BigExperts

Teenage Entrepreneurs

2010-10-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Teenage Entrepreneurs

Let's face it! Teens are becoming technology savvy while others are not so lucky. I think it really depends on how well financially their family is. When I was kid I couldn't afford a computer and neither my parents. Of course, laptops and desktops were not as affordable as they are now but some kids are still living in poverty in the United States. The kids in the article created a business that might take off soon and see money rolling in as a matter of months from now. That is if they have the right marketing strategies setup to promote their own business and to help other people promote their products and or services through their site.

Here is the story behind this young entrepreneurs:

Here is one indicator of the allure of Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial culture: Diane Keng just launched her third start-up -- and she is still in high school.

In March, the 18-year-old launched Internet company MyWeboo.com to help teens manage their digital lives and social-network identities in one place. She is now pitching the company to venture capitalists, and earlier this week presented at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.

Yet each morning, Ms. Keng also heads to Cupertino's Monta Vista High School for a schedule of classes that includes Advanced Placement economics and government. In the afternoons, the high-school senior squeezes in varsity badminton practice.

"My age, my gender and my lack of experience don't deter me from going after what I want for the company," says Ms. Keng, who runs marketing for MyWeboo.com from home and co-founded the venture with her 25-year-old brother, Steven.

Ms. Keng has several advantages in pursuing her entrepreneurial ambitions, including her father, a venture capitalist who splits his time between Beijing and Cupertino and gave her $100,000 in seed money.

Another big advantage is that Ms. Keng is here in Silicon Valley and can tap the region's unique ecosystem of tech resources and experience -- not to mention supportive parents and teachers. Her high school alone is home to about 10 entrepreneurs, including a student who buys and flips websites that he thinks have potential.

The Valley is filled with teen-entrepreneur legends: Gurbaksh Chahal started online ad company Click Agents in San Jose when he was 16, and sold it for $40 million two years later. He then founded ad network BlueLithium, which he sold for $300 million when he was 25.

Kristopher Tate, who five years ago finished high school early and drove his parents' car from San Diego to Cupertino at the age of 16 to launch photo-sharing site Zooomr, says Silicon Valley is a great place for budding entrepreneurs. "Everybody is there, and when you want to step up or feel like your idea is worth a grain of salt, there are people who will take it seriously." Today, Mr. Tate is 22 and runs a portfolio of Internet companies from Tokyo, but isn't involved in Zooomr's day-to-day operation.

Despite the encouraging business environment, teen entrepreneurs have their own set of work-life balance issues.

"For the first two years that it took me from starting Click Agents to selling it, I basically sacrificed my youth," says Mr. Chahal, who dropped out of high school to focus on his start-ups. "I slept and worked in the office."

In addition, many start-ups don't succeed, which can bring some particularly harsh lessons for young entrepreneurs. They are, as a set, more inclined to overvalue their own ideas, according to YouNoodle Inc., which tracks start-ups. In a recent survey, YouNoodle found that founders under the age of 25 expected their companies would be worth about 27% more after three years than other founders (who are, on average, 35 years old).

Ms. Keng co-founded the venture with her 25-year-old brother, Steven.

Other young entrepreneurs end up putting school first. Virtual goods marketplace PlaySpan Inc. was founded in 2006 in the garage of San Jose sixth-grader Arjun Mehta, who wanted a better way to sell items he had won in online games. He created a mock-up of his ideal website, then passed the baton to his dad, who now runs the company while Arjun attends eighth grade.

"In my free time, I test out the commerce side of the site," says Arjun. He says he doesn't demand a salary, but has kept the title of co-founder.

Ms. Keng launched her first venture at age 15, when she started a T-shirt screen-printing business and later began a teen marketing-consulting firm. She says she ended up dropping the T-shirt company because it wasn't making enough money, and the second business because she felt she was spreading herself too thin amid activities, and needed to devote time to prepare for the ACT.

With MyWeboo.com, it helps that Ms. Keng's school encourages entrepreneurial activity and makes allowances for an enterprise's demands. Fiercely competitive Monta Vista offers business classes that include marketing and finance, and brings groups like the Silicon Valley Private Equity Roundtable to workshops on how to write a business plan. Teachers allow Ms. Keng to miss class and make up tests as needed.

"If they're going to fail, they might as well fail when they are young," says Carl Schmidt, Ms. Keng's business teacher at Monta Vista. He teaches students that 90% to 95% of all new products fail, so they must focus on doing their research and solving a real consumer need.

Still, balancing so much requires focus. Ms. Keng, who says she gets As and Bs and will attend Santa Clara University beginning in the fall with a full scholarship, turns off her cellphone and email while at school or doing homework. "If it's a business call, that's what voicemail is for. I will call you back," she says.

And her father, Brian Keng, says he insists academics remain his daughter's top priority. Ms. Keng's parents also ask that she communicate with them about all her business activities.

"She is just in high school," says Mr. Keng, "and sometimes it is very difficult for her to make a judgment."

