It’s great that you are moving forward and getting out of the grind. It’s really [...]]]> If you are one of the lucky ones who have been able to quit their day jobs and work out of their home, you might find you are spending too much time spinning your wheels. Does this sound familiar? :-)

It’s great that you are moving forward and getting out of the grind. It’s really good that you work from home, since you’ll find the doors are open to more income and being more in control of your time.

But that’s the point here. Are you really in control of your time? Or is it in control of you still?

Does the broken garage door call out to be fixed? Is the movie on television more interesting that the AutoResponder sequence that you’d promised yourself to set up by last night? Do you prefer to spend a couple hours on Facebook to connect with friends over writing up & publishing a few Web pages? Is watching other people’s YouTube videos more attractive than creating and sharing your own (and have others watch yours)?

You have to be careful not to heed those destructive calls.

Now that you don’t have to commute to that nine-to-five work place, and you don’t have to listen to your former top dog anymore, well… you might think that sleeping in is a true luxury now.

You might think you can take a break whenever you want, get outside and maybe go for a run. But then, when the end of the day comes, do you have everything done that needs to be done?

Those hours go by really fast. The next thing you know… it’s time for bed! And you have to finish some work obligation by early tomorrow. Can you do it in the morning? Maybe. But maybe not. What have you gotten yourself into?

Of course, you are no stranger to hard work. You’ve been doing it for years. But you had a shotgun to your head, so to speak, and had to be there at a certain time and get certain things done in certain time frames.

The point?

Discipline and Deadlines.

Yours has to be of the highest quality if you want to maintain your home based business. You can’t let those hours slip away.

The best thing to do in these circumstances is to make yourself a schedule. What will you get done in the morning? What will you get done in the afternoon? Do you have time in the evening to work on a project if you don’t get it done earlier? You have to figure these things out.

But it isn’t just making a schedule, it’s KEEPING one. You have to stick with what you laid out to get things done in time.

And if you allow for some personal time in there (like a reward for finishing everything), you will find yourself really sticking to it. You’ll fly through your work and feel like a success when you achieve what you planned to for the day.

Watch those distractions. Sure, the plants need watering, the refrigerator needs to be cleaned out, and then all those time consuming researches on the Net… But these minor, unproductive tasks are going to have to wait until you make your targeted actions for the day.

You have a unique opportunity to get more done, work smart and achieve great things when you are self-employed. Don’t blow it by wasting your time doing non-income related, unproductive actions.

Work smart. Stick to a schedule. Prosper.

—Marcus Hochstadt

Of the millions of Internet businesses that have opened in the last few years, how many of these put together a detailed [...]]]> So, you have this wonderful new idea for an Internet business—many have one—but web development and technology move at breathtaking speeds. Do you really have time to put together a business plan?

Of the millions of Internet businesses that have opened in the last few years, how many of these put together a detailed business plan, or even a blueprint? It’s a small percentage. Most new online businesses think preparing a business plan is a waste of time, and by the same respect, over 80% of all new businesses fail, often in the first year.

You have the vision, you may have lofty expectations of what you want to achieve, but do you know how to get there?

There is no “one fits all” solution… Every business—and every one—is unique, even for companies within the same sector. Plus, if you have a successful business offline, that doesn’t guarantee the transition online will be easy, and there are extra considerations when you start any business on the internet.

The primary purpose of any business plan is to give your business direction. In order to move forward, you need vision, planning, research, and goals. Not only do you need to convince yourself that your idea is viable, but a business plan will also convince others. Let’s say you want to raise capital, then your bank manager or potential investors will also need to see a detailed business plan.

The Internet is also a valuable source for finding templates and advice for your Internet business plan, so here I am going to outline the need of a business plan rather than the content, and if you still think you don’t want a business plan, come back in one year and let’s see how you performed. ;-)

Writing a business plan forces you to analyze every aspect of your proposed business venture and whether you use ten or twenty sections to get you there, it puts your vision down on paper, proves your understanding of the business, highlights any hurdles you may not have expected, and ensures that the overall idea is realistic.

Key Issues To Outline

Your Mission

Explain your new business and what you want to achieve. What are you currently doing that makes you believe you can make a success of?

Explain in detail what your business does, detail your products & services and illustrate your goals. Developing a Web site also requires further planning. What do you want to achieve from the front end, your user interface? Is this an e-commerce business, or do you just want to promote your business or services? Do you want to generate hits or want users to sign up for membership? What do you want your clients to see and do?

