Ok, now that you know the basics of the what the internet is I can teach you the
simple basics of starting your very own online business! So lets get started:
Setting your online business goals
The process of setting goals and objectives and then designing strategies for attaining them is essential when starting an Internet Business. So, you end up with what is called a business plan.
To set specific goals for your new business, first ask yourself this question:
Why do I want to start an Internet Business?
We already covered this in the early chapter, which is why you’re reading on!
Okay, next question:
What product or service can I offer to the people on the Internet?
OR
Do I have a product or service that people are looking for on the Internet?
To save you some research work, I’ve included the list of Top 17 Best-selling
items / categories on the Internet below:
1. Clothing
2. Toys and Video Games
3. Electronics
4. Computer Hardware
5. VCDs / DVDs
6. Books
7. Greeting Cards
8. Home Furnishing
9. Jewelry
10. Health
11. Travel
12. Automobile
13. Real Estate
14. Online Trading
15. Music
16. Food
17. Sports
When identifying a need, doing market research is part of your homework. One of your first steps should be to find out what it means to do business online and to determine the best ways for you to fit into the exploding field of e-commerce (electronic commerce). The more information you have on the following aspects of the Internet, the more likely you are to succeed in doing business online:
Competition: Familiarize yourself with other existing Internet Businesses that are already doing what you want to do.
Customers: Research the various kinds of customers who shop online and who
might visit your site.
Environment: Explore the special language and style of online communication – in other words, know the culture of the Internet. If you are not yet familiar with the culture of the Internet, then the best way to learn is to subscribe to e-zines (electronic magazines) and newsletters for your reading.
Write all your ideas down on a piece of paper. Ask yourself, “What do I have that people are looking for on the Internet?” Take your time. This is not supposed to be an overnight activity. So, don’t be surprised if you take days. Taking your time and doing a thorough market research on the Internet beats jumping onto an opportunity at first sight.
What if you don’t have any products to sell?
I would like to take this chance to get a HUGE MYTH out of the way. If you think you NEED to have a product to sell to make money – then you’re dead wrong, really.
You’ll be glad that you’re wrong after I tell you this. You still CAN make money without having to create your own product. And there are several instances you DON’T NEED to HAVE a product to sell at all in order to make money!
How?
Quite simply, you can either be a referral to earn a commission or sell advertising
spaces on your website or newsletter. That, my friend, is just a speck of a dust.
There are still many other ways you can make money on the Internet WITHOUT having to have your own product to sell.
Furthermore, you can either:
•Buy Resell Rights to someone else’s product and start selling it on the internet. All you would need to do is buy resell rights to an info product, upload it to the internet and drive traffic to it via Google Adwords (Google's paid advertising service)…and there’s your 1 hour online business. Make sure to read the chapter on becoming a reseller. You could also…
•Sign up as an affiliate and promote someone else’s product (this is even easier than the first business). All you’d need to do is sign up to an affiliate program and drive traffic to your affiliate link…Again, you can use Google Adwords to drive traffic to the link. There is a chapter about affiliate marketing, be sure to read it over. This is good news to those who are already sweating over the thought that of needing to create or have their own product to sell to make money!
Picking an online business model
The next thing to do on the list is to choose the right Internet Business Model.
Now this is crucial to your Internet Business success. The Internet Business Model has to be right for the type of product or service you’re offering to your customers. When choosing the right Internet Business Model, you will want to take the following factors into consideration:
•Profit Margin – the higher the profit margin, the better.
•Delivery – can be easily delivered to your customers via a system.
•Shipping Cost – as low as possible or even none.
•Marketing – different Internet Business Models have different marketing strategies. Choose the model that has the best marketing strategy for your product or services.
I have listed 10 Internet business models on the Internet that might help you think of a what you want to do. Later on I will show you what they are (page 36 if you are in a hurry).
Identify your target market
Already decided what you have in store for your customers?
The inside secret is to search in search engines (such as Google and Yahoo)
with keywords related to your product or service to find out if many websites, newsletters, and community groups focus on this interest.
For example, if you are interested in a golf club site, type in “golf clubs” into the
search engines. At the top of the search engines there will be number, listing how
many other sites are out there that are about golf clubs.
Get a domain name
I have already explained to you what a domain name is. You also know that your
website address can ALSO be your Internet Business name.
You will want to take out another new piece of paper again to write down ALL the
keywords related to your Internet Business. You see, you want your domain
name to:
•be short and easy to remember (and catchy, too!),
•be relevant to the product or service you’re selling,
•include keywords of your product or service to improve search engine
rankings. This will help you get more visitors to your site.
