 |
Start Internet Business
Ahhh the internet… the panacea… the world where infinite wealth is within your grasp…just like the 1840 gold rush in California…ANYTHING is possible if you start internet business! The internet is kind of like the gold rush in California. MANY people went there in search of their pot of gold and a few lucky miners did strike it rich. But many people also lost everything and never saw ANY gold! Because the internet is so new there are an infinite amount of business opportunities available to you. But, as with any business, planning and execution are absolutely critical!
A little history
The internet started back in the 1960’s with email, listserv, FTP and a couple of other protocols for handling data transmission. Then in the early 90’s a graduate student at Illinois came up with the web protocol starting the concept of websites with graphics and links to other sites. You can see how new the internet really is. From a business perspective, websites are less than fifteen years old. That’s about where the TV was in the mid-1950s. Why is that important? Because it means the internet and websites are still in their formative years. It’s an immature technology that still as a lot of room for innovation. You can create something new and the cost to enter the market is still relatively low. But it also means there is a lot of risk. What you are successful with today may have little or no value tomorrow. Everything is moving and changing. You HAVE to change with it to start internet business. Let’s take Google for instance. I created a website on auto racing in 1995 geared for the avid race fan. Google and key word search didn’t exist yet. By the 2000 there were probably 5000 pages of news and photos on that website, none of which was based on key word search. Because those pages where created pre-Google they have little or no value today. Pages that are created today will probably have little value ten years form now. So you must start internet business ASSUMING huge change. Don’t get stuck in a rut and stop innovating, try to take advantage of new things rather than ignore or avoid them. If this isn’t your mind set you may not want to start internet business.
What kind of business?
Start internet business is no different than starting any other business; go to the Ideas button (LINK) for brainstorming ideas for your business. Once you decided on the core business you’d like to start, decide how you’d like to create this business on the internet. Obviously some businesses like auto repair have to have an offline component. But you can certainly use the internet to define your company. For example, let’s say you want to repair/refurbish vintage Ford Mustangs. That’s where your interests are and that’s what you want to do. The internet is perfect for this kind of business because you can reach a board market of potential customers (the entire United States) pretty easily. This should allow you to operate in a very small niche but still have enough customers to survive. You could create a website called Mustang Mania for people obsessed (as you are) with vintage Mustangs and then offer to refurbish their cars. Without the internet impossible, with the internet VERY doable! So as you are creating your business try to figure out how to use the internet to build your business. Imagine how much it would cost to launch Mustang Mania without the internet? What would you use to advertise and promote your business? TV ads, magazine ads, or direct mail are all VERY expensive. The internet is the best bargain out there for launching a business IF you learn how to use it.
How will you create your website?
Creating your website on the internet is the most difficult part of the process. Much like building a retail location is the most critical and expensive part of launching a retail business. Having been involved with the internet since the mid-1990’s I have on piece of advice for you. Use the KISS:
KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID!
I can’t list for you all the people I’ve seen over spend and over complicate the internet. My college degree is in Business with an emphasis in Information Systems (Computers). I’ve seen many multi-million dollar projects that have failed miserably. When you’re launching your first website use simple graphics, standard templates and DON’T do ANY custom programming in java or .net. The cost, both initial and on going, of a custom programmed site is astronomical. Also, because you can’t maintain it yourself the site is likely to ALWAYS be out of date and feel old and stale. Would you write a custom software program to do word-processing? No, so it follows that creating a custom website is just as ridiculous and expensive. Find standard templates to create your site that you control. Use a WISIWIG (What you see is what you get) editor. They’re easy to learn and easy to use. Spend as little money as possible on your site because you’re going to have to change it to keep current with the internet and be successful in your start internet business. I launched the racing site in 1995 for $2,000 using FrontPage from Microsoft and a local ISP to host the site. Many small companies spent $100,000 to get the same site. Please don’t over spend or over complicate your site. Start internet business as cheaply as possible so that you’re NIMBLE!
Here are some ideas for easy CHEAP internet business you could start right away:
Click here to explore how to start an eBay Business Many people are getting into the internet business quickly by creating blogs rather then websites. I don't agree with this approach because a blog doesn't have the AUTHORITY of a website.
Marketing on the internet has gotten quite a bit tricky. You probably heard of SEO or Search engine optimization, trying to get listed high in the search engines so people find your website. Don’t fall for the hype on the internet and try to avoid getting scammed. As with the gold rush there are many bogus offers to help you market your site on the internet. One good way to market is to consider buying Ad-words from Google or Yahoo. Ad-words are an inexpensive way to put your ads on relevant websites so that people can find your products/services. For example, let’s say you did launch a site called Mustang Mania for Ford Mustang enthusiasts. You could buy the Ad-words Ford Mustang from Google or Yahoo and have your website ad appear when people key in that word. You could spend your marketing dollars targeting people who share your interest. Google has a lot of tools available to use for research about this concept and with the correct research it can be VERY cost effective. This is just one idea, but keeps it simple and doesn’t over spend!
Consider using Site-Build-it for your first start internet business
Click here to find out more about Site-Build-it and see what you think. Conclusion: Building your business on the internet can be very rewarding and lucrative if you do your homework. Remember, don’t over spend and keep is simple.
|
