Practical Online Business Ideas

Are you interested in starting an internet business? Do you have an idea already, or do you need some online business ideas? I have been building my own internet business over the past ten years or so and can share some real-life examples of what to do and what not to do.

Let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. My wife Kerry and I call ourselves "The Couple Next Door" because we are just like you when it comes to internet marketing. Neither one of us has a degree in computers or in business. Instead, we have built up a large base of knowledge and experience when it comes to starting an internet business. It happened almost by accident when I was in my 40s. I started going to seminary and needed an income to support my family. So I began creating information products.

Online Business Idea #1 - Use the Knowledge in Your Head

The truth is that if we can do it, you can, too. Like I said, I have not always had an online business. For 20 years, I did home remodeling. Then my wife started up a little company called Curriculum Connection. She wanted to help other homeschoolers find curriculum to use. As it grew, she began asking me, "Steve, do you know how to build web pages? How can we get online with our products?" So I started working on it, and even though I was clueless at first, I quickly figured it out. At the same time, I was in seminary.

There we were over 2000 miles from home and with no family, no friends, and no job. We needed the income we were used to having from my remodeling jobs, and we needed it fast.

That got me looking for the perfect business. And I know that you probably have your hands full, too. You have a lot going on, but you can take your idea for a business and begin building it today. Soon you might even see your income surpass your current job.

Online Business Idea #2 - Write Out Your Expectations

So I sat down and wrote out my expectations for my perfect business. I wanted to create a product one time and then get paid for it repeatedly. I only had a small amount of time to work each week, so I needed to be paid well in that time. I needed a product that was easy for me, my wife, and my partners if I ever had any. I really wanted a business that would run automatically with very little input from me. I was looking for a weekly, even monthly, paycheck. I also wanted very few start-up costs. Sounds realistic, right?

You might say I had unrealistic expectations. But think about it. There is a business that would meet all my needs: creating and selling information products online. Once you have created it, you can sell it over and over again.

You start off by spending a little time packaging quality content, market it on the internet, and then sell it quickly and painlessly. You really could almost put the whole thing on auto pilot.

Online Business Idea #3 - Start Small

It was very low start-up costs. In fact, that is one of the questions I am routinely asked. "Steve, how much does it cost to start an online business?" For $15 a year for a domain name, and that is kind of high these days, and $50 a year for hosting, and $20 a month for an autoresponder, you can set up an online business. And that is really all it takes to get started.

So if you have an idea, start today! Take these online business ideas and begin to market your products. You will find yourself headed to more financial freedom.

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Copyright Stephen Beck, 2010

You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any changes and include the bio below.

Stephen Beck can help you with your online business set up and show you how to make your first $1000 online. Grab a FREE link to his webinar replay, where Stephen shows you everything you should do: http://www.YourOnlineBasics.com.

Business Start-Up Advice For Entrepreneurs

Maybe you are reading this article in a cubicle somewhere. Or maybe you are surfing the internet on the weekend because you have an idea for a business, and all you need to know is what to do to first! Allow me to give you some business start up advice. Begin by nailing down what you will market as your information product.

That begs the question, "What is an information product?" An information product is any knowledge in your head that others would find valuable. Let me repeat that, any knowledge or experience in your head that others would find valuable can be packaged and sold.

Business Start-up Advice #1 - Utilize Lots of Mediums

You can share this knowledge with others through a variety of media. That can be a digital product, a physical product, an e-book, a video, an audio, or all of the above. Many of my products have an all of the above component. Some are written, some are videos, some are audios, some are multi-media productions.

Business Start-up Advice #2 - Develop Your Own Name

You must have at least one product that is your very own. Why do I say that? Because you want to build your own brand and not someone else's. I am okay with network marketing. That is fine. If you want to do Avon or Shacklee or Amway or whatever you want to do, go for it. But I still contend that you must have at least one product that is your very own so you are building your own brand and not necessarily someone else's.

You should be the one to control your business and your time. It is crazy to work for a small percentage of money or to let someone else tell you how to do things in your business. You should be in control and of your time and your products. When it is your own, you could keep anywhere from 90 to 95% of the profits.

Consider that all of the well-known information marketers have their own products. Guys like Dan Kennedy, Alex Mendoza, Ray Edwards, and Armon Moore have a product to promote to build their own brand.

Business Start-up Advice #3 - Get Out of the Time for Money Trap

And you get out of the trading time for money trap. A lot of you are in that trap right now, whether you are working a 9 to 5 job, or even if you are doing consulting. You are still trading time for money. When you can create something one time and sell it over and over and over, you get out of that trading time for money trap.

Business Start-up Advice #4 - Become the Expert in Your Niche

Imagine being able to give people information, an e-book that you have written, or CDs that you have made. Anything that sets you head and shoulders above the next guy. That is massive credibility for your offline business.

Imagine bringing people in through lead generation systems, and giving them a free report. Giving them something they can touch and feel. Your information products can bring in tons of leads and establish you as an expert in your niche.

Take the plunge and begin committing to paper the ideas you have in your head. Create information products from those ideas, and build your business. Then in a short while, you may be giving someone else business start up advice.

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Copyright Stephen Beck, 2010

You have permission to reprint this article as long as you don't make any change and include the bio below.

Stephen Beck can help you with your online business ideas and show you how to earn your first $1000 on the internet. Go get a FREE link to his webinar replay, where Stephen shows you everything you should do: http://www.YourOnlineBasics.com.