How to Start an Internet Business

You've decided you want to start an internet business. Your question now is HOW to start an internet business? OK, you've come to the right place.

The first thing you need is a computer, which you probably have if you are reading this. In addition, you will eventually want a printer – you may already have one. Oh, you need an internet connection, but you seem to have one already.

You'll need some kind of word processing software, but you probably already have that – Microsoft Word, or, you can get great office software, for free, from http://OpenOffice.org.

You will need a web hosting company to start an internet business. Depending on your situation, there are two really good companies to consider. They offer different types of services. For a full discussion on these companies, check out Recommended Resources

At some point, early on, you'll need a bit of reference information to get up to speed so you don't spend weeks figuring things out on things you can learn about in minutes. For example – maybe something about your niche, so you'll be able to sound like an "expert." I'll discuss other items as we get to it.

What Will You Sell?

To start an internet business, you need something to sell; either a product, information or a service. You have a couple of options with each one.

For some of you, the idea of selling something is a scary thought. But look at it this way: Not all selling involves being like the stereotypical used car salesman. Everything you do in life involves some sort of selling; you've been selling all your life. Look at a few examples:

• If you ever tried to get a playmate or classmate to like you, you were selling yourself.
• Ever try to get a job – you had to sell yourself
• Ever try to convince someone to vote a certain way – bingo
• Ever get married?
• Have children?
• Try to get a grade changed in school?
• Ever try to get an allowance as a kid?

You've been selling all your life. It's not all that different when you start an internet business. You have something that you want someone to do. The important thing to remember is that what you want to sell should be something that is good for, or of value to, or useful to the person you want to buy it.

Now, back to what to sell when you start an internet business. If you've read the articles on needing and finding a niche you may already have a niche or specialty. If you haven't already got that, get help by clicking here.

If you have a product already, sell that. Maybe you have products that you manufacture in your home – soap or other crafts, for example. Otherwise, there are places to find stuff to sell. The quickest and easiest way is to go to eBay.com, open an account and sell stuff there. In many cases, this could end up being your business. You don't need to even have your own web site. Here is an excellent, inexpensive resource to start with, that will help you find great products and sell them; eBay Inside Out.

In most cases, people who start an internet business want to stay within their comfort zones. That means staying within an area that you are familiar with. That brings us back to your niche. If you are like most people, you have one or two ideas for your niche, but don't really have it nailed down yet. That's okay. We'll cover that in a minute.

Here are a couple of important pieces of information you need to know when you start your internet business:

• You can make more money selling something that you yourself own and control.
• Most people come to the internet looking for information of some sort.
• The reason you chose a niche for yourself was because you knew about your niche and are interested in it.
• Other people want to know more about what you already know. They want specialized information in your field.

Now, are you starting to understand more about how to start an internet business that works for you and at the same time allows you to provide a useful service to the world? You can create your own information products. "Too hard," you say? No, not hard at all.

Look at your niche area. Is it about a subject that you know and love? It should be. Let's take an example. Let's say you are really into making model boats (or doll houses). You've been doing it for years and you could talk about it for hours. You know all the secrets (or some – you can research for more). You know the best woods to use, the best glues, the best suppliers and the best tools.

There you go. The easiest and most useful thing you could do is create and sell ebooks; first one, then a series of ebooks and then a course or two on making model boats (or whatever it is you know). You probably already own the software you need to get started.

If you are really committed to start an internet business and to start making money with your own information products, I can't think of anything more useful for you than to check out this information .

There you have it; an easy way to get started in an internet business and a solid way where you are in control with your own products.

Need one more idea? Okay, on another page I mentioned affiliate selling. That is where you sell other peoples' products and get a commission on what you sell. There is no reason you can't be an affiliate of other peoples' products while you also create and sell your own products. In fact many marketers do just that. I do. You can, too.

Here is a link for a free downloadable book on Affiliate Marketing .

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at mel@start-home-business.org . I'll get back to you as soon as I can, but be patient; sometimes I get really busy.Commitment to Success is a special success motivational tool, a monthly success motivation letter meant to help you achieve the success you desire. It contains words of wisdom from success masters of the past to inspire you to greater heights. It also gives you new business insights to help fuel your creativity and increase your money making power.

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