Even with those boundaries, developing a business is a far cry from traditional high-school diversions like glee club or yearbook. Those activities are still around, but "there needs to be a place for those kids who are entrepreneurs and are a little bit eccentric and are willing to push the envelope," says Mr. Schmidt.

Credits:

Picture URL:

http://l.yimg.com/a/p/fi/29/97/32.jpg

Article URL:

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109472/teenage-entrepreneurs?mod=career-work

Article Written by:

Write to Geoffrey A. Fowler at geoffrey.fowler@wsj.com

Lise Prise and the Oprah Effect

2010-10-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

Experimenting with fragrances - Lisa Prise

I was watching a documentary the other day and I didn't know that Oprah had such an impact on many businesses. Her followers (the audience) literally buy what she suggests on her show and any business that appears on Oprah gets this fabulous effect called the Oprah Effect. Your business is guaranteed to succeed after Oprah markets your product or service via her show.

Do YOU have a passion for something? If so, what is it? It might be the next big story we bump into on TV.

Before we go any further, to see a quick introduction of the Oprah Effect please watch this YouTube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCq4qfU-NLM&feature=channel

Okay now, back to Lisa Prise story:

Beginning with a love for experimenting with fragrances, Brooklyn native Lisa Price started making products in her kitchen as gifts for friends back in 1993. Mixing essential oils and natural moisturizers, she homemade unique elixirs with love and attention to detail. She named her company in honor of her mother, to acknowledge her support and inspiration.

A well-known record executive spread the word about Lisa’s luxurious bath, body and hair care products, prompting the transition from creating concoctions in the kitchen for a select few to successfully reaching customers across the country via mail order and the web. Even though her products have earned a cult following – they're a staple on the shelves of celebrity bathrooms

Lisa Prise Book:

Lisa also wrote a book called "Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion" and has really good reviews on Amazon. Can't wait to get it. Here is the link to her book:

http://www.amazon.com/Success-Never-Smelled-So-Sweet/dp/1400061091/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286905768&sr=8-1

Nominated one of Successful Sistas by ForColoredGurls.com - Click Here

Also featured on the New York Daily News - Click here

Credits:

Article URL:

http://www.hsn.com/story-behind-carols-daughter_ct-319_xv.aspx

Picture URL:

http://forcoloredgurls.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/lisa-price_0_0_0x0_600x446.jpg

Book Cover URL:

http://www.randomhouse.com/images/dyn/cover/?source=9781400061099&height=300&maxwidth=170

Ditching a $500,000 Salary to Teach Lit

2010-10-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Would you give up your high paying business for a low paying Job?

Of course to me it would made sense to quit a job that pays a lot to pursue what my dream job is and if the dream job means giving up my luxurious lifestyle than I'll do it. It wont be easy but would you do the same thing?

I grabbed this article from CNN and I was shocked while reading the article. I was also inspiring to see someone pursuing what his true dream was and giving up his high paying salary to teach.

In the original article:

When Gary Buslik graduated from college with a degree in English, his parents were concerned about how he'd earn a decent living. "It worried them to hear me quoting Shakespeare," he jokes.

Their fears were misplaced: Buslik went on to start an alarm company in Chicago that would eventually grow to $6 million in annual sales and earn him $500,000 a year. But he wasn't happy. "My passion was literature, not alarm systems," he says.

So when Buslik turned 50, in 1997, he sold his business (for several million bucks) in order to pursue that passion. With a recommendation from a pal who was an assistant dean, he got into the English Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In return for his work as a TA, the school waived his tuition.

Buslik graduated in 2007 and now teaches there part-time while writing books on the side. He makes just $13,500 a year, but "I've never regretted my decision," he says. "I'm content to be sending Shakespeare lovers into the world."

Credits:

Photo URL:

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2010/04/29/pf/second_act_buslik.moneymag/gary_buslik.top.jpg

Article URL:

http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/29/pf/second_act_buslik.moneymag/index.htm?section=money_smbusiness

Smart URL Redirecting

2009-07-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

If you are an internet marketer or promoter or run a mailing campaign, you work hard to provide your clients with the best resources and bargains on the internet. If this is the case, then you are aware of how negative it can be for you and your reputation to send clients to a broken link advertisement or a to a website that never opens and only creates an "error" message. A solution for this is to get an application for your business that constantly checks the database for the availability of a site's URLs to ensure that a site is ready and working at the moment the client opens it.

Smart URLs convert an existing link so that the target page opens in a new browser window.Although it uses JavaScript, it is smart enough to work even if JavaScript is disabled (by opening the page in the same window) — keeping your site accessible to everyone, and far more user-friendly than a link that doesn't work at all. It also has the advantage of keeping your pages valid which is ultimately every internet marketer's or promoter's goal.The internet today is full of webmasters that are constantly updating, editing and even deleting web pages so the odds of coming up with a "404 File Not Found" error is unfortunately not uncommon.

