Can you really be successful online working at home?
There's no doubt that millions of people want to work at home,
and that a substantial percentage of them are looking to the
Internet to provide them with the means to do so. The question
is, can the Internet deliver what these people need to make
working at home a viable alternative to the traditional world of
work?
The answer is YES -- but only if certain crucial conditions are
met.
1) Sell Value
The problem with many people wanting to establish a home-based
business is that they're not selling anything people really need
to buy. Too often they're selling overpriced products or
services provided by third-parties who themselves profit by
signing up new independent contractors. This is not a viable
success formula.
To prosper in business, online or off, you must offer your
prospects REAL VALUE; that is, you must offer them something
that will improve their lives, something which is superior to
what they can find locally, and which you can deliver at a
competitive cost. If what you're selling doesn't meet these
basic criteria, you are courting failure.
2) Have The Necessary Business-Development and Prospect Contact
Tools
Value is essential but value alone cannot build a successful
online business. You must have certain critical tools, including
* a domain. The only people who are succeeding online are those
with their own domains. Without a domain you are essentially a
squatter on someone else's cyber "land" and are at the mercy of
their business. If they go out of business, you automatically go
out of business -- like it or not! Sadly, large numbers of
people have discovered this too late!
* a listserver. A listserver enables you to send unlimited
non-spam e-mail. If you cannot do this, you cannot initiate and
control the necessary marketing to your prospects.
* a Sales Manager. You need automated, personalized prospect
lead follow-up. The Sales Manager provides it.
* professional design. Web design is far too sophisticated
nowadays to leave to inexperienced and amateur hands.
* traffic development tools. Your business is only going to
succeed to the extent that you have a certain flow of new
prospects every single day. Does your current business offer you
these prospect leads?
* ongoing technical assistance. Like it or not, the Internet is
based on changing technology. You must have as part of your
success team the technicians who can help you master it and
ensure that your business is always up and running.
3) Learn How To Work Your Prospects & Make Sales
For your home-based business to succeed, you need to develop a
sales mentality. The Internet is the ultimate sales emporium.
Prospects will visit your website and email you every single
day. They expect a prompt response, with their inquiries being
handled expeditiously and professionally.
Even if you're only able to work your home-based online business
part- time, you need to think like a full-time entrepreneur,
making sure that you are ready to deal with your prospects as
soon as they are ready to do business with you.
This means being able to get out information fast (your Sales
Manager is vital for this)... and following up over and over
again until the sale is made (again, something the Sales Manager
is made to do.)
The sad fact is that all too many people who are running online
home- based businesses are relying on the Internet to do their
work for them, hoping that they themselves won't have to contact
any prospects, much less "sell" them anything. This is nonsense.
The Internet is unrivaled for what it does -- giving people
worldwide the ability to disseminate unlimited amounts of
information and to connect with people for a trifling cost.
However, it does not take the place of good ol' personal contact
and relationship building. The Internet is a vital business
tool, like the telephone, but you will never succeed in your
home-based business if you're not willing to work with your
prospects in whatever way it takes to make the sale.