Navigation: Home - Home Business Courses - Internet Marketing Basics - Step 2

Welcome to the next step of your Home Business Course. 

The fact that you have clicked on to the second page shows that you are willing to work at your success. The first page dealt with some pretty boring subjects, but esssential all the same.

There will be many people who did not click on to this page.  Why? They didn't like the idea of all that work. those are the people that will never be successful as they are searching for a way to make quick cash, with absolutely no effort.  You and I know that there is no legal method to do this. If there was, we would all be doing it!

These will be the ones who will end up being ripped off by a scammer promising $10,000 a month with no selling, no work etc. Just pay $47 and make an income for life. You've seen it. I do feel sorry for these people, but they only have themselves to blame. It's all about attitude and willingness to work.

Don't worry too much about them. It's less competition for the rest of us.  That being said, lets move on...

Step 2 - Set Goals and Have a Plan

Have a Plan

There is a well known phrase;

"Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail"

This could not be more true.  If you start trying to build a business without a plan, then you are simply planning to fail (you just don't know it yet!).

If you were starting an offline business, you would be preparing an extensive business plan to present to the bank or other private investors.  Without this plan, the bank would not give you any money and I'm sure as hell that you won't find anyone else stupid enough to part with their cash either - however good a business it COULD be.

Obviously it's much easier to start an online business (thankfully!).  But, that DOES NOT mean that you should not be working with the same principles (remember the last section?). You need a plan - period.  No arguments.

So, how do you prepare a plan?

Start from the end result and work backwards.  What kind of business are you setting up? Adsense? Affiliate Marketing? Product Creation? Information Services? Paid Services? eBay Business? Membership Site?

There are so many choices, and in truth you should be looking to have a mixture of the above (and others).  But, for now, just have one.  I could go into detail on each one, but if I did so this course would become so long that I doubt anyone would read it!  Just like those 300 page eBooks that I previously mentioned!!

At the end of this course, I will add a list of resources listed under subject headings. Hopefully this will help you out.  If you want to get some free resources, then head over to the FREE DOWNLOADS section.  The link will open in a new window so that you do not lose this page - we have lots more to cover!

Every resource I recommend is there for a reason.  No crap.  if you want to learn, then invest in yourself and your business.  You are taking this seriously right?

Once you have decided on a business type, you need a plan on how to get there.  It's like following a map.  If you do not know the way to get from A to B, you follow a map.

If you have chosen Affiliate Marketing, then how exactly are you going to achieve success. Are you going to use Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing? Article Marketing? Blogging? All of the above? Are you going to have your own website (recommended)? How are you going to get traffic to your site?

You need direction.  You need a step-by-step plan.  Start NOW.  Have a plan before you start putting up websites.  I've made that mistake (you must be thinking I'm pretty stupid by now!). There are billions of websites on the Internet.  What makes yours so special?  HAVE A PLAN!

Your planning doesn't stop there.  You need a plan for every week and every day within that week.

That moves us on nicely to goal setting - I should be on tv or something!!

Goal setting is ldirectly linked to your plan of action and is just as crucial to your success. That's what you are here for right? You do want to be successful don't you?

Setting Goals

So many people start thinking that they are gonna be making loads of cash online and jump straight into it.  They are some of the most determined, energetic people.  But they will never be successful because they have no idea where thay are heading, or how the hell they are going to get there.

So, setting goals.  In football (soccer), to win you need to score goals.  In business you win by setting and hitting goals.

From this moment on, every Sunday evening (or on a day of your choice), you need to sit down with a blank piece of paper.  Get a pen - or even a pencil if you prefer, I'm not bothered! - and write the following;

   1. What do I want to achieve this week?

   2. What do I want to achieve this month?

Under these headings you simply write the answers!  Write them down, and pin them somewhere you will see them everyday.  Some people will put them next to your bed, some next to their computer.  It doesn't matter, just put them somewhere noticeable.

Once you have done this, you can plan the week ahead of you.  Day by day, what actions are you gonna take?  Remember your list of things that you want to achieve this week? Simply split it into days.  Use a calendar to plan the week.  Set aside the time you need and stick to your plan.  Failing to stick to the plan will make the whole thing pointless, right?

Motivation is the key to being successful.  Setting goals will help motivate you.  You need small, defined steps planned out.  It will not take long for you to become discouraged if you simply have your final goal to work towards.  It's really important that you remember that. Have short term goals, medium term goals, and (you guesses it) long term goals.

Copyright ©2008 CLDconnections.co.uk