The Online Marketplace

Can you really make money online? The answer is a resounding "Yes!"

First, though, you need to understand how this game really works. The right mindset is crucial to your success.

You've probably come across numerous business opportunities already. After all, since you signed up for this course, I know you're actively searching for information. I hope you haven't become jaded already by the con artists out there who make false promises of over-night riches.

The fact is you can profit significantly and, yes, even quickly once you learn the right way to do business online. So, approach this course with an open mind. It will fill in the pieces for you which, up until now, have been missing.

What E-Commerce is really all about

There’s nothing magic about the Internet. It's really just another medium of communication. The difference between doing business online versus doing business in a brick and mortar establishment is this:

1. Your potential customer base spans across the globe if you so desire. You aren’t limited by your location.

2. Your business operates 24/7. You can still make sales even when the workday ends.

3. Your overhead is significantly lower than it would be in a traditional business, and the barriers to entry are lower as well.

4. You can create non-traditional businesses which have no parallel in the offline world.

As an online entrepreneur, you also enjoy a wider range of options in terms of the type and number of products you sell, their method of delivery and your profit margin after expenses.

Sounds great, right? It truly is an ideal situation for the small, home based business owner; but don’t quit your job just yet.

An online business requires just as much focus and dedication to get off the ground as any other business, so forget about working at home in your underwear right off the bat.

The first thing you need to do is investigate your options. What type of business can you start online? Which businesses are the easiest to set up?

Once you answer these questions, you'll need to learn how to implement your ideas online. How do you drive customers to your site? How do you convince them to buy?

If you already possess some business knowledge and common sense, you're off to a great start. The real challenge comes when you start translating this knowledge to match the rules of online commerce. The game is played a bit differently on the internet.

Technology makes possible so many new twists on customer acquisition and product delivery. Newcomers often have difficulty sorting out the differences between business models versus business strategies.

In other words, a lot the hyped products you've seen in the past had more to do with tuning up existing businesses than they did with creating businesses – but, they're sold to you as instant money makers, even though there’s no real business model behind them.

Don't worry if you don't understand this just yet. We're going to tackle all of these issues and more over the next six days. So, hang tight. We'll begin answering these questions in the next installment of the course.