2012 Online Biz Ideas

2012 rolling by with spring just around the corner here in Michigan.  I’ve been working on my online presence for some organic farming that I do and haven’t posted in a while.  I wanted to take some time this afternoon to share what I think are the best online small business ideas for 2012.  These are easy to start business ideas that most people could do without spending a bunch of cash on start up capital.  These online business ideas, you’ll notice, are connected to some of the largest trends and retailers online and most include having a website or blog.  Getting a small business website is probably easier today than coming up with web site ideas to make money fast which is probably the opposite of the reality 5 or 6 years ago.

Two of these online business ideas also use the affiliate marketing business model basically because it’s one of the easiest ways for a beginner to make money outside offering a Internet related service to a local community.  In order to do that you have to have specialized knowledge though and not everyone does.  What everyone does have is interests, hobbies, and specific knowledge and using the Internet you can share that with other people who want it and are willing to pay for it.  Probably the best way to do that is to create your own products you can sell on you web site, that is probably the most profitable web site idea, but again there are some technical challenges that sway many to not take action.  Affiliate marketing is easy and is now set up for people who don’t have any knowledge of the technical sense.  Amazon is  a great example of an affiliate program that easy to use and pay’s pretty good. It’s more of a program for physical affiliate products and they are by far the leader in that niche.

Online Business Idea For Beginners

A great way to learn step by step how to make money with Amazon fast for a beginner is this program.  It’s cheap, detailed and easy to understand.  I’d say this is the top online small business program for a beginner looking to make money using the Internet, maybe you have a blogger blog set up or are starting to learn word press, but you have yet to earn more than $500 or so per month. He has put a video up on the front page of his site that explains what he does and shows you how he provides the tutorials step by step.  People make a lot of money with this method, I use it my self on two sites. It does take some time so be realistic.

Step By Step Method Of Earning More Online

Another good online business idea that uses affiliate marketing as the economic engine but offers more is what Anik has been doing for years.  He’s an ex-googler (google employee) and he continues to stay at the cutting edge of earning online.  The bonus with Anik is that is one of the most productive or even prolific online marketers and has created a ton of top rated online programs from traffic generation to conversion and gives away past program for free when  you become a student.  Another program to shorten the learning curve and earn money way faster than you ever could on your own that doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars.  His stuff is actionable too, it isn’ theory or ideas, it’s “do this, then do this” step by step.  If you have yet to really get a consistent income going online but have made some money month to month check out Anik and see what he has to say.

A Full Fledged Sustainable Online Business

The third online business idea for 2012 that I wanted to share is the one that almost exactly teaches my business model with encompasses niche sites, private advertising, Adsense, affiliate marketing, and even service style business.  If your serious about creating a full time income online of 10k per month and up long term this is where you will end up, I say that based on my own experience.  If you’ve already drank the kool aid and know the Internet offers something unmatched this has go to be the Best way to get there.  This program teaches how to do it all with Word Press too.  It will show beginners how to get started with wordpress too but I feel it’s more geared to those of us who have been working at developing a real online business for a year or more.  If you currently have a Word Press site or a small network of sites you should really check out what these guys have done with the concept of Plug Ins, it’s pretty sweet.

Obviously these online small business ideas are non-service based for the most part and I write about those mostly, that said there are several great service type businesses you can do too like web design, Search Optimization, marketing help and more.  There are many small businesses who either don’t have a small business website or they don’t get any traffic or sales from the one they do have.  There are some businesses that will pay well for help in that area.

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Ever notice the way new business ideas always seem like the most successful small businesses?  I have and I wanted to share some tips to capitalize on this apparent trend.  When I think of the top new businesses I think of companies like Face book, twitter,and google though they weren’t started last week they are new businesses compared to the icons of the past.  I’m also talking about the small start ups you see around your home town and when you travel.  Granted there are exceptions to my assertion that new businesses are the most successful.  I’m reminded of a place in Missouri called Lambert’s “Home of the Throw-ed Rolls” where they literally throw dinner rolls across the restaurant when you ask for one, they cook mean catfish too.  Lambert’s has been around forever and they are one of the most successful restaurants I’ve ever eaten at.  They are successful because they have a very unique position in the market place and market well, but they aren’t new.

Why New Business Ideas Seem the Most Successful

The top reason these new business ideas are so successful is because they are new.  Really, people are curious and the new kid in town always gets the benefit of the curiosity customer.  People want to come and check it out.  Over the last decade we have become gluttons for new and the best businesses take advantage of this fact and are far more successful because of it.

Proof “New” is the Best Business Strategy

Do this, list the top companies you can think of in your head and then look for the “new” element in their business model.  Then ask yourself these questions:

1. Why do so many people go to Face book so often?
2. Why is twitter so popular?
3. Why do people by the iPhone?
4. What makes apple so profitable and huge?
5. Why is eBay so popular?

So what’s the common thread to a logical answer to these questions?  They all offer something new that wasn’t there yesterday.  If Face book was the same in 3 hours as it is know you wouldn’t bother taking a peek would you?  If the iPhone was simply a new type of phone you may buy one but chances are you wouldn’t buy one every 16 months, right?  EBay always has new items added everyday and that keeps people coming back over and over.  New business ideas aren’t just “new” in the sense that the company was started last week, it’s about the culture, the product and the way it’s offered.

In the last decade consumers have changed and the entrepreneurs who noticed it an accommodated are the most successful small businesses today.  Some of these are new business ideas in the sense that they were started in the last few years but the “new” element in the business model is what is powerful to me.  My Internet business takes me on far and wide adventures around the web and I find that the new business ideas that are most successful are the ones who feed this insatiable appetite that the new consumer has.  The top websites online in terms of traffic publish more often, the have new content and lot’s of it.  Aweber auto responder just rolled out a new contact form generator, and the list goes on and on.

How to Make Your Business New and More Successful

So what does all this mean if your business isn’t necessarily a new business idea, what can you do to capitalize on the “new” trend?  Here are some things I’ve learned about keeping the interest of current customers and attracting new ones.  You should likely be able to implement at least one of these in your small business whether it’s off line or an Internet business.

1. Make constant redesign and product offering changes while keeping your core business model in tact.  Let’s say you have a restaurant with regular customers. You want to continue to serve your base customers but you could add a market fresh entree of the DAY instead of week to increase the curiosity and “new” level in your business.  You could have a daily saying on your outdoor sign (quote or phrase)  that people will become accustom to looking for each day. Under it, you can add a compelling marketing message for your restaurant.  The idea is to create something people will talk about, funny works well and so does clever and controversial.
2. Constantly innovate and create new products that add to what you already offer.  Apple is the best at this and are one of the biggest and most successful companies world wide because of it.  The key to their success in part is making a product that wasn’t consumable into a consumable product that is re-purchased each year or even more often than that.  They also have a wide array of complimentary products for their phones, ipads, ipods and other offerings.  Always be innovating.
3. Maybe your a professional entrepreneur like a lawyer, accountant, or doctor.  One way to tap into the power of the new business idea is to write a column for the local paper telling a industry related story each week.  Again, make it funny, clever, or controversial to get people talking about it.  Obviously not everyone can do this because the paper only has so many pages but you could do it on your website.  Sharing fun facts or things for kids is great way to offer your potential customers of clients value and help keep your business new in their mind.
4. If you have an Internet business then simply creating more content is one way (the most obvious) to provide the new that your audience needs.  Additionally any of these businesses can have a vibrant social community and it doesn’t need to be directly related to your business.  Obviously having unique content updated frequently that isn’t found all over the web is a top way to help your Internet business ad value.  Membership sites come to mind and they are a great Internet business idea that are also a new business idea with updated monthly content that members are willing to pay for.  Developing ways to keep current customers and get them talking is crucial to ongoing business success and keeping your business new. Remember it’s your business so figure it out and enjoy the benefits.

