| When I mention that I make my living on the | | | | or even a collector. He just found a great niche |
| Internet, some people respond with a certain | | | | with good markups and developed it into a very |
| degree of wonder. It's as if the Internet, and how | | | | profitable business. That's what you should strive |
| to make a living on it, are still part of the great | | | | to do, too.4. Sell Something UniqueWhile it's hard |
| unknown. I admit, I am still learning every day. | | | | to be totally unique on the Internet, your business |
| There is a wealth of information out there, and "a | | | | will have the best chance of success if you sell |
| zillion" different things that could be tried. Yet | | | | something unique. One of my sites sells a style of |
| many people manage to make good money on | | | | Amish log furniture that isn't readily available |
| the Internet, as I have. Here are five core | | | | elsewhere. It's reasonably priced, sturdy, and |
| secrets to my success:1. Weed Out the | | | | heavily discounted for customers who order in |
| PretendersWhile the net is literally teeming with | | | | quantity. There are competitors out there, to be |
| excellent business information, there are plenty of | | | | sure. But the log furniture store's offerings are |
| spammers, black hats and downright hucksters on | | | | unique enough to carve out a niche.Recently I |
| the scene as well. They are waiting to take your | | | | have been designing a site for an upscale pet |
| money, getting rich by selling get rich schemes. | | | | supply business. As I have input the product line |
| Here is a big hint: if somebody's main business | | | | of this website into the shopping cart, I have |
| seems to be selling residual income schemes, run | | | | been impressed by the stylish selections made by |
| as fast as you can in the opposite | | | | the website owner. While her supplier offers |
| direction--unless, of course, you are a wealthy | | | | hundreds and even thousands of products, this |
| philanthropist desiring to contribute to their residual | | | | entrepreneur has narrowed it down to a |
| income. While I have purchased some extremely | | | | sophisticated line of dazzling collars, Christmas |
| helpful e-books on the Net, I have also been | | | | sweaters with blinking lights, and doggie beds |
| taken in by a few meaningless mountains of | | | | fancy enough to make any human jealous. There |
| drivel. There are people out there who can tape a | | | | is a decided theme for this site, a niche, and that's |
| whole video and somehow say nothing substantial. | | | | what you'll need for your business. Unless your |
| Then again, there are some writers whose | | | | last name is Gates, Trump, or Buffett, you can't |
| websites are literally packed with timely and | | | | compete with the big boys. But there is plenty of |
| valuable information. Which leads me to my next | | | | room for the little people to offer quality |
| point...2. Follow the LeadersWhile running as quickly | | | | products, stellar customer service and competitive |
| as you can from purveyors of spammy websites | | | | prices to buyers who prefer to deal with a small |
| and other useless information, you should be | | | | but reputable storefront.5. Stick With ItEverybody |
| accumulating a list of writers and website | | | | makes mistakes, and, as you develop an Internet |
| resources that have been helpful to you. Find | | | | business, you will too. The important thing is to |
| people who are experiencing the kind of success | | | | learn from your mistakes and move on. Up until |
| you wish to achieve. Learn what you can from | | | | the time of his presidency, the life of Abraham |
| their articles, websites, or blogs. Then apply what | | | | Lincoln was marked by many failures. Yet he |
| you can to your own website efforts. While you | | | | didn't give up. Many of today's greatest |
| may never be Donald Trump's "Apprentice", you | | | | technological inventions were may by people |
| can receive training and advice from plenty of | | | | whose first experiments failed many times, yet |
| successful people on the Net. So find some good | | | | they didn't give up. There are times in business |
| role models, watch what they do, read what they | | | | when the only thing left to do is cut your losses |
| say, and apply it!3. Make a Sale Worth Your TimeI | | | | and run. But many people give up and burn out |
| know of several website owners who have | | | | when they are just on the brink of success. Don't |
| chosen a line of business, worked hard to increase | | | | let that happen to you. Make sure you have a |
| their online sales, and never got into the black. | | | | good business model, with adequate consumer |
| Their problem? The items they sell retail for only | | | | demand and profitable mark-ups. If things don't go |
| $2-3. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure | | | | as you hoped, leave no stone unturned to figure |
| out that these people have to generate a lot of | | | | out why. It could be something really quite |
| website traffic and sales to make a dime on the | | | | simple.Once when I was redesigning my website, I |
| Net. I started out with this type of business | | | | inadvertantly made a change that caused a |
| myself, selling used books on the Internet. At the | | | | security error on the site. Not realizing this, I was |
| peak of my business, I was processing 50-70 | | | | nonetheless very much aware that sales had |
| orders per day. Then more and more people | | | | dropped tremendously. When someone pointed |
| entered the business. The online bookselling | | | | out the error and I corrected it, sales came back |
| industry became a flea market of sorts, with | | | | up immediately. If there is a problem with your |
| many books going for $2.95 each.I can say from | | | | sales or your website, remember, it could be a |
| experience that it takes a lot of time to catalog | | | | very simple problem--or string of problems--that |
| used books, store them, then pack and ship the | | | | you need to correct. If you are inches away |
| orders as they came in. Although I love books | | | | from success, it would be a shame to throw in |
| and always will, I decided to switch to selling | | | | the towel now. Instead, go back to your original |
| higher ticket items on the Net. Now people | | | | business plan. Review it to see if you've strayed |
| routinely buy $2-4,000 worth of furniture from | | | | from the beaten path. Look at what your |
| my log furniture website, a business that, for me, | | | | successful competitors are doing, and compare it |
| has been much more profitable than the used | | | | to your site. Ask your friends, children, |
| book business. It doesn't really matter what you | | | | spouse--even your mother-in-law--to give you |
| sell, as long as there is a demand for it, you have | | | | ideas. It may be the latest, greatest idea |
| a great supply and the profit margin is good | | | | someone gives you that pushes your business |
| enough to justify your involvement in the | | | | over the top, making what had seemed like a |
| business. I have a friend who sells more than a | | | | borderline enterprise, into the success you had |
| million dollars worth of silverware online every | | | | hoped and dreamed of! |
| year. It's not like he is a fanatic about silverware, | | | | |