The Seven Stages Of Your Online Business

Every business has a life cycle. If you understand this cycle, your business will thrive and survive over many, many years. If you don't learn the life cycle of a business, you won't have one for long.

Based upon your business' current stage, one strategy of growth will be better than another. There are seven stages associated with the life of an online business. Let's call them:

· The Labored Beginnings

· The Toddler Stage

· The Adolescent Stage

· The Troubled Teen Stage

· The Young Adult Stage

· The Maturity Stage

· Death or Renewal Stage

The first stage of your business, the Labored Beginnings Stage, is the most difficult stage. In this stage you will be building the foundation of your business. With a shoddy foundation, you will have a stillborn business. With a solid foundation, your business will experience a long and healthy life.

In this stage, you need to decide on the focus of your business, its product, its business plan, its marketing plan, financial decisions, its legal form, and then launch the business. Many sleepless nights will accompany this stage. You may wake up in a cold sweat wondering what the hell you are doing. In this stage, your emotions will swing between unbridled optimism and heart palpitating fear.

Having successfully navigated the first stage, your business will grow into its next stage, the Toddler Stage. In the Toddler stage, your business is just finding its legs. It takes a few steps forward. It takes a few steps backward. It occasionally falls on its butt.

In the Toddler Stage, you are going to start selling your product on eBay(TM) . eBay(TM) is by far the largest online auction site. If you want to make a good living selling online, eBay(TM) is the place to start. In this stage, you will fully establish yourself as an online seller. You will observe powersellers, the elite of eBay(TM). They are your models. Learn all you can. 

In the Toddler Stage you should also begin to develop the first stages of your marketing plan implementation, including the use of business cards and starting to compile a mailing list. As we leave the Toddler Stage, your business is starting to roll now.

The Adolescent Stage is where your first major growth spurt will occur. You should begin to increase the number of auctions you are running at eBay(TM). You will add auction management to assist you in managing a larger selling load. You need to establish your domain level web site and step up your marketing efforts.

Marketing will be key in moving your business to the next stage, the Troubled Teen Stage. Why the "Troubled" Teens? In this stage your business can start to spin out of control. You need to establish systems to help you manage your sales and delight your customers. You need to take a close look at your products and drop the low performers. And, marketing once again gets ramped up. Successfully executed, your actions in this stage will lead you to the Young Adult Stage.

In the Young Adult Stage, you will more firmly establish your selling presence on eBay(TM) with an eBay(TM) Store. You will start to shift where you spend your time from auctions to more online sales. You'll need to add new products and weed out low performing products. At the same time, you will continue to increase your marketing activities to include click advertising and an autoresponder. These activities should take you to the next stage, the Maturity Stage.

In the Maturity Stage, your business is firmly established. Sound good? Yes, but it is also the second most dangerous stage after your start-up stage. Why? Your business is doing well. The profits are rolling in. You aren't working as hard because of the systems you established. Why is this dangerous? You will have the urge to relax and put the company on autopilot.

Shouldn't you be able to relax and enjoy the fruit of your labors? Of course. However, remember that each day others just like you are beginning to launch their businesses. And, they are coming after you. They want your customers. Now is the time to really assess your marketing efforts. What's working? What's not working? Do more of what's working because one last choice remains. Are you going to renew your business or watch it slowly die?

In the last stage, the Renewal or Death Stage, you need to learn to look at your business with fresh eyes and start this journey all over again. On the second trip, you will have more confidence, knowledge and expertise. You will also have acquired some bad habits. It's time to shed those and lead your business once more through the stages of its life. The beat goes on...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/17953

Online Business Start-Ups

Any business start-up can be difficult but the online business start-up is more so. Both business owners have the same problems of financing, product selection and marketing. However, the "brick and mortar" business owner has one major advantage over the online business start-up. The conventional business owner can see their potential customers. Their potential customers walk by the windows every day. They may even walk into the store and ask questions. With an online business, other than some hard to decipher website statistics, the only time you know you have a potential customer is when they contact you or order from you. This creates many sleepless nights.

At 2:00 a.m., an online business owner wakes up in a cold sweat. Where are the customers? Have I chosen the right online marketing strategy from the millions that are available? How do I know? Will a sale come in tomorrow or never? There are literally hundreds of concerns made more difficult by the invisibility of the potential customer. The agony of the online business start-up is in full swing. Will there be any ecstasy at the end of the road? What will it take?

Ecstasy will occur once the owner knows the business is successful. The elements of success are actually the same for the "brick and mortar" business as they are for the online business. The difference resides in the feedback mechanisms. The online business owner can't count on that face-to-face meeting with potential customers when they enter the store or that fleeting glimpse of a customer as they walk by the window. An online business owner must create feedback mechanisms on their website which encourage customers to interact and let him/her know they were there.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get your potential customers to leave you their email addresses? Not only would this help you understand that people are actually visiting your site but it would also be helpful for future marketing efforts. As online business owners, how can we do this?

First, add a simple guest book to your site. Some people will voluntarily sign your guest book, but many will not. So, let's add a little incentive for the potential customer. How about associating their signature in your guest book with a free drawing for one of your products (like http://www.sweet-vibrations.com, a one-of-a-kind jewelry site) or a free newsletter on an interesting topic (like http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com)? In this way, you offer something of value in exchange for their email address. And, it doesn't have to cost you anything.

There are many free website guest books available online. We use a free guest book from http://www.htmlgear.com on our website http://www.obinstitute.com. Check it out!