There are lot’s of creative ways you can position your small business as the new business idea and always be reinventing yourself to stay fresh in your clients or customers minds.  Most successful small businesses in the future will need to be doing this.  The goal has to be best in class to become or remain successful and doing this has to involve doing something new constantly.  Ask yourself ~ What would people love to do every day but aren’t right now because there isn’t a way and how could I do that in my business?  Good luck with your new business idea and all the best in building the most successful small business you can this year.

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I’ve written extensively on why I think home based business ideas are the best starter businesses for beginners here on this small business website over the last several years but I see it’s been a while.  I also wanted to mention something new that a friend of mine pointed out to me yesterday on the phone.  I think it will be relevant to a lot of the visitors here.  As always feel free to ask questions and leave comments below in the comments section.

While I was talking to my friend the other day he mentioned he really wanted to start a business.  We had been talking about a business I started a couple years ago in the agriculture industry and fresh produce niche.  He had mentioned it before but this time it seemed almost urgent and so I asked why.  Turns out he pays a lot in taxes which is a common problem with people who have jobs especially if they are single with no dependants.  He is a special education teacher in a well funded school district and also coaches.  He makes around 85k per year and says he paid in over $18,000 dollars and will need to pay more when he does his taxes.

Let’s face it, you can’t avoid taxes, they have to be paid, but you can drastically reduce the amount you have to pay.  I’ve never paid close to $20,000 in taxes as an entrepreneur and the most I ever made at a job was $35,000 when I was 20 years old and I haven’t had a real job since.  I wanted to talk about choosing the best starter businesses the first time because many entrepreneur just starting out are in the same boat he is in, they need more tax deductions.  Home based business ideas allow for some tax benefits though I never really thought they amounted to much.  I did some research over the last couple days and they can actually add up.  In order to better realize tax saving you can talk to your accountant about strategies to do that.  Having home based business expenses helps but you can still only use deductions to the extent of revenue.  Like I said, look into strategies with your accountant and learn more about using a home based business idea to reduce your tax exposure.

Home Based Business Tax Advantages

The first advantage that makes a home based business idea one of the best starter businesses is the home office deduction.  Like it sounds it lets you write of a portion of the expenses of your home used for your business.  Here is an excerpt that explains it in more detail.

To qualify for this deduction, your home office must be the principal place where your business is done. Secondly, the office space must be used exclusively for business use to qualify. For example, if you use your kitchen as your primary workspace, it is likely that you cannot take the home office deduction, assuming that you use it for personal use as well. To be on the safe side, set aside a room as your home office where possible. This will keep you on the safe side should the home office use ever come into question.

Remember to talk to your tax professional about your plans and see what the actual saving will be for your business, if any.   I’ll list off a few more tax advantages of a home based business that help to make it a top business for a beginner to start.  I’m sure this list isn’t complete but here are a few of the deductions I’ve found that could help you with tax reduction:

• Building related expenses.
• Security systems and installation.
• Insurance.
• Utilities.
• Transportation.
• Moving Expenses.
• Telephone expenses.
• Computer expenses.
• Internet.
• Meals and entertainment.
• Educational expense.
• Tax preparation.
• Bookkeeping expense.

That is a lot of items you could deduct from any profits and not have to pay taxes on and I’m sure there are more deductions you could take when you own a home based business.  Personally I feel starting a business with the right small business idea is more about long term financial planning and security than saving on your tax bill.  It’s true, in my experience, that small business owner pay less in taxes but there are better reasons to start a business.  For people like my friend who have never started a business it can be scary and it might seem risky, most are very cautious.  The best starter businesses are ones that acknowledge this and by nature hedge risk and cater to beginners.

The Best Starter Businesses

Like I said I think the best starter businesses are home based business ideas or businesses you can do entirely online.  At minimum I’d recommend staying away from business ideas that require you to purchase real estate, equipment, hire employees and go into debt, debt, debt.  I started my Internet business with $0 money and 6 years later my fixed costs are probably less than $300.00 per YEAR.  Yes, per year, isn’t that crazy?

When I started my new business idea I was running a commercial construction company that I had started about 7 years prior and I couldn’t even tell you what my fixed expense were, definitely upward of $5,000 per month and payroll alone (variable expense) was over $40,000 per month.  In 2006 I paid over $86,000 dollars in workers compensation premiums!  I’m still amazed at the low cost of a home based business or an Internet business.

Best Starter Businesses “Must Have’s”

Listen, if you’ve never been an entrepreneur before you’ll probably be nervous.  I don’t know what it is about us humans be we always seem to resist change and get nervous at the first hint of trying something different.  Here is my advice, sit down and figure out your concerns and remember they are all valid.  Write them out one by one, you can start by writing, “I am afraid that….”

Once you’ve done this take a look at what you have and ask yourself what you can do to alleviate these fears before you even start your business.  From my own experience what really makes me nervous is risking a bunch of cash especially if it is someone else’s.  I still stay away from businesses that require a lot of start up capital.  Start up capital is not as big a barrier to entry as most people think.  I did $2.8 million dollars in revenue in my commercial construction company I mentioned I started that business with $300 dollars initially.  I did borrow money from time to time later on for payroll and such but I didn’t start it with a big wad of cash. Here are some of what I call the “must have’s” for the best starter businesses. (I’ll give an example of one below)

• Simple and safe exit strategy.
• Low/No cost start up requirement.
• No employees needed to start.
• Leverage skills and talents already present to reduce learning curve.
• Have flexible schedule.
• Part time or side business ideas.
• Be in demand and relevant.

These are pretty basic pillars you can assess a good starter business by.  Take small steps and don’t try to go fortune 500 in the first 90 days, chill out and have fun doing something new.  There are lots of new business ideas that meet those criteria and some may be more profitable than you think.  Some of the business models I’ve used that are good starter business and are home based business ideas include:  Blogging, affiliate, farming, web design, SEO, and consulting. Another good business idea for a starter business that comes to mind is a home based bookkeeping business.

Home Based Business Ideas (Example)

When I first started my construction company I met a lady who did bookkeeping as a side business.  Her rates were reasonable and she did good work.  I don’t remember her name but bookkeeping is a great example of a starter business that wouldn’t cost much at all if any.  In fact maybe I can get in touch with her and write a tutorial on how to start a home based bookkeeping business with little or no money.  If you want to learn how to start a home based bookkeeping business you can learn how from this woman who teaches people how to do it.

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Most of us think we know the answer to this question but have probably never really asked because it’s probably one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world of capitalism today.  To answer the question; “What is a Business”  I think it’s only fair to acknowledge there are thousands of answers, all accurate to a varying degree. Here is where it get’s interesting, I’m not really interested in a definition of the word in a traditional sense (anyone could offer that)  I’m interested in what YOU think is a valid answer to that question right now, without research.  In other words I’m not interested in the ”right” answer but rather mining for the truths in perspective. Do You Want to Help?

I’m mostly interested in YOUR answer to the question for a project I’m working on for the next 8 months so what I’ve done is create a simple way to blatantly solicit your assistance.  If you have a minute or two and you are genuinely interested in business, maybe you want to start one or are an entrepreneur already, consider answering that question below in the comments. BUT here is the catch…. Try not to read the other comments that are already posted. Keep it real, I’m after your unique answer, that’s what I need.  Thanks.

What is a Business?

