The start of any new business always contains the scariest moments. On the one hand, you're never going to feel more enthusiastic about your idea than during those first few months. You'll get to see your plan take flight and discover whether it really does have wings.
On the other hand, you also have to cope with the fear that it's going to fail -- that what you thought was going to bring you a giant sack of cash is actually going to drink your savings and waste your time.
Like I said, it's scary stuff.
In practice, what happens at the beginning of a new business is that you climb a learning curve. Some of the things that you thought would take off faster than a rocket on a spring end up fizzling out on the launch pad. Other ideas that you thought weren't very exciting end up shocking you by bringing in the bulk of your revenues.
You learn. You're surprised. You earn.
That's as true of an online publishing business as it is of any other industry.
What's important during this process though is that you're not misled. Increase your publishing rate from three to five blog posts a week, for example, and you might find that your traffic, clickthroughs and income all rise.
But before you can conclude that that increase is a result of more frequent posting -- and commit yourself to writing more -- you first have to eliminate every other possibility.
Keeping good records is always important in any business. It's particularly important at the beginning of the business when you're trying out different strategies to see which really do work best. It's the only way to make sure that you're collecting all the information as it flows in so that you can make smart decisions.
There's something else that's important to do at the beginning of a new business or a new website though: keep going.
When you find an idea doesn't work, it can be tempting to throw in the towel and move on to your next one. That might be the right thing to do eventually. But before you make that decision, be certain that you've understood the market, that you're making the right choice and that a different approach won't give you a pleasant surprise.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
January 5, 2009 08:42 AM
Yeah. Thank's for Your suggestion. One important thing that i forget is learn more and more about everything related in blog bussiness.
January 5, 2009 11:26 AM
Hello Joel! How greit honour to give a letter from you. You,re the chocklet and the Adsense king. Related to you I am trying to get out from that certain hole, you know, the ratrace.
Dear Joel! Allow me to fulfill my task here to send you a link as I have to louch it once a day it is: 4trafficnow.com:80/clicks.php?userid=baranyfelho&seed=854358&id=1149 Thank you. Anyway: where I am interested in it is: health trade and wireless phone trade. Theese are my best ideas currently and they are waiting for implementing them.
I wish you many successes, a Happy New Year for you and for your working mates, remember you had introduced them to me. Thank you for contact. Greetings: Irén
January 5, 2009 11:47 AM
Thanks for the GREAT post (yet again), Joel!
The one thing that you could have mentioned to tie into some of your other blog posts, is that we all still need to lean on others for moral support.
A good way to find support is to attend live events like your Elevation weekend. Or the one my mentor, Ken McAthur, puts on- JV Alert Live(!).
Attending these as a newbie, whether in internet marketer or an offline business start-up, really helps keep your ideas & goals in perspective.
Thanks!
Best,
-K
January 5, 2009 01:22 PM
Thanks Joel,
good post and so true. I can remember the hasle when I started my first business in 2005. Joy and naked fear, all at the same time :).
But it's like swimming in cold water. After the first seconds you won't feel the pain anymore and start enjoying it ;).
See you,
Kirsten
January 6, 2009 02:05 AM
If you can controll your fear of failure, and have the gut's to keep on going when it is hard is a great foundation to become successfull.
January 6, 2009 05:06 AM
Great post Joel,
I think that you could say the same for anyone in online business facing into a new year.
Since I started ... EVERY year has brought so many changes and adaptations that it's a constant "fight the fear of change" scenario.
There are always new PlugIns, a new Wordpress update, a google slap to adjust to.
Eoin
January 6, 2009 07:33 AM
Great post Joel,
What i would say is no matter what you know there is always more to learn.
I am in a coaching program at the moment and the things i am learning there will help me progress greatly.
Keep up the good work mate.
Graham Scarisbrick.
http://www.grahamscarisbrick.com
January 6, 2009 02:56 PM
This is a great post on the nature of hanging in there. Nothing takes the place of persistence! I hope that this video will be able to be seen from this comment, because the message comes back to me time and time again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdHAMjA1lMw
Also, it's so true of what you said that you need to track everything before posting madly. You need to know what's already working and what may work, then measure the results.
January 7, 2009 03:09 PM
Great post bud. When starting anything one must realize they are in the take off stage. Just how an airplane exerts all of its energy during take off, you exert all of you energy to start your business.
Work hard and eventually you'll be at cruise mode!
January 11, 2009 05:25 PM
I'll add my $0.02: Just be careful of reading too much and dont forget to put it into action or you'll be an expert in theory and wont achieve anything real.
January 14, 2009 04:25 PM
Another good way to make extra money is to start an online dating site or social community site. But, you must create a niche market site or you just won't make it. You also have to know the market you are going into and the customers or you just won't succeed. The old saying is correct in that you must know your customers.
Michael
January 17, 2009 01:26 AM
Interesting and thanks for this particular advice - "When you find an idea doesn't work, it can be tempting to throw in the towel and move on to your next one. That might be the right thing to do eventually. But before you make that decision, be certain that you've understood the market, that you're making the right choice and that a different approach won't give you a pleasant surprise."
In my own life and online business adventures, I have learned that most of my successes were because I had failed in some other ventures in the past and learned something from the failures. Those who said "success is failure turned upside down" must have been right. It's very unlikely that anyone can succeed in life without experiencing series of failures. So, it does pay to LEARN from any failure, because there's a lesson or two in EVERY failure.
Thanks for sharing this, Joel. :)