Investment Required

No one in their right mind would ever think they could get a business established with no investment. Doing it on the internet is no different than anywhere else, only the access to your business has changed. No longer do you need to have a showroom full of stock, have to hire employees to help your customers, clean the place and worry about all the other things associated with a physical location. The internet has made businesses a true 24/7 operation for a fraction of the cost, but their are still cost to be incurred and it is not for everyone. You can 'do it yourself' with a very low investment at the start or you can invest more and do less, but you will always have to do something. The problem most have is that they invest more than they can afford in the starting stages and run out of funding before they start getting results. You will have to know what you need, compare the cost and get the most you can for your investment. You will have two investments to make and they are money and time. Use what you have in place now to it's up-most and purchase only into what you really need for the other things. Realize that the 'other things' will require money. The amount can only be determined by you, but you must not expect the same results from a $15.00 investment as you would from a $100.00 one. Treat them both the same, do not let the amount itself make it's value to you any the less. If something cost nothing, then expect the same in return. Do not confuse this with a 'Free Trial', as that is something else entirely but do not expect a 'Free Trial' to produce that effectively. Just like you, people 'surf' the internet from the comfort of their home PC's looking for products or services and only see the end result ( that is your website ) with no idea of what it really took to make it 'appear' on their monitor. Far too many people today tend to under estimate the cost and the time it takes for this to happen. All they seem to know is that there seems to be a lot of people out there saying they make thousands of dollars a month after being in business for a very short time. Can it happen? Sure, but the odds are that it won't. Just in case it doesn't, you should never invest more than you can afford. Give yourself and your business time to be seen and to grow in it's internet presence. Getting the knowledge and knowing how to apply it are two different things. This is why the 'home business' concept has gotten such a bad name in the past. Since most soon learn that it takes more than just getting an associate site to direct others to visit, they tend to let their desire for achievement outweigh their common sense. When they fail, they blame the associate site and not what they have done, or failed to do in order to make is work for them. After the initial start up, you should only spend a couple hours a day in front of your PC promoting. Do not jump into search engine submitting, and other forms of internet promotions if you do not have your own website. Instead, you will want to limit this to your local internet classified, the yellow pages, and your local home town site's business listings. People will look for things close to home first. The rest of the time you should be doing follow ups on those that have shown an interest but have not purchased as yet. If you can not, or are not willing to do this, then do not even think of having your own business. The key here is that you must have complete confidence in your product or service. Most 'home business' people sell a service. Some can not afford VOIP, nor a lot of time on the making of toll and/or long distance phone calls. Put your contact number on your website and let those interested call you. If you can not be there to answer the call, then have an answer machine or voice mail in place. You will want to follow up via e-mail also, after first getting permission to do so. Even so, do not become 'pushy'. Send them one, and if you do not hear back, maybe another one a week later, both asking for them to take the next step and contact you back for more information. That's it, if they have changed their mind about your product or service,then they have the right to do so. IF they un-change the You will have to do more. If you are on a very limited budget then start locally and work your way out and up with your personal contacts, that is actually calling someone up and making an appointment to visit them in person to explain your business. If they are 'leery' of having you come to them, then you can meet them somewhere. I have found companies that have local meeting places for training and to use as a meeting place for your prospects in most major cities. You can also meet them at a local 'coffee house' or restaurant. Dress for the occasion, either in a suit or casual but always in a neat and professional way. I have seen websites where the picture of the person that wants others to invest with them is dressed in shorts and sitting on a lawn chair. Do they really think they will ever be taken seriously? Don't make the same mistake. Do not purchase more than one or two E-books or 'how to' books from your local bookstore. You will soon find they are very good in theory and methods but very poor in application instruction. This is because they have done what they do, gotten you to purchase the book, which is their product. Let's face it, how many of these 'millionaires' have you really heard of off the internet? How many of these, if you do meet one, have you done so in person? ( on the internet, this can be in a 'chat room' ). If the ONLY way you can get training or to meet someone is by calling a conference call number and entering a pin, then think about it a little more. If they are doing so good, then why is the call not a 'toll free 800 type of number? If you feel it is worth it however, remember this is another investment you have to budget into your business plan. People follow real people that know what they are talking about and remember what is was like to be at the same stage as them. Do not be afraid to admit to your present level. If you are just starting, then say so and explain to them you will share what you have learned so far and will learn with them as you do so. Get input from them, maybe they will have an idea or method that you have over looked or not thought of being right. Being right for you may not be right for everyone. Be willing to be open minded and willing to either listen to or accept suggestions. In conclusion: Set up a budget with how much money and time you can or are willing to invest. Expect the level of results to match that commitment. As you achieve more, then invest more. Do not expect things to happen overnight. Learn to live with rejection and how to overcome obstacles. Most of all, stay focused, keep your goal in mind and believe in yourself.