I took the liberty of seeing what the web had to say in response the question “What is a Business” and it turns out most of what I found are actually answers to an aspect of a business.  For instance here is what a top legal website had to say when asked the question:

A business is a legal entity that is set-up or designed to make goods, sell goods, or provide a service. Many businesses are for-profit organizations as opposed to a non-profit organization or hobby job.

Can’t argue with that, which is what makes this such a unique question.  I know dozens of entrepreneurs both online and traditional off line business owners who could all offer a unique perspective on the question and many have, I’ll be sharing some of those at a later date.  I’ve read several great books on business and entrepreneurship and all offer insight into what it means to own a business.  I’ve also heard some pretty cool definitions of what a business is that I can relate to from my own business experience over the years.

What is a Business? Wikepedia’s Answer:

I always like to check out what wikipedia has to say about certain topics and so I went to see what they had to say about business.  There content is more like a dictionary than anything else and I hope your answer is better!  Anyway here is the gist of what wikipedia has to say about what a business is:

A business (also known as enterprise or firm) is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalisteconomies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit or state-owned. A business owned by multiple individuals may be referred to as a company, although that term also has a more precise meaning. wikipedia on business

My Understanding of What a Business Is:

One of the books I read when I was young that shaped my view of what it means to own a business and provided my first answer to the question: “What is a Business” was a book by Robert Kiyosaki called the Cash Flow Quadrant.  Have you heard of it?  Maybe you’ve read it.

These are the 4 Quadrants~Notice the "B" Quadrant

In the book “The Cashflow Quadrant” Robert talks about the quadrants and states that essentially people have four ways they can make money each of which is one quadrant of the CashFlow Quadrant (p.s. these are all trademarked terms).  Picture a Tic-Tac-Toe board then in the top left is the first quadrant which is the employee quadrant.  Below that is the self employed quadrant and then back up to the top right quadrant we have the Business quadrant.  Then below in the bottom right quadrant we have the Investor.  Robert talked extensively about the “B” or Business quadrant and explained that is where most millionaires are made, which got my attention.

In fact most millionaires have had experience in each of the quadrants and this is part of what probably makes them effective at mastering business, management and personal finance.  There are no short cuts other than hiring people who know better than you, but then still, it is easier to manage effectively if you have personal experience in each quadrant.

One of things that was shared in the book was a simple definition of what it means to be a “Business Owner”.  Essentially it said that:

 ”In order to own a business you need to be able to leave the business for one year and upon your return find it being better than when you left.”

I remember being reminded of this when I was reading some books by Micheal Gerber who founded the company “E-Myth” which is an entrepreneurial consulting company.  The E-Myth works at helping business owners turn their business into a “B” type business that can effectively run without them, which is not how most entrepreneurs start out, the book asserts.

Essentially if you go to work everyday and get a paycheck every week you are an employee and you have a job.  If you own your job and personally provide a service to a customer or client, you own your job and are self employed.  People who own a set of systems that continually improve and innovate to provide a product or service without their own personal day to day input, own a business that makes money for them.  And then finally the investor is someone who uses money to earn money for them in a passive way.  These are just my words, Robert does a much better job of explaining it all. If you are interested in the “Cash Flow Quadrant” or Micheal Gerber’s “E-Myth” I’ve provided a link to learn more or buy them from Amazon.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom

Those are two easy to read books that will fundamentally change and clarify the way you look at business, they should both be required reading for anyone seeking a business degree in my opinion.

In a nut shell…

Before I ever contemplated the question, what is a business, I started one.  Or so I thought.  In my early twenties I start a concrete business where I was basically a concrete contractor which is really a self employment business.  I did over a period of 7 years turn that into a “B” type business of sorts and then decided that wasn’t the business I wanted to be in if I wanted to own a real business that operated without me.  One of the best examples of a true “B” type business is my online business which is a great business idea for 2012 for the right person. I think the Internet has opened up some great possibilities and small business ideas that can be developed into a true business.

So my answer to the question (that I’d like you to answer below in your own way) “What is a Business” is a mix of what I’ve learned in the two books I’ve mentioned and my personal experience.  To me a business is a system of delivering a relevant and ever innovating product or service with a philosophy of systematic problem solving and improvement.  Another key component of a real business is that it needs to be something that can be sold.  Some of my websites are good examples of a business because they are in relevant topic areas and have systems built in that allow for marketing and feedback. I can also outsource writing and even revenue generation in some cases.

OK, now let us know how you answer that question.

What is a Business?

• Do you own a business now? 
• Do you want to own one in the future?
• What are your top reasons for wanting to own a business? 
• What is your Dream business?
• What has been the worse business you’ve ever owned and why?

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NOTE: If you’re interested in this topic please consider answering one of the 5 questions (via comment)  I’ve asked at the end of this article. (Thanks!)

So far the 2012 Presidential Election campaign fundraising efforts have brought in over $280,000,000 dollars for their prospective candidates with Democrats currently at 125.2 million and republicans at 155 million, and it’s only February.  It would seem their is an obvious affect on small business owners that are in any way connected to the big media outlets as much of this cash is spent on running those dirty little annoying ads we’ll be seeing the rest of the year.  I get a kick sometimes (especially) in the last decade when I reflect on the “issues” of the election and what then transpires.

Either the establishment assumes most of us are unaware of what the President and their policies can actually do or it doesn’t matter and things that need to get said to win get said.  I don’t know about you but I don’t really see the 2012 Presidential election affecting me a whole lot as a small business owner. I’m not in a terribly high income bracket and so the “threat” of raising taxes on the wealthy doesn’t spook me a whole lot and I doubt it will happen anyway.  I do have personal political type beliefs and most of my views of politics come from a business standpoint, I understand most things that way.  Do you re-frame your dealings and relationships along with decision making into common sense business philosophy?  What are some simple ways you see the 2012 Presidential election affecting your small business?

I’m a critical thinker but like to use that skill to arrive at a simple, clear and easy to follow philosophy so I can move on and think about other things.  I’m working on a couple newer businesses this year and one of those is in food and agriculture.   I like the agriculture industry right now and here in Michigan there is a strong interest in the buy local movement and also in eating better.  I’ve started a vegetable farm and a few years back started a farm market with fruit and produce locally grown here in Michigan. I think food and agriculture will be good for about 7 to 10 years but I can see big problems coming for the industry but suspect it will be a state by state thing at first.

Regulations and Policy Changes Do Affects Small Business Owners

Elections do impact business mostly via regulations and perspectives and priorities.  Most of the things concerning me and my businesses were create years back and they are still being positioned to control and monopolize the market place, it looks a lot like the same strategies used in what created the housing crises.  One of places I go for insight is the Bureau of Labor Statistics and get a general feel for what the next 5 to 10 years will look like.  There is a Mammoth on the horizon in terms of growth and it is health care and anything related.  The baby boomers have creating booming industries proportionally to their population number and age.  Gerber was born when they were eating baby food and Nike when they were buying shoes and shoes for their kids.  You’ll see continue to see health care as a major political issue, I’m not sure if it’s because of all the cash associated with it or the fears surrounding the impact on our country or economy.  If you have a small business in the health care industry I do think the next ten years will be much different than the last, but there will be no bigger industry, nothing even close.

I have my online business and then a couple off line traditional businesses and both can be affected by policy and regulation.  I’ve seen some regulation already affecting affiliate sales that comes from the FTC but it hasn’t affected me personally at all.  I do believe we will began to see widespread taxation and regulation on the Internet as it becomes more of an economic impact.

What Really Affects Local Small Businesses

Overall I’d say the general uncertainty people have when things aren’t going well really affects us small business owners the most.  Where I live people traveling makes up a big share of the local business revenue.  Not so much tourists, but state residents moving about the state.  When gas prices go way up this slows way down and it is very apparent at the farm market which is right by a state highway.  Over the upcoming year I will continue to look for ways to isolate my businesses from what I’ve already seen can have a negative impact.  It seems our communities and businesses are so incredibly diverse that local micro economies are what really affect our small businesses.