For example, if you want to sell a product teaching people how to break-dance,
then you will want to start writing down all the keywords related to break-dance.
For starters, write 100 keywords. What next, you ask? Write some more! Write
200 or 300 if you have to. The more keywords, the better. That is because this is
a one-off activity. And remember that you will be using this domain name for a
very long time, if not forever.
Okay, I’ll offer you some food for thought.
Are you a parent to any child? If you are not, then imagine you are one right now.
You and your spouse have a child for the first time. You and your spouse would
want to give the best name to your child, right? Of course you both would! You
and your spouse would brainstorm on giving your child the best name. “How
about John?” “Aw, John is too common a name!” “Then how about …?” “I think
the name…” and finally, your child has a name to be addressed by.
When brainstorming on your child’s name, you and your spouse consciously or
unconsciously know that giving your child the best and meaningful name is
VERY important because your child will be living with that name from the cradle
to the grave.
So, on the same token, why would you not think the same when brainstorming on
a good domain name? This is your Internet Business. You need to nurture and
grow it during its infancy stages before it rewards you. Are you not going to give it
your best attention, too?
Now, back to the keyword activity…
With the help of the list of keywords you have written down, you will find it easy to
get a domain name that fulfills the 3 guidelines stated above.
In the same example, you would probably come up with a domain name like www.yourname.com
Next, check whether the domain name has been registered or not. If the domain
name has been registered by someone else, you will have to use another domain
name. Another example of a keyword rich domain name is www.yournewsdaily.com.
You can easily tell by looking at these two domains what the site is about.
To register a domain name, you have to do it at a domain name registrar. These
are sites that will allow you to purchase a domain name, for usually under $10
USD per year, but try to purchase for two years at a time. One registrar that I
personally like is www.namecheap.com. They have been great for me, and their
service department is top notch.
When brainstorming on a good domain name, be sure to come up with at least a
few names in case the domain name you wish to use is already taken.
Remember me telling you that there can never be two houses bearing the same
address?
Another thing you have to consider is the various kinds of domain name
extensions on the Internet. So you will have to choose carefully.
Below are some of the common ones:
•.com - stands for commercial / community. The most used domain entity
on the Internet. Recommended for your Internet Business.
•.net - stands for network.
•.org - stands for organization. A lot of online communities use this
domain entity.
•.gov - stands for government. All U.S. government web sites other than
the military use this domain entity.
•.biz - stands for business. Recommended for your Internet Business.
•.info - stands for information. Good for an informational site.
There are many other extensions available, but these are the most popular. Try
to get a .com domain if possible.
The next thing to do is find a web host. Any business needs a place to call home.
If you run a conventional business, you have to rent space in an office or
shopping complex. In the case of setting up an Internet Business, you need to
set up virtual space. You do so by creating a website and finding a host for your
site. A web host company that makes your site available 24/7 (24 hours a day, 7
days a week) by maintaining it on a Web server. I have covered this topic with
you briefly in a previous chapter.
When looking for a good web host, you want to make sure that your host has a
fast connection to the Internet and can handle large numbers of simultaneous
visits (also known as hits and Bandwidth) that your website is sure to get
eventually. You also want to make sure that your web host offers a variety of
related services, including some or all of the following:
•E-mail addresses. You’re likely to be able to get several e-mail addresses
for your own. Many web hosts also give you special e-mail addresses
called autoresponders.
•Web page software. Some web hosting services include web page
building / editing software.
•Multimedia / CGI scripts. Some web hosting services have the ability to serve complex and memory-intensive content such as audio sound files or video clips. They also let you process web page forms that you include on your site by executing computer programs called CGI scripts.
•Shopping Cart software. Most organizations provide you with Web page
forms that you can fill out to create sale items and offer them in an online
shopping cart.
•Site statistics. Site statistics give you an idea of how many visitors you
have received.
•Shopping and electronic commerce features and more.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
BASIC FUNDAMENTALS
Let’s start this report with some definitions of frequently used terms so that you’re clear as to what I’ll be talking about later on in the coming report. If you’re not familiar with computers and Internet, then read this section carefully. I’ll be explaining in simple English so I’ll strip off as much technical jargons as I can so that any ordinary person can understand complex and technical subjects.
Let’s begin, shall we?
•What exactly is the internet?
The Internet stands for Integrated Network. The Internet is a GLOBAL network of computers with hundreds of millions of computers all over the world all linked to each other. Your computer can easily access the Internet one of two ways:
•Through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP doesn’t provide any type of content; it just provides a connection to the Internet.
