceted or have chosen an online endeavor that's not quite so cut and dried, you'll have to consider areas of operation that will require outside assistance and/or expenditures.
A great place to locate outside assistance is Elance.com. You simply post whatever work or type of job you need done and then professional individuals and companies bid on that project.
Naturally, since you get to decide who is ultimately hired to do the work (based on cost as well as expertise), it's a great way to locate any and all types of suitable professional services.
The important thing is to be realistic about what you can and can't achieve on your own. If the business endeavor you've chosen requires more expertise or financial investment than you alone can handle, you may have to reconsider.
Develop A Plan is an excerpt from Emarketing 4 Success, a comprehensive internet marketing course written by Maggie Lietz of
eBookHelper.com
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