Thankfully, when using a smart URL application, the odds of this happening drop dramatically.Updating your webpage is an excellent way to keep your content fresh. However, lets say you are updating your website completely, changing the names of page's filenames and so on and you want to get rid of those old pages but without having to worry about those who go to the old web page and see nothing. If people are finding your old pages when requesting previously known information into these search engines, and they attempt to go to that page that has been deleted or moved, they will get a error message. No webmaster wants this to happen. Having the smart URL application allows you to send the old information from a Web page or its URL through your browser. Your browser, whether it is Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, will automatically reformat any Web page you send through it so it correctly fits inside the e-mail message or search query you are trying to expose to your customers. Additionally, search engines such as Yahoo and Google now have smart URL toolbars to further the chances of redirecting customers to the correct pages using the old link information.

For more information, please visit: http://www.BigExperts.com

BigExperts: Techniques of Instant Online Promotion

2009-07-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

BigExperts: Techniques of Instant Online Promotion

Techniques of Instant Online Promotion

2009-07-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

No business in the 21st Century is successful without effective marketing campaigns directed to promoting the products or services it offers. Many organizations realizing the importance of marketing, have dedicated separate departments to this faction of the business. A similar scene has unfolded on the internet, nowadays all the major and minor websites and blog owners are looking to somehow increase the number of visitors. While some want to sell their online products others are simply advertising on their websites and want to earn through more people clicking on these ads.

Several new techniques and ways are being employed by webmasters and bloggers to attract more and more visitors which will have a great effect on their earning. Many webmasters hire professional free lance writers in order to submit fresh and inquisitive articles about topics of common interest. Another popular method to pull huge number of visitors to your web site is by organizing an online contest. Such contests not only have an official sponsor but also attract people who want to earn easy money. The contest can be of any type including online games and puzzles; the most popular and common contests organized on websites are involving games of pool and snooker.But starting a contest is not enough as you will have to make efforts to promote it as nobody is aware of its existence.

Effective marketing strategies can be utilized to promote and boost your online contest. First of all the basic step is to announce the contest on the HOME page of your web site or blog. But it is also essential to do so, on every page of the website as many visitors miss the starting page as they follow links from search engines.Another major way of creating awareness of your contest is to inform your subscribers through newsletters and messages but you must make sure that your message is not taken as a spam. Such a mistake can backfire as the reputation of your website is on the line. An additional line explaining about the latest contest started on your website can be added to your email signature as well. By doing so you will make sure that every receiver of your email knows about the details of your contest.

Many people have also started online stores where their digital products and other items are on-sale online. In order to cause increment in the sales it is important that the number of visitors on such websites must be increased. Fire sale or Blowout’ is an essential marketing strategy that ensures that more and more customers are attracted to your online products.'Fire sale' means to lower your product prices to the lowest level in order to pull customers, and after substantial market of your products is created, you start asking for the price that your product really deserves.

For more information, please visit: http://www.BigExperts.com

BigExperts: Hardware Stores and Niche Marketing

2009-07-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

BigExperts: Hardware Stores and Niche Marketing: "Hardware Stores and Niche Marketing"

Hardware Stores and Niche Marketing

2009-04-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

Tools are a major item in a hardware store. But the store's target is Mr. and Mrs. Average Consumer. Most do not need great quality and would not pay the greater price even if the better item was available. But some would. Therein lies the key.

While your local hardware store may find it unprofitable to stock professional tools, may even be prevented by contracts from doing so, many customers would like the option to buy better quality.

The Web makes it possible to profitably offer only the best. The few who would buy top the line in a given shop if it were available are collectively a target of considerable size.

Starting Small

Several years back I discovered bricks of fire starter cubes. Just touch a match to one, and you can ignite a pretty good sized chunk of firewood, provided it is split. Joy! Hardware Stores And Niche Marketing No more kindling. No more nursing things along. No frustrating restarts. Just stack it, add a cube, and touch it with a lighted match.

About eight years back, the hardware store changed brands. (Translate: Supplier changed brands.) They look the same. Cost the same. But it usually takes several matches. (And scorched fingers!) Further, it often takes several cubes.

For more information, please visit: http://www.BigExperts.com

But Where Do I Start?

2009-04-07T05:22:00.000-07:00

Throughout the offline world, independent merchants have been forced to join hands with large suppliers to the extent many are not free tostock in areas which conflict with the wishes of the suppliers. This may be most obvious in your local hardware store. Most of the stock comes through Ace Hardware or True Value Hardware.

When the owner of the store you favor says, "We can't get those any more," he usually means the supplier no longer handles the item. And because of agreements, he is not free to go elsewhere for it. More than likely, the supplier has replaced what you want with a less expensive product that may or may not measure up to its predecessor in performance.

Quality Is Available

The drill bits available in your local store are not very expensive. But they are not great tools. Those who use bits regularly as a part of their work, may pay twice as much as you will pay. But the bits they buy will outperform and outlast their less expensive cousins many, many times
over.

For more information, please visit: http://www.BigExperts.com

Will People Pay For Quality?