•Through an online service (e.g. America Online, Microsoft Network, Prodigy, and so on). An online service not only connects you to the Internet but also provides content such as daily news, stock quotes, football scores, and information resources.
Once you have an Internet Access account, to log on to the Internet you need to get your own PC (Personal Computer) with a modem. Most new computers come
ready with a built-in (internal) modem.
Then all you need to do to access the Internet is to connect your home phone line to the modem, and dial an Internet Access telephone number provided by your ISP. A program in your computer will enable you to access the Internet once you dial in. You can also have Cable internet access, which doesn't use phone lines, and is always connected to the internet.
When you are connected to the Internet, you can easily send digital files and information to another computer in the network within minutes. The faster your PC and Internet connection is, the faster you can send your files.
With your computer connected to the Internet, you can easily and efficiently share information with other users FROM AROUND THE WORLD within seconds or minutes. If you can share information easily and efficiently – you can easily market your products or services to others and make money in the process at a very low cost!
You can set up a system on the Internet to send marketing information to your prospects 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, because the Internet doesn’t sleep, and its users are all over the world, each living in a different time zone! This system consists of primarily your Website and E-mail.
•What is a domain name?
Basically, your domain name is the internet address of your website, it looks something like this: www.yourname.com
Once the domain name has been selected and registered, no one else can register the same domain name just as there can never be two houses with the same address. Your domain name can also be your Internet Business name.
•What is a website?
A website can act as a brochure or sales letter but in electronic form, viewable only in your computer. A website can also act as your physical business premises.
Your website displays your products in the form of photos or illustrations and words that describe what it is. People can browse your website for the products you carry from any PC with an Internet Browser without having to go there in person to see them.
•What is a web browser?
An Internet Browser allows your visitors to view your website. Examples of a web browser are: Internet Explorer and Firefox.
•What is email?
An e-mail is mail in electronic format and hence, Electronic Mail. Instead of sending a letter to your friend by writing it on a piece of paper, putting it into an envelope and sticking a stamp on it before going to the post office to post it, you
compose an e-mail in your E-mail program and when you’re ready to send, you click on the button SEND.
•What is web hosting?
The host of your website is the server. Your website sits on the hard disk of a big computer called a server that is connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. The server can also host other websites simultaneously. In order to have a web site you will need web hosting. This can either be free or a small amount each month.
•What is an autoresponder?
An Autoresponder is a computer program that acts like your answering machine for e-mail messages from your friends. You can write out your message in advance, like the following:
“Thank you for visiting my site. Here is the information that I promised to give
you...”.
Once you’ve turned your Autoresponder on at your e-mail address, anyone sending e mail to your e-mail address will automatically receive your message above – without any need for you to send it manually.
And a sequential Autoresponder is a computer program that will automatically send out a number of pre-written messages in the order and at the frequency you set them up to send.? You can specify the interval between each pre-written message and set up as many e-mail messages as you wish.
•What is an FTP program?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. An FTP Program enables you to deliver digital files to your website’s host directly from your own computer through the Internet so that your website can be ready to be viewed by your visitors. This program also enables you to edit and delete existing web pages and images.
Let’s begin, shall we?
•What exactly is the internet?
The Internet stands for Integrated Network. The Internet is a GLOBAL network of computers with hundreds of millions of computers all over the world all linked to each other. Your computer can easily access the Internet one of two ways:
•Through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP doesn’t provide any type of content; it just provides a connection to the Internet.
•Through an online service (e.g. America Online, Microsoft Network, Prodigy, and so on). An online service not only connects you to the Internet but also provides content such as daily news, stock quotes, football scores, and information resources.
Once you have an Internet Access account, to log on to the Internet you need to get your own PC (Personal Computer) with a modem. Most new computers come
ready with a built-in (internal) modem.
Then all you need to do to access the Internet is to connect your home phone line to the modem, and dial an Internet Access telephone number provided by your ISP. A program in your computer will enable you to access the Internet once you dial in. You can also have Cable internet access, which doesn't use phone lines, and is always connected to the internet.
When you are connected to the Internet, you can easily send digital files and information to another computer in the network within minutes. The faster your PC and Internet connection is, the faster you can send your files.
With your computer connected to the Internet, you can easily and efficiently share information with other users FROM AROUND THE WORLD within seconds or minutes. If you can share information easily and efficiently – you can easily market your products or services to others and make money in the process at a very low cost!
You can set up a system on the Internet to send marketing information to your prospects 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, because the Internet doesn’t sleep, and its users are all over the world, each living in a different time zone! This system consists of primarily your Website and E-mail.
