I talk to a lot of clients about starting an online business.
Many of them have some decent ideas. Some of them have some AMAZING ideas.
However, especially when it comes to a “service based” website business, some of them have completely overlooked an important question:
How are you going to make money with that concept?
I know. You’d think this would be the FIRST question a new business owner would want to answer. But some get so caught up in the functionality, the “wow” factor of their idea, that they fail to answer that simple yet ESSENTIAL question.
After they’ve run the idea by me and ask what I think, my first question is always that one.
I love it when I hear…”Oh, I’m going to sell advertising.”
People, selling ad space on a new website can be done, but it’s NOT as easy as you think, especially now days where people understand the internet, they know what Google Analytics is, and they’ve probably been bombarded by a bunch of other “newbie” website owners trying to do the same thing (or they’re already advertising on legit sites that get TONS of targeted quality traffic).
One of my favorite speakers, Gary Vaynerchuk, talks about monetizing a website via advertisers in this video. Take a look:
Some of the keys points:
- How do I monetize my blog?
- Monetizing is where it’s at.
- Think about it in a very simple and concise way.
- They way you’re going to make money is by GRABBING IT!
- Go to Google. Type in a keyword phrase. Look for the paid advertisers in the Google Adwords sections.
- See what the site has and if it coincides with what you’re talking about or what you do on your site.
- Find the phone number of the website. Call the website owner.
- Ask them about advertising on your site. “Who would I speak to about advertising on my [whatever] blog?”
- “If I was able to bring up my traffic to 2,000 or so visitors daily, would you be willing to advertisers with us?”
- “If I have 500 – 2,000 people watching a beer show every single day, that will be very targeted traffic…”
- “Maybe we could do some sort of affiliate deal where any lead I help you generate you pay me on…”
- You have to CONVINCE the people that you can help them!
- There are a ton of different options.
- Look for the little groups, not necessarily the big players.
- Spend 5 to 10 times the time looking for sponsors and you’ll get some traffic.
- You have to go out there an HUSTLE!
What did you get from this video?
How are you going to implement this on your website?
At the end of the day it’s all about this question:
How bad do you want it?