As small business owners there are always things we can do and must do to roll with the punches. One of the perspectives I have is that if we are going to elect the Democrat again we will likely not see another republican for possibly decades due to obvious policy correlations with voter base.  While I personally don’t like this (mainly because it seems like calculated manipulation over time) it does no good to blame people and whine about it.  I’ll stick to running my kingdom and do what I need to position my small business as best I can.

Safe Small Businesses To Start

If I were starting a business in heavily populated area I would consider targeted health care workers, teachers, college students, police officers and anyone else who gets a check from the government or from an institution that is funded by the government. I think these are the safest businesses to start or create a niche marketing campaign that speaks to these people.   One of the things I plan to do at the market is accept project fresh cards and carry products so I can accept EBT cards which are welfare programs here in Michigan. I always was proud of not doing that and offering free or greatly discounted food to those who needed it but I loose more customers every year because of it.  As an aside I recommend looking into growing your own food or having a local farmer grow it for you.  The food supply in this country is vulnerable in several ways food pricing being the least disconcerting.  Most people don’t thing about food and how it winds up on your table a lot goes into it and the supply chain if vulnerable.  One example is gas prices, $5.00 per gallon gasoline could drive food up considerable (30%) like it did over the last few years.  It never seems to go back down when fuel prices stop.  These are some of the real issues that affect small business owner and of course each business is different.

Its important to stay focused and keep an optimistic attitude that looks for the opportunity that surrounds us.  Times of change bring great opportunity.  As some businesses and industries dry up others flourish so look for ways you can make your business more relevant to the consumers of today.  Many entrepreneurs I know (including myself) have turned to diversifying there scope or start other businesses altogether.  I did that several years back and I’m glad I did.

How Will The Presidential Election Affect Your Small Business in 2012

1. What are some of the ways you see the 2012 Presidential Election impacting your small business?
2. Have you, in the past, notice significant changes in your business as a direct result of a policy or election that put a different President in office?
3. What is the best time you can remember in terms of business growth?
4. Do you feel that time of growth was due to your industry or politics?
5. What do you feel the best business to start is for 2012?

Thank you for reading, if you liked this article consider sharing if via Face Book or Twitter or you could subscribe to my RSS feed at the top and leave a comment.  Thank You.

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You can take this for what it is, my experience and reflection on over 15 years of being an entrepreneur and building several small businesses, or add to it your experience business and make it your own.  I’ll talk a little bit about answering what is probably the most important, yet often skipped, step in starting a small business, that is;  What does success look like?  When I look back, one of the most destructive missteps is failing to define expectations as they relate to a specific business idea.

The Emotional Entrepreneur

For many of us starting a business for the first time is a very emotional period much like that feeling we get when we’ve had a long lingering problem and have just discovered a simple solution once and for all.  It can be really exciting and the idea of starting a successful small business conjures up all kinds of weird and crazy images.  We will finally be respected, wealthy, and free….. We will have to schedule interviews for the newspaper to allow the local T.V channel to get the time they need for their feature piece on our new business.  We might even have to hire a couple people just to help count all our Money!

All kidding aside, it’s important to separate emotion from logic especially in the planning stages of a successful small business start up because reality has a very sobering element to it that will feel like PAIN if it meets unrealistic expectations or a vague definition for success.  Trust me on that one.  It’s worth noting that building a successful small business can be very rewarding and can even lead to a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment, but it won’t make you happy and neither will success.  Looking back I’d say the most important part of being an entrepreneur, starting a business, or creating a business plan is to define success. So what is a successful small business?

What is a Successful Small Business?

It’s no wonder that entrepreneurs struggle when it comes to defining success in their small business and without a clear idea of what success looks like it’s almost impossible to form a goal to work toward.  I’ll admit to working my tail off for over 7 years on a business so I could be successful and only after the fact did I realise my definition of success was “MORE”… If that’s where you’re at right now I’ll help you re-evaluate, re-focus and get on track in just a minute.  Here is Dictionary.Com’s definition of success:

Successful:  suc·cess·ful

• achieving or having achieved success.
• having attained wealth, position, honors, or the like.
• resulting in or attended with success.

So as an adjective we have to dig a little deeper and see what they say about the definition of Success:

Success (Definition)

• the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
• the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
• a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
• a person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show.
• Obsolete . outcome.

After looking at these definitions of successful and success you’ll notice that it assumes an intended outcome or a goal. After all you can’t have a successful performance if the outcome isn’t defines.  One could say the team was successful because they won;  The score was 42-32 so we won by ten points and were successful.  Being successful in small business isn’t usually that clear cut unless we make it that way.  I’ve also learned from experience that “winning” isn’t always an intelligent goal either especially if it requires someone else losing. (Sorry Charlie Sheen)

Ask yourself how many cut throat entrepreneurs you know who are happy? 

If being the winner means the business owner willing to accept the least in terms of profit or lifestyle, do you really want to be the winner? I don’t.  Comparative logic can and does help in defining success for a small business, but it’s only a part.  A large scale business may have a goal of 35% market share.  It’s a good goal, it’s measurable and it’s a common element of  a successful business but I’d argue it more a part of a plan than a goal.  Think of the plan as a map that gets you too the goal.  A good plan helps you stay focused and make decisions in the moment that will move you in the direction of your goal.

A successful small business is a business that has met or exceeded the intended outcomes the entrepreneur has defined as goals for that business.

While that seems like a pretty clear cut statement it’s important to understand that success is not a destination it’s a journey (excuse the cliche).  One exception might be when we create a business specifically for the end goal of selling it, but the new owner will no doubt be left with the responsibility of continuing to grow the business or position in a way that meets the new goals he or she has for the enterprise.  The point is that you’re better off finding that you need to change your goal like this smart lady did than not having one in the first place.

Biggest Myths of a Successful Small Business

Over the years I’ve learned there is a pattern to most successful small business ideas and one of the elements that is always present is the idea that you have to start somewhere and for most entrepreneurs that somewhere is where you’re at right now.  I think this is why our definition for success in our small business has to be a fluid concept that can change and grow as we do as entrepreneurs.  We all have bills to pay and personal life goals like providing for our family or creating a certain lifestyle and these should play a part in defining success for your business so you can create clear goals. If the main reason you are starting a business is to make money, good luck.  Yes money is a part of it but it’s not the end all and when your small business isn’t making money (and it may not) it will be almost impossible to continue in difficult times.  Here are some of the myths that I’ve had in journey to build successful small businesses:

• Beating someone else because of a resentment would make me successful.
• Being able to quit my job.
• Being able to have 100% time freedom.
• Being able to have other people do all the work.
• Being able to make all the money I want.
• Being able to do what I love.

These are all reasons and motivators I’ve bought into at one point or another and I’ve found them all to be quite empty at the end of the day.  New business ideas available on the Internet offer new possibilities to create really cool outcomes with simple home based business ideas.  My Internet business is one of these “new” business ideas that create a very scalable and profitable business with little to no operating expense.  While I still am extremely motivated by time freedom or at least the ability to control my free time I understand that the only real and lasting reason to start a successful small business is because I can.  We live in a country where this is possible, though it is difficult, it is still possible and I have the personal belief that this is an optional reality that is often taken for granted.