2009-04-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

My answer is a resounding, "Yes!" If I can find the original sponge mentioned above, I will buy it without even a glance at the price. It's a tool that simplifies a task.
When it comes to tools, I want the best, for they last longer and make the job easier all the while. A lot of people feel the same way.
Quality tools of any kind can become the basis of a profitable niche market. Sized baseball caps sell only on style and comfort. Thus this is not as good a starting point. There are not nearly as many people willing to pay twice the going rate for style as there are who will do so for quality tools.

A Difficult Task

Defining a niche is tough to do. But those who intend to succeed on the Web into the future, must find and conquer one. They must become the dominant name within it. They must provide great content that demonstrates expertise, over-deliver with quality products, and provide extremely high levels of support to all.

For more information, please visit: http://www.BigExperts.com

Define A Niche, Then Conquer!

2009-04-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Looking for a quality baseball cap? Hey, it's easy. Check out the material and workmanship. Grab a color you like, and maybe a team logo. You don't even have to try it on! Thanks to the little strap in the back, one size fits all.

A marketer's dream.

You can still buy baseball caps that are sized. But they cost a good deal more and you have to buy in quantity. That little strap put a lot of cap manufactures flat out of business.

Declining Options

You see this happening across the spectrum of manufactured products. There is need now and then for me to spend serious time in the kitchen. Which includes washing dishes.
I found a great sponge some years back. Dark green on one side with a roughness to it that really does a number on a pot or frying pan. The other side is yellow, a more typical kind of manufactured sponge. Softer and thicker, it's great for polishing off the heavy scrub. Each lasts about a month, longer if you don't mind some frayed edges. The last batch I bought looked identical to what I had been getting. But they don't last but about a week. And they do not do nearly as good a job, which means more work. No doubt I paid less, but in the long run, the cheaper version may cost me more. Yet they will likely put the original manufacturer out of business.

For more information, please visit http://www.BigExperts.com

The Right Niche Makes It Happen

2009-04-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

Targeted marketing is what it's all about; it's a must. You do not want visitors who do not want what you offer. They are not buyers and will only waste your time, resources, and bandwidth.
Start by listing everything you enjoy doing or talking about. Everything. I've no idea how to relate golf and history, but if you like both, put them on your list.
The oddest things can lead to something really neat. This article came from an old penny in the top drawer of my desk. Check out your hidden and/or forgotten treasures. Be
alert to every crazy notion that comes to mind. Somewhere in this madness, you will find a niche worth capturing.

For more information, please visit: http://BigExperts.com

Look For Connections

2009-04-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

As I was working on another article, I opened the top drawer of my desk and grabbed the highlighter. Beneath it was an old coin my grandfather gave me years back. A penny. Dated 1849. I know nothing about coins. But this one may even be copper. It's larger than the current crop. It's worn, but the markings are still quite legible. So what's it I love history. How long would it take me to learn enough about coins to safely buy and sell them? I can't say, for I've never looked into it.
There would be little risk in testing. Put the two ideas together, and I've got coins with a history. Maybe it's a joke. Maybe it would work. Easy enough to check it out.
Opening a site on which you plan to sell and trade rare coins, is likely to put you head to head with older more established sites that will bury you.
In a narrow niche, it is much easier to set yourself apart from your competitors. Much easier to let your site speak for itself and demonstrate your expertise. And it answers the question of why people should come to you, for you are now a specialist, soon to become an expert.
You will find your pages will have better positions on the search engines. In fact much better. A different set of keywords emerges from your selected subset of all coin
dealers.

The Right Niche Makes It Happen

Targeted marketing is what it's all about; it's a must. You do not want visitors who do not want what you offer. They are not buyers and will only waste your time, resources, and bandwidth.
Start by listing everything you enjoy doing or talking about. Everything. I've no idea how to relate golf and history, but if you like both, put them on your list.
The oddest things can lead to something really neat. This article came from an old penny in the top drawer of my desk. Check out your hidden and/or forgotten treasures. Be
alert to every crazy notion that comes to mind. Somewhere in this madness, you will find a niche worth capturing.

For more information, please visit: http//www.BigExperts.com

Niche Finding Made Easy

2009-04-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Suppose you love books. Everything about them. You read voraciously. And you'd just love to write some reviews and sell the books you particularly enjoy. But hey, forget
that. Right? An individual doesn't stand a chance in the book business. Right? If Barnes & Noble doesn't seem able to catch Amazon, you're not going to get it done. Right?
Well, yes and no. It's true that you are not likely to beat Amazon, even if they falter in that heady race with Barnes & Noble. But if you change some rules, you can win.
If you select a specific area, one sufficiently narrow, you can beat these companies in this niche. Few books are being published in what was previously called Male Adventure. Yet men still read when they can find an author they enjoy. I don't know this would work, but it's a possibility worth checking.
Maybe specialize in technical works, not available through major book stores. Then of course there are rare books; a narrow niche within this category might be just the ticket. Just think books. Write down every idea that comes to mind. Make a note of every interest or skill you can bring to the table.