Secondly, an online business owner can also add a refer-a-friend link on their website. Why not offer potential customers the ability to easily market for you? They may know a friend who would really be interested in your product. That friend might buy something from you, or sign your guest book. The website mentioned above, http://www.htmlgear.com also offers a free refer-a-friend link for your website. And, again, you can check out an example at http://www.obinstitute.com. Is there anything else we can add to a website to make our potential customer more visible before a sale? Yes, an online survey.

Thirdly, add an ongoing survey form regarding issues of importance to your potential customers? Most of us find it's interesting to cast a ballot on an issue and then see what position others are taking. Remember, you have two purposes in mind for this strategy. The first is to make the potential customer and their visits to your website more visible to you. This will help maintain your sanity until someone actually orders. But, secondly, you are developing a website that people will return to in the future. This will increase the potential for sales.

Each time the potential customer interacts with the website, using a guest book, a survey or a refer-a-friend link, the online business owner is building a relationship with that potential customer. The more they like using your site, the more likely they are to return. The more often they return to your site, or tell others, the better your chances of the sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6573

6 Basic Principals Every Online Business Owner Should Know

The fact that you're reading this article shows your interest in starting your very own internet business. Maybe you're already an online business owner in search of some answers why your online business stalled. Even if you're just interested in what others have to say about online business startup guidelines, I think these are the 6 fundamental principals that will make or break your online success.

They are not in any particular order. From my experience you need to implement all 6 principals to lay a solid foundation for your online business. If customers ask me why they don't have any success with their online business, most of the time I will find at least one violation of these 6 principals. It doesn't mean that implementing a missing principal will guarantee instant success. However you will dramatically increase the odds to become a successful online business owner.

I don't expect that you believe a single word I'm saying. Just put your own online business to the test and see if these basic principals apply to your situation.

1. Don't Buy Into The Hype.

The Internet can be a confusing place. If you're getting serious with your business you will come across a lot of empty promises. 99% percent turn out to be exactly that, empty promises.

Stick with what works and choose your suppliers based on service and on how long they are in business. The Internet is a fast place and being in business for a couple of years means that you can expect world-class service and quality.

2. Don't Spend Too Much Time Online.

Don't forget your family and your friends. You will get drawn into this vicious cycle of wanting to do more and more. Remember success doesn't come overnight and time away from the computer benefits you and your family. Stay healthy while doing this or you won't be able to enjoy your success.

3. Take Your Time.

Success with a home based Internet business doesn't come overnight, despite the promises from all these emails and websites you come across while pitching your own business. 

The latest announcement, that Google is aging its index lists puts a new spin on quick success. Apparently Google now weights the age a website to determine its relevance and therefore its ranking. This means no matter how hard you try and how many tweaks you make to your website, it doesn't matter to Google. 

So, take your time and be patient.

From my experience it takes at least 4-5 months before you see some sort of returns. With Google's latest announcements maybe a little bit longer. This means that you must keep track of your expenses or you will go broke before you can cash in.

4. Lock Up Your Credit Cards.

Here's a very important tip. You are highly endangered to go broke if you make hasty buying decisions after late night online session. Before you enter your credit card number, bookmark the site, wait 24 hours, go back to this site and if you still think that you need this product buy it. You will save a lot of money by avoiding unnecessary or worthless purchases.

5. Be Persistent.

Simply don't quit. I know it can get frustrating having no sales or no hits for weeks. That's the nature of the business. I had months where the sales happened almost hourly and there's times when I didn't see any action at all.

Just keep pounding the rock. All successful people in the world have one thing in common. They are persistent in what their doing.

6. Be Unique.

Nothing will kill you online success quicker that being a pure copycat.

Keep this in mind. You will probably sell the same stuff as hundreds or thousand of other businesses. So why should somebody buy from you and from you only? Be yourself! Put your personal touch on it. Sometimes it's a good thing to point out the negative of a certain product as well. Your potential customers will appreciate your honest opinion and trust you in future product announcements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/49022

Find a Legitimate Online Business

Online Scams & How to Identify Them

There are quite a few online scams yet there are also many legitimate online marketing businesses. So as with anything we decide to become involved in, care should be exercised. So how do we spot online scams? What are some of the things we ought to look for to help us spot online scams?

Numerous people are working in jobs that leave them desiring something more. More cash, more free time, more creative freedom and the reasons could go on. These people may be bored and wanting new challenges. Perhaps they're tired of their current occupations and just want change or new challenges. These people frequently turn to the internet in searching for new opportunities. Many of them find online scams instead of online opportunity. So how to start looking for a legitimate online business becomes the first order of business.

Many people love the idea of operating their own business as the thought of independence and freedom is an appealing one. The harsh reality though is that in most instances people just don't have the capital that's needed to start their own business. The risk factor involved in beginning a business also scares many people. The idea of leaving a steady job and giving up a guaranteed income can be frightening as it's a well known fact that about 9 out of 10 of all new startup businesses fail in the first year. A legitimate online business can be the key to this ideal dream.

Advantages of Online Marketing

Online marketing is a way to get around the starting capital and risk of starting a new business. Online marketing expenses are small as compared to starting a bricks and mortar business and the risks are also minimized. Many legitimate online marketing businesses cost zero to very little to join. In online marketing a person gets payment according to how well they perform and their earnings are not dependent on how well the company is doing.

Many people turn to seeking legitimate online business opportunities but the internet is filled with online scams. So how to spot online marketing scams becomes a key factor when the decision has been made to seek out an income opportunity online.

