Small Business Start Up FinancingThe number one question I get asked as a small business start-up coach is: Where do I get start-up cash?I'm always glad when my clients ask me this question. If they are asking this question, it is a sure sign that they are serious about taking financial responsibility for start it.Not All Money Is the SameThere are two types of start-up financing: debt and equity. Consider what type is right for you.Debt Financing is the use of borrowed money to finance a business. Any money you borrow is considered debt financing.Sources of debt financ
t, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total tim
So You are Thinking of Leaving Corporate America to Start Your Own Biz?I think it's GREAT that you are ready to break away from 'the Man' and start your own business! My hat goes off to you! But, I do have a bone to pick with you first! What tools does your corporate job provide you that helped make you successful enough in the first place? Do you get unlimited administrative support? Do you have access to a large database of information that you may take for granted? Or, do you have an intranet/file management system that you rely on everyday that you couldn't live without? There are probably hundreds of other tools that your corporate job pro
Many small businesses think they have to spend thousands of dollars and weeks of development time to have a functional website for their small business. But this is an outdated way to think about web design.
These days, there are a variety of content-management tools available to simplify website creation and management. WordPress is one of those tools. Yes, WordPress, the blogging system. Did you know you can also use WordPress as a full-featured website? It's true. You can create a highly functional, easy-to-manage website using only WordPress and a bit of technical know-how.
* And you can do it in a matter of days, instead of weeks.
* And your costs could range from $50 to $500, instead of thousands.
A Business Website in Two Days
Not convinced? Need evidence? I understand. For the longest time, small businesses have been told that web development takes a long time and requires a lot of money. Thousands of web design firms make their bread and butter off this notion, and they are cursing me right now for writing this article.
But I'm a big fan of giving people options, so I want you to know that this web design option exists.
Here's a step-by-step approach I have used many times to create a business website from scratch, in only two days time.
Step 1 - Register Domain Name and Get Web Hosting
Using a company like GoDaddy, this can be done in about one hour. The domain registry costs $10 per year, and the hosting costs about $7 per year. Total cost for web domain and web hosting for one year = $94.
Step 2 - Install a MySQL Database on Web Host
This sounds complicated, but it's a five-minute operation on GoDaddy (one of many reasons I use them). I would go into the database section of the hosting control panel, select "create database," and then give it a name and password. Total time spent: 10 minutes.
Step 3 - Install WordPress on Web Host
WordPress is free, so there's no cost involved with this step. I would simply open a configuration file, insert the database name and password I created in the last step, and then upload the entire WordPress program onto the web host. Total time spent: 12 minutes (mostly waiting for files to upload).
Step 4 - Launch and Configure WordPress
When all the WordPress files are uploaded to the web host, I'm ready to run the installation process. This takes about 12 seconds, so we won't even count it on our time tally. I would then change the URL / linking structure to make it more search engine-friendly (1 minute), add some categories (2 minutes) and other minor tweaks (5 minutes). Total time spent: 8 minutes.
Step 5 - Customization and Appearance
I want this website to look professional and unique, so I would create a custom logo for it, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total time
Starting An Online Store Is Easier Than You ThinkStarting an online store is easier than you think. So many people today are so work up over the process of starting an online store. If you are serious about starting your own business, all you need is some time and effort. I will tell you four simple steps to start your own online business legally.Before I go into details I like to remind you that if want to be successful online you must have a constant stream of product sources. Sources who will sell to you low so you can resell it high. It is a simple logic. You buy low then sell high.The problem is it is so
d of thousands.
A Business Website in Two Days
Not convinced? Need evidence? I understand. For the longest time, small businesses have been told that web development takes a long time and requires a lot of money. Thousands of web design firms make their bread and butter off this notion, and they are cursing me right now for writing this article.
But I'm a big fan of giving people options, so I want you to know that this web design option exists.
Here's a step-by-step approach I have used many times to create a business website from scratch, in only two days time.
Step 1 - Register Domain Name and Get Web Hosting
Using a company like GoDaddy, this can be done in about one hour. The domain registry costs $10 per year, and the hosting costs about $7 per year. Total cost for web domain and web hosting for one year = $94.
Step 2 - Install a MySQL Database on Web Host
This sounds complicated, but it's a five-minute operation on GoDaddy (one of many reasons I use them). I would go into the database section of the hosting control panel, select "create database," and then give it a name and password. Total time spent: 10 minutes.
Step 3 - Install WordPress on Web Host
WordPress is free, so there's no cost involved with this step. I would simply open a configuration file, insert the database name and password I created in the last step, and then upload the entire WordPress program onto the web host. Total time spent: 12 minutes (mostly waiting for files to upload).
Step 4 - Launch and Configure WordPress
When all the WordPress files are uploaded to the web host, I'm ready to run the installation process. This takes about 12 seconds, so we won't even count it on our time tally. I would then change the URL / linking structure to make it more search engine-friendly (1 minute), add some categories (2 minutes) and other minor tweaks (5 minutes). Total time spent: 8 minutes.
Step 5 - Customization and Appearance
I want this website to look professional and unique, so I would create a custom logo for it, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total tim
Differentiation - The Key To People Remembering You And Your GameWhat exactly are you selling? What is your product or service?
