How To Choose the Best Online Business For You

[OnefortheMoney]

One for the money - your name is so apt. Lol. Perhaps that pizza shop is perfect for you.

If I was running a pizza shop, it'd be the best damned pizza shop that you've ever seen in your life but HEY! That's how I roll. That's also the reason why supposedly dated marketing methods continue to keep me in plenty of fuel for the Mercedes. Don't worry though - Stick with me and I'm sure we can get you a new wheel for your horse and cart sometime soon, TKG.

[hirephpexpert]

Hey Mike,

Its really very nice post. Good job.

[jasonvonstieglitz]

Great post Mike.

I think the point about setting goals is so important. There is no point in setting yourself on a path if you don't know where you are going...

I completely agree about the point of knowing your strengths as well. To take that point a little further - you need to have a strategy. From my (limited) observations regarding some online businesses, the strategy seems to be:

1. Decide on a product or service
2. Build a website
3. Focus all of your attention on getting as high on the Google search rankings as possible

I know, I am simplifying things, and I am not discounting SEO as a vital part of online marketing, but just because the internet makes it easy for an entrepreneur to offer a product or service to the world, it doesn't mean that they can avoid answering some pretty fundamental strategic questions like:

1. What is my target market? How am I servicing that market?
2. How am I differentiating myself from my competitors?
3. Is my value proposition compelling? Is it clearly articulated?

Without some proper thought into answering these questions, all the traffic in the world won't get you very far...

Thoughts guys?

Cheers

J

[ChasingtheDream]

I am still in the very early stage of starting my online business and have found that finding a product to sell is not as easy as it sounds. I think that creating my own is beyond me and my starting budget does not give me enough to pay a writer for something like an e-book. Even if I did, it would be hard to really close in on a niche that I would be confident of entering.

I looked through clickbank and payspree but to be honest I thought that most of the stuff on there was rubbish. I am still not sure that the world needs another person selling get rich quick books. I have done lots of reading above anything else and know much more than I did but short of playing with wordpress I really havent got anywhere of any note.

There are niches I like such as sport and fitness but the products all seem the same. Its abs this and flat belly that and nothing that really sets itself apart.

[OnefortheMoney]

I am still in the very early stage of starting my online business and have found that finding a product to sell is not as easy as it sounds. I think that creating my own is beyond me and my starting budget does not give me enough to pay a writer for something like an e-book. Even if I did, it would be hard to really close in on a niche that I would be confident of entering.

I looked through clickbank and payspree but to be honest I thought that most of the stuff on there was rubbish. I am still not sure that the world needs another person selling get rich quick books. I have done lots of reading above anything else and know much more than I did but short of playing with wordpress I really havent got anywhere of any note.

There are niches I like such as sport and fitness but the products all seem the same. Its abs this and flat belly that and nothing that really sets itself apart.

I'm going to give you the best piece of advice you're ever likely to get:

STOP NEGGING YOURSELF OUT!

All I'm hearing is you talking yourself out of things and if you carry on doing that, you might as well get out of IM while you still have the chance to stack shelves or flip burgers. Stop talking and thinking like a loser, liven yourself up a little and show some 'can do' spirit instead of putting barriers in front of everything.

Nobody said it was going to be easy. It isn't easy. It's hard bloody work and anybody that gets into this game thinking they're in for a succession of easy days sitting in front of a computer are miles off the mark. This is a 24-hour-a-day job that requires 24-hour-a-day thinking.

Rant over, and here's your next few pieces of good advice:

1. Firstly, sort out where you want to be. You've made it clear you have a niche that you want to work in so commit to it. As long as you are knowledgable about sports or fitness, you can become an authority in it.
2. Identify your market. What sports are you targetting? Who plays those sports? What age or gender is your demographic? Where can you find them online?
3. What products and service do these people need and how are they currently being served. Can you provide something new and if not, can you provide existing products better?
4. Spend your budget. Go build your site. Start it as an information blog for now if you have to so that you can start getting some SEO recognition. Add your products later.
5. Don't dismiss other products. If they sell well for other marketers, they'll sell well for you IF you reach out to your customers effectively.
6. Don't worry about outsourcing if you can't afford it. Create your own even if you give them away for free to get people subscribing. Get somebody to edit it on Fiverr. If you can't find a measly $5 to get your business going, it was never meant to happen anyway.

Stop moaning and start doing. If I was mentoring you right now, I'd have just charged you a significant sum of money for that info, albeit with much more detail. You've got it for free. Now go and use it!

[Dunworking]

A somewhat aggressive post but highly motivational and written in an almost sublime 'team-talk' style that should appeal to somebody with an interest in sports.

A word on negative thinking, if I may. Turn it on it's head and turn it into positive thinking. If you can raise objections yourself, you can often see the objections you'll face from customers and clients. Ask yourself how you would overcome hurdles if you were determined to sell to those customers and impose those thoughts onto your own thinking. Barriers don't stop us from performing. They simply slow us down. However, it becomes much easier to negotiate future barriers once you've finally overcome the first one.

[OnefortheMoney]

A handy link here for our budding entrepreneurial starlet if he wants to make a quick start in sports products. There are some time-served favourites here that are still enjoying growth.

http://www.affiliateprograms.com/blo...iate-programs/

Not sure if I'd touch PartyPoker but golf websites have incredible potential. 'The Simple Golf Swing' has excellent gravity and you can find tons of related products to put on site. It's a tough market but there's plenty of room for another super-affiliate in there! Come on, young 'un! What are you waiting for?

[ChasingtheDream]

OK OK I'm motivated! Yeah, you are quite right though as I seem to be talking myself out of it and probably just need to take the plunge and GO FOR IT!

Thanks for giving me some ideas. I like the idea of a golf website although I do not play myself. I've had a look and they have lots of pictures and stuff that you can put on your site so you don't have to make them yourself or pay other to make them for you. That's it. I'm going for it this week and I've got a bit more money now anyway as I work part-time now as well.

[UniqueImprints]

A somewhat aggressive post but highly motivational and written in an almost sublime 'team-talk' style that should appeal to somebody with an interest in sports.

A word on negative thinking, if I may. Turn it on it's head and turn it into positive thinking. If you can raise objections yourself, you can often see the objections you'll face from customers and clients. Ask yourself how you would overcome hurdles if you were determined to sell to those customers and impose those thoughts onto your own thinking. Barriers don't stop us from performing. They simply slow us down. However, it becomes much easier to negotiate future barriers once you've finally overcome the first one.

Thanks for your post! Lots to think about!

Annie

[The King Game]

Barriers don't stop us from performing. They simply slow us down.

Tell that to all the North Koreans itching to get into South Korea.