| Starting an online business can be unnerving. The | | | | lotions, potions and pills, etc. would have potentially |
| Internet is littered with promises of overnight success | | | | required us to establish a massive downline and as a |
| and outrageous claims of how "you too" can become | | | | result, profits would have been diluted over to many |
| a millionaire. Finding a legitimate yet profitable online | | | | levels. |
| business can be challenging but certainly not impossible. | | | | To replace our income we believed we had to market |
| When this article was written, we jumped online and | | | | a valuable yet highly sought after product or service. |
| asked a popular search engine to return results for | | | | For example, using a goal of $5k per month, it would |
| "How to start an Internet business?" and "How to start | | | | require less time and effort to market a $500.00 |
| an online business?" The results were staggering; | | | | product or service than it would be to market a $10.00 |
| combined both searches returned nearly half a million | | | | product or service. Simply put, selling 500 $10.00 items |
| results. | | | | is significantly harder than selling 10 $500.00 items. |
| We want to draw attention to the fact that both | | | | Once you have identified the "WHAT" and are ready |
| searches began with the word "HOW." So why is | | | | to begin researching the "HOW," here are a few tips |
| "HOW" so important? Shouldn't the "WHAT" come | | | | to help you find a legitimate online business: |
| first? | | | | 1. Trust your instincts/gut, if it seems too good to be |
| Can you recall a time when you asked HOW to do | | | | true it probably is. |
| something before knowing WHAT you wanted to do? | | | | 2. Avoid companies whose opportunities advertise "get |
| For example, would you figure out how to buy a car | | | | rich," or "no money needed/required." |
| before knowing what kind of car you wanted to buy? | | | | 3. Can the individual, sponsor, or company be |
| Put the "WHAT" before the "HOW" when thinking | | | | contacted for questions or support? |
| about starting an online business. Although, this may | | | | 4. Training, support, and education are going to be |
| seem rather basic, the results above prove just how | | | | critical to your success. Be sure the opportunity meets |
| often the "WHAT" is overlooked. You have to | | | | YOUR learning and development needs not only initially |
| determine "WHAT" you want to achieve, before trying | | | | but continually. |
| to figure out "HOW" you're going to achieve it. Doing | | | | 5. Legitimate online businesses should be transparent |
| so will save you from many hours of frustration and | | | | and willing to share their business models, tools and |
| assist you in identifying the right solution. | | | | resources thus helping you to duplicate their results, |
| To explain further and using ourselves as the example, | | | | systems, solutions, etc. |
| before we began researching online business | | | | 6. Do your due diligence, ensuring you understand |
| opportunities we knew exactly "WHAT" we wanted | | | | products, services, and compensation plans. |
| to achieve. We knew the right opportunity would, in | | | | 7. Does the individual or company offer a trial period |
| time, allow us to replace the income from our full time | | | | that includes a money back guarantee? |
| careers, give us the freedom to work whenever and | | | | Regardless of what opportunity you choose, a small |
| wherever we desired, and deliver value and education | | | | investment of time spent on research will save you |
| while creating success and wealth in others. | | | | countless hours of pain later. Once you've made your |
| Knowing that, we quickly eliminated many of the | | | | choice, be sure to remain committed, motivated, and |
| opportunities found online today, such as online | | | | driven. Don't jump ship if your efforts do not manifest |
| surveys, medical billing, etc. as opportunities such as | | | | quickly, allow for the learning curve... remember |
| these would have only minimally supplemented our | | | | persistence, perseverance, and patience are the keys |
| income. The same went for the other ever popular yet | | | | to becoming a successful entrepreneur with a |
| unappealing alternative, MLM, as the marketplace for | | | | profitable online business. |