A common question that I get after people ask me what I do for a living is “How do you do it?”
The mistake I made in the past when I answered was to provide them with a technical explanation using words and phrases like “SEO”, “Pay Per Click”, “WordPress” and so forth which would immediately produce a blank stare or a look complete confusion.
I had forgotten that when I first became interested in the online world that I also had no clue what any of these words or phrases meant and that it takes time to wrap your head around such things.
So now in order to provide a better explanation of what I do, I explain the beginner steps necessary to give a more clear understanding.
Below are what I consider to be the first steps required in order to start a successful online business.
- Find A Niche
- Get the Knowledge
- Provide Value
Finding your target market that you want to provide value for is a must. If you plan on targeting everyone and anyone then you will fail.
Finding that niche usually means that you are already very familiar with the subject market and that you will be able to relate to the people that you are providing value to.
For example, I have dive master certification in scuba diving so I can discuss the subject very easily. I know usually what type of people are attracted to scuba diving, what their interests are and what they like to talk about.
So my question to you is this? What are you knowledgable about?
Now think about other people who are knowledgable about this subject. What kind of people are they?
Where do they hang out?
What other topics do they like to talk about?
If you have answered these questions then you have most likely already found your niche.
This is the area where you are going to have to make a choice in regards to which path you take.
Option A is to start digging online on your own to learn about online marketing, affiliate programs, creating a website, etc. There is a ton of free information available through YouTube and any search engine in regards to these topics and you can study constantly on any of them.
Option B is to sign up for an online education system like Lynda.com or Pluralsight. Both of them cost around $30 to $35 dollars a month and are loaded with a vast array of courses that you can take to learn about anything and everything related to having an online business.
But here are the problems that I discovered with Option A and Option B after trying them both.
Even after you gain the knowledge about what all these things are and how they work, it is extremely time consuming and costly to actually find out how to use them correctly.
That is why I prefer Option C
Option C is join a community of like minded people who all have the same goals and direction. This community has all the training tools and resources necessary to create an online business.
Even more important is that there are mentors and experts that you can access at any time in order to get the help and guidance you need to fast track your progress and make sure that you stay headed in the right direction.
I prefer the SFM program because it offers everything that I mentioned above for Option A, B and C and much more.
This is one of the most crucial steps for beginners. In order for people to be interested in what you are offering then you must give them lots of value.
What kind of value am I talking about? Let’s consider the following.
Would you pay $30 dollars for a plain white t-shirt? Probably not.
What if I offered you a free pair of socks with if you buy the $30 dollar t-shirt? You might start to consider it.
What if I offered you a free pair of socks and a coupon for a free lunch at a local popular restaurant if you buy the t-shirt? Then most of you probably would.
By offering quality value to people you provide a good service because you are presenting something to them that is useful. Making sure people are happy and satisfied with their purchase is extremely important to a successful business no matter what type it is.
Think of ways that you can provide value to people.
By understanding these beginner steps in starting an online business, you will be able plot your course for success much quicker and with a clearer vision of what you need to do.
Always keep in mind that as long as you stay focused on your goals and listen to other people who have gone in the same direction that you want to go then success will be yours.
The decision to take the first step is up to you!
Thanks for stopping by!!