It's an unfortunate reality that this is a time of business and internet fraud. Endless people pour large sums of money into online marketing scams. It would not be plausible or possible to list all the ways to spot online scams but there are certainly some key factors that would help to spot online scams. These factors won't always mean that the company being looked at is one of these online marketing scams but they're worthy of careful consideration. To find the legitimate online businesses it's a necessity to wade through the scams.

Spotting the Online Scams

One factor that has provided many people false senses of security concerning online marketing programs is that the program is free to join. People feel that since they're investing no money that they have nothing to lose so it must be a legitimate online business. In fact they're losing one of their most valuable commodities, the commodity of time. As with any business, bricks and mortar or online marketing, time to build the business to a level of success will be the largest requirement. So when investing time to build an online business it's key to make sure that it's legitimate and not one of these online marketing scams.

Requesting testimonials from the company is one of the first steps that an interested person can take in an attempt to spot online scams and differentiate them from the legitimate online businesses. It's a mistake to rely on the testimonials that might be posted on the company's, or one of its affiliates, website as anybody can create these. The fact that it's posted on a website doesn't make it true. Asking the company for names, addresses and phone numbers of real people that you can contact is best. These contacts can let you know how the program is working for them.

Putting the company name with the term "scam" into a search engine box is another means to spot online scams. It is a given that if the company has been around for a while that there will be complaints, yet this doesn't always indicate that the program is really a scam as not every program is for every person. Many people don't want to take responsibility for failure even if the program is a legitimate online business and working for others. Reading reviews, talking to other members, looking at testimonials all very carefully and weighing the good against the bad is the best approach anybody can take when trying to spot online scams.

Another great indication that the company is a legitimate online business is the ease factor in contacting support. What type of contact ability does the company offer? Do they give phone numbers, physical addresses, a contact form on the website? Before joining, or as soon as joining, a good test is to contact the company with a question or issue and see how soon they respond and to what level of satisfaction. Companies that are operating as online scams generally won't respond back if at all or they may only send out a standard auto reply.

A live support forum is a excellent indicator that the company is not one of these online scams but rather a legitimate online business. Checking out the forum as a visitor to see what kind of support is available, how fast members receive help, looking for proof of income postings are also great ways to ensure that the company is not one of the online scams programs.

Lack of information on the company should also raise a caution flag. Online marketing companies that have been around for any length of time should have a track record. Many online scams or new legitimate online businesses attempt to draw in new members with an offer of urgency so resistance to this is suggested. If the company is honest they'll still be around several months down the line. If the product or service that the company offers is worth buying into then there will still be plenty of money and profit to go around.

Final Consideration

This brings up one last factor to look for when attempting to spot online scams. What type of service or product does the company offer? A reputable, legitimate online business must offer a core product or service. Joining a program that only offers affiliate links to a replicated affiliate web page and only pays its members for bringing in new members is a mistake made by many. A reputable online marketing program will always offer a core product or service for its members to profit from.

Many people are drawn to the idea of owning their own business. But the reality of all that is involved stops most people before they even begin. Online marketing is a method for many to work for themselves without facing the financial risks. Legitimate online marketing business opportunities are plentiful and there are many honest online marketing companies. But there are also many fraudulent online marketing scams too. So when considering an online marketing opportunity it is important to do the investigation needed before jumping on board.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4302084

Online Businesses Don't Work!

Type in the words 'Online Business,' 'Working Online,' or several other versions of that word-search and you will find a myriad of online business opportunities. It would appear that there are hundreds, if not millions, of people becoming entrepreneurs overnight, with millionaire lifestyles all with online business working only two-hours a day. If this were the case, would we not all be amassing our fortunes online?

The real question is: How do you sort out the wheat from the chaff: The good online business from the bad? There are so many online business opportunities on offer. There are a number of essential elements that any online business has to have to make it a credible and viable business:
1. Are the online business incomes credible?
2. Are you given full systems support for your business?
3. Do you get any training?
4. Is the training on-going - does it develop with you?
5. Are there real people for you to talk too for advice, help and support?
6. Is there an actual product behind the internet business?

'Earn 100k in one month.' We have all seen the adverts on Google or Yahoo. This will come as no surprise these claims are not true for the average internet business entrepreneur. The claims are more often than not bogus. Any internet business that is offer 100k income after four weeks is likely to be a scam. These sites claim that for minimal investment you will reap huge rewards quickly without having to do a thing. If someone, a complete stranger walked up to you in the street and said: "Give me £100 and I will make you a million." Would you do it? No. I thought not.

It is possible to earn a good amount of money online, in some cases, life changing sums of money if you take the time to understand study and substantiate how the income claims are realized. For example an online marketing business may specify that it take 800 leads to return 1000 in sales per month. The business should specify whether the lead generation is free or requires investment in the form of advertising on Google or Yahoo. It is important to note that 800 leads may not automatically lead to 1000 in sales, as like in any business, there are always going to be some variables that impact on the overall sales per number of leads. Any sites that offer 100% conversion rates should trigger big flashing warning signs in your brain 'Danger!', a spoof business opportunity, don't invest!

Once you have substantiated that an income potential is achievable form an online business opportunity it is important that you know how the business generates its income. What operating systems are in place to ensure that your internet business, that you have invested time and money in, will operate successfully and what does it cost?

A true online business should offer you an integrated and personalized marketing and customer management system. This facilitates you with the means to set-up and run your own personalized website and the leads generated by your website will be stored for you to view and follow-up with. The most professional online business opportunities will offer you a detailed traffic, leads and sales tracking systems that will allow you to see which adverts and promotions are driving traffic to your site and which are not. This saves you wasting time and money on advertising that does not work and investing more in those adverts that do generate sales.