•What is a domain name?
Basically, your domain name is the internet address of your website, it looks something like this: www.yourname.com
Once the domain name has been selected and registered, no one else can register the same domain name just as there can never be two houses with the same address. Your domain name can also be your Internet Business name.
•What is a website?
A website can act as a brochure or sales letter but in electronic form, viewable only in your computer. A website can also act as your physical business premises.
Your website displays your products in the form of photos or illustrations and words that describe what it is. People can browse your website for the products you carry from any PC with an Internet Browser without having to go there in person to see them.
•What is a web browser?
An Internet Browser allows your visitors to view your website. Examples of a web browser are: Internet Explorer and Firefox.
•What is email?
An e-mail is mail in electronic format and hence, Electronic Mail. Instead of sending a letter to your friend by writing it on a piece of paper, putting it into an envelope and sticking a stamp on it before going to the post office to post it, you
compose an e-mail in your E-mail program and when you’re ready to send, you click on the button SEND.
•What is web hosting?
The host of your website is the server. Your website sits on the hard disk of a big computer called a server that is connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. The server can also host other websites simultaneously. In order to have a web site you will need web hosting. This can either be free or a small amount each month.
•What is an autoresponder?
An Autoresponder is a computer program that acts like your answering machine for e-mail messages from your friends. You can write out your message in advance, like the following:
“Thank you for visiting my site. Here is the information that I promised to give
you...”.
Once you’ve turned your Autoresponder on at your e-mail address, anyone sending e mail to your e-mail address will automatically receive your message above – without any need for you to send it manually.
And a sequential Autoresponder is a computer program that will automatically send out a number of pre-written messages in the order and at the frequency you set them up to send.? You can specify the interval between each pre-written message and set up as many e-mail messages as you wish.
•What is an FTP program?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. An FTP Program enables you to deliver digital files to your website’s host directly from your own computer through the Internet so that your website can be ready to be viewed by your visitors. This program also enables you to edit and delete existing web pages and images.
INTRODUCTION
First… before I start explaining some great ways to start your online profitable business, I wanted to say Thank you! Thank you for spending time to visit my blog and read this report, I will try my very best to make it well worth your while.
As you read these words, there are thousands of people making a full time income on the internet, working part time hours from the comfort of their own home. These people set their own working hours, live where ever they choose and have a ton of spare time to spend with their family, friends and simply do things they love to do.
Does this sound like something you would like to be doing? Of course it is, why else would you be reading this!
You are about to learn a ton of new things that you need to know to get started on your internet business and be pointed in the right direction towards online business success.
In this guide, you will not only learn the basics of starting an internet business, but learn of the many different online business models you can choose from.
There are many ways to start an online business, I hope this blog will help you decide which way is the best way for you.
But before we get started, just so you are as excited as I am about doing business online, here are some of the main reasons most people decide to start an online business:
•It takes very little money to start
Unlike a business in the “real world” ,an online business does not need a lot of start up money. All you need is an idea, a domain name, internet access and hosting…all of which can be had for under $100!
•You choose when you work
Who says you must work from 9 to 5 everyday? People who are NOT Internet Business owners! The Internet Business is the biggest proof why the statement “working from 9 to 5” is no longer true. With an Internet Business, you don’t have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning so that you can get to work by 9am, anymore. You can start work at anytime since you are your own boss!
•Work from the comfort of your own home
Where you put your computer is where you will be working! And since you’re going to be working from home, you could be saving two hours of your time each day by not having to travel to and from your work place during rush hours when everybody else is going to work or heading for home. That means you could be saving at least 730 hours a year! Wouldn’t you shudder at the thought of wasting 730 hours a year doing nothing productive?
•With the Internet, the whole world is your market!
By sitting in front of the computer, everyone in the world is now within three feet.
You leverage on free or low-cost software and hardware and the Internet infrastructure, all of which when combined will give you leveraging power that far exceeds any conventional business, allowing you to achieve more and more with less and less work!
•You can fully automate your online business
If properly set up, some Internet business models can be fully automated.
•No need to work 8 hours a days every single day
Once you can automate your Internet business in some way, you can use the time you saved to start another Internet business, improve your existing business, or spend anyway you like. You just spend the time online checking your e-mail, promoting and expanding your business – all in front of your computer. And there is absolutely no need to spend any more than four hours a day online.
•Spend more time with family and friends
Owning an Internet business gives you the privilege to have more time to spend with your family, or watch your children grow up. This is what most busy parents crave for. If you are one of them, then you will do well to seriously consider starting an Internet business.
