If you keep up to date on internet business, then chances are you have heard of HomeNotion.
HomeNotion is a hugely successful internet business who some of the best resources, information, and perspectives on new developments in the industry of internet business. HomeNotion is the creation to a successful woman by the name of Elizabeth, check it out even through Google HomeNotion is in the top 3 results for Google's search
internet business. I had the privilege of interviewing Elizabeth about her success with internet business, her adventure through her successes, and sharing some internet business secrets. Be sure to read on!
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1. When you hear the term internet business, home internet business, or successful internet business how would you define these, what do they mean to you and your internet business?
Obviously an internet business is having a business that uses the internet as a platform for making sales. Of course, having a "successful" internet business can be the challenge. Anyone can go out and make sales on the internet, but being consistently successful at it is where the challenge comes in.
To be perfectly honest, I see a lot of internet business newbies interested in an easy way to make money fast. This is easy to understand, after all who doesn't want an easy way to make money the fastest way possible? The problem is that this type of focus almost always leads to failure. You might have an internet business but it won't be successful for long.
Your success online, or in any business for that matter, is about finding a good niche, doing your keyword research, creating a website that is user and search engine worthy and providing your viewers with quality updated information that they can use. Establishing trusted relationships with visitors is also extremely important.
It's about helping people find what they need and building customer trust. If you can do that, you are successful in my book. I've been a customer for a lot of businesses but I wasn't a customer for long when they stopped providing the quality of service or products I needed.
2. When you started to make the transition from part time internet business to full time internet business, what was the biggest factor that you learned that you really saw take you to the next level of starting a full time internet business?
Ah ...good question. I would have to say having a plan and getting organized.
When I was at my job it was pretty clear what I had to do each day and I didn't waste a lot of time because there were people all around me that depended on me to get things done. When you work at home for yourself you have a tendency to waste time because there's no one breathing down your neck. It's easy to get sloppy and let things distract you.
Being a business owner means you wear a lot of hats. There's reading email, responding to customers, reviewing sales and other statistics, promoting your sites and other tasks that come up every day. If you aren't organized and focused on what needs to be done, things can really get ahead of you and you'll end up getting nothing done.
Creating goals and having an organized plan for each day is really important.
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3. Who has inspired you the most?
I've met some very inspirational people. My first inspiration was Cory Rudl. He's where it all started for me. Cory has since passed away but his enthusiasm and training was so inspiring. It was really a huge loss to the internet marketing world when he died. I have some of his tapes and to this day I'll listen to them if I need a healthy dose of motivation.
I've also been inspired by Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". If Robert can't get you going, probably no one can.
There are a lot of other folks online who have really inspired me like Ken Evoy, Armand Morin, Frank Kern, John Reese and many others. These people can make it sound easier than it really is to start a business online but in fact they all had a vision and worked hard to make that vision happen.
4. If you could only have one site which one would you take and why?
Wow, I think ebay would be a good one, don't you think? Actually some of the social networking sites like Facebook or Youtube might be fun ;-)
5. This whole Internet business is pretty male dominant. What is it like being a female in this atmosphere?
Well, there are lots of women on the internet, in fact there's been huge growth with stay at home moms creating successful internet home businesses.
When I started out I had friends that would ask me about how they could get started online which actually got me started with creating a site that helped others learn the ropes as well.
I've dealt with many men in my professional career and I don't really distinguish between men and women. Business colleagues are just that, colleagues, and I view them as such. Likewise I would expect them to give me the same treatment.
6. With trends coming and going, what kind of trends do you see in the new future of and involving internet business? And what are the old trends that will be going away?
Well for one thing the search engines are getting more sophisticated and they're getting better at weeding out the junk and the auto-generated stuff. The search engines are striving to clear the way for those building sites that are useful, interesting and genuinely helpful to their visitors.
Blogging and social networking are becoming accepted business tools. RSS and social bookmarking are the necessary online tools as well. The use of blogs within organizations is steadily increasing and with all this internet activity the search engines are doing their best to bring the end user what they are looking for. If your site doesn't measure up, you're out.
There is a ton of new technology emerging every day online. Learn about them and experiment with them.
Gone are the days when you hop online, build a site and begin making sales the next day. The challenge today is to find profitable niches, practice good website creation techniques, understand search engine optimization, utilize profitable promotional strategies and of course offer primo customer service.
7. Greatest tip for someone just starting a internet business?
Find your niche, do your keyword research and add interesting and unique content to your site on a daily basis. If your site helps visitors find what they need…you will be successful.
Don't worry about the competition either because you can overcome that if you develop your own unique style. Create a brand that will stick with people. Find a way to be different by creating a slogan that is you. Focus on your customers and their needs.
Don't think about how you can make the most money, think first about how you can help your readers trust in you and look to you for what they need. Do that first and the money will come.
8. What product or service do you wish someone would create or provide?
I wish someone could figure out a way to abolish spam. I have lots of spam protection but I still get a fair amount of it. Not a big deal but it is annoying.
9. What are some other tips to help people getting started online.
Don't be afraid to network. Get on forums, talk with people, ask questions, offer advice and work with other successful sites by exchanging things like articles and links.
I often ask other site owners about whether they might extend to me a discount of their product that I can offer on my site. For any sales I make we work out a deal to split the profits. Things of that nature really help drum up business.
Attend seminars whenever you can. I know these can be expensive but the business and promotion ideas you get are priceless. Also, it's a great way to make some lasting contacts and friends.
Also, as you begin to make money, always allocate a small percentage of your earnings to put back into your business. This can be for tools, education or whatever you deem necessary. Your business is an investment and you should treat it as such.
Stay patient and persistent and follow your dream. Don't let the naysayers get the best of you. Keep your chin up and your sights high.
10. What are your favorite online marketing models
I absolutely love affiliate marketing and highly recommend it. I've also done wholesale drop shipping and I've created my own informational products.
I think some of the most successful people online are those that do them all. However, I suggest starting with one thing at a time, get it working so that it is profitable then either duplicate that model or try your hand at another, but definitely start with one thing at a time. Too many fingers in too many pies at one time can diminish your success.
Elizabeth
Internet Business
In depth information about what you can expect from the conference can be found here: allbusinessauctions.com. But in a nutshell, the conference will help you pull in the big numbers with several tips and techniques–some of them common knowledge, and some of them well-kept trade secrets–about such issues as hiring and maintaining a staff, and how to manage your day to day operations more efficiently.
