I know that you want a successful online business.
You know you want a successful online business.
But sometimes the gap between…
What we want and what we have to do to get it, is like being stuck in the middle of the woods on a very foggy day.
Where should you begin?
Where do you start?
You know that whatever route you choose you will be on that path for a long time. So this is a decision that you cannot make lightly.
I don’t blame you for feeling anxious about the future and outcome of the decision you make.
After all it is a big one.
But I can help you with this…
I can’t tell you which way to go but I can tell you everything that you’ll need to think about before. This post will help you to choose the right direction to go in so that you can have a successful online business.
8 Small Decisions to Make For a Big Successful Online Business
#1 Successful Online Business – What Get’s You Excited?
When you think about your successful online business do you only think about the money?
Because you may be thinking about only the money but have you ever stopped to consider what your business is really going to be about?
Before you earn a penny you’ll have to be working hard on your business. But have you ever stopped to think about what that business is actually about?
Before you start your journey think about what you are passionate about and what interests you. This way if you have a business within a niche that you love and enjoy, all of the hard work with not seem so bad when you have to work extra nights and possibly weekends.
#2 Successful Online Business – What Makes You So Special?
Did you read my recent post on learning and discovering your strengths and weaknesses? If not, check it out here.
If your interests and passions are a bit fuzzy right now, then have you given any thought to your talents? What are you good at? What do other people say you are good at? What makes you special?
Being super self-aware and knowing what your talents are is another way to make your startup journey easier. Your business may not be something that you are super passionate about but if you are naturally talented in a particular area it will make this journey easier for you
#3 Successful Online Business – Stand Out in The Crowd
You don’t want to start a business in a niche where there is zero competition because that means that there is no demand in that particular area. You’ll have a real hard time finding customers.
So you need to start-up your business in a popular niche where there is demand. Where there is demand that means there is competition. And because there is competition that means to make any sales you have to be different. This is why it’s important to exercise your creativity bone, it’s important to not be fearful of trying new things and it’s important that you are willing to stand out and not copycat other more successful businesses.
To be different you don’t have to completely throw yourself at the other side of the hill. But just think about ways that you can tweak what is already popular so you can make it your own.
If your competition is video blogging and the audience prefers video blogging too then there is no reason why you also can’t video blog. But think about different twists and elements that you can add to your videos so that they stand out more.
Maybe you could try…
- Q&A sessions
- Video blogging more than what the competition currently is
- Promoting or talking about different products
There is no harm in trying out something totally new, but the key is to see what the customer’s current preference is and what everyone else is doing. Then you can plan and execute where to make your tweaks and differentiate yourself.
#4 Successful Online Business – Can You Hear That? It’s Your Customers
I know it’s nice to think that you could just pick and choose what type of customers you’d like to have, but that’s not realistic. I’m guessing you’d like customers who are always happy to spend money, never question value, never ask for a refund and always want the most expensive product that you have?
Although this is great, it sounds more like a fairy tale.
You have to be prepared to listen, you have to be prepared to seek information, you have to be willing to check out where your customers enjoying spending their time and where they enjoy spending money.
Remember that the customers are your boss, so if you are not willing to stand still and spend continuous amounts of time listening to what they what, then you can never really create something that solves their problems.
#5 Successful Online Business – Investment: How Much Time, Energy and Money?
Do you have a good idea as to how much of your time and energy you can commit towards your business? There is a difference between the amount of time and energy you have and the amount of time and energy that you are willing to commit.
Are you willing to work late evenings and weekends?
Will you cancel plans with friends so you can work on your business?
How dedicated are you to really making your successful online business dream happen?
The reason I have to ask you this is because so many people think that they can just tap a few keys on their laptop, check a few emails, make a few comments on Twitter and their work day is complete! It couldn’t be further from the truth.
Commitment and consistency need to be your two closest friends when building a successful online business.
Not only will you be working hard you will also be creating, analysing and executing. All of this never comes easy so before your journey begins think about have much of yourself you are really willing to give.
Lastly what about start-up cash? Do you need it? Are you bootstrapping? Do you have savings? What about crowdfunding?
#7 Successful Online Business – Your Confidence
Starting up a business is a testing time especially when you have never done it before. I have seen start-ups fail that I know in my heart could have been successful. But because the startup owner allowed fear, negative thinking and outside influences to dictate to them their business failed.
They spent more time thinking about all of the terrible things that could go wrong instead of all of the brilliant things that could go right.
How much self-belief do you have? Do you think you need to improve your confidence? Are you willing to work on it?
#8 Successful Online Business – Your Vision
Have you ever sat down and thought about the vision you have for your business? Where do you want it to go, where do you see yourself in 1 year, 5 years or even 10 years’ time?
Becoming successful is never something that just happens, it begins with a vision. That vision could be small like receiving your first 10 customers or big like creating a worldwide subscription service. Whatever it might be or what size it is always have a vision. This vision may change and alter over time and there is nothing wrong with that.
But you have to always be looking forwards to where your business is at right now and where you want it to be.
Having vision means you are less likely to become stagnant and repetitive in what you do in your business and you are certainly are less likely to be looking backwards at past mistakes.
Growth never happens backwards it always a forward process and with vision you will always be in a state of moving forward and closing that gap from where you are now from where you want to be.
Conclusion
I know you want a successful online business or you wouldn’t’ read this, right?
Just like I mentioned before this is a journey and you should never start a journey without preparation and vision.
What do you think you need to create a successful online business?
Let me know below