That'll Cost Ya....
By Jim Daniels
Posted Wednesday, August 25, 2004
I've made plenty of mistakes in my cyber-career. Heck, every successful entrepreneur makes mistakes along the way. The key is to recognize when you do, and then fix it right away.
You can also do one better than that and avoid the mistakes altogether -- if you know what to watch out for.
That's why I wrote this article. Along with the thousands of successful entrepreneurs online, there are hundreds of thousands who are NOT doing so well.
Naturally there are lots of reason why business ventures fail online and I can't address all of them. What I can do is help you avoid the mistakes that I see every day. If you can avoid these same mistakes, you can make money online...
Mistake #1: Too much too fast.
Lots of new entrepreneurs, especially in cyberspace, try to start too big too quickly. Their great ideas snowball into something too big for them to handle effectively. They try to coordinate the construction of a mega web site with a complete line of products and services.
The result?.. They are surprised when they learn that more effort should have gone into testing and more importantly "marketing" their idea!
If you are new to this online world, you should simply start small (but right away!) and grow steadily. See "The Cyber Two-Step" for a proven marketing plan that lets you start slow and grow.
Mistake #2: Marketing the wrong thing.
Stick to what you know! Too many people jump into a business online that they have no knowledge about. If you start with something you know, you'll do much better. If you don't, be prepared to go through the learning curve before you make much money.
A few months back, I wrote an article that reveals a big secret about what to market online. If you're still trying to carve your cyber-career path and you haven't read "The Big Secret", I suggest you do so.
One more thing about what you are marketing... Beware of a lack of direction. It's too easy to join one program after another trying to make money online. How many times have you gone to a web site that is merely a list of 10-20 mlm programs the webmaster has joined? Not too appetizing is it?
If you find a solid, professional money-making opportunity, use it as an add-on to YOUR site. That is if, and only if, you have time to promote and support it properly.
Mistake #3: Cutting the wrong corners.
Every business owner needs to save money, but don't do it at the expense of your business.
There are certain things you MUST be willing to pay for if you are serious about making a profit online. They are...
(a) unlimited internet access - (if available in your area) You can't be worried about your online time. Successful cyberbusiness owners leave their pc's connected nearly all day long!
(b) a merchant account - You must allow customers to order from you securely, online with Visa or Mastercard. The best way is to get your own merchant account. A full 85% of my customers now order with a credit card. It is a MUST for every serious cyberbusiness owner. A free report at my site explains what it takes to get a merchant account: (http://bizweb2000.com/serv02.htm)
(c) your own domain name - At US$35 per year, you will not find a better bargain for business owners. Nearly all of my fellow marketers agree - people are much more likely to click than . Okay, a bit exaggerated, but I think you get the point. To learn more about getting your own domain name, visit this webpage.
(d) professional level web hosting - In addition to your own domain name, you'll need to house your site with the right web host -- a host that provides you with the tools necessary to run an effective marketing campaign. This includes fast servers, lots of web space and traffic allowance, autoresponders, 24hr support and more. Before you settle in with any web host, read my special report on hosting.
Mistake #4: A poor web presence.
Many things contribute to an ineffective web presence. The biggest mistakes I see in this area are as follows...
(a) A home page that does not explain what the visitor will get for their time. If it is not clear WHY they should stay, they'll leave before they try to find out!
(b) Not offering lots of free valuable assistance at your site. Show your visitors that they are with an expert! Share your knowledge instead of jumping into a sales pitch.
(c) Web pages you have to scroll down endlessly with text that is not organized to please the eye. What happens? Brain sends signal to finger - "click outta here!"
(d) Too much technology. Without going into all the specifics, most webmasters are better off WITHOUT frames, java applets and sound -- at least until the internet offers more bandwidth. The bottom line is this - they slow your site and limit your audience.
One last thought...
Remember, everyone makes mistakes. Don't be afraid of making them, just learn from them. Or better yet, learn from the mistakes of others. That is the difference between successful businesspeople and not so successful ones.
Have YOU learned a valuable lesson in cyberspace? Come tell your fellow cybermarketers at our busy CyberMarketing Infoboard.
About the Author
* Article by Jim Daniels of JDD Publishing. Jim's site has helped 1000's of regular folks profit online. Visit (http://bizweb2000.com) for FREE "how-to" cybermarketing assistance, software, manuals, web services and more. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to their Free, weekly BizWeb E-Gazette: mailto:freegazette@bizweb2000.com
