Build the Snowball and It Will Run

Setting up your own online business can seem extremely daunting. Whether you've already got a business and want to sell products and services online or want to start from scratch with a new business, there is a great deal to think about.

However, despite the economic doom and gloom, there is real money to be made from web-based businesses. But where do you begin?

If you're starting from scratch, the first thing you need to decide is what you're going to sell and who you want to sell it to. The Web is a global marketplace, but that doesn't mean your business has to be international. Some of the most successful internet businesses target tight niches. When making the decision about what type of business to start you'll need to research the types of products and services that are in demand and the competition for supplying those to customers. The ratio of demand to supply will give you an idea of the likely profitability of any business idea. After all, there's no point in starting a business that's not going to make a profit, is there?

If you have expertise in a particular subject or area, then that's a great place to start. If there's a subject you're passionate about then start there. Focus on what you can offer that's unique. It's much better to offer something unique in a small niche market than try and compete with a thousand other companies in a huge market. Remember the bigger the market the more competitors you'll have. And on the Web, the chances are high that they'll all know more than you about the techniques associated with marketing and selling on the internet.

If you've already got an offline business that you want to promote on the Web, or have products or services that you want to sell on the internet, then you're a good part of the way there.

However, whether you've already got a business or have a good idea for starting one, there's a great deal to do to be successful on the Web. You have to come up with a domain name and register it, build a website (or get someone to build it for you), and find someone to host it. If you want to sell products or services directly from your site, you'll need to build-in online shopping facilities, and if you want to accept credit cards, you'll need a merchant account .

Then there's the promotion. It's all very well having a website out there in cyber space, but if no-one knows it's there, you won't get any customers. So you have to promote it, on and off-line.

How do you get visitors and how do you ensure they are in your target market? The most cost-effective way of generating targeted traffic on the Web is by ranking highly in search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN for keywords related to your business. Unfortunately there are thousands of Web marketing professionals out there who are intent on making sure their sites rank highly, meaning that the chance of a relative newcomer getting a top 30 ranking in a search engine is small. Without a ranking in the top thirty on the major search engines you might as well be invisible.

Finally, and most importantly, once you've got traffic, how do you convert a reasonable percentage of it into income? How do you build the kind of trust and credibility online that keeps visitors coming back and spending money?

Phew! If you weren't daunted before, you will be by now. Fortunately, none of the problems outlined above is insurmountable. It's hard work sure, but very rewarding. And you don't have to do all the work yourself, there are plenty of solutions which will do lots of the hard work for you, like the one I use.

The important thing, as with any project, is to start and then to keep going. Imagine your website as a snowball running down a hill. It starts off very small and has no momentum. It takes hard work to roll it and help it grow, but once it reaches critical mass it gains a momentum of its own, starts to roll by itself and grows exponentially very quickly. Your web business is that snowball.

Kenny Hemphill is a website owner and marketer. His current http://www.the-hdtv-tuner.com/about-this-s ite.html- snowball is gaining mementum fast.

---

Profiting from Articles - A Step-by-step Guide

"Content is King" - that's a given, there's no debate.... Read More

Make Your Real Estate Website Visible!

So, you've created a Website to highlight your realty services... Read More

The Myth of Internet Marketing: aka The Golden Carrot

Why am I so mad I could throw my computer... Read More

Internet Marketing: 10 Blazing Internet Marketing Secrets To Sky-Rocket Your Profits

Your turn to succeed has come.I am happy to offer... Read More

Making Money out of Your First Effort

Have this phrase broken through your life at least once?... Read More

The Most Valuable Asset in Marketing - Do YOU have It?

The single most important attribute for a successful Network Marketer... Read More

How to Turn Your Articles into a Viral Traffic Stampede

By writing articles you can send targeted traffic to your... Read More

How to Leverage the Internet in MLM

Most people who try to leverage the Internet to build... Read More

The Internet and Network Marketing

After years of gut wrenching work and stress the home... Read More

Ask Questions? To Help Find The GOLD

Here's another great idea that the gurus are using to... Read More

Marketing Using Minisites

When it comes to making money online, there are a... Read More

Two Good Marketing Ideas - One of Them Great!

Last week, I wrote my first marketing/list building article. Could... Read More

How You Can Tap into the Dramatic Selling Power of Testimonials

Among the variety of techniques available to you as a... Read More

Online Sales: 10 Heavy Duty Tactics To Sky-Rocket Your Online Sales

Here are the 10 heavy duty online sales tactics that... Read More

6 Proven Steps To Internet Marketing Success

There is a misconception that you can come online set... Read More

Online Advertising Sinks into the Abyss!

Back in the ancient days of 1994 when Mark Andreesen... Read More

Shopping Search Engines, The Benefits and Explanations

The Shopping Search Engines are a new breed on the... Read More

Don Quixotes Post Humous Virtual Expedition - Filling The Black Holes In Cyber Space

Perhaps the online community today is not so different from... Read More

Becoming A Successful Internet Entrepreneur

You're motivated to run your own business, aren't you?If you're... Read More

Dealing with Refund Requests ? Internet Marketing

I think we all cringe and dread when we open... Read More

FSBO Upscale Manhattan Co-op -- Only Strongest Offers Entertained

Had I known in 1985 what I know now about... Read More

Yardstyle Marketing

It is just crazy. Every time I open my mouth... Read More

How Can You Can Go From Zero To Hero Overnight? Viral Marketing!

Everyone has heard about viral marketing but what is it... Read More

Do This - and Destroy Your Resale Rights Business!

There's one thing that's sure-fire guaranteed to ruin your profits... Read More

Marketing - All About Focus

Marketing would appear to be the great buzz word of... Read More

Marketing Rapport - 3 Tips!

Establishing & maintaining rapport with your online audience is perhaps... Read More

How To Make Money Online

Catch the cash on the net?in more ways than one.Thousands... Read More

Is that Niche Really Going to Make You Money?

Find a niche; pick a niche, niche markets will make... Read More

Converting Visitors into Subscribers

Copyright 2005 Javier SalcesVisitor conversion is a challenge faced by... Read More

How to Use Tracking to Keep Income Incoming

The use of tracking links in the following scenario puts... Read More

Use Photos as Part of your Marketing Arsenal

Photos should be important parts of your marketing. The photos... Read More

Triple Your Profits Easily With The Right USP

Convinced you have a fantastic idea for your online business... Read More

How to Get $250,000 Worth of Free Advertising for Your Business

You and I know that whenever you have a business,... Read More