Angie McKaig - E-Business Consultant and Entrepreneur
it's all about me2004.10.19
I have a pair of pink lounging pants. They're amusing. They're also festooned with white print, over and over, saying the same thing:
"It's all about me."
When it comes to building a web site from scratch, something successful and useful that people visit and buy from and talk about, it really is all about me. Because I'm not talking about getting VC funding, a bank loan or angel investors here. I'm talking about bare bones, starting a web site on $300 or less, you being the only staff, bootstrapping at its finest.
A web site like this will only fly if you've Got The Right Stuff.
Do-it-yourself means Jack-of-all-trades
When you're Jack-or-Jill of all trades for your new web site, you need to either have knowledge or interest in a variety of topics. (Note that expert-level knowledge is FAR less important than a passion for learning and a willingness to keep digging until you figure it out, to keep improving over the thing you did yesterday.)
These topics include but are not limited to:
* technology - HTML, CSS, researching & installing software, trends
* design - graphic design, interface design
* selling - retail (b-to-c), marketing, advertising
That's right. That means above and beyond the idea for your business, you need to at least have some interest in each of these things for the web site to fly, unless you plan on bringing in partners early with interest and skills in this area. You don't have to be an expert - I certainly wasn't when I started out! - but you have to be willing to play with all of these things, learn about them, get better at them a little bit every day.
If that's not you - then no matter how great your web site idea may be, it's not going to work.
A web business is not a quick fix
You have to think about the time you're willing to devote to your new internet business on a regular basis for the next 12 months minimum. Successful web sites aren't something you throw up there and then sit back and watch the cash roll in. They're living, breathing entities. They grow and change, interact with their visitors, offer something new and valuable to each visitor every time they return.
The success of a web site is measured in its value to its visitors. Web sites that make money, by and large, are ones that engage the visitor and provide them with something they need, want or like. And believe me when I say that creating a site that provides this can take more time than you think!
The minimum amount of time you're willing to put in should be no less than 15 hours per month. More if you can spare it, but be realistic, set a goal, and stick to it every month.
A web business means you have to know the web
Finally, you have to take a critical look at how much time you're willing to spend online, particularly if you already have a full-time job that also requires you to be in front of a computer. A good internet businessperson spends a lot of their time online - looking at search engines, researching, viewing competitor's sites, viewing other web sites for general trends in content, selling, advertising and more. That's even before things like email, RSS feeds, etc.
If you have all of the above - a desire to learn about technology, design and selling, 15 hours a month to work on the business, and willingness to spend a chunk of your time every month online looking at other web sites, then I have good news...
Your business already has a lot going for it! Next up: finding your idea.
What if you have all the above, but no real original ideas per say. I am getting pretty good at web and graphic design, but everytime I think I have a good idea it's already been done. And re-done.
Is there any hope for someone who is creativity challenged like myself?
Only 15 hours?
Try somewhere in the vicinity of 34 hours a week - almost as much time spent at my dayjob which pays for all this to progresss.
And built on next to no capital, self-taught web-design, lots of will-power, dedication, and a desire to help those who continue to think that MS Publisher or MS Powerpoint is 'good enough'.
I value your opinion - its people like yourself that remind those of us who are somewhere between amateur and semi-professional that this is a fantastic industry to be involved in, and not just for PC-geeks. Though I have become one myself...
Oh, and I agree - RSS feeds can wait. There are much more important modules to learn first.
Man, I fit the bill perfectly. You have no idea how excited I am for the next 101 post :) At some point, can you share your thoughts on affliate programs? I've been trying to make money off them but it's been nickles and dimes so far. I have figured out one thing that's pretty obvious - people are more likely to click through and buy if I share my opinion and thoughts on whatever the product is. Of course, it'd be easier to do that if I had the product in my hands!