We live in a place where we can bless someone and get paid for it. (though we should do it anyway)  We can create value that people willingly trade money for and prosper because of it.  There are many different paths to providing for the necessities of life and our families, being an entrepreneru is one of them and I like to think it is foundational to the system we live in today.  Becoming a successful small business owner will create possibilities that other methods of earning won’t and I’ve experienced that first hand.  Getting a top job in your field of interest is a process that includes things like studying hard, going to college, learning people skills, learning how to interview, and such.  Becoming a successful entrepreneur is no different in that it’s also a process.  The process is similar in some ways and different in others.  In my experience the process of becoming a successful entrepreneur has included things like becoming comfortable with the concept of failing, the willingness to try something new, believe in myself, develop character like persistence, confidence, critical thinking skills and honesty.

Defining Expectations And Business Ideas

Some business ideas are suited to do things that others simply can’t at the present time.  Scalability is one of the crucial elements of any business idea and is, in some ways, the ceiling on expectations.  I would say that the McDonald’s business model isn’t scalable, obviously that isn’t true because the franchise is everywhere and if has been a successful business model no doubt.  But for me and my life goals it, or a business like it, is of no interest to me.  When I think of scalable I think in direct terms of impact on my lifestyle and my personal goals as a person and an entrepreneur.  One of the business I started that grew into a multi-million dollar business with over 35 employees wasn’t scalable because it had a risk exposure problem, namely I took on all the risk.  That was a commercial construction company and I operated mainly as  subcontractor with very little control over cash flow and less over variable expenses.  It was a high stress environment and only promised to get worse as time went on.  Are there successful entrepreneurs in that industry?  Yes, but it wasn’t right for me.  I’ve learned so much from that first enterprise I started the most significant of which is how important it is to define success and learn what it is you as the owner want from your business.  The businesses you start will define how you live, what you do each day, and how fulfilled you are in life in general.

Most people, myself included, start the business that they “can”….

This “business” usually is attached to a specific skill or talent they’ve learned at a job or trade school and the business is quite often born in what Micheal Gerber (wikipedia) calls an “entrepreneurial moment”.   The obvious reason people do this is because most of us are living lives that could be better defined as damage control that purpose driven vision, know what I mean?  All this is fine, it works out in the end because in reality wherever you want to go will begin with where you’re at.  One of the things that really helped me get clear on what I wanted from my business or better yet what I wanted my life to look like was an exercise in a book my Micheal Losier called the law of attraction.  It was an exercise on gaining clarity about what you really want in life and it was the catalyst for me to start an online business in the beginning.  Here is that worksheet in PDF format if you want to use it.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about expectations it’s that they are not targets and they are rarely “hit”…. It seems something either fails to meet at expectation and ends in frustration or it exceeds an an expectation ending in elation.  Sometimes I think the whole point of attempting to define expectations is realize the futility that they bring.  I’d rather have a bag of “if this happens then I’ll do this” (aka contingency plans) than a bag of expectations any day.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on creating good goals, successful businesses and managing expectations below in the comments. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.  Thanks!

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There is a boat load of information online on how to do affiliate marketing for beginners and it isn’t my intention to add to the noise with this post but to share some insight into the successful affiliate marketing mindset you need to develop as a beginner.  I’m also going to show you a resource specifically for those of you WordPress users who are building a profitable affiliate marketing business.  I get a lot of comments and emails from people asking what the best way to start an online business is and I usually respond with one of two answers: Blogging or Affiliate Marketing.

They really go hand in hand and are the foundation of a successful business that operates completely online.  That isn’t to say that you should only consider a business that is run exclusively on the Internet.   I’ve owned and still own businesses that operate off line, online, and I’m currently developing two that do both.  Affiliate marketing can make any business more profitable as another form of marketing, but this article is going to focus on how to do affiliate marketing for beginners online.

Affiliate Marketing Coaching for Beginners

In order to build a real business you have to really get the right mindset.  Coaching for affiliate marketing that doesn’t include the importance of the correct mindset won’t be effective.  Successful mindsets make successful employees, entrepreneurs,parents, and athletes but each mindset is different, isn’t it?  I heard an analogy that told the story of bringing water to a city.  The story clearly revealed the correct mindset that you need to have in order to build a successful affiliate marketing business as a beginner. Here is the story:

There was a town called opportunity and the town didn’t have water readily available in the city limits so people would get up every morning, grab buckets and go out to where the water was and carry buckets. One day an ambitious young man named Bill got the idea that instead of going to his job everyday he could just carry water for people and they would pay him.  He realized he could make more money carrying water for the towns people.  So he went and bought some buckets and started carrying water. People loved it and soon more people wanted him to carry water that he could handle so he hired a couple employees to help him. Then Bill bought a truck and a trailer to keep up with the demand. Life was good, he was making money and people were loving the fact that they didn’t have to carry water any more.

NOTE:  The story so far, pretty accurately depicts a self employment opportunity for Bill and jobs for his employees.  If this guy quits carrying water, he quits getting paid. I’ve been self employed and still am really, but there is a big difference between being self employed and owning a business. You should do both.  Read the second part of the story below:

One morning as BOB was watching Bill’s bucket carriers bringing water to the city and he got an idea.  Bob started contacting people and buying supplies, and pipe.  Bill went out and had another well dug and he started building a pipeline from the well to the city.  People would laugh at Bob, saying he was crazy, after all he wasn’t making any money at all and the pipeline wasn’t getting done very fast.  Bob kept at it though, he learned the things he needed to learn (coaching)  about building a pipeline and was persistent in his efforts.  About 8 months latter Bob had completed his pipeline.  The towns people had never seen a pipeline and frankly they thought Bob was off his rocker and wondered why he would waste so much time building the pipeline.  Well on morning Bob went out to the town square and turned the valve on his pipeline and water came rushing out. People were amazed.  Bill was out of business because Bobs water was much less expensive.

Bob built a business.  A business is a system or set of systems that work together to create a desired result.  Usually those results have something to do with using resource efficiently, the two most common resources are time and money.

If you want to know how to do affiliate marketing the right way, think of building a pipeline in stead of carrying buckets.  Learn how to build an affiliate marketing business system that works.  Sure there are some smart “bucket carrying” tactics too and they should be a part of any beginners business model, but when you start with a plan to build a real business you’re always building toward that even while you’re bucket carrying in the beginning.  The time to have a map is before you go into the woods.

Affiliate Marketing “How To” For Beginners

One of the crucial keys to learning how to do affiliate marketing as a beginner is getting the correct information and Internet business coaching.  There are literally hundreds of TACTICS you can implement in affiliate marketing.  But tactics alone won’t help you build a successful online business with affiliate marketing.  What beginners lack is a solid plan, with clear steps from the beginning to the end.  Sorting through the noise has become almost impossible and it has created a ridiculous learning curve for beginners tying to master affiliate marketing.  That is precisely why affiliate marketing coaching is crucial for beginners to succeed with it online.

Like I said, the time to have the map is Before you go into the woods.

Here is your affiliate marketing for beginners map:

Best Affiliate Marketing Coaching for Beginners

Go and listen to Anik one of the most profitable online business entrepreneurs and ex-googler.  He has made a fortune online and, you guessed it, he chose affiliate marketing as his vehicle to reach his online income goals.  Anik has opened a 15 week affiliate marketing coaching program for beginners and it’s the best affiliate marketing coaching for beginners  you’ll find anywhere~ Trust me on that one.

Go and watch the video (it’s 8 minutes long) and you’ll see that Anik is for real.  I believe this program will be the biggest contribution he has the online world including his time at Google.  If you want to learn how to do affiliate marketing as a beginner, this is the first step in creating some different results in 2012.

Go listen to what Anik has to share with you and get a affiliate marketing road map that will take years off you learning curve, show you how to build a real business online, and teach you affiliate marketing like nothing else.