How do you differentiate yourself from everyone else?
Are you really interested in being at the top of your game?
Strange question isn’t it? You might here people say, “I am in the
tradeshow labor business, so I sell labor”, or “I am in the office supply
business, so I sell office supplies”, or “I am in the coaching business, so
I sell coaching. But what is it that you really sell? Why would I buy
from you, there are many people out there selling the same product. You
are just the same; I might as well st
in about one hour. The domain registry costs $10 per year, and the hosting costs about $7 per year. Total cost for web domain and web hosting for one year = $94.
Step 2 - Install a MySQL Database on Web Host
This sounds complicated, but it's a five-minute operation on GoDaddy (one of many reasons I use them). I would go into the database section of the hosting control panel, select "create database," and then give it a name and password. Total time spent: 10 minutes.
Step 3 - Install WordPress on Web Host
WordPress is free, so there's no cost involved with this step. I would simply open a configuration file, insert the database name and password I created in the last step, and then upload the entire WordPress program onto the web host. Total time spent: 12 minutes (mostly waiting for files to upload).
Step 4 - Launch and Configure WordPress
When all the WordPress files are uploaded to the web host, I'm ready to run the installation process. This takes about 12 seconds, so we won't even count it on our time tally. I would then change the URL / linking structure to make it more search engine-friendly (1 minute), add some categories (2 minutes) and other minor tweaks (5 minutes). Total time spent: 8 minutes.
Step 5 - Customization and Appearance
I want this website to look professional and unique, so I would create a custom logo for it, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total tim
Building eCommerce Websites That Work - Part 1You want to succeed at eCommerce? Welcome to a very big family. Right off, let’s be clear - there are lots of ways to do business on the internet. And lots of ways to both make and lose money. Successful eCommerce websites come in all shapes, kinds and colors and while I can't cover every type of site in this series, I will present the basics you need to consider and apply for an eCommerce web site to be successful.Let's begin by assuming you have some of the fundamentals, that you understand the language and that you are serious. I’m not going to tell you how to
step, and then upload the entire WordPress program onto the web host. Total time spent: 12 minutes (mostly waiting for files to upload).
Step 4 - Launch and Configure WordPress
When all the WordPress files are uploaded to the web host, I'm ready to run the installation process. This takes about 12 seconds, so we won't even count it on our time tally. I would then change the URL / linking structure to make it more search engine-friendly (1 minute), add some categories (2 minutes) and other minor tweaks (5 minutes). Total time spent: 8 minutes.
Step 5 - Customization and Appearance
I want this website to look professional and unique, so I would create a custom logo for it, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total tim
Podcast LearningImagine a mobile classroom that’s accessible to the student wherever he or she may be, and that holds lectures whenever he or she is in the mood for it. This is the kind of learning scenario that those with the knowledge to share are able to provide through Podcasts. With these downloadable files from different learning sources, portable digital audio and video players now offer the anytime, anywhere option to learning.Before the iPod and other portable media players became popular not so long ago, on-demand learning was possible through audiotapes and compact discs p
t, arrange its layout for usability and readability, tweak the colors, etc. Granted, this step requires some graphical knowledge (for logo) and web coding skills (to arrange the site's layout), but it still only takes half a day. You could pay somebody to handle this setup process for just a few hundred dollars. Total time spent: 5 hours.
Step 6 - It's Time for Content
Now comes the most important part. I need to create some initial content for my website. I say "initial" because I plan to add new content on a weekly basis (the WordPress system makes this easy to do, by the way). I want to start with a few pages of content about my services, some content for the home page, etc. Total time spent: 1 day.
So let's recap. I've just created a multi-page business website (with a blog built in), I've created some initial content to get me started, and I have a content-management system that allows me to add new pages and blog posts as easily as I would type an email.
* Total time spent: 2 days
* Total cost for me: $94 (because I did the work myself)
Like I said, if you don't have the technical / graphical skills to accomplish the things on this list, you could hire somebody to help you. In the end, you'll pay a lot less than you would pay for a traditional, programming-heavy ("bulky") website. And you'll have your website in a matter of days, instead of weeks or months. Best of all, you'll be able to manage certain aspects of it, because the content-management tool is built right in.
Some web design firms will tell you it can't be done, that it takes weeks to build a website. But I've just shown you it can, haven't I?
* You may republish this article online if you keep the author's byline and the active hyperlinks below.
Even though there are 1.5 Billion page views per month on eBay you still have to do a few things right in order to get customers to check out your auctions
The last thing I do that creates additional income for me is that I focus on creating backend opportunities where people can buy from me. Even when I send out free gifts, they often include a link to something that will make me money.
You can make your own products out of private label products by following a few simple steps. Perform research. Know and understand what products are the best to use to create your own products.
Prototypes are a great way of doing this. Inventors always need looks a like or works likes products. People love to save a dollar and if they can get the same brand name product with out the name and price they will jump on that in a heart beat. Research and understand the competition.
Know what you will be against! Is this market going to be easy to get into? And further more do you have the revenue to make.