Once you have a list of interested potential customers (leads); are you left to call the customers or does the online business operate a system that allows your leads to be followed up by their team of experts? Credible online business opportunities will offer you a professional call center to assist in helping to close sales or tell people more about your business and service and product that you have on offer. After all, you may not be able to talk to every lead; you may well be working your regular job while starting this new online enterprise.

An important point, that is often overlooked, is one of language. The internet is a worldwide communications conduit. This means that only having a business that operates in one language, like English, may limit the scope of what you have to sell to customers who understand that one language. Look for businesses that offer to market in multiple languages. The more people you can offer your product to, the more sales you will make.

So you have research the income claims and reviewed the business systems and support network but how do you use it? This is a massive issue. Many people signup to online business and fail because they don't understand how the online business operating and marketing systems work and how to use them. Training is vital for anyone entering the online business world looking to make real money.

A reputable online business opportunity should provide full and ongoing training to all its members. Training that is tailored to fit your skill level and the speed and style in which you learn new skills. The pace should adaptable to your pace not the companies. It is an absolute that you must review the training that your online business opportunity is offering and that it offers training across a number of multi-media formats: written, power point, webinars (online seminars), conference calls either phone or video and one-to-one training. The training should be bespoke to the time and investment you have to put into your business.

You should be given a comprehensive education in your new business with strong emphasis on how to market your business and meeting your business goals and expectations in line with your current level of experience and investment. Once you have mastered the fundamentals of you new online business opportunity you should be offered (given) further training to help you optimize and grow your business help you to gain more sales and profit.

Beware! I say it again: Beware! Fully automated systems don't work and are often a con. It is true that the internet is a twenty-four-seven, three-hundred-and-sixty-five day business and that this is driven largely by the Internets power to run fully automated systems but remember that fully automated systems have no interest in the success, or, for that matter, failure of your business. If you are going to invest in and grow and online business, are there people who operate this business there to help and advise you? Are there personal statements, written or video, of people who have actually had success with this online business? If you sign-up to an online opportunity or request information does someone call you or are you called by an automated message. If the latter, avoid this business - you and your new customers are worth more than this.

Lastly, and maybe, most importantly, is there and actual product to sell. Many online businesses sell you a system without a tangible product or service to sell. If there is no product or service, what's the point? What are you selling? What are your customers actually going to buy?

If you are seriously looking for an online business venture be sure to check the following: Are the income claims real; how do the online systems work? Ensure that there is training and that it is ongoing and easy to understand; that the system is not 100 automated and that there are other people in the business that can help and support you, ideally with a vested interest in helping you succeed; is there an actual product or service to sell? Once you have answered these questions you should ask yourself one fundamental question: would I buy from this online business? If there is even the slightest hesitation once you have done you research, then don't do it.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2836302

Online Business Degrees

Have you have made the decision to get an online business degree but do not quite know what business area to specialize in? If you are looking for flexibility, it is hard to think of another field as vast as business. Online business degree programs tend to incorporate classes from all specialties of business, giving you the knowledge to tackle any business project. You may choose a general online business degree such as an online business administration degree or you may specialize by pursuing a specialty such as an online accounting degree. To help you decide, here is what you can expect to learn in the many online business degree programs that are offered. 

Online Accounting Degree 

Accountants are essential to all organizations, as accountants log income and assets. To remain competitive today's economy, organizations are actively seeking job candidates who are thoroughly knowledgeable of accounting theories and practices. Upper level positions in accounting are always available for those with the essential understanding of generally accepted accounting principles practiced in today's accounting profession. An online accounting degree will provide you with the knowledge of financial, managerial and tax accounting practices. Besides organizing and preparing a company's financial statements, accountants are may also get involved in projects such as reviewing new accounting technology and evaluate financials for mergers and acquisitions. 

Online Business Management Degree 

For ultimate flexibility it's difficult to think of a degree as valuable as an online business management degree. Organizations are actively seeking job candidates who are well-rounded in their knowledge of business practices and management methodologies. For those with the understanding of the skills to effectively direct the required imperatives that today's marketplace demands, upper level positions in management are always available. An online business management degree will teach you critical communication and problem-solving skills, along with practical knowledge about how businesses operate and function successfully.

Online Business Administration Degree 

Can't decide what business specialty to pursue? If so, then an online business administration degree is the way to go. With a degree in Business Administration, you will learn all of the fundamentals required in business & management including communication, critical thinking, strategizing and problem solving. An online business management degree is your ticket to a wide variety of specialties, from office management and accounting to financial administration and human resources. 

Online Communications Degree 

With an online communications degree, you will become a vital part of any company seeking to stay on top of the fast-changing communications curve. After obtaining a an online communications degree, you will have a thorough knowledge of the different methods of communication including print, television, radio and the web. You will also learn the best practices to apply whether the you are trying to get a message across to one person, a community, or the entire world. 

Online Finance Degree 

The finance of any organization must be properly managed to make sure that the company is profitable and an online finance degree would make you invaluable to any organization as you help them to stay above their profit margins. With an online finance degree, you'll learn the principles of accounting and finance, asset and debt management and financial analysis. After obtaining your online finance degree, you will know how to plan, evaluate and manage a company's financial position and make recommendations to improve a company's standing. 

Online Human Resources Degree 

As companies hire new recruits, companies turn to their human resources team to assist them in the company's growth. Your online human resources degree can make sure that you have a thorough understanding of human resources practices to help any organization grow. There is more to human resources than just interviewing and hiring. Earning an online human resources degree will not only provide you with the skills to interview and recruit new staff for a company, but you will also learn about employment law, labor policies, and proper hiring and training procedures. 

