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16 Steps for a profitable online Business
1. Find a niche
In layman's terms, you need to decide on a topic. The golden rule is that it MUST have a ready supply of information products (manuals, newsletters, books, CDs, seminars, courses, systems) you can sell via an affiliate. You'll need this to monetise your business in its early stages. In the later stages, you can develop your own (more in a minute).
How to do it? Go to www.clickbank.com and spend at least one hour browsing the categories and skim-reading the sales promotions. Write down what kind of topics have a decent supply of information products. What appeals to you? What doesn't? What makes you want to poke your own eyes out with a stick? What makes you tingle with excitement?
2. Find as much information about your niche as you can
Go to www.google.co.za and start hammering in words related to the niche or that people (who are fans of that niche) might Google. You're looking for the following: Articles, news, views, reviews, opinions, tips and products.
3. Save the best and most interesting links on "your favourites"
Save these in your browser or just cut and paste the link into a document or, if you're really rubbish with computers, write it down on a piece of paper. Compile some of the most useful information onto a document or print it out and create a folder.
4. Spend two weeks immersing yourself in your subject
Read, read, read.
Cut, cut, cut, cut.
Paste, paste, paste.
You won't believe it right now, but you'll be brimming with knowledge after two weeks. And you'll have more information that you can shake a big stick at. If you're not still inspired and excited, you've chosen the wrong niche. Go back and start step one again.
5. Now buy a URL for a website where you can start publishing information on your niche
Go to www.afrihost.com and try a few options out. Make it specific to your niche. Avoid using hyphens. Yes, you'll have to pay for the domain name and hosting. But this is your only expense in this entire process.
6. Go to www.wordpress.com and set up a basic blog website
A blog is a website that's regularly updated with short articles, tips and news. It's free and you don't need any technical knowledge. However, it does take a bit of practice and getting used to. If you're not confident with computers, my strongest advice is to follow a step-by-step guide like this. Be sure you add the following to your blog: A bit about you and why you're doing this and possibly a photo of yourself.
7. Start blogging
By that I mean writing 500 words every other day and posting it on your blog. You should do one or all of the following: Express opinions, pass on news, tips and advice, offer useful links and resources and ask for feedback and ideas. Make it personal, simple and avoid writing in long sentences. Avoid “flowery” language.
8. Go to www.twitter.com and join up
When you write a blog, 'tweet' the blog with a link to your site. Whenever you come across any interesting articles in your niche by other people, tweet them too. Follow as many other people blogging about your niche as possible. Watch as the followers come on board.
9. Go to mailchimp.com and sign up to their free broadcasting system
It allows you to mail up to 2,000 people before they start charging you.
10. On your blog homepage, offer a free gift in return for the visitors email address
This could be a report you've written, a compilation of the best tips you've published so far or one you compile from articles by other people. These are found in an article directory (type "article directory" into Google and see what comes up.)
11. Now start emailing your list at least once, ideally twice, every week
Just use the blog copy you've written but make it personal and write as if it's to one person only. This is now your direct line to your audience. If you want to know how to do it, follow this
12. Submit your best blogs to the article directories you came across in step 11
Make sure you include a few lines about yourself and a link to your website.
13. Be persistent
Keep blogging, emailing and tweeting. Join forums and Facebook. Eventually, you'll start attracting visitors and sign ups. After about six months, your blog will start getting picked up by Google searches. Make sure you blog on timely, relevant and specific topics and subjects.
14. When you have a list of readers, now you can start offering them the best products you found on www.clickbank.com
For my own method of promoting products via email, check this out.
15. Seek out JVs
By now you'll know almost every publisher, blogger and product in your topic area. Email them and ask if you can sell their best products as a joint venture.
16. Even better, create your own information product
This may sound peculiar, but when you immerse yourself in a niche you'll be amazed - ideas will come to you, you'll see products that you believe you can do better and you'll have a list to market them to. For how to do this, I recommend you follow this plan.
If you've ever considered Internet marketing, then this is a proven route. If all the above sounds like too much work or effort then Internet marketing probably isn't for you. I don't know any instant overnight push button millionaire publishing secrets.
But the steps I've shown here aren't rocket science either. It just takes persistence.
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