Handle the Learning Challenge in a New Online Business
Do you want the bad news about starting a new online business first, or the good news? Okay, here we go: The bad news is that you have a great deal to learn. The good news is that it’s fun and that much of the basic information can be found inexpensively or even free. The bad news is that you can’t trust everything that you find on the Internet and that there are some unscrupulous folks out there. The best news is that you’ll be able to distinguish the valuable from the worthless sooner than you now think you will be able.
One sensible way to start your e-business education is to find a free course with the fundamentals of beginning online. There should be no (or minimal) charge for the rudimentary information. If you actually follow the lessons and apply what you learn, that will get you well on your way toward distinguishing between the scams and the legitimate offers, between the metaphorical wheat and the chaff.
You will discover that the reality of starting your business will fall somewhere between the extremes of the unscrupulous types who tell you that you can work half an hour per week in your pajamas and retire in a year and the other extreme of thinking it is an impossible task, as you may be thinking now. Yes, you’ll need to get organized. You must manage your available time carefully, and don’t forget about life’s priorities along the way (like family, your ethical standards and enjoying what you do).
Browse related topics (those you learned about in your short, hopefully free, course) on article directories, like A1Articles.com or EzineArticles.com. Consult blogs that you deem to be trustworthy. Find information about keyword research, business niche selection, design of business websites and other such related topics.
Don’t rush out to buy anything, yet. The next step is to sit down with some paper and pencil. From the list of things that you don’t yet know how to do, determine what interests you and and what sounds so boring that you would rather outsource the tasks. Don’t worry, you can learn to do anything on that list. It’s just a matter of deciding whether you want to learn a particular skill.
Now it’s time to spend money. Fight any urge you have to immediately buy an amazing sounding product, whether it’s a course or a remarkable piece of software. At this point, you should do two things: 1) Add the web page to your favorites list so that you know you can find your way back to it later. 2) Analyze the structure of the sales copy, because eventually you want to be able to write a sales pitch that works as well as that one apparently did on you. Now, go off to find some comparable products and go through the same process.
I impose a mandatory three day waiting period before I buy something I’ve just found. That gives me time to consider it rationally, removing myself from the emotional responses elicited by the well presented offer. I make exceptions in the cases of a few people whose products I know well and always trust. If I still think that I have found the best solution for my needs after that three day period, I use the bookmark to find the right page, buy the product and get to work absorbing the material.
Beware! Buying can make you feel good, but your new purchase does you no good unless you use it, and using it means implementing the strategies that you learn about or the procedures for which the software was designed. In other words, you must act!
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