Are you considering starting an online business?
Does making money on the internet catch your attention?
When you see infomercials on late-night TV, does your heart begin pounding with anticipation?
Do you know someone who is already running a successful online business?
WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK?
One of my favorite quotes about success is from Abraham Lincoln:
That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
So why are you hem-hawing around about starting a business online?
Or even a more straightforward question,
Why are you dragging your feet with the decision you made to start an online business?
If you are always looking back and second guessing your decision, you’re not going to be successful and need to keep working for someone else.
Many of the readers at Moller Marketing are in the process of starting their online business. The information I share today will help you assess what you are doing, review the direction you are headed, and hopefully confirm why you chose the path you are currently on with your online business.
This information will also help people who are just getting started. Brainstorming is one of the first steps all entrepreneurs take. Asking yourself important questions will help open the doors of opportunity as you take necessary steps to online success!
7 Must-Ask Questions For Starting an Online Business
1: What makes me happy?
As you think about this question, OPEN YOUR MIND! Avoid the “…that won’t make me any money” mindset or the “Oh, that market is already saturated with competitors online – I could never do that…” BULL CRAP! You can be successful in ANY ENDEAVOR if you love what you are doing and find a way to differentiate. What are your hobbies, interests, skill sets, etc.? Write all these down on a piece of paper and dig deep!
2: What do I find easy to do? or What am I good at?
You know, like num-chuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills. – Napoleon Dynamite
So what are YOUR “skills”? One of the main reasons I started a clogging shoes website as my first online business was because I’d been in that industry since I was six years old. I had “clogging skills” :). Plus, I knew a lot of people in the industry.
Had I ever sold anything clogging related? No. Did I know exactly where to find clogging shoe suppliers? No. But I knew that, once I did find some of those answers, I would have some people I could contact to start making sales online.
Remember, you don’t have to re-invent the wheel and come up with something totally new and unique if you want to be successful online. As Napoleon Dynamite told Pedro:
Pedro, just listen to your heart. That’s what I do. – Napoleon Dynamite
3: What sparks my creativity?
I read a quote from Donald Trump the other day in en eBook about industry specialization. Donald said this:
…you better chose what you love or you will never work hard enough to be successful.
In every start up business, there will be road blocks, speed bumps, and things you have to work around. If you don’t have any creativity for what you’re doing, those hurdles will probably hold you back.
4: What do I like to do for free in my spare time?
You might as well start making money doing something you already do in your spare time :). One of the things I like to do in my “spare time” is eat at restaurants in Utah County. So, I created a website that does reviews on Utah County restaurants. We monetize this website with sponsors, coupons, etc.
Creating an online business is as much about lifestyle as it is about just making money.
5: What do I like to talk about with friends or family?
Most likely, if you talk about a certain topic with friends and family, you have some knowledge in that arena. Why not turn that knowledge in to something profitable? There are e-books all over the internet that share knowledge and make money doing it!
6: What would I do if I knew I wouldn’t fail?
This question is all about mindset and self-motivation. “If you think you can, or you think you can’t…you’re right!” Failure isn’t an option. Think more about how and when you are going to succeed.
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. – Henry David Thoreau
7: What would I regret not having ever tried?
My uncle-in-law recently started a business selling a video camera stand that attaches to your golf cart so you can record your golf swing. Honestly, I don’t know how many of them he’s actually sold nor do I know what type of research he did before jumping in to the endeavor. But the point is, who cares? He’s doing something he would have regretted having never tried and most likely he will be successful because he’s determined and he loves what he’s doing. Will the final product be what he initially envisioned? Probably not. But I know that most successful businesses, online and offline, are adaptable and adjust as their market changes.
How have these questions helped you determine what you are selling online!