Think About Ebooks

Ebooks are growing in popularity. A while back I looked into them just for the heck of it, thinking I might uncover something of interest. I did not find a specific market that has not been touched, but I bet it's there.
I did find an idea, though. With so many people publishing ebooks, there is definitely room for a great ebook compiler. The Adobe PDF format is popular, but the
compiler produces post-script files that are huge. And I don't find the reader easy to use. NeoBooks is an option, but probably unnecessarily complex to use. And it excludes
MAC users; there is a reader for PDF files on MACs.
I'm not planning to write a new compiler. I have included this thought only as an example of things that may come up unexpectedly while you are searching for something else. Each such idea is a possible opportunity.

For more information, please visit: http//www.BigExperts.com

Enough Already. How Do I Get Started?

2009-04-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

It's best not to make a move until you have defined a niche and answered that first question: Who do you want to sell to? Until you have a clear picture of your target, and have defined within this group some possible perfect customers, you are not yet positioned effectively. Here's why.

When just getting started, you must seek to understand everything you encounter, for you do not know what you will need. Yet this is impossible to do. There are simply too many good newsletters out there to keep up with them all. Too many neat books; you can't get and read
every one. And too many sites such as STAT, upon which you can spend a week or more without exhausting the resources.
But as you narrow your focus, you in turn narrow the information gathering task. Settle on half a dozen good newsletters to follow, keep as many as a dozen books handy for reference, and refuse to be distracted by anything off target. Until you can accomplish this, do not extend yourself further by tackling a newsletter or website. Such tasks steal precious time from the fundamental: Defining your target.

When you have the Focus

Given a focus, you can begin, even if you are still searching for a good product. This can come later. But you must know who your target is.
Given this, start a newsletter, then work at trying to get feedback. When your target begins interacting with you, there are all kinds of great benefits. From their words will
spring new ideas that both clarify your goals and bring you closer to achieving them.
And consider opening a website. Whether or not you have a product, focus on building great content. But even with a website, you need to build a newsletter. This is no longer optional; people expect you to have one. A newsletter is the most effective way to stay in touch with your target and demonstrate your growing expertise.
Continue working on your copywriting skills. Make sure every page on the site "sells" even if it's only free information.
Keep the pages simple. Follow the unwritten rules. Let that copy you've struggled to create be the total focus of your site. Hold the art work to a minimum. A logo and a
tiled background is all you really need. And whether or not you yet have a product to sell, remember that content is king. Provide all you can and do all possible to keep your visitors coming back for more.

What Next?

Continue to search for products that fit your defined target. And continue to seek an unfulfilled need within your target that you can satisfy with a product you create.
Given a product, it's time to really zero in on your perfect customer. Everything in your newsletter and on your site must be directed at this target. It's fine if others
join in, but it's impossible to talk to two different types of people at the same time. Grab a tight focus and stick to it.

Wrapping Up

This plan may not be as easy to accomplish as you had hoped. It requires time, work, and effort. And there are things to be learned. But it is doable. Anybody who persists
can make it happen.

For more information, please visit: http//www.BigExperts.com

Finding a niche and a product

2009-04-03T13:15:00.000-07:00

Finding a Niche

A niche is a narrow slice of a larger market. A slice with an audience large enough to produce the income you need, but otherwise as narrow as possible. And it needs to be something in which you can dominate powerfully. You want to be *the guru* within your niche.
Finding your niche may be the hardest part of all. Not the work involved, but the time, particularly the thinking time. Yet this is absolutely the last thing to rush. For if you don't get this right, nothing is going to work at all well.

Finding a product

As mentioned, working with copywriting and seeking to define your niche need to evolve together. That is, as you make progress in one area, move ahead a bit in the other.
Now to this mix, add the search for possible products and services. And throughout, continue to try to picture who you want to sell to. To define your perfect customer.
Without a doubt, the best product to sell is one you create. This gives you total control. You may even invite others to assist in selling it. There is profit to be made in them all. Too many neat books; you can't get and read selling products produced by others, but much more in products you produce.

For more information, please visit: http//www.BigExperts.com

Getting Started

2009-04-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Finding appropriate answers to the last entry's questions requires a good deal of study and thought. As you proceed, focus on all of them collectively. That is, as you think about
who you want sell to, also consider products to be sold and ways of doing so.
To get started, jot down a few thoughts about each as a beginning point. With these notes, search for ideas and information to help you flesh out a full fledged business plan
This process will take months, not days. Whatever it takes, it's better to know where you are headed before committing the bucks and time needed to build a website.

The First Step
This may sound like heresy to seasoned professionals, but the failure to understand what great ad copy is all about, and the lack of skills needed to produce it, is a very common cause of business failure, particularly online. So start here.

Start with copywriting? Have you lost it?