Affiliate Marketing With WordPress

I just got an email about a profitable platform that affiliate marketers are using to make more money with their wordpress sites. If you are using wordpress to build you online business, I recommend checking it out.  If you’ve been at affiliate marketing for a while of have had a web presence for a couple years, you’ve noticed some big changes over the last year.  This platform has the most current and relevant strategies to build you online business.  It addresses the challenges social media has brought to SEO and just about every other change that is affecting your online business.  From panda to personalized search, these guys have some of the most valuable information, plug-ins, and strategies. Again, if you use Word Press and you make money online, you should look into this.

Get Internet Business Coaching for 2012

Thanks for reading.  If you have questions or comments let us know.  I can’t stress the importance of getting good Internet business coaching for 2012 you’ll succeed much faster and have solid understanding of how to do it right.  If you like this article please share it on twitter, face book, and google +1 .  Share with us some of the challenges you’ve faced in the last year with your online business.  I’ll be writing more on affiliate marketing coaching and sharing more on how to do affiliate marketing for beginners this year I’m currently doing some testing with physical products which is new to me.  Have you had success affiliate marketing physical products?

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From time to time I install a pop-up form on this site that asks visitors the question: “What it your #1 struggle in building a successful business online”. The answer varies widely but I always notice common themes. One of the most common struggles in achieving online business success is always money, which I find odd. Most of the visitors don’t specify what their answer means. I’ve never thought of money as an obstacle to start an Internet business.

I’ve been writing about doing business on the Internet for years and one of my most common themes is how some of the best Internet business models are essentially free. When I first started online back in 2005 I started a couple free blogs. When I say free, I mean it. I didn’t pay a penny. Those blogs and a few others I created have made me thousands of dollars over the last 5 years. There is a tip. If you don’t have money to start an Internet business then the best Internet business for 2012 is to start one that doesn’t cost money. I’ll share more resources and how-to articles later in this article.

In order to have a viable Internet business online in 2012, you have to make money. If you have some idea that you are completely in love with then see if it will make money. If it doesn’t then move on, you don’t have to drop the idea, but if it doesn’t make any money, it’s just an idea not a business. Essentially there are only a few real ways to make money with online with an Internet business. Yes, there are thousands of tactics, strategies and methods, but they all fit into these 3 categories. Trust me. If you are evaluating an Internet business idea that doesn’t do one of these 3 things, it isn’t a business.

The best Internet business model integrates all 3 of these categories and you can verify that for yourself. Just go look at the most popular online business sites or bloggers or whatever… Every Internet business must do at least ONE of these three things, the Best Internet Business for 2012 does all 3:

1. Make money selling someone else’s products.
2. Make money selling your own products.
3. Help someone who is doing #1, #2, or both.

UPDATE: I’m including a third option to make money with your Online business, which is “get paid to” opportunities. There are several ways to make money by taking surveys, writing, reviewing products and more. While I don’t consider these ways to build a viable Internet business in 2012, you can use them to make money. I’m creating a resource that outlines the top ways to make money on the Internet right now.

Every Internet business falls into one of those categories, the best Internet business does fits into all three. When I first discovered this I was a bit taken back and, to be honest, a bit overwhelmed. First off I didn’t have my own products to sell, let alone have a clue how to develop them. I wasn’t sure how I could sell someone else’s products either, it sounded like a lot of work. I did understand what it meant to help someone else sell their own products or someone else’s. I learned about creating niche websites which is just a website that focuses on one topic. This, in turn, creates a targeted audience and these “Targeted Audiences” are a hot commodity to those selling products in that niche. This site is one example of a niche site. It isn’t as focused as it used to be but it still services the “business ideas” niche. I cover just about any type of business on this site but most focus on small home based business ideas and Internet business models. I also dabble in network marketing and affiliate marketing here on this website.

Making Money Selling Someone Else’s Products

This is probably one of the most popular online business models and it has many different names. The most common name is affiliate marketing. Have you heard of affiliate marketing? Not all business model’s that pay you a commission when you sell a product are referred to as affiliate marketing opportunities. It would be a lot simpler if they were. When you sell someone else’s product and they pay you a commission you are said to be an affiliate of that product.

Affiliate Marketing Business Model

I’ve done my fair share of affiliate marketing and I continue to use affiliate marketing as a top income stream here on this site as well as on other sites I own. I go into greater detail on making money with affiliate marketing on a page I’ve created with the same name. There is a link to that page below. Here are some other traditional affiliate marketing models:

• Pay per action: You get paid when you encourage someone to do something.
• Pay per lead: You get paid when you encourage or promote an offer that results in a “lead”.
• Pay per call: You get paid when someone makes a phone call.
• Pay per view: You get paid for each view you promote, like a video or banner ad.

These are some of the most common ways you can get paid selling someone else product through the affiliate marketing business model. Once you have a targeted audience set up it is a good way to earn money and over time it becomes somewhat passive. I’ll share more information about affiliate marketing and you can go here if you want to learn how to make money with affiliate marketing.

Network Marketing Business Model

I’m sure you’ve heard of network marketing or MLM or Multi-level marketing. This is another way to earn money with an online business without having your own product. There are thousands of multi-level or network marketing companies, some have been around for decades. Some network marketing companies are successful online, but not many. Network marketing has always been a people business and most MLM’s are still an off-line business model. I’ve only seen a couple that are successful online. If you have some targeted traffic to a website or blog and you feel a network marketing opportunity would convert well get in touch with me or visit the page I wrote on the best network marketing opportunities that work online.

Network marketing or MLM’s allow you to get paid to promote the parent company’s products and you also get further compensation when you build a team (down line) of people doing the same thing. I have a love/hate relationship with network marketing and only consider it as a viable business if the opportunity is relevant, add real value, and can be done online. Over the last five years I’ve found one that meets all three of those criteria. You can read more about it on the article I wrote about the best network marketing opportunity for 2012.

The Business Opportunity Business Model

The business opportunity business model is another profitable business idea that lets you make money in your online business by selling someone else product. The business opportunity model falls under some FTC guidelines and I’ve written an extensive article about the business opportunity business model. Essentially when you promote a business opportunity you earn money when someone else buys the right to promote the business opportunity. This may sound odd, and I think it is, but essentially that is the name of the game.

Most business opportunities have real products that you likely will have to buy yourself to earn money when other people buy them. I was involved with a business opportunity in the very beginning of my online business; it is actually what got me started blogging and learning how to make money with an Internet business. Here is my $.02 on business opportunities: Essentially you are paid to recruit. If you like recruiting and are good at it, you can make serious cash. It is the least passive business model I’ve used online. Make sure you have your legal paper work in place. Make sure you are prepared to refund people’s money.

There are some really profitable business opportunities out there. Some of the most profitable business opportunities have commissions of $1,000 and up some up to $5,000…. Big pay days. One of the income streams I use on a couple of my sites is selling ad space to people who promote business opportunities online. When I say they are profitable I’m not only citing my own experience in past but also the long term advertisers I sell ad space to on my small network of sites. You can learn more about biz ops by reading my report on the business opportunity business model.

That wraps up my examples of the best Internet business ideas for 2012 where you make money by selling someone else’s product. Do you have any other good ideas that fall in to this category?

What are some of the most clever ways you’ve seen to earn money with the Internet selling someone else’s products?

Make Money Selling Your Own Product

Essentially, just about every successful and profitable online business entrepreneur got that way by developing his own products and selling them online at some point. I’ve also learned that most of the top income earners online didn’t start out that way. I currently know a have dozen full-time Internet entrepreneurs who don’t have their own product and they enjoy a $250,000 per year income online. I say this because it can be scary creating your own product; I’m currently working on that right now. The bottom line is; not having your own product is absolutely no reason to not start an Internet business in 2012 and work hard to get where you want to be. The best Internet business model isn’t all about you and your own products anyway; it’s about adding value and owning a unique spot in the market place.

