Which Business Model Is For You?
The Internet is crammed full with tips and techniques for getting started in your online business and it's easy to become overwhelmed by it all. The key to an effective strategy is in understanding your business model. Without a firm grasp of this, all the techniques in the world will be powerless. Understanding how and when to apply these techniques is the basis for a successful venture.
The 3 most popular business models are:
1) Affiliate Marketing
As this is the easiest entry into Internet business, it's little surprise that it is the most popular model. An affiliate programme is open to almost all and free to join, making it an attractive and quick way into the market. Once signed up, affiliate marketers can start to promote products or services straight away. This business model is the most hassle free. It carries no risk as the affiliate marketer does not pay for the creation of the product. They do not handle the customer service side of things and they have no financial outlay to start their online business.
These factors top the list of things people wish to avoid when entering into an Internet business, which is why this type of business model is the most popular. Indeed, it is such ventures that create the Internet ads and banners that we are bombarded with in our daily Internet transactions.
However, this is a case of least effort yielding littlest gain. Only 5 per cent of affiliate marketers make any money and only "Super Affiliates" earn the big bucks.
2) E-book and Information Publishing
At the other extreme are the e-book authors. This business model requires an altogether more structured perspective on Internet marketing. Clearly, larger financial investment is required than for affiliate marketers, there is no something for nothing in this game.
A greater depth of knowledge and understanding is demanded by this model, and more investment is needed to get your online business off the mark. However, although this model requires much more effort, it returns much more profit.
The higher returns are down to simple economics. E-book marketers and "Infopreneurs" have minimal production and maintenance costs. Digital products can be copied and created for nothing. This means that any start-up expenditure is quickly recovered in just a few sales of high-margin e-books. Your Internet business will then appeal to affiliate marketers who will gladly take over the selling.
Naturally, this is a simplified vision. E-book and information publishing takes a lot of hard work but, when done properly, the rewards are plenty.
3) Internet Based Network Marketing
This is the business model which is possibly the best for those trying to break into online marketing but it's the model least understood. Network marketing is frequently confused with affiliate marketing.
Making an effort to understand this business model and putting in the work will pay off in the long term.
The Internet is a tool to help YOU build your business not the means of running it. It's sole purpose is to put you in contact with the people you need to speak to and build a relationship with. Even the most hi-tech computer cannot replace human to human communication. The Internet is the means to let you help others start their own businesses.
The fundamental principle for this is to build a simple system that people can follow and recreate for themselves. The easier, the better. It will require so much more effort to teach others some convoluted system you're not sure you even understand yourself!
Most marketers don't really want to tell you all their hints and secrets. After all, they would merely be creating their competition and nobody wants clever competitors.
Yet, Internet based network marketing can only work if you share all that you know. Here, you will never run a successful online business unless you tell loads of people how to do it. So it makes sense that new entrants to the world of online business start from this business model. It's the best way to learn the ropes. And no one is going to sell you a pup when their own profits depend on your success.
Regardless of which business model feels right for you, it's essential that you understand that model thoroughly. Without doing so, you risk wasting money on things for your business that aren't really appropriate and losing track of any clear direction you once had. Learn to be selective with the information you receive, keep the relevant stuff and discard the nonsense. They key is in learning which is which.
The 3 most popular business models are:
1) Affiliate Marketing
As this is the easiest entry into Internet business, it's little surprise that it is the most popular model. An affiliate programme is open to almost all and free to join, making it an attractive and quick way into the market. Once signed up, affiliate marketers can start to promote products or services straight away. This business model is the most hassle free. It carries no risk as the affiliate marketer does not pay for the creation of the product. They do not handle the customer service side of things and they have no financial outlay to start their online business.
These factors top the list of things people wish to avoid when entering into an Internet business, which is why this type of business model is the most popular. Indeed, it is such ventures that create the Internet ads and banners that we are bombarded with in our daily Internet transactions.
However, this is a case of least effort yielding littlest gain. Only 5 per cent of affiliate marketers make any money and only "Super Affiliates" earn the big bucks.
2) E-book and Information Publishing
At the other extreme are the e-book authors. This business model requires an altogether more structured perspective on Internet marketing. Clearly, larger financial investment is required than for affiliate marketers, there is no something for nothing in this game.
A greater depth of knowledge and understanding is demanded by this model, and more investment is needed to get your online business off the mark. However, although this model requires much more effort, it returns much more profit.
The higher returns are down to simple economics. E-book marketers and "Infopreneurs" have minimal production and maintenance costs. Digital products can be copied and created for nothing. This means that any start-up expenditure is quickly recovered in just a few sales of high-margin e-books. Your Internet business will then appeal to affiliate marketers who will gladly take over the selling.
Naturally, this is a simplified vision. E-book and information publishing takes a lot of hard work but, when done properly, the rewards are plenty.
3) Internet Based Network Marketing
This is the business model which is possibly the best for those trying to break into online marketing but it's the model least understood. Network marketing is frequently confused with affiliate marketing.
Making an effort to understand this business model and putting in the work will pay off in the long term.
The Internet is a tool to help YOU build your business not the means of running it. It's sole purpose is to put you in contact with the people you need to speak to and build a relationship with. Even the most hi-tech computer cannot replace human to human communication. The Internet is the means to let you help others start their own businesses.
The fundamental principle for this is to build a simple system that people can follow and recreate for themselves. The easier, the better. It will require so much more effort to teach others some convoluted system you're not sure you even understand yourself!
Most marketers don't really want to tell you all their hints and secrets. After all, they would merely be creating their competition and nobody wants clever competitors.
Yet, Internet based network marketing can only work if you share all that you know. Here, you will never run a successful online business unless you tell loads of people how to do it. So it makes sense that new entrants to the world of online business start from this business model. It's the best way to learn the ropes. And no one is going to sell you a pup when their own profits depend on your success.
Regardless of which business model feels right for you, it's essential that you understand that model thoroughly. Without doing so, you risk wasting money on things for your business that aren't really appropriate and losing track of any clear direction you once had. Learn to be selective with the information you receive, keep the relevant stuff and discard the nonsense. They key is in learning which is which.