No. Not at all. Copywriting comes after all else is done except building the site. By then you are tired, filled with self-doubt, and doing all possible to minimize committing to even one more small chore. So the final copy on the site often looks and reads as something done hastily and at the last minute. Avoid this calamity by beginning
your study right now. Be ready when the time comes to write great pages. Nothing less works.
There is an added bonus in seeking to develop or improve copywriting skills. Almost every gain is also an asset to all other writing you do, including what is needed for your email and newsletter. No writing I have ever done is more demanding than copywriting. Improved skills in this area means better results with all of your writing.
There is no need to master copywriting at this point. But get started with the task. If you have not decided on a product, you can't say who your perfect customer will be. But you can come to grips with the concept of building such an image.

For more information, please visit: http//www.BigExperts.com

The Path to online success

2009-04-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

If you are determined to build a successful online business, here's a plan that works, even if you are brand new to the Web. The key to it is to take a small step in each of several areas all at the same time. As long as each step takes you closer to your goal, then there is no hurry at all. That is, you can work with it as time allows. The trick is to avoid any move in the wrong direction, any step that is counterproductive

The Fundamental Questions

Begin by asking very specific questions such as...

*Who will I sell to?
*What will I sell?
*How will I sell it?
*How can a website help get it done?
*What are my financial goals for this venture?

These are not easy to answer. Yet completely defining suitable responses is mandatory. Without them, much of what you do will be a waste of time and effort. On
the other hand, answer them definitively, and every move you make will lead you closer to your objective.
The last question may be the easiest to answer. For many, it will be, "To build a business working part time that will grow sufficiently for me to give up my day job and work
my online business full time." What follows assumes your answer is similar.
The first question may be the most difficult to answer.But it is the one that matters most because you are going to spend a lot of time directly or indirectly with your customers. It is hard to be effective with people you do not enjoy being around.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bigexperts.com

Locations and costs.

2009-04-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Where we're at
The above is not the whole of it. For example, there has been no mention of search engines, yet good positioning can make a big difference. Again, if you know how to optimize pages and can do so easily, it is worth your time to do so. If not, hire it out. Writing skills are important. If yours aren't so hot, factor in some cost for editing, or even creating both page content and the advertising message behind all. Good service is available
at $25-$50/hour.
You must add up these costs relative to your particular needs. But it is unlikely you can start a serious online business for less than $500 to $1000, even if you do
all the work yourself.

Time Cost Analysis

Starting any business means commitments in time you can not expect to recover except over the long run. So good cost analysis is difficult initially. Even so, put a dollar
value on your time, perhaps as low as $5/hour, to help you make good decisions about how you will use your time. Even at $5/hour, it will be clear that some things should be
hired out.
Building web pages with HTML when you could be generating leads may not be the best use of time. Reading a book or two about how to work the Web can be very helpful, but sometimes it's more cost effective to buy the information needed. Working harder is often the only option available. But when possible, work smarter, which often means hiring services. In the end you'll have more fun and rake in greater profits sooner.

For more information, please visit: http://www.bigexperts.com

Opening An Office

2009-04-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

While getting started, you will likely keep your present job, and it may make sense to work from your home. Even so, you still need an "office," including stationery, invoices, business cards, and possibly brochures to be handed out wherever you happen to be. Costs here are the same as in an offline business, and will be a function of your needs.
Don't overlook software. If you want to do some of the graphics for your site, Paint Shop Pro is a good choice. For your accounting, Quicken is good too.
Then there are other things, such as supplies. Printers chew up enormous gobs of paper.

A Phone Is A Must
An email address is not enough. You need a phone and someone to answer it. Preferably an 800 number. Even if you expect to receive few calls, this is a must. People often call just to see if you're for real. If there's no phone, you've lost a sale. Some argue that voice mail is a reasonable alternative, but it will not help if you can not get back quickly. If you have a spouse who can answer, go for it. If not, find someone in your area who can take calls as your secretary. If you provide up-to-date information about your business, your "secretary" can often save you the need for a later reply. Further, there is simply no less expensive way to appear to be working the business full time.

For more of these articles please visit http://www.bigexperts.com/

Building Your Site

2009-04-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

Hiring someone to put a site together can cost thousands of dollars. More important, you may find making changes later brings significant added cost. It is best to build your own pages, for then you have total control.
But the template used throughout the site is so critical to success, consider hiring an artist to get it right. Not the site, just the basic page template. Once the site is established, it can be very cost-effective to hire out the creation of new pages and updating. A good page template with original art work can run anywhere from $200 on up,
but $500 should cover even special needs.

Free vs Paid Hosting Services

There is only one option. You must have your own domain name and a good hosting service.

What's It Cost To Start An Online Business?

2009-04-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

It's all a function of that extremely precious commodity required called time. When the alternator in your car quits, you can fix it yourself or turn to a mechanic. Working the Web is no different in this regard. Doing it yourself saves bucks, but may not be cost-effective. And it can be a serious mistake if you lack required skills.
If you want your site to become a significant source of income, judicious use of time is mandatory. No one person will cost.

Going Into Business

If you are starting a new business, you must file a DBA (Doing Business As a statement) or the equivalent in the county or state in which you will work. After filing, it may need to be published. Then you need to open a bank account. Costs vary from state to state. In California the minimum is about $50 for the DBA and $10/month for the bank account. Also consider any state or local licenses If you need an accountant, costs go up. Turn to an attorney, and they may skyrocket. But you may need to consider these options because of the products or services you will market, just as in an offline business. You may need to consider liability insurance. Incorporation may provide even more protection.