•Your online business can be all about your hobbies and passions
Now, this is my favorite reason for anybody wanting to start an Internet business!
An Internet business allows your passion and dream to come to life, which is also the most important component of businesses of any kind.
•Online businesses have very little expenses
Believe it or not, some Internet businesses can be set up and running at zero cost, if not very low. Other Internet businesses can run with monthly operational expenses so low that they are negligible!
• You can have more than one!
Since the cost of setting up and running an Internet business is so low, and you can automate the operations, you can operate multiple Internet businesses as a one-person Internet business owner. You don’t need to hire employees since your Internet business system is doing most of the job, if not all. It works 24/7 for you. It won’t call in sick. It won’t give any excuses. And it definitely won’t blame you if it ever had worldly problems!
Given all the wonderful reasons for starting your own Internet business, I am sure that by now you have already made up your mind whether starting an Internet business is for you or not. If you have decided that it is for you, then let’s move on.
But first there are some basic fundamentals that you should learn before attempting to create a business online. In this blog I will go into more detail about some different ways to make money online, however let's discuss some fundamentals first.
As you read these words, there are thousands of people making a full time income on the internet, working part time hours from the comfort of their own home. These people set their own working hours, live where ever they choose and have a ton of spare time to spend with their family, friends and simply do things they love to do.
Does this sound like something you would like to be doing? Of course it is, why else would you be reading this!
You are about to learn a ton of new things that you need to know to get started on your internet business and be pointed in the right direction towards online business success.
In this guide, you will not only learn the basics of starting an internet business, but learn of the many different online business models you can choose from.
There are many ways to start an online business, I hope this blog will help you decide which way is the best way for you.
But before we get started, just so you are as excited as I am about doing business online, here are some of the main reasons most people decide to start an online business:
•It takes very little money to start
Unlike a business in the “real world” ,an online business does not need a lot of start up money. All you need is an idea, a domain name, internet access and hosting…all of which can be had for under $100!
•You choose when you work
Who says you must work from 9 to 5 everyday? People who are NOT Internet Business owners! The Internet Business is the biggest proof why the statement “working from 9 to 5” is no longer true. With an Internet Business, you don’t have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning so that you can get to work by 9am, anymore. You can start work at anytime since you are your own boss!
•Work from the comfort of your own home
Where you put your computer is where you will be working! And since you’re going to be working from home, you could be saving two hours of your time each day by not having to travel to and from your work place during rush hours when everybody else is going to work or heading for home. That means you could be saving at least 730 hours a year! Wouldn’t you shudder at the thought of wasting 730 hours a year doing nothing productive?
•With the Internet, the whole world is your market!
By sitting in front of the computer, everyone in the world is now within three feet.
You leverage on free or low-cost software and hardware and the Internet infrastructure, all of which when combined will give you leveraging power that far exceeds any conventional business, allowing you to achieve more and more with less and less work!
•You can fully automate your online business
If properly set up, some Internet business models can be fully automated.
•No need to work 8 hours a days every single day
Once you can automate your Internet business in some way, you can use the time you saved to start another Internet business, improve your existing business, or spend anyway you like. You just spend the time online checking your e-mail, promoting and expanding your business – all in front of your computer. And there is absolutely no need to spend any more than four hours a day online.
•Spend more time with family and friends
Owning an Internet business gives you the privilege to have more time to spend with your family, or watch your children grow up. This is what most busy parents crave for. If you are one of them, then you will do well to seriously consider starting an Internet business.
•Your online business can be all about your hobbies and passions
Now, this is my favorite reason for anybody wanting to start an Internet business!
An Internet business allows your passion and dream to come to life, which is also the most important component of businesses of any kind.
•Online businesses have very little expenses
Believe it or not, some Internet businesses can be set up and running at zero cost, if not very low. Other Internet businesses can run with monthly operational expenses so low that they are negligible!
• You can have more than one!
Since the cost of setting up and running an Internet business is so low, and you can automate the operations, you can operate multiple Internet businesses as a one-person Internet business owner. You don’t need to hire employees since your Internet business system is doing most of the job, if not all. It works 24/7 for you. It won’t call in sick. It won’t give any excuses. And it definitely won’t blame you if it ever had worldly problems!
Given all the wonderful reasons for starting your own Internet business, I am sure that by now you have already made up your mind whether starting an Internet business is for you or not. If you have decided that it is for you, then let’s move on.
But first there are some basic fundamentals that you should learn before attempting to create a business online. In this blog I will go into more detail about some different ways to make money online, however let's discuss some fundamentals first.
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