Business Alone

Come on . . . do you really expect me to waste my time reading all the fine print?

Admit it. How often have you taken the time lately to read all the detailed information that is thrown in your face as you sign up for a product, web site, service, or even a simple newsletter?

Believe it or not, when I first came online I actually read all that boilerplate every time I was asked to check a box stating I had read and agreed to the terms of use.

Now, I'm lucky if I skim through the narrative looking for anything unusual!

Sometimes there's a tendency to evaluate the earning potential of a particular niche by the number of potential customers that are there. Alternatively, entrepreneurs may evaluate the likelihood that a niche will be hot in the future, or possibly offer the potential for higher end products and services.

In either case, and there are other alternatives (like a person's passion for the subject of the niche, or his knowledge of the field, or previous experience in the market, etc.), one must never overlook the importance of focusing on targeting of the audience.

Whether the number of potential prospects is relatively large or small, the best results for your advertising and marketing will always come as you are able to hone in on "the perfect customers" for your products or services.

I sincerely believe that a successful business can be created around almost any marketable idea.

I also believe that every person has hidden away in his/her mind, a potentially profitable business idea that can be made marketable in the right hands.

Your task, as I see it, is to identify the idea(s) that has this great potential and test it to the extent that you're comfortable with it becoming the basis of your new business going forward.

So how do you pull this good business idea from your mind? Where do you go to find it?

Here's an exercise that anyone can do that should help you come up with some great and personalized ideas for the subject of your new online business.

Spend some time and find a niche that takes advantage of the areas of specialty for which you are uniquely skilled or qualified, but which also keep your interest and stoke your passion.

The steps are fairly elementary. I would recommend doing this exercise with your spouse or a close friend that knows you well - that way you'll be able to get a second opinion about your suitability to enter this niche.

In the previous two posts, we discussed a technique for drawing up a very specific list of business subjects that could become the basis of your online enterprise. They are designed to take advantage of your past life experiences, education, skills and passion.

There is a good chance there will be duplicate items on the list. If you find them, cross all the duplicates off so there is only one listing left, but for each duplicate you crossed off, place a star by the one remaining. (For example, if there were three entries the same, you are now left with one entry and two stars by it.)

Now re-list the items from top to bottom in a new list: the items with the most stars at the top, then the next most, then the next, etc.

For all the remaining items with no stars, list them in descending order according to how much you now enjoy doing them, or working with them, or in some way participating in that subject. The entries you enjoy most are ranked above the ones you don't enjoy so much.

Who says Internet business can't be adapted and put to profitable use by a youngster?

Here's an example of a young boy in my neighborhood that has chosen the Internet as his business contact and delivery mechanism.

You may have heard the slightly cynical phrase - "If you can't figure out how to do something on your computer, just find a six-year-old." There's a whole heap of truth to that observation. Anyway . . .

I learned about this kid in my neighborhood, who shall remain anonymous in case the child labor law spies are lurking about, that decided to run his business online.

What I am about to tell you may shock you, enrage you, or maybe just disgust you -- but I will not mislead you!

You deserve to hear the naked truth about starting a business on the Internet from someone who has spent his entire career in the small business development field and the past 10 years online.

I want you to understand what is going on all around you in this frenzied and "enlightened" time of global communication, instant access, and light-speed digital transmissions.

Most of us have contemplated starting our own business at one time or another - in fact, some have called this almost universal desire - the new "American Dream."

Are you prepared for a job change?

Any one of a thousand catastrophes could hit your employer in these uncertain economic times. Even positive business events like mergers, buyouts, and spinoffs can have serious negative impacts on your ability to keep fulltime employment and draw a paycheck from your employer.

Your job could be gone tomorrow; it happens to thousands of hard-working employees every day. Today you're gainfully employed - tomorrow you're job hunting!

But enough of the gloom and doom . . . let's talk about an amazing new job alternative that you can take advantage of today that has the power to refresh your life, secure your financial future, and turn the tables 180 degrees so that you become the owner of your own business and the master of your own destiny!

Chances are pretty good that you've known several people, maybe family members, or friends, or past co-workers that have made the leap to private business ownership.

Can you think of any of these people that have a thriving business today? Hopefully, you can . . . but the odds are not good.

I'm guessing you probably have knowledge of more startup failures among your friends than successes.

Here's an alarming statistic:

96% of all small business start-ups are doomed to failure.

I hope that sentence doesn't scare you away from moving forward in starting your own business.

But as I stated earlier, I want you to know the truth about what you're facing and how to side-step the traps others are setting for you.

Now don't get me wrong . . .