Creating a successful online business is tough. Sure, creating a site is simple. You can buy a domain name, find a hosting service and use a template to have your site up and running within a day or two (or even less) of first thinking up your business idea.
Affiliate systems and contextualized ad programs can then have you earning without ever touching a product or a shipping form.
That's the easy part.
The hard part is learning how to move from owning a site to owning a successful site that rockets up the page rankings, has a steady stream of users... and generates healthy revenues.
The biggest challenge is that you have to learn so much, and in such a range of different fields.
Of course, you have to know how to create good content. Without that, your site is never going to be successful. But people who are good with words are often poor with numbers. If you're one of them, that's a challenge you'll have to overcome. If you can't make sense of the graphs and figures on your stats, you won't know how fast your site is growing or how to make the most of the pages that work the best.
And then there's the coding, the design and the sales copy. And the video ads, the joint venture-building and the networking.
As the owner of a successful business, even one that you run from home on the Web, you're going to have to wear a dozen different hats and become knowledgeable in a dozen different areas.
Initially, that's a good thing. You should know at least the basics of every aspect of your business. But once you've got that basic understanding -- and some income in your business account -- don't be afraid to outsource to experts.
No one can be top of the class at every aspect of Internet marketing. If you're struggling with your SEO, find someone to do it for you. If your sales copy doesn't sell, talk to a professional copywriter. If your design makes your site look amateurish, hire a Web designer.
Take the time to learn the fundamentals of Internet marketing and you'll have given yourself a valuable education. Take the time to become an expert at all of Internet marketing and you'll find that you'll never have enough time. And you may never have the successful business you desire.
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January 19, 2007 11:03 AM
Hi Joel,
Boy, did that blog resonate with me.
As an architect, I know that understanding something about each of the trades is helpful, but you could never build a house alone.
I'm trying to learn the rudiments of what makes an internet business, and when I start making some money, am I going to outsource.
Thanks for the tip.
January 19, 2007 03:40 PM
The not knowing what is useful and what is yet another hyped scam makes it so difficult for a newbie to concentrate on the important stuff.
Also if you do not know whom to hire, one can really get burned, like my friend who signed on with one of those outfits in Utah for over $17,000 (OPA, Online Profits Academy, eprofitsmadeeasy, Auction PhD etc.) All they teach him is setting up a website. How to market etc. is up to him.For that kind of money he could have outsourced madly.
The 'not knowing better' is what gets most of us.
Please answer for all who are confused, overwhelmed, discouraged and do not know any better:
Whom can they trust to really deliver?
Where/how do they find the good,useful programs?
How do they distinguish between what has to be done and what is just a distraction?
Where should they even begin?
January 20, 2007 05:29 AM
I'm a huge believer in outsourcing if you can afford it. Heck I'm even considering outsourcing the housework:-)
I think its important that people also realise their family life should be a high consideration.
Outsourcing not only lets you get on with the important parts of your business, it also helps you enjoy some semblemce of family life
May 16, 2007 05:14 AM
So many things to learn! I am new to internet marketing and would you mind sharing some resources that would be helpful to me to learn the different areas of IM?