|
This page seeks to provide online business ideas for entrepreneurs not currently working on the Internet. Lets begin with a brief comparision of online and offline worlds. Long ago and not so far away, before there was an Information Highway, the independent business owner had a much steeper hill to climb than today's Internet entrepreneur.
For the brick-and-mortar small business owner, overhead expenses could be very high indeed. Advertising was costly and distribution not nearly as broad as the World Wide Web. Employees, equipment, rent or mortgage, the list of expenses was long. And yet, many survived and thrived.
My hat is off to these folks. My Dad was among them. And then, as often happens in life,
times changed. Once the World Wide Web became
a marketplace, a whole new level of competition emerged. Some entrepreneurs survive and thrive by taking their business online. After researching online business ideas, they then combine offline and online services, or in some cases switch entirely to the Internet. If you now have an offline business and are searching for a way to take it online, the first thing you will need to do is. . .
Create a Presence on the Web
When considering taking your offline business online, there is something you must first decide: How do you want to leverage the World Wide Web? There are two basic options, although there may be many variations. 1. Combination of offline business and online enterprise 2. Entirely online business Lets take a brief look at each of these.
Online Strategies for Offline Business
Which online business ideas you choose to implement is dependent on the type of business you own. Lets follow one example. There are many practitioners in the healing arts for whom a combination approach may be just the right choice. Massage therapists, acupuncturists and others could do well to leverage the Internet while maintaining their offline private practice. These businesses depend primarily on in person sessions with clients or patients. Maintaining their offline business not only makes sense, it is a necessity, if they wish to continue as a practitioner. So if you are a massage therapist, how would you leverage the Internet? Start with a good Website. For the offline-online business model, this is an essential Internet marketing tool. Lets look at what it can provide: • Quality information about massage therapy • Specific information about your private practice • Tips for massage therapists • Training materials for massage therapists • Related products for clients These are some of the online business opportunities available through your website. You may think of others! There are additional
Internet Marketing
possibilities for creating a Web presence, that will also help bring visitors to your website. Blog
Create your own blog and use it as an online newsletter. Include weekly updates with tips and tricks for the massage therapist. Articles
Write short articles aimed at other massage therapists. Or maybe tips on the different types of massage therapy. Publish them online in ezines,
with a link to your website. Webinars
Create and hold a web-based seminar for other massage therapists, on how to take their business online! Okay, that may seem like a lot to learn. Coming up with some online business ideas is one thing, but implementing them...? You may find yourself saying some version of the following:
But I've never written
an article!
I really do not understand how blogs work!
I have never even attended a webinar,
how can I create one?
The good news is you do not have to reinvent the wheel. Online training is available at no or low cost for everything you need to know to create your online presence.
Everyone who has done this had to start somewhere. Many of us started at square one! You can create a solid online presence for your offline business.
Take it All Online
For a business that would do well entirely online, the parameters are similar to the combination approach. You just let go of the offline component. Yikes! Really? How do I do that? One step at a time. As you build your online presence, phase out your offline business. So how do you translate what used to be an offline practice to a thriving online business? Lets go back to our previous example. Lets say that as a massage therapist, you are ready to retire from private practice. You've had a great career, rewarding in many ways, and yet it's time to move on. What now? Here are some online business ideas for you: Consultant
Become a consultant for other massage therapists who are looking to expand their presence online. Marketer
Become an affiliate with businesses with related products and market them to massage therapy practices. Network Marketer
Find a quality product that fits well with this field and market it to other massage therapists. Use the
Attraction Marketing
model! There are other options as well. Put on your thinking cap, and surf the Web to see what's out there. You can transform what you know into a thriving online business.
Where Do I Start?
To make the transition from offline business owner
to Internet entrepreneur, good training is essential.
Everything that I have outlined above, and more, is within your reach with the right tools and the right training. The Internet marketplace is expanding daily, and now is a great time to get started! I hope this information has sparked some ideas for how to take your own business online. Not sure how to develop your online business ideas?
Feel free to
contact me
with your questions, or for more specifics about training. May your Internet venture be as exciting and rewarding as you want it to be!
Return to Top of Online Business Ideas
|