Online International Business Degree 

When companies have reached a maximum in their U.S. market share, companies often look to grow by gaining market share abroad. With an online international business degree in, you will be much sought after since you have the knowledge to take any company to an international level. An online international business degree will combine basic principles of business theory and management with an international focus. With the knowledge you gain, you will learn about the factors that affect international business activity and how to face roadblocks that international companies run into. 

Online Management Information Systems Degree 

Information is the lifeblood of every company and companies rely on MIS personnel to make sure that information is handy and can be shared in the fastest way possible. With an online degree in Management Information Systems, you will have a great understanding of both information and technology and how to combine the two together. Earning an online management information systems degree will teach you how to think like a businessperson and a programmer, enhancing your understanding of technology within the business world. This will allow you to deliver information technology solutions to any organization. 

Online Marketing Degree 

The deeper we move into our fast-paced information age, the more important it is for corporations to invest in people with the most current, cutting-edge, marketing knowledge and expertise. An online marketing degree will provide you with this expertise. With an online marketing degree you will learn necessary skills related to marketing strategies and planning, price setting and product development, how to identify key customer needs and trends, how to promote products and services internationally, different communication avenues available in the digital age, and creative approaches that will arm you with the latest in vital marketing information. 

Online Masters of Business Administration - MBA 

An online MBA - Masters in Business Administration will give you the credibility you need to succeed in a competitive business environment. Earning an online MBA will broaden your chances of success as you will learn how to think like a business owner. An online MBA will also train you in critical thinking and enhance your understanding of the business and financial world. 

Online Business Degree Programs 

As you can see, an online business degree will prepare you for any career in the business world. Whether you want to join a corporation, already work for one, or want to start your company, an online business degree will embark you on your journey to success.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1920063

Why People Fail In Online Business

It's no secret that 44% of new businesses in the real world close their doors within the first two years of opening them. In the first four years, 66% of small businesses fail. In the online world, the numbers are worse. Everything is faster on the internet and that includes the deterioration of new businesses. 95% of online businesses fail and they fail in a matter of months.

Disheartening? It doesn't have to be. You can learn from other people's mistakes. Other people's successes in the online world drove you to want to start your online business. Their failures can help you.

Who wouldn't prefer to avoid rush hour traffic in the morning on the way to the office and in the evening on the way home from the office? And everybody hates their boss. Even if you like your boss, you prefer not to have a boss at all. That's the allure of the internet. Making money in your pajamas and answering to yourself.

It's also one of the biggest reasons people fail in online business. They have to answer to themselves. When you first venture into being your own boss, it's extremely tempting to slack off on your work hours. It's even more tempting if you work from home. You have the television, video games, the refrigerator, the children and the spouse all to distract you. Being your own boss takes more discipline than having a job where you take orders from someone else. The lack of discipline in most online business owners causes them to relax their efforts ten times more than they would if they had a boss to answer to. The reality is that in some aspects, being your own boss can be more demanding than a job. Your businesses success and failure hinges on how much work you put into it.

Many online businesses fail because the owners dive into the venture with the wrong mindset. They try to take brick-and-mortar concepts and apply them to the internet. The internet is a different monster than a brick-and-mortar retail shop. With a brick-and-mortar retail shop, you start with a great location and you build a beautiful store, a little advertising and the customers come. Online business owners put all kinds of money into building beautiful websites and then sit back and wait for the business to come to them.

It doesn't work like the late night infomercials tell you that it does. That brick-and-mortar retail store competes with only the other four or five retail stores in that plaza. You build your beautiful site and it competes with millions of other websites. Now, how are people supposed to find your needle in that haystack? Search engine optimization would be a good start. Create a site that the search engines love. Hopefully, your site shows up at the top of the search engine results (this is prime real estate on the internet). But in order to do that, you have to plan accordingly.

Lack of planning kills any business. It's extremely detrimental to internet businesses. For an internet business to succeed, there has to a comprehensive plan that includes website design, the focus of your business, marketing strategies, fulfillment strategies, and strategies to handle customer complaints. Most new internet businesses have no focus. The owner just knows that he wants to start a business online. He has some idea in his head that he wants to sell video games, for example. Unfortunately, he has not created a plan to differentiate himself from the other million and one websites that sell video games. He becomes a speck in the dust.

In order to properly plan, the online business owner has to have knowledge of every aspect of his business, marketing strategies others in the field are employing with success, and the knowledge of internet marketing. Most online businesses fail because the owner jumps into the business powered by his dreams of financial success or freedom from a traditional job. They fail to take the time to learn the intricacies and strategies of internet marketing and what it takes to succeed in an online business.

An online business needs three factors in order to achieve success. The business has to generate traffic, keep constant contact with customer and close the sale. Even brick-and-mortar businesses can't survive if they have no customers. Online businesses are the same way. If no one visits your website, then you can't make any money. Many new online business owners, their first time starting a business online, expect that simply having their website online will generate business. It doesn't. They've gone several months before realizing that they have to generate traffic on their own. By then, it's too late for them to learn how to use internet marketing to their advantage. They've already spent tons of money launching the business, warehousing products, and shelling out for expenses.