There are several ways you can develop a “product “ that can only be found in one spot, your website. It doesn’t need to be a paid product either, one of the most profitable methods online is what is called the funnel. Many people use their own product as the first step in the funnel and monetize traffic with affiliate marketing offers. So what are some of the ways you can use your own product to enhance your Internet business and make more money online 2012?

Well, I’ve seen a lot of different products and I feel the most important product of all is a free report. Even those top income earners I mentioned who don’t even have their own product that they sell, have a free report. The free report is one of the key elements to building a list of targeted prospects who you can later market paying products to. This is an older method of online marketing but it still works. It actually works a lot better if you have a targeted audience that is passionate about your topic. More and more people just don’t have time for emails, BUT if they have a passionate interest in the topic you’ve chosen, you are in luck.

One of the businesses I currently own is a Farm Fresh Produce Market. People are passionate about the food they eat, some people. The customers who stop at the market are very interested in food. They have learned the importance good food has in overall health. I’ve build a couple different websites related to vegetables, gardening, and fresh produce and I suspect that this will turn into a profitable Internet based business over time. I don’t assume this because the niche is SOOO profitable, because it isn’t. But the people in this niche are passionate about the topic. If I can find a good way to add value to this niche I will be paid handsomely for it for sure.

The Top Product Ideas for Internet Businesses

I spend more time online than most people spend at work and I’ve seen a LOT of different products that work to monetize an Internet business. I recently came across a product that I absolutely wanted to buy; in fact it was the exact offering I would like to have for my own online business. I couldn’t afford the product #1, and #2 I’ve basically already been through the product in that I’ve studied the basis of the product for years. I don’t remember but think the price was $3,900.. Maybe I could create a product along these line that was much cheaper??? Hmmm.

I guess the point is that even if you go out in the woods for a month and create a product you can sell in your Internet business, it won’t be original and it doesn’t need to be. Very few of the top product ideas I’ve seen for Internet business entrepreneurs are completely original and when they are they are many times very insignificant. But guess what, it’s still your own product and having your own product goes a long way to producing credibility.

• Some of the best Internet business entrepreneur product offerings I’ve seen fall into these categories:
• Services you can offer like web design, marketing services, SEO, other consulting.
• Software that solves a problem or automates a tedious task.
• An e-book program that teaches people how to do something.
• A resource for doing something in an efficient manner.
• A report intended to reproduce a significant result.
• A membership website that offers unique content and value.
• A book.

These are just a few of the products I’ve come across that play a vital role in the financial well-being of many Internet based business ideas. I could go on and on about product ideas that the best internet business entrepreneurs use to make more money online, but it would be more effective to pose a question: What could you do, teach, or assist someone in that is relevant, unique, and worthwhile? That would be a good way for you to create your own product for your online business.

If you currently have a website or blog you could ask your visitors what would benefit them the most and create a product as a solution to their main problem. ( a test I’m currently doing)

Make Money By Helping Someone Else Make Money

The next way most profitable Internet businesses make money is to help someone sell their own or someone else’s products. The simple way of saying that is make money by selling advertisement in one of many of its varied forms. One of the most popular ways to make money online is blogging, and this is the most popular way to help someone sell their products. Essentially you’re connecting vendors with customers. Once you’ve developed an audience as a blogger you can sell advertising. There are smart ways to do this that offer a solid income and there are some not so smart ways to do this that may pay well for a while, then go bust. Many bloggers turn to AdSense as their key money maker, as I did early on.

The problem with relying on an advertising platform like AdSense is that it can go away at any time. One of the things I learned the hard way was that it isn’t smart to build your Internet business model around one platform. I would have been doing things completely differently if I never would have applied for AdSense and I would have been making a lot more cash faster.

I’ll update this post with more resources for each topic as I’ve written extensively on these topics previously on this website.

Feel free to ask questions or add to this article in the comments, we always appreciate it.

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If your looking for a place to get started with a real online business idea that makes money everyday your in for a treat because I’m going to share an easy online business idea for beginners in 2012 ( Actually 2 ideas ). NOTE: Read the first couple paragraphs then answer the question and choose the path that describes you. This is a smart business idea for beginners because it gets you started actually doing things that make money right away as it teaches you how to go about building a profitable online business over time.  There are several top nothch “earn money with a website” courses that are filled with great information and if you apply it they DO perform well, problem is most don’t apply the information.  There is a big Gap between knowing and doing.  That is why I think this is one of the best business ideas for beginners in 2012.

Most beginners looking for good ways to make money from home aren’t web experts but they are many times very motivated.  They have drive and desire but lack knowledge and skills required to make money EVERY day, and that is the trick online.  Think about this, you don’t have to earn that much everyday to make a significant difference in your monthly income.  Let’s say to make 30 bucks a day online, not much money right?  Well $30.00 x 30 days = $900.00 right? Making nine hundred dollars a month isn’t a full time income but it will go along way toward paying some bills won’t it?  I share this example because this is how I’ve created a full time income from home over the last few years.  Here is the thing though, I didn’t make hardly ANY money at all for the first 18 months. I can start a website now and earn money within the first week usually. So answer This Question: Do you currently have a website or blog that has decent traffic (100 visitors a day) and are earning a few bucks? If your answer is YES continue reading and I’ll share an easy way to make a lot more money.  If your answer is NO and you’re literally looking for the best online business you can actually start building today that is NOT a Biz Op scam and will actually make good money visit the article I wrote on the best business opportunity for beginners and get started.

Passive Income Business Ideas

Here is the trick though, what I’ve learned how to do is find the best business ideas that let me earn these small incomes that are RECURRING. I’ll work my tail off to set something up that earns $30 a day over and over and over and over…. You get the picture.

The foundational idea of a business is that it utilizes systems to earn money.  The best business ideas online are just great systems that you use to automate the process of earning money.  So it’s best to look for biz ideas that require you to invest time into a system that over time creates passive income.  A website that earns income is one example of  a business system.  Within my network of websites there are dozens of “money making systems” I set up when I created the sites and I continue to implement new business  ideas that are profitable and are passive income business ideas.  The things that I DO on a regular basis to earn money are skill based and improve over time.  This stupid simple business idea shows those skills in action.  I never used to make money directly through article marketing, I did it build better rankings and increase web presence.  Now I can use this idea to actually earn money in the process.  I get a lot of traffic to my network of small business websites and many of the people who visit already have a home business of some sort.  Now I can actually over them something of great value, and (as an aside) give them a way to earn $100 Bucks a day and more.  Another reason I think this is a great business idea for a beginner.

Best Beginner Business Ideas

I think one of the problems faced by most would be entrepreneurs online is that they don’t feel they have anything of value to offer at first and they lack credibility.  The best beginner business ideas need to address that and this one does. Most people who are promoting a home business, and mlm, a network marketing company or a direct sales company are all looking do do what?  Generate leads. The most important (and difficult for some) thing about these business models is generating leads. If you have no prospects to talk to you don’t have any money to count either. Right? This obvious and simple solution will take care of that problem, it will also pay you directly and give the person you just helped out a boost in business and a new way to earn money. Crazy simple, but very effective.

When I first started my online business I used a free blogging platform, why? Because it was free.  What if I had used a blogging platform that was a system that actually PAID me?  That’s a novel idea huh?  Once you actually decide to create a business website online you be ahead of most every beginner with this simple business idea.  Granted it won’t make you rich, but because of the value it offers up front and the fact that it offers 100% commissions paid directly to you on a daily basis, it will be a source of steady cash.  Believe me when I say, “these Ideas are not easy to find”.  Amoung all the hoopla and hype finding  good business ideas for beginners is like finding needle in a haystack.

