Relationship Marketing | Build Your Online Business

I’ve always been fascinated by the Atlantic salmon’s inherent ability to swim upstream, and as I thought about the complexities involved in achieving online business success, I realized that there are lessons we can learn from the Atlantic Salmon.

What are some of these lessons we can take away and apply to ourselves in our online business?

1.  Fact: The Atlantic salmon spawns in fresh water but spends much of it’s life in the salty waters of the ocean.

Lesson: As business owners we have to be adaptable.  We may start small and wade into shallow waters, but as we grow we may make decisions (more…)

In the past, persons in Direct Sales relied heavily on person-to-person/one-on-one contact and word of mouth referrals.  These methods are still effective; however, you now have the ability to extend your reach far beyond your local community.  Of course, depending on the type of service or products you are marketing, there may be some challenges or limitations, but these can usually be addressed on a case by case basis.

Starting your online business is a step by step process, and the basic principles are the same as for starting any other type of business online.  It starts with the correct mindset.  Believing in yourself if the first requirement.  Being all the you can be is not just for a particular segment of society, you can be all you want to be as long as you are willing to do the work – take the time to learn the steps required to build a successful business on the internet and then take action.  One of the first actions steps you may need to take is to change your thinking.

If you have been in Direct Sales for any length of time you are aware that it is possible to supplement your income or even replace your income in a very short time.  Note, ‘it is possible!'  You will usually get out of it what you put into it, and this has been the case for many, including myself.  However, it's important to recognize that while it is possible to make a lot of money on the internet, it does take time, patience and work.  At the same time you may be asking as I did a year and a half ago: “Where do I start?”

My goal for anyone, including Direct Sales Consultants,  starting a business online is that you do not waste money as I did purchasing e-book after e-book and courses online that proved to be all fluff and no substance.  Other courses told me what I needed to do but gave me no idea how to do it.  Working with great Mentors is the key and I'll be providing more information on some of those who have contributed to my progress and the success I've experienced to date.

Your perception of what it takes to start and  maintain an internet or online business is an integral factor in determining your success.  Many persons incorrectly start out with the mindset that launching and running a successful online business involves getting a website built, usually a static one, promoting a product or service and people will flock to their website.  Unfortunately the likelihood of this happening by chance is astronomical.

It takes self-discipline and work to run a successful internet business.  As you become active online you may sign up for various offers and receive e-mails regarding this product or that software designed to save you hours of work, etc.  Keep in mind that many of the persons sending you these e-mails are affiliates for these products and are perhaps struggling just as you are.  On the other hand there are Internet Marketers who are making thousands of dollars daily and may only work 2 or 3 hours…but it did not happen overnight for them.  They had to work very hard at the outset developing strategies and massaging a few bruises as they fell and needed to pick themselves up again.  They probably had to work at cultivating the correct mindset required by successful business owners.  You too may have recently started an online business or may be just thinking about it.  In the interest of your success, you now need to do the work required on a consistent basis.

Your online or internet business is just that…a business; and so you'll need to develop the mindset of a business owner.  Previous business experience is not required, however, you do need to have an idea of what it takes to run a business, or at the bare minimum, seek the advice or guidance of a professional.  One very important  reason  is that while your start-up costs can be quite low, especially compared to setting up an offline business, you will need some money to invest in your new business.  In addition, while there are rare cases, your online business is probably not going to make enough profit initially to replace your income or sufficiently supplement your income.  Therefore, you will need capital to fill the gap for a period of time.

These are basic thoughts that you can assist you in  developing the correct mindset towards starting and running an online business successfully.  As in any business, there are people who fail, but you can succeed with the right mindset, doing research, being disciplined, and being willing to work hard to meet your desired goal.