Resources for Starting an Online Business
Anyone trying to start an Online business needs to have a number of resources before it is possible to build and promote a successful website. The following are essential tools that I have found very valuable.
1) Wordtracker
Before you build a website you must target the correct keywords, otherwise you will not have the necessary traffic to run a business. You may have a good niche but if you optimise your pages for the wrong keywords, you will attract little traffic.
And without traffic on the Net, you have no business! Wordtracker is an excellent tool that evaluates keywords for their profitability. A free trial version is available. http://www.wordtracker.com
2) Ken Evoy’s Free Internet Marketing Ebooks
Ken Evoy of SiteSell has written some Free Ebooks which are essential for anyone contemplating an Online business.
Topics covered include:
· How to be a successful Affiliate marketer.
· How to run a Net Auctions business without Ebay.
· How to develop your own Information Product.
· How to be a successful Service Seller on the Net. http://www.merchant-account-service.com/free_courses_online.html
3) Website Building Software
Unless you know HTML you will need to use a HTML editor such as Microsoft Frontpage, Hotdog, or Dreamweaver which is a bit more advanced.
Site Build It is a complete web building tool that includes web page building, web hosting, keyword research for your web pages, and continuous website submission to the search engines. Site Build It users usually get high search engine rankings.
Site Build It http://www.merchant-account-service.com/sitebuildit.html
Hotdog http://www.sausage.com
Dreamweaver http://www.macromedia.com
Microsoft Frontpage http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage
4) Forums
Internet Marketing forums can be very useful for the beginner. You can post questions and get swift replies from some very knowledgeable marketers including some of the big names.
Some of the most active are: http://www.ablake.com http://associateprograms.com/discus/
5) Article Submission
Articles are a good way to get free publicity for your business. A well written article can be published in ezines or on a website, thereby giving continuous targeted traffic.
Submit your article to article databanks where publishers and website owners can pick it up and publish it..
http://www.hugeaffiliates.com has a good list of article databanks where you can submit your articles.
6) Alexa.com
When your website is up and running, you need to check its ranking in the search engines and the number of sites that link to your site. Although it is not always up to date, it gives a good idea of the amount of traffic and links a site has.
http://www.alexa.com
7) Virus/Firewall Protection
You will need to install virus protection and keep it running in the background. If you have constant Internet connection, you’ll also need to run a firewall program to keep out hackers.
McAfee http://www.mcafee.com
Norton http://www.symantec.com
Firewall Protection http://www.tinysoftware.com
This is a personal choice of resources and may not be relevant to everyone’s needs. If you have a question about any aspect of building or marketing an online business, you can always post to one of the forums that I have listed above. In most cases, you will get an informative response quickly.
© John Lynch — ( For a review of Site Build It – the leading website building tool for small and home businesses http://www.merchant-account-service.com/sitebuildit.html )
The 6 Essentials Every Internet Business Owner Must Possess
Starting a business online is easy. Just buy a package or sign up for a prepacked system and you can be an internet billionaire next month with nothing to do but run to the bank and cash your checks.
I do not know why people who are normally full of common-sense and who are wary of hyped-up sales pitches fall for these online hucksters. The old adage states: “If it looks too good to be true it probably is” holds even more true for internet get-rich-quick schemes than anything else.
The truth is that there is a lot of money to be made on the internet and that will continue to hold true for many years to come. The opportunity to become an internet millionaire or billionaire has not passed you by. BUT no one got rich overnight on the internet and no one got rich without doing some work.
There are many different methods and formulas for making money on the internet and there are even more ways to lose money on the internet, but before you spend a lot of your money take time to study and learn so you can better judge those opportunities that come your way.
All you need to really start your own business online are these six qualities:
Time is the most important ingredient for your success. If you are looking to get rich quick or for overnight success then starting a business from scratch is not the way to go. Once you know what you are doing then you can often leverage your existing customer base or traffic into a quick income whenever you choose but it takes time to build something of worth. It will take months before your new web site or blog is even listed in most search engines and likely it will take you longer to build up a list of interested potential customers. Money and knowledge can cut down the wait time but remember it will take time to build up your knowledge.
Money is the second most important ingredient for your internet business success. While you do not need a big budget and I offer a free tutorial about how to start an internet business on a shoestring (see end of article), you will need some money to get started effectively.
Patience is another key ingredient for business success. As I mentioned before, it takes time to learn what you need to know (and after seven years in this business there is still a lot I have to learn) and then it takes time to put those strategies into effect. Even more than that, it takes time for your new strategies to begin to work for you. While most of us come to expect immediate results on the internet it does take time for search engines and visitors alike to notice when you make a change to a web site or blog. Many internet entrepreneurs lose patience just when they are on the cusp of success. Most people who fail at an internet business simply did not possess enough time and patience. Most people who succeed at online business did so by sticking it out.
Passion is an often overlooked element of success. One of the ways people work through the early learning and tough times is that they are passionate about their business. This is why so many gurus suggest you start with a niche that already interests you. Not only do you not have as much to learn about that area but you will be able to be real when you begin promoting your business. You do not have to fake your enthusiasm and passion will carry you far.
Creativity is another must-have for the budding entrepreneur. Think outside the box and beyond what is immediately available in your niche. Creativity can help you start, build, grow and promote your business in terms of products and publicity and partners.
Finally, you quite simply need brainpower. You do not need to be the sharpest crayon in the box but you do need to be open to new ideas and willing (in fact eager) to learn. Never assume you know everything or that you cannot learn. Once you fall into either of those traps you are doomed.
If you possess these six key qualities: time, money (just a little), patience, passion, creativity, and brainpower then you can make a success of an internet business.
Deanna Mascle shares tips about Starting A Business Online and internet business articles plus a free tutorial to start your own business online.
The Best Way To Get Started Making Money Online
When you start a business online, you are working with a whole different beast than when opening a standard storefront facility. While you don’t have to worry about zoning and permits, you do need to be concerned with taxes, internet law, and the general strategy behind your business.
How are you going to format your business, and in what way are you going to turn a profit? How will you keep track of your finances, and what is your source of initial funding? What sort of time frame are you looking at in regards to setting up the business, and how much time do you intent to spend each day monitoring and running the business? All of these questions must be answered in order to get started on the right foot to making money online.
The first thing to determine is the purpose of your business. Is your online money making operation going to focus on sales, services, information, or some other aspect? What will you charge for this? How much will it cost you to perform the service, purchase the inventory you plan to sell, or spend the time providing the information? In order to turn a profit, you have to consider the cost of materials, the expense of your time, and any inventory that may be necessary.
You will also need startup capital for your online business. While a small information service can be started for the minimal cost of a website and subscriptions to a few sources of information for yourself, sales can include inventory, storage, and shipping materials. Services may require certain supplies, and getting your online business started will definitely involve advertising in some form or fashion.
These expenses need to be included in your startup capital. You may have to take out a loan or dip into a savings account to begin your online business. You should carefully consider your business model and be realistic in terms of how much return on investment you can expect before drawing from savings or applying for any loans.
The type of online business you start can be affected by the amount of time you intend to spend on the business. While an information service, posting articles on various topics, may not require a great amount of care and monitoring throughout a business day, a sales or service company requires constant attention and response to customer inquiries and orders.
Be sure to purchase some sort of simple financial monitoring software so that you can keep track of your expenses versus your income realistically. If you are guessing, you’ll never make any money, and you’ll have trouble reporting your income at tax time. Also watch for any special concerns and laws in your area regarding internet businesses, including the need to charge tax on purchases within your state and other financial requirements.