HTML vs Web Page Editors
You must understand the basics of HTML, the can do it all. And what you need but don't have time to do, language in which web pages are written. There is a time cost here. But at some point, most will find it more effective to turn to a web page editor to save time. Costs range from about $50 to $200.

One Path to Success

2009-04-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

If you want to succeed on the Web, you must first come to grips with what you mean by success. If your definition can be simplified to making a good living with the opportunity to make more, then all is quite doable. And one of the best ways to start is to begin part time and grow your business as you learn.

Getting Real

Whether you have started a business or are still only thinking about doing so, you may find it informative to check out some successful sites. Successful, that is, according to the definition of their owners.

Common Elements

While the following sites may appear quite different from one another, they have much in common. Nobody is making a million bucks a year; this was not the goal. Rather they are making a living (their definition) and are in an excellent position to increase their income. The site designs are quite simple; very few fancy graphics are to be found. Each site is well focused. Each site is loaded with content. Some face stern competition; others have carved their niche and conquered it. You will probably note ways in which each site can be improved. But this is true of any site, large or small. And it's true of yours. And mine.

How Do You Define Success?

2009-04-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Many people have selective hearing. That is, they hear only what they are listening for. When such people tune in to the notion of getting rich on the Web, they can't seem to hear anything else. They are deaf to the news of dot-com failures in mass. Deaf to the certain doom that lies at the end of any path claimed to be quick or easy. And deaf to any mention of how tough it is to succeed in business anywhere, online or offline.
If you have fallen into this trap, there are only two options. Continue on your chosen path and fail. Or redefine what success means to you, then begin working to achieve it.

"Getting Rich Is Unlikely"

It is no easier to become wealthy online than offline. The only advantage to beginning a business online, rather than offline, is in the lower startup costs. The rest of it is work, learning, then implementing what you learn.

What are your chances of opening a new business in your home town and becoming a millionaire? Unless you have very special talents and skills, it's unlikely. The chances of doing so on a website are no better. Would Making A Living Suit You? Do you have what it takes to open a business on main street and earn a comfortable living? If you lack essential information, are you willing to take the time to hunt it up? If there are things you do not know, are you willing to learn them? If you lack needed skills, are you prepared to develop them? One who can answer a resounding, "Yes," to the above questions, can succeed. Online or offline. Until you can shout this right out loud to your family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers on the street, any effort to build a successful website will break your heart. And waste a ton of your time. And more than a few bucks.

Successful marketing easy tips 1

2009-04-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

Staking Out Your Claim

A website is not required before starting an online business. There is a good deal of planing and learning to be done, before beginning to build one. Defining your niche is the fundamental task. If you already have a site running, look through these notes for good ideas you may have overlooked.

How Do You Define Success? - While making a million bucks is unlikely, you can make a good living.

What's It Cost To Start An Online Business?" - There are costs in starting any business, online or offline.

One Path To Online Success - There are lots of paths leading to success; this is one of the best.

Niche Finding Made Easy - Niche marketing is the only way to go.

Define A Niche, Then Conquer! - Success depends upon start a business without spending a dime.

Knock Off The Guru! - If you find a guru dominating the niche you want, see if he or she can be toppled.

The Vortals Are Coming! - If you have found a niche, but lack a great product, consider building a vertical directory.

Who Do You Want To Sell To? - The key question may not be what to sell, but who to sell to.

Plan Your Way To Success - Without a solid business plan, you are doomed to fail.

Learn How To Win - Many willing to do the work required are not prepared for the associated learning task.

Become and apprentice - Rule 1

2008-08-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Martha is right about one more thing yet again!. On her books she explains how important it is to learn maybe just about everything from your mentor. Do you agree? Maybe not exactly everything but mentors are to help you reach a goal, make a change or solve a problem. We all need mentors at one point. School, College, Tax Advisors, etc.

When you are truly committed to your goals, curious to learn, and eager to work hard, great mentors will be pleased to share what they know. I think of mentors in a broad sense. The late Julia Child, for example, was generous and important mentor to me, although I did not get to know her personally until I already was a published author. I had devoured her cookbooks long before I met her; I taught myself the art of French cuisine by systematically preparing every single one of her recipes in volumes one and two of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I personally mastered the classics of French cuisine - pate feuilletee, baguettes, creme, anglaise, coq au vin - from the pages of her books, and those recipes became the basis for my deep interest in all good food and recipes from around the world. I found that I could truly consider her a mentor, teacher , a guide, even thought I did not talk to her, because she reached me clearly and thoroughly through her excellent recipes and instructions.

In my lifelong love affair with gardening, I have had many mentors. My first was my father, who loved growing tomatoes and other wonderful fresh vegetables and flowers in the two-level garden that he built in our backyard. As his apprentice - I started when I was about 3 - I was charged with removing weeds from the cracks in the cobblestone path with a flathead screwdriver.