Some people have the luck of hiring a website design firm who has explained to their customer that they will need site optimization, and probably offered traffic generation services. It's great to get traffic. But you're going to be throwing your hands up in the air in surrender when you have a thousand customers a day to your site and still aren't making any money. That's because you've failed to grab hold of this prospect and not let him walk out of the door. Online businesses have an advantage over brick-and-mortar businesses. It's easier for an online business to capture email addresses and information about customers than it is for brick-and-mortar business. Unfortunately, some online business owners actually fail to do this. Simply capturing email addresses gives you the opportunity to invite this prospect back to your site. The job that people say they despise the most is sales jobs. Even though we are constantly selling ourselves, people are so fearful of sales. Too many business owners take this same mentality into their online business. You can't be afraid to ask for the sale. If you never ask for the sale, how do you know if you will every get it or not?

Finally, the greatest tragedy of all online business failures is neglecting the use of the tracking capabilities of the internet. The internet is such an amazing tool for tracking and measuring statistics. It's unbelievable how many online business owners fail to track and measure their efforts. This probably is a byproduct of improper planning. But even planning without tracking and measuring results is pointless. Because of the lack of tracking, you could end up spending more money into advertising efforts that aren't working and less time and money on efforts that do work.

Your online business doesn't have to fail. Educating yourself on internet marketing and operating and online business will build your self-assurance. Constructing a plan for your business will help you develop the discipline you need to keep your business moving in the right direction. Don't allow your online business to fail when it's so easy to get the tools to succeed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1108184

5 Reason To Get Started In Online Business VS. Traditional Business

It is so much easier to have and run a business today then it was 60+ years ago. The Internet has opened a whole new level of business opportunity. There is millions and millions of dollar circulating online no matter where you would go, ex: ebay, google, amazon...etc. Today you don't need so much computer skills or programming skills to make money online. You could either pay some one to make you a professional website (under $1000) or just buy one online, it's that simple. Where as 60+ years ago your parents had to have 100 thousands of dollars so you could start your own business or you parents had to pass their business to you. So in this page I'll demonstrate why making money online is much more simple and show the 5 Main reasons and advantages of making money online then the traditional industry style.

1. Investing less money 

Today internet has given us a huge advantage compared to 60+ years ago. First of all the advantage to access millions and millions of information, it's endless. And mainly it has given us the advantage to make money. People make money online everyday and you wouldn't even realize how until you find the right system. The great thing about making money online is that it give an opportunity to make money for normal and average people that have enough money for a living. Any one could start an online business. It just takes that first step. There is no need to invest $100,000's to have a huge success. Where as in earlier times, people needed huge amounts of money to start any business so that's why people never tried making more money then they had already. They didn't have enough money to invest so it was very hard for them to start a business unless they've came up with a 5 billion dollar idea. All that is gone today. Normal people go to college and you wouldn't even believe how much money they make online while sitting with their laptops between class periods. Today you don't need so called "business Partners" to rip you off. You do everything on your own because it's easy to manage. I will mention that first you'll need to get introduced to they program that you'll be making money with. So the first advantage I picked in online business is "Investing less money," that gives the flexibility and a chance for everyone to make thousands every month.

2.No Hassle 

The second advantage in online business is obviously there is less hassle then the normal types of industrial businesses. You wake up in the morning and there's no need to run around to get all the supplies for you store or your production company. Everything is controlled with your finger tips on your computer. Every supply is available online. No need to make 1 million phone calls a day. You focus on what you need. There's no such thing as making interviews for a job. So this already eliminates you from hassle that lot of business people face and fail on daily. And more to add to this, you don't have workers to pay. Nobody runs after you to get checks from you. You don't owe no one anything they owe you, that's how online business is. And finally you do not need to buy $100,000 tools for your business. In the normal type of business weather you would run a pizza place, auto mechanic shop, smog shop, gas station...etc. you'll need to buy expensive tools for your business. Forget about paying others so much money, it's time for everyone else to pay you. Do not kill yourself trying so hard to make your business work, take the easy way "online business."

2. Easy management 

Online Business makes management easy. You are the BOSS! You are the Secretary, President, vice president, editor...etc. Everything is control by you. Whatever you choose you get it. And everything is control in you computer. No special college courses or programs necessary. One of my favorite things about online business is that you do not need to hire any workers. You don't need to waste your energy on hiring them, bossing them around, and the then firing them. Instead focus on how you could get more money online. There is no such thing as ware house or stores in online business. No managers, no workers and no $100,000 machines and tools. And most importantly no complaining for picky customers. It's that much easier then traditional business. Everything is controlled from your computer.

4.Flexibility 

Online business gives you options, styles, and more then 100's and 1000's of ways to make money. You are flexible. In traditional business if you want to open a pizza place you'll need to open your store in more populated areas so you would have more customers. That doesn't happen in online business. People will pay you from all over the world. So forget about finding the right corner or the right street so you could get lots of customers. Second, you are free to choose any type of online business you would like. There is literarily 100's of categories to make money online. Let it be sports, cars, computers, music you name it, money will come at you from all directions. People are happy to have online business' because they spend could time with their family and kids more. College students manage to study and at the same time run an online business. So they have enough money for paying for their classes and getting much more on top to spend and/invest. Sky is the limit, you may run more then one online business at a time. It's much more easier to manage then the normal type of business.

5. Save Time 

NO hassle, easy management, and flexibility will give you one more advantage, which is saving time. You'll realize how good it feels to have free time because most online business require not more then 3 hours a day depending on the business type you're in. Imagine having a business and you don't need to run from place to place. Online businesses give the advantage of saving time. Once you have more time most people put it on their business and try to figure out more ways to get money online. Have some time for your family, friends and/or loved ones and still get the money you desire.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/462701

Online Business Secrets, Opportunities, and Ideas

The main secret of successful Online Business is - "Web Traffic"

The more web traffic you attract towards your online business, the more sales it will generate and thus the more Income. Internet is all about the game of how many eyeballs you attract towards your web property.

