The Path To Online Success

If you are determined to build a successful online business, here is a plan that works, even if you are a newbie on the Web. The key to it is to take a small step in each of several areas all at the same time.

As long as each step takes you closer to your goal, then there is no hurry at all. That is, you can work with it as time allows. The trick is to avoid any move in the wrong direction, any step that is counterproductive.

The Fundamental Questions:

Begin by asking very specific questions such as:

·        Who will I sell to?

·        What will I sell?

·        How will I sell it?

·        How can a website help get it done?

·        What are my financial goals for this venture?

These are not easy to answer. Yet completely defining suitable responses is mandatory. Without them, much of what you do will be a waste of time and effort. On the other hand, answer them definitively, and every move you make will lead you closer to your objective.

 The last question may be the easiest to answer. For many, it will be, "To build a business working part- time that will grow sufficiently for me to give up my day job and work online full time."  What follows assumes your answer is similar. The first question may be the most difficult to answer.

 But it is the one that matters most because you are going to spend a lot of time directly or indirectly with your customers. It is hard to be effective with people you do not enjoy being around.

Getting Started:

Finding appropriate answers to the above questions requires a good deal of study and thought. As you proceed, focus on all of them collectively. That is, as you think about who you want to sell to, also consider products to be sold and ways of doing so. To get started, jot down a few thoughts about each as a beginning point.

 With these notes, search for ideas and information to help you flesh out a full- fledged business plan. This process will take months, not days. Whatever it takes, it's better to know where you are headed before committing the bucks and time needed to build a website.

Taking the first step:

This may sound like heresy to seasoned professionals, but the failure to understand what great ad copy is all about, and the lack of skills needed to produce it, is a very common cause of business failure, particularly online. So start here.

Start with copywriting:

Copywriting comes after all else is done except building the site. By then you are tired, filled with self-doubt, and doing all possible to minimize committing to even one more small chore.

 So the final copy on the site often looks and reads as something done hastily and at the last minute. Avoid this calamity by beginning your study right away. Be ready when the time comes to write great pages. Nothing less works. There is an added bonus in seeking to develop or improve copywriting skills.

Almost every gain is also an asset to all other writing you do, including what is needed for your email and newsletter. No writing I have ever done is more demanding than copywriting. Improved skills in this area means better results with all of your writing.

There is no need to master copywriting at this point. But get started with the task. If you have not decided on a product, you can't say who your perfect customer will be. But you can come to grips with the concept of building such an image.