| The recession may be over - the worst of it anyway, | | | | you think you could find to help you fuel your new |
| and there are many businesses that haven't suffered | | | | business. |
| all that much. I'm speaking of internet businesses that | | | | 3. List what you need. This will take some time and be |
| my friends own. Internet businesses with a world wide | | | | an ongoing project, but it's good to get a list together |
| market are pretty resilient, even when the entire world | | | | you can look at and check off as you finish items. |
| is going through economic difficulties. | | | | 4. Research online extensively to look at how other |
| There may be no more motivating a time to start a | | | | business owners are going about starting their |
| new business than during a recession because you | | | | business online. The internet marketing puzzle is a |
| have hope that you can avoid the situation the next | | | | difficult one to wrap one's head around. Look for how |
| time it comes around. You can get started with building | | | | others are going about a business similar to yours. Find |
| the foundation your business will need to weather the | | | | someone who is willing to share the process with you |
| next economic hard time. | | | | - how they went about doing tasks that you don't quite |
| Starting an online business is, in my opinion, the best | | | | understand. Choose someone far from you |
| way to go about it. Creating a new business can be | | | | geographically so they don't see you as competition. |
| done with little money and some hard work. If you're | | | | 5. Get started on marketing plans for the short and |
| passionate about your chosen area of focus then | | | | long-term. Marketing is the ultimate game you need to |
| you'll be motivated to go forward and make it work. | | | | master. Ace marketing and sales flow naturally. Put |
| Some tips for starting your online business: | | | | 80% or more effort into marketing your business, |
| 1. Brainstorm ideas to decide what to focus on. I | | | | continually, to make it work! |
| always make a spreadsheet and list the positives and | | | | 6. Hire only people you're very comfortable with. Small |
| negatives for each idea, assigning a weight to each | | | | business staff have very close interactions - you'll |
| criteria. It helps to look at the options objectively. | | | | need someone you like not only for what they bring to |
| Above all the topic of your business should be | | | | the job. Don't hire relatives unless you have worked |
| something you're passionate about and can motivate | | | | with them before in some capacity and know their |
| yourself to work long-hours at. | | | | work habits intimately and they fully understand how |
| 2. List all your assets. This will help you figure out what | | | | important it is that your new business be a success. |
| you have and what you need. List everything that | | | | Outsource tasks you don't have time for. You're |
| you'd include as an asset - including your skills. List all | | | | running the company, not creating logos. |
| your networking contacts, everything, include | | | | 7. Never stop learning. Know now that the internet |
| computers, printers, cell phones; skills like writing, editing, | | | | business game is changing almost daily. There are |
| web design, organizing; expertise with software | | | | internet marketing skills, online sales skills, online |
| programs and computers; a list of your network of | | | | customer service skills that are changing often and |
| personal and industry contacts; and the amount of | | | | that you'll need to keep up with. |
| capital you could invest in your business and money | | | | |