Now, every product that is available on the Internet about "Online Business Secrets" revolves around the core principle of How to attract more web traffic towards your website. Well, there are 2 ways to attract web traffic towards your websites and these are;

01) Unique & Quality Content / product & 

02) Internet Marketing

Quality content will keep your readers / customers coming back to your blog / website.

Here are few strategies that I personally use to market this Blog and its content. However, there are several other strategies. You can try as many as you want.

- Facebook Marketing 

- Twitter Marketing 

- Orkut 

- Social Media (Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon) 

- Articles Marketing (EzineArticles) 

- Google AdWords 

- Facebook Fan Page 

- Word of Mouth

The above tactics are secrets for successful Online Business. Now, you can call it "secrets" if you want. But believe me, anything that you buy online or offline regarding this thing revolves around this same basic principle.

Online Business Opportunities

Internet is the great Business & Investment Opportunity. Many Entrepreneurs are doing their Businesses online now and many Investors around the world are investing in Web Properties (Online Assets) such as Websites, Blogs, Forums, Social Networks & many other kind of web properties.

Unlike traditional offline assets such as stocks, bonds, gold, and real estate, Online assets appreciate much faster and give you much better ROI (Return On Investment) than the offline assets.

There are several Online Business Opportunities. You can grab these opportunities and become very wealthy in your twenties and early thirties if you want. Here are some hottest online business opportunities.

- Blogging 

- Forums 

- e-Commerce Website 

- Dating Websites 

- Social Networks 

- Social Media Sites (Like Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon & Reditt) 

- Articles Directories (EzineArticles) 

- Video Directories (YouTube) 

- eBay Shop 

- Job Market places (Elance, GetAFreeLancer) 

- Matrimonial Websites 

- Real Estate Websites (Market place for Real Estate) 

- Market Place for Web Properties (Flippa & SitePoint) 

- And many more!

These are just the few most popular business opportunities online. Believe me, there are hundreds of Online Business Opportunities like this.

Due to these kinds of Online money making opportunities, many High School going teens from all around the world are also owning their own successful online Businesses and are making more money than Doctors!

That being said, I am not exaggerating these things. Many high school going teens all around the world are making more money than Doctors, from their Successful Online Businesses. So anyone can take advantage of these business opportunities online and make their fortunes in twenties and thirties.

What I advise to youngster that, Start your own Online Business as early as possible in your life means NOW...!!!! Because the more early you will start your Business, more early it will grow and more early you will become rich and financially free.

I advise Online Business opportunities to some of my friends. They understand the process, but unfortunately, they fail to take any action to start their own Internet Business.

So take Action NOW & start thinking of money making niches (opportunities) by developing a successful online business.

Best Online Business Ideas

After the birth of the Internet, Everything is online now. You can now start your Business Online in the Virtual Space and make much more money than the traditional real life brick and mortar business.

The Best thing about the Online Business is that you can target the whole world and it works 24/7 even without your presence. You cannot run a traditional Businesses by day and night. But you can run an Online Business even while you sleep or travel the world.

Here are some Best Online Business Ideas. After reading these Ideas, you will get a fair idea about which kind of Business you should start.

01) Blog Business - 

This is one of the best online business ideas. Here you start a blog in any Niche and start posting quality and unique content on that blog. Over the time, you develop a readership and a community around your blog and start making money from it. Many Professional Bloggers from all around the world are making literally 6 figure Incomes every year from their Blogging Businesses.

The Best thing about a Blog Business is that you can apply multiple Income streams on a single blog such as Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Sponsored events, Paid reviews... etc...

02) Website Flipping - 

This is the hottest Business Opportunity on the Internet. Many people around the world develop a profitable website / blog business out of scratch and later on sell it for literally thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Developing a profitable Website requires hours and hours of mind labor and not everyone can develop a profitable web business.

03) eBay Shop - 

Another great Online Business Idea is an eBay shop. You can open your eBay shop within minutes and start selling anything from 20,000+ product categories. eBay is world's largest online market place which has 200 Million active users every month.

04) Discussion Forums - 

You can also install vBulletin Forums on your web host and start a Discussion Forum under any Niche. The Best part about the Discussion Forums is that, once it has sufficient number of users, it can run and grow even without your presence. That's because people who discuss topics on your Forum are creating FREE Content for you and thus, you can enjoy a steady and growing passive income without you working hard behind the forum. Of course, initially you have to work hard to market your Forum well.

05) Articles Directory - 

This is also a great Online Business Idea. Here you launch an Article Directory and people from all around the world will post a Free, unique and creative content for you. Articles Directories also run and grow without your presence. All you have to do is Cash out the checks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4333561

Work at Home and Make Money

Is it possible to find a work at home business that truly, well, works? The answer is yes. But, this is a conditional yes. The simple fact is there are many online business opportunities that are more interested in getting your money than they are in helping you make money. One of your first priorities when you look for work at home options is to avoid being ripped off.

One way to avoid being scammed is to work with online businesses that have a proven track record and have been ranked by outside reviewers. Maverick Money Makers is one such program. In fact, this affiliate marketing program offers many benefits that you do not find with other programs. For example:

Some affiliate marketing programs allow you to get started for a low fee then sock it to you later on for what can amount to thousands of dollars. If you decide to not pay those future costs, you have only one option and that is to bail out of the program, losing your initial investment in the process. Maverick Money Makers does not do that to you.