If you are serious about starting an online business and want to create a business website online this is a great way to make money each day with it.  Not only is this a great way to monetize a website you already have, it’s a great way to establish a web presence to begin with .  You’ll be solving one of the biggest problems for online business (lead generation) for someone and making some cash in the process.

Is this the Perfect Business Idea for You?

I’ll define and share with you the person who this is a perfect idea for, it will work for a ton of different people, but this is the “exact match.  The person who is using the Internet to build a networking marketing business or promote an MLM is a perfect fit.  Top Tier business opportunity promoters are included in the “perfect match”  If you have a Face Book account or a website that deals with earning money from home or the like, this is a perfect fit and will make money.  NOTE: this doesn’t take the place of a primary business you are promoting, it will help it immensely when you follow the stupid simple system.  If you already have a personal blog or website this is no more difficult, only you can actually make some money.

Are you earning a few hundred dollars a month with google and making an occasional sale with ClickBank?  Again, this is a great opportunity to earn 100% commisions, and it Converts.  Clickbank is great, but do you know how long it took me to find products that actually convert? About 2 years.  The main reason this converts so well is that it offers a proffesional way market online for a complete beginner, the reason it is a good business idea is that it offers 100% recurring commisions every stinking month, and people are earning money with it themselves so attrition is low.

I’ve been delayed in obtaining the rights to share this 100% commision based idea. If your interested in one of the top ways I’ve ever found to monetize “online business” or “make money from home website” Put your email in the form just below and I’ll forward it to you when we work out the details. Look for the Subject “100% commisions daily” or something similar. Fill out the Form Below and I’ll get you the details ASAP.

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1. What is the Best Online Business? You don’t have to invent the next Microsoft or Face-Book...

You don’t have to invent the next Microsoft or Face-Book to start a hugely successful online business and, in fact, starting an online business is much easier than most people think. So what is the best online business?  While several good online business ideas come to mind a few really stand out as being sound business start up ideas  that a very large number of people could choose as their very own business start up for 2012.  I think good entrepreneurs often times are able to look at what is going on in their community and spot good markets that are ripe with opportunity and it really is no different on the Internet, it’s just a much bigger community. Over the last few years I’ve feel I’ve found the best way to make money from home and I didn’t need to hire one employee or buy a store front.

Newer Internet companies like iContact and even Twitter at some point followed this simple formula of “looking around the community” to find opportunity.  Here is the thing though, when I think of the best online business to start I keep it a whole lot more simple than an email marketing company or the next big social media giant and so should you…..  There are huge opportunities in the online business industry and some are very accessible to just about anyone.

Granted, if you have the vision and passion to create the “next big thing”, by all means carry on.  I wish you all the best.  Over the last several years I’ve noticed most visitors here are looking for a business online they can create to earn some extra money and most want to do it in their spare time.  I’ve met dozens of college students that have built a profitable online business and many of them consider this the best business for them because they can do it without a lot of risk, time or money.  They can at least get started without much of those three, and that is important to first time entrepreneurs. I wrote an article on the best way to make money from home for beginners just last week.

What is the Best Online Business?

I’ve had less than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur so I don’t attempt to be an expert.  But I have had experience with successful offline, more traditional, business model AND online business ideas.  There is a big difference between an online business and a brick and mortar business, depending on the online business you choose to start.  The thing that interest me most about a business model is scalability.  I like to ask myself:  Am I going to love this business if it is actually successful?

I’ve learned the hard way that not all businesses scale well and when they don’t it really sucks.  So I would say the best online business is one that scales, for sure.  Another important element to me when choosing the best online business is how much work will be require to maintain the business.  This question can be answered many times by analysing the systems in place that turn the busines idea into a real online business.  For example, if you start an online business by writing web content for people, it will be difficult to get paid if you decide to stop writing, it isn’t much of a business model.  It is a decent self-employment model and some people do well with it.

The Internet is wonderful, in that it creates so many possibilities to implement ideas and that creates a ton of opportunity.  Lets go back to the example of the article writing online business.  Let’s say that same person who enjoys writing article decided to write some article and create a website with those articles.  Then our aspiring author contacted some folks who might sell products or services that relate to those articles and invited them to consider advertising on his new site.  This is one way to create an online business out of skill you might already possess and the Internet makes this possible. I’ve done it several times.

I would say the best online business ideas are ones that let you do just that, turn a skill you already have or can acquire into a business system that allows you to get paid over and over.  While this might sound easy, it really isn’t.  First off it is difficult to do something, especially in the beginning, that you don’t know will work.  There is a big difference in writing 10 articles for $100 and writing ten articles and then posting them to a website. You have to learn how to set a website up, you have learn what a good “niche” to write about would be from a commercial standpoint, then you have to learn how to get traffic to your website.  All this has to be done before you’ll earn a penny, and that is difficult for people who may not have attempted it before. The good thing is it is easy to learn these things very quickly today, I found a membership site the other day that teaches this stuff in a brilliant way.  I’ve essentially came to the point on my own where I do most of what they teach, but it took me over 3 years to do it.

The Best Online Business For Beginners

Actually if you looking for the best online business, the one I just described has many different names and nuances, but I’m telling you from personal experience it is one of the best online businesses to start for a lot of reasons.  If you want an online business that you can create a significant, recurring income with that will pay you bills and then some, it is a great business model.  Back in 2004 I started looking for the best way to start an online business and creating blogs or websites that earn money is a major component of that business today.

Knowing what is the best online business for a beginner should take several important factors into consideration, here are a few of them.  First off you probably don’t have a whole lot of money to risk when your first starting out, so don’t.  It’s unlikely that first business a young entrepreneur tries will end being the “jackpot” business idea of the century, so don’t try to become Donald Trump overnight. Create a realistic, but meaningful, goal and stick to it untill you’ve realized your goal.  One of my early goals was to create an online business that earns $3,000 per month in a very passive way.  I didn’t care how hard I had to work in order to create that business, I just wanted to know that once I did the work the business would continue to pay me over and over, month after month.  I figured if I could meet that income goal with my online business I would have the “breathing room” I need to make good decisions and take advantage of more opportunities as they arose.  That was my goal, it meant something to me and it was a compelling goal to.  That goal inspired me to work, a lot, and I knew it would be worth it. If your looking for ideas to get started making money online you could read guest post I wrote on the “Best Home Business Ideas for 2012“.

The best online business, or any business for that matter, for a beginner to start is one that can create a compelling result worth working hard for.  I’ve been the “business opportunity” bit too,  while I don’t recommend it and didn’t have directly favorable experience, it did help me clarify what I wanted out of the business I started.  It helped me to define my “best online business”, so to speak.   I wanted what these business opportunity recruiter were selling, which was basically just time and money.  At that point I had had both, but never at the same time.  It seemed like I worked 90 hours a week and it didn’t matter if I have $150,000 in the bank.  And when I had a lot of time, usually in the winter, I was broke.

Choosing the Best Online Business

Another good point to make about choosing the best online business to start is to say:  Make sure you start a business that you are truly passionate about and interested in.  The chasing money game never turns out well.  When you are deciding what type of business you are going to start online, make sure you have  a deep seated reason for starting it.  For many people, myself included, the result that the business will create is the where the passion comes in.  When I started building websites that make money every month I could have started some in the home security niche, there was a ton of money to be made in that niche.  But I had no real interest in the topic so I picked something else I was interested in and I’ve actually earned more money because of it.

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