Thousands of small business start up on the Internet every day,
but most of them are bound to fail from the very beginning.
Now, why is that? And what can be done about it?
Below I have created a short list to make your on line business
succeed.
1) Find a niche market
First you need to find a subject where you can build your whole
business -be it a web site or newsletter- around.
If you know a lot about car insurances or hiking, create a web
site around it and find an affiliate program that will pay you out
a good commission.
Of course it's better to sell your own product, like an information
product -or E-book. Information products sell great on line, and
will certainly bring you good money.
Tip: Don't know how to create an E-book? You can get one for
free at: http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com
2) Get your own unique domain name
Don't go for the cheap. Be professional, and get your own original
domain name. Pick one that makes you stand out from the rest.
There are many cheap domain name registrars around these
days, and for a few bucks a month you can set up your own
web site with a web hosting company.
Tip: Here's a service where you can register a domain name
for only 13.50$: http://www.000domains.com
Once your web site is ready and all the meta tags are put in place,
you can submit it to the biggest search engines by hand. This will
give your web site listing the best result.
Tip: Use the free RankPilot service to see if you're listed. Go here:
http://www.rankpilot.com
If you're not listed, re-submit your site. But allow a few weeks
before you do this. Some search engines take more time than
others to get your pages listed.
3) Make your site interesting
You should put lots of original content and helpful tips on your
site, make your pages easy to navigate, and be sure to collect
email addresses of your visitors to grow a list of prospects.
Following up on your potential -or future- clients is the only way to
succeed.
Stay in touch with your audience, and ask them to sign up to your
mailing list in return for something free.
Tip: You can give your new subscribers a free report you wrote
about the subject of your experience.
Remember that your opt-in list is your gold mine. Always provide
your subscribers with interesting value in your mailings, so they
will see you as an expert and start trusting you.
Gaining trust from your prospects is essential and will make your
web business successful!
4) Set up an affiliate program
If you sell your own product, this is the best way to skyrocket your
income. Offer your resellers a fair commission, like 40-50% on
every sale they make.
Be sure to offer all the necessary ad copy, banners and buttons,
and make it easy to let them sign up.
Tip: You can -just like I did- use Clickbank to set up your affiliate
program. It's very simple, and you can have everything set up for
you in only a few minutes. Click below to learn more:
http://www.clickbank.com
5) Don't bet on only 1 horse
Once your business has taken off, you should find and sell other
products that match with your own product. A great way to do this
is to set up a joint venture with another business owner.
Try to find web sites that match your target and swap links,
exchange ads in your newsletters, etc...
Never be afraid to co-operate with your competitors. You will
soon learn that both of you will benefit from a joint venture.
Tip: Don't be afraid to ask others for help. Everyone had to learn
somewhere, and most people will be happy to help you with your
problem or share their experiences.
These are only a few steps to consider, but when you follow these
basic rules, I'm confident that your on line adventure will succeed!
Good luck!
About the Author
Dirk Dupon publishes the "SmartPromotion Newsletter", offering
Smart Tips, Tools, Tricks and Techniques for Web Site and E-zine
Promotion. Subscribe now and get a DEMO of Dirk's "Web Site and
E-zine Promotion Made Easy!" E-Book. Send an email to:
mailto:smartpromotion-subscribe@topica.com
Or visit the web site at: http://www.smart-web-promotion.com