Posted on: 21 November, 2001
Author: Bob McElwain
This is a question I'm asked ... Others related to it include ... "I saw this neat ... Do you think I can make ... it?" "I like the idea of multiple income streams. How do I dot This is a question I'm asked repeatedly. Others related to it include ... "I saw this neat whatever. Do you think I can make moneyselling it?" "I like the idea of multiple income streams. How do I dothis?" "I haven't much time. What's the easiest way to start?" "If I read this book and follow the plan in it, will I dookay?" You can't make significant bucks selling "whatever" without asite that works. The same is true of building multiple incomestreams. As to time, if you haven't got it, there's no place tostart, easy or otherwise.The Real Challenge The last question above is the one toughest to answer. Say a fellow buys a book, then reads it. Assuming it offers a goodapproach, can he expect to succeed with the plan suggested? Possibly, but there's a point here that is being ignored. Infoproducts explaining how to succeed on the Web are generallysold with the implication that this product makes it easy tosucceed. But is it so? A bit of common sense brings a definitive answer quickly. First, if it was easy to succeed online, anybody could do so. Second, there's a difference between reading about an idea andimplementing it. Implementing Even A Simple Idea May Not Be Easy I love Joe Robson's book, "Make Your Words Sell." (Click herefor my review. It's the best approach I've seen to producing great ad copy for the Web. I've read it four times now, made voluminous notes, and have produced half a dozen pages seeking to follow Joe's methods. I haven't got it yet. And I am not likely to get it soon. I did not expect otherwise. Suppose you took Geometry in high school. Suppose you reallyunderstood it, that you even got an A. Does this mean you areprepared to teach the subject? Not at all. It only means youhave essential tools with which to continue your study ofmathematics. Further, if you do continue, you will learn evenmore about Geometry. There is no book, teacher, or consultant that can provide you with the experience required to build a successful onlinebusiness. Quite the contrary. You'll need to understand thecontents of many books. You'll want all the quality input youcan get. And all must be internalized so that you caneffectively implement what you have learned.The Wrong Question One who asks such questions has things backwards. As I'vestated elsewhere, the first question should be who do you want to sell to. Having answered this, the task is to find where they hang out on the Web and join in. While interacting with people with whom you enjoy, continue looking for a product that suits their needs.A Great Site Is A Must Slapping up some banners or a sales pitch won't ever work,regardless how grand the benefits of the product being offered. You need a core content that attracts visitors. It must beof interest to search engines, and to those with whom you may be able to swap links. Without this, there is little that can be done. Even advertising is likely to fail.So What Products Do Sell Best? This is still not really a good question, for several otherfactors need to be considered. The one that matters most is whatproduct can *you* sell most effectively with *your* site. Still,while searching for potential products, consider the following. > A combination of related products so the cost of generatinga first sale can be distributed over others as possible. (Notall will return.) > Products visitors will buy repeatedly - fancy soaps, maybe. > Products you create and control. Some can be marketed withan affiliate program.Say No To Web Related Infoproducts There are flat too many people out there trying to sell allsorts of stuff to those new to the Web. Unless you can come upwith a brilliant plan bound to work, you are competing withthousands of others, many far more experienced than you are. On the other hand, there is grand profit in sellinginfoproducts that provide specialized information in a field inwhich you excel. Most any successful site can add a good deal totheir bottom line by producing and selling one or more.The Best Plan Focus closely on a small target. With a newsletter, andlater a site, develop core content that establishes you as theexpert in your niche and draws visitors. Then, as possible,introduce a line of related products including items repeatedlypurchased. Further, continue to produce and sell your owninfoproductsIt Isn't Easy The above over-simplifies the challenge of building asuccessful business. To fully understand the paragraph abovewill require a good deal of effort and time. It's not easy. Only those fascinated by and committed to the task will discoverthe rewards of building a successful online business. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bob McElwain Want to build a winning site? Improve one you already have? Fix one that's busted? Get ANSWERS. Subscribe to "STAT News" now! mailto:[email protected] Web marketing and consulting since 1993 Site: Phone: 209-742-6349 Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com