Martha's Stewart Tip:

In my business life, I have met many brilliant entrepreneurs from whom I have collected many ideas and new perspectives. Learn from all you can from your mentors. Try to work alongside them. Their passion will amplify your passion. The concept of an apprentice is an ancient and wise one, and if you can find such a position early in your career and have the chance to work with a master, take it! The enthusiasm, deep understanding, and endless curiosity of a true expert will infect you, whether you are simply trying to reinforce your own knowledge about a hobby or interest, or whether you are figuring out the kind of entrepreneur you want to become.

To discover your business passion, please visit an expert at http://www.bigexperts.net

Search Until You Find Your Passion - Rule 1

2008-08-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

Martha Stewart explains in Chapter 2 what passion has to do with your business. It makes total sense and when I coached my clients on this subject, it made total sense to them as well. I want you to learn a very important point here and I'll let Martha explain why? It is not uncommon to try a number of different things before your passion becomes clear. Experimentation is the only way to figure it out.

What is passion?

You may already know your life's calling as surely you know your eye color or your favorite flavor of ice cream. Perhaps you have envisioned yourself running your own ski school or designing a line of fine paper products for so long it already seems real.

You are just trying to find out how to get going, how to transform your dream into a business. You may feel a burning desire to start something and run something, but you are not sure what that something is. Business schools are filled with people who feel this way, people putting together the tools to hit the ground running as soon as they figure out where they want to go. It is great to love one's work.

Doing work that you enjoy gives you energy. You are imbued with enthusiasm. Your senses seem sharper. You wake up with new ideas every day and with solutions to conquer the challenges that cropped up the day before. You are always confident that goals are attainable, that creativity and ingenuity and hard work and passion for the work will make "it" all come together. This "passion" for one's work is just like an all-consuming love affair - something that all of us crave to experience but encounter only once or twice in a lifetime if we are lucky.

Martha's Suggestion: Build your business success around something that you love - something that is inherently and endlessly interesting to you.

To learn what your passion really is visit our website: http://www.bigexperts.net

BigExperts Google Group

2008-08-20T15:36:00.001-07:00

Dear Visitor,

I have some exciting news for you! BigExperts.Net now has a
google group to help you with internet business advise and
marketing as well. Please feel free to stop by and share some
of thoughts and advise with other members. You are all
invited!

http://groups.google.com/group/bigexperts/web/google-website-tip---seo

Here is a video that we wanted to share with you:

Martha Stewart - Quick Review

2008-08-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

Quick Introduction - Martha Stewart Rules Book

This book is something that you might want

to read if you are thinking of starting a business.

You might know who Martha Stewart is and if

you don't. Do me a favor and search on google

or any search engine for Martha Stewart. She

has been in business for many years and her

knowledge in business is just amazing. She

will give you an honest opinion and feedback.

I got her book not just too long ago and I think

its just interesting the stories she shared

in this book and the advise she gives you.

In the beginning she tells the story for 2

ladies she met at a concentration camp.

These 2 ladies shared with Martha their

business dream of owning a hair salon.

Although these 2 ladies had no idea how

and where to start and they have never

been in business before they both had the

same dream. It's okay to have a business

idea. Their idea was just too big and complex.

Let me explain what Martha says in the book.

Martha Stewart: I studied the plans. They

wanted to create and operate a unisex hair

salon combined with a cafe, salad bar, and

soul food restaurant in a warehouse district

of a large southern city.

Martha's Stewart Feedback: Expressing my concern
that their was too ambitious, too old-fashioned,
I explained that in New York and other metro-
politan areas, hair salons were chic havens for
beauty, health, personal care, skin care and
nail care.

Martha's Stewart Solution: I encourage them to divide
the business in two: a restaurant, and a hair
salon that catered to male and female customers.
Martha also suggested for them to read fashion
magazines and also which
books to gather to do their research.

This is my short review but more to come.

BigExperts has a study course
on starting a business online.

Please visit http://www.bigexperts.net/

Welcome to the BigExperts Blog

2008-08-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,

I would like to give you a brief introduction what
the BigExperts blog is all about. I want to share
my expertise with other people around the world.
As well as learn from other people.

On this blog I will be sharing some of the most
interesting books that I believe should be read
in a marketing or internet business class. I'm
also the creator of what I call http://www.bigexperts.net/.

BigExperts.Net was created on January of 2008 to
assist people with building an internet business
and personal growth. I believe that to start any
business you should also learn how to personally
clear your mind out of stress and live a more
healthy lifestyle. We have some courses that we
have develop and some that are still in the process
of development. These course help you self-improvement
and Time Management. These 2 courses are
amazing and are quick to learn.

My goal is to reach out to the people that are
already in business and need the assistance
in taking that business online. Even if your not
in business but would rather start a business
online. The internet has opened many doors
from relationships to internet businesses
such as Ebay and Yahoo.

Go ahead and take that step to take your business
to the next level!