Express your vision and the keys to its success. (I personally use and highly recommend Mindjet’s MindManager Pro for this.)

How Will You Get There?

What resources do you have available? Are you using your own expertise, or will you be using employers or outsourcing work? If you have a successful business away from the internet, how will you make that transition online, and what effect will it have on your existing business?

How will you create your Web site and what resources do you have available? When a web designer starts work on your site, you will need a blueprint of how your site comes together, and how the pages are organized and integrated.

Outline your marketing strategy, your pricing strategy, and your plan to promote sales.

Analyze your competitors and explain what will give you the edge, while at the same time list possible partners. Take the time to plan for contingencies, too. Show that you are aware of possible hurdles and how they can be overcome.

Include timelines, goals, and explain where your Internet business will be in one year, five years, and ten years time, or within a scale that suits your business.

Back Up Your Information

If you think there are thousands of customers for your business, prove this figure and provide an up-to-date market analysis. You must include projected sales figures, cash flow and profit and loss forecasts. Not only will you need this to raise capital (in case you want to), but it provides you with a budget and planning tool to measure your progress.

Finally, top it all off with an executive summary. This is like the blurb on the back page of a novel. Summarize your Internet business plan and explain it on one page, which will be the very first page. When approaching investors and bankers, it should encourage them to take the time and read through your Internet business plan. It ensures that you can encompass all your facts, figures, vision, and your mission into one statement.

—Marcus Hochstadt

Don’t think just by creating a blog site or starting an Internet business that you will be like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. He built a baseball field and the players came… but that was a movie and this [...]]]> “If you build it, will they come?”

Don’t think just by creating a blog site or starting an Internet business that you will be like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. He built a baseball field and the players came… but that was a movie and this is real life.

In order to sell or bring in business, you have to plan and work at it. Even the best entrepreneurs and copywriters will tell you that. (No, not those GRQ scams; they’ll continuously promise you the quick ‘n dirty easy zero-cost path to wealth—when you buy their $97 e-book. Sorry but I’m just too tired of them… LOL)

The following startup tips will help you become a successful entrepreneur… one step at a time.

Before you register your domain name and put up a Web site, you need to plan and build the foundation of your Internet business and the audience you’re about to target. What? You already started a site or blog but haven’t planned anything upfront?

Well, then… now is a good time to do it and start fine-tuning (or starting over if necessary.)

What are your plans for marketing? Who is your target audience? Where will you find these people? And, most importantly, why should they buy from you? Deejay vu… English 101 all over again…. Who, What, Where, and Why. The “How” will be answered… through the creation of your Web site.

Let’s look at marketing first. There are many sites out there, including mine, that offer marketing tools, tips, and products (soon) that will help you bring in more traffic or assist in sealing the deal. Take some time to check them out and choose the ones that are best for you and your product.

Next, who is your target audience? You should have been thinking about this all along when you were drawing up your business plan and fine-tuning your ideas. Who will shop or purchase your products. Everyone? A select group? Men? Women? Pets? (Just kidding with the latter…) Now is the time to truly define this in order to know where to look online to find these people.

So, you have your target audience… now what? Start out by checking for blog sites, forums, and other sites that cater to your target audience, or who would buy or market your product, or be interested in your blog. Compile a comprehensive list and then start contacting them or participating.

You can either write up a great sales copy, post to their blog, forum, or site, check out their affiliate programs, etc. The sky is the limit here. With so many Web sites out there, you are bound to come across many potential buyers or customer bases.

When contacting these prospects, think to yourself, “Why should they buy from me or check out my blog, rather than someone else’s?” What makes your site and/or product stand out? You need to be able to answer these questions and stand behind your product (or the ones you recommend) in order to bring in the sale or hit to your site.

Do not copycat someone else; build your own “brand of one”.

Now that you have answered the “Who, what, where, why, and how,” you should be well on your way to Internet business success.

Remember business plans always need fine-tuning. Also, make sure to keep your blog (if you have one) fresh and updated… posting things people want to read on a regular basis (more than once per week; yes, blogging is a commitment.)

Continue to create or build upon your sales base. The market is always changing and you need to be ready and on top of your game… if you want to stay in the game.

“If you build it right, they will come!”

Right? :-)

—Marcus Hochstadt