Finding your “why” is overrated

Deciding What Business to Do
General Internet Marketing
Success
18Comments

online-business-why-is-overrated-1I see lots of programs on finding your “why.” This means that you should figure out why you are in business, the deep-down real reason that motivates you.

The idea is that when you know why you’re doing something, you’ll have a deep motivation that drives you to action.

This is a big thing with coaches. It goes something like this.

Why are you in business?

To make more money.

Why do you want to make more money?

So I can improve my life.

Why do you want to improve your life? What would your ideal life look like?

I would be able to take more vacations. I’d be able to give my family the things they want. I could donate money to causes I believe in.

Why do you want those things?

To make my family happy, to make others happy, to make me happy.

 

Supposedly, when you “realize” this, you’ll be more successful.

Really? I don’t think so.

I know this is controversial.

I think we all know that we want money for the happiness it might bring — and by the way, money doesn’t bring happiness.

The insidious side of this

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by Ellen Finkelstein

How to work at home productively and happily

Deciding What Business to Do
General Internet Marketing
Success
12Comments

online-business-work-at-home-1I’m writing this just as many people here in the United States and also around the world have started to work from home.

They are the lucky ones, of course, because many others have simply been laid off or lost their customers. My heart goes out to them and I hope the situation will return to normal as soon as possible.

But for those who are “teleworking,” it occurred to me that my experience of working at home for the last almost 30 years could be helpful.

Similarly, there are many online entrepreneurs who have figured out how to work at home (with or without children) and still be productive and happy.

Why and how I started working at home

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by Ellen Finkelstein

The 4 main ways to make money with online products

Deciding What Business to Do
Products/Services
Selling Products and Services
Success
8Comments

online-business-4-ways-make-money-online-products-1How can you make money with online products? Many people think you just create a product and sell it and don’t realize there are other opportunities as well.

The 4 main ways to make money with online products are:

  • Product Creation
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • Coaching Services
  • Membership Programs

 

Let’s go through each one…

1. Product creation

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by Ellen Finkelstein

Authors! The Quick Book to Business Method

Deciding What Business to Do
Products/Services
Resources
Selling Products and Services
Success
4Comments

I once read that 80% of Americans would like to write a book. But for those that complete that goal, the results are often not what they hoped. John Kremer, one of the top experts on marketing books and author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, says, “The average writer in my experience probably makes less than $100 a year in ebook sales.” And even at $1 per book, that’s only 100 books! He also says you should write lots of books.

Yes, with a lot of promotion, you can do better, but to make serious money, you need to turn your book into a business. Each book you write can become a new stream of income.

How do you do that? By making a free offer in the book and creating a funnel of offers so that readers turn into customers for your products and services.

Authors! The Quick Book to Business ModelI’ve co-written a book with Connie Ragen Green, a wildly successful online entrepreneur and author, that we named Authors! The Quick Book to Business Method: Turning Your Book into an Ongoing Revenue Stream.

In this book we explain: Read More

by Ellen Finkelstein

These are the 4 models for online entrepreneurs

Deciding What Business to Do
Success
8Comments

online-business-4-models-online-entrepreneursWhen people start an online business, they usually copy the model of a successful online entrepreneur they’ve been following. If they hire a coach, they use that coach’s model.

But over the years, I’ve noticed that there is more than one way to success online — and most people ignore that. In fact, even the top performers stick to what has made them successful and rarely try — or recommend something else.

But a different model might be better for you, depending on:

  • Your comfort with risk
  • The amount of money you have to invest
  • The type of daily schedule you want or need
  • Your niche and target market
  • Your comfort with selling
  • And more

I see lots of people stuff themselves into the wrong model. And I see others who could make more money if they added a different model — because you don’t have to stick to just one.

Let’s talk about the 4 models and their pros and cons. Read More

by Ellen Finkelstein