Maverick Money Makers is one of the most affordable work at home business opportunities available. As of this writing, the cost to enroll is less than one hundred dollars. You would have to look long and hard to find another online business for that low price.

Another benefit to working with the Maverick Money Makers program is its simplicity. Some affiliate marketing programs can be complex to learn and just as complex to operate. Maverick Money Makers is very easy to set up, and offers video tutorials to help you get it up and running fast. You will also find a dedicated customer support system in place should you have any questions about the program. Again, this is something you do not always find with other affiliate work at home programs.

One of the major benefits to working at home, especially for single parents, is freedom. Once you have the Maverick Money Makers program up and running, it pretty much runs itself. Of course, you do have to put in some time if you want to maximize your profits, but this program does allow you a lot of freedom as to when you work the system. Many of those using this system prefer to work during the day while the kids are at school. Others prefer to work at night when the kids are in bed. It is up to you, really.

Original Article: http://EzineArticles.com/3467146

Don't Just Save Money With a Magnetic Power Generator - Make Money With One

There's no doubt about it. A magnetic power generator can save you a lot of money over the course of its lifetime. These machines can supply up to 50% of the average households electricity needs which adds up to a lot of money. But did you know that a magnetic power generator can literally generate income for you as well?

First off, let me explain what a magnetic power generator is. Basically, this machine uses magnets to generate a constant stream of green and renewable electricity. Anyone with basic DIY skills and simple tools can build one providing you have the right DIY guide. Luckily, the internet comes to the rescue for this. When built a magnetic power generator will quite easily run for years without stopping, generating free electricity all of the time. This electricity is stored in batteries for use around the home whenever you need it. Simple but brilliant.

Thousands of people have gone on to build their own generator and are benefitting from its amazing savings. However, many of these people don't realise that the experience and knowledge they have gained by building their own magnetic power generator is actually worth a lot of money in itself. For example, if you built one generator, then build some more. You can sell them to friends, family , work colleagues or even just advertise them for sale in the local press. With the potential savings involved its quite possible to sell these devices for double or triple what they cost to build. You could also offer an installation service for people who cant be bothered or don't have the time to do it themselves. Again, you could charge a few hundred dollars to wire a generator into someone's home and save them the hassle. Finally, there is a good potential to make money from offering maintenance for the generator. You could even ask for more money for unsociable hours call outs such as evenings, weekend and holidays.

Original Article: http://EzineArticles.com/3099468

Ten Ways to Make Money Online and Earn Good Income

The Internet offers great moneymaking opportunities for Individuals with computer knowledge and skills required to thrive in this online medium. There are a number of ways to earn money online but the ten best possible ways to earn money online are:

Try selling things on the Internet. That is the simplest way of making money online using the Internet. Selling products on the internet through online shopping portals, virtual auction sites, or setting up a web store in your own website provides a great income opportunity to everyone who has something nice to sell to potential customers online. This is ideal for generating the required amount of revenue on a long-term basis and is the simplest of moneymaking options available online.

For all those who believe that their photography skills can impress anyone, there is a great option to sell photos online and earn money. There are numerous stock photography agencies present online, which help you in selling your photos online. These agencies offer great incentives and income opportunities to budding photographers. The amount is paid on a per-download basis to these photographers after getting the royalty payment rights from them. This is a very useful way to earn money online if you have the required skill set.

Several message boards have many visitors to their sites. These message boards are dependent on regular contributions from the forum members to keep the community alive and the conversation growing. As the message boards get popular, there are chances that more members that are new will join the forum and get their queries solved or contribute towards the discussion. These message boards get the sufficient advertisements to pay to their most active members, who have been posting on a regular basis, thereby giving them a chance to earn some money.

Through various social networking sites, it is actually possible to earn money while going through different profile of people who are members of these sites. Some social networking sites pay its users money to improve page impressions in their profile to attract more visitors. These sites also offer money for uploading and sharing pictures and referring new members to the social networking site. The money given to an Individual depends on a proportionate payment structure setup by the site that distributes almost half of its advertising revenues to its members.

Filling up surveys is another way to earn money online. Filling up market research survey may look like a very boring activity but the opportunities to earn money in this type of work are endless. There are thousands of research groups online, which would like to take your opinion about various things and in that process, pay you for presenting your opinion. For each survey completed, there are certain points or money given out to the users. Once the money-earning limit is hit, the survey team allows the user the opportunity to take the money or exchange the points for a certain amount of money.

Another great way to earn money online is through blogs. The process of blogging can help users earn lot of money online by putting in creative content in their blogs. There are two ways of going about this blogging activity: one is to create your own blog and write all the content on your own. This is a painful process where you need to do all the hard work to earn money. The second one is to setup a sponsored blog where you write reviews about products for companies wanting to promote their business. These blog sites pay you money for providing favorable opinion about a certain product. This is one of the best income opportunities present online.

The internet provides the perfect platform for freelancers to earn money by providing services based on their skill sets. These may include talent such as writing, programming, graphic designing, and training. There are many websites where buyer posts their requirements for a particular assignment and freelancers can bid for that assignment. The buyer then selects the service provider for the assignment and assigns the task to them. This is one of the safest ways to earn money online and the website takes a certain cut from your payment as the intermediary to have got you the job. It is more or less a win-win proposition for everyone involved.

The three other ways to earn money online is by betting, setting up an online business, or by playing computer games. Each of these options provides different sort of earning potential and requires different amount of effort to set the ball rolling and generate the required amount of income for you.

Original Article: http://EzineArticles.com/2530439