You know without a doubt that there is a real possibility via the Internet to start and be successful at your own business. If you already have your product in mind, you're a step ahead.

If you don't and you have been searching online for ideas, you have undoubtedly found there are plenty. That is good news and bad news. You should do your own research and get a feel for the land but be aware it is very easy to become overwhelmed. There is excellent guidance, advice and ideas to be found and if not careful you will find yourself shelling out quite a lot of money to attain it. Again, that is good for it is an investment yet also bad because there is so much out there that is good you could easily fall into buying more than you need or can afford.

If you have never been in business before (which many of you haven't) and you don't have any sort of business or marketing background, jumping right in with both feet could easily prove disastrous. It is said that 85% of Internet businesses fail. The main reason is lack of planning. Now, that is something you can control and it should not be the contributing factor to potential failure.

You must have a plan. First, you must decide what your business will be. Look at your interests, your passions and where your expertise lies. You certainly can get ideas from opportunities offered on the Internet, but stay away from those that promise you fantastic riches or ask you for up front money plus monthly payments. You do not need to spend money on researching what sort of product you want to sell. Just do your homework.

Once you have determined what avenue you want to take, you must take into consideration time management. If you have always been working a 40 hour week you have had a scheduled time to perform your job. As your own boss, the time is your own. As desirable as that may sound, it can quickly present a problem. You must determine how much time you can devote to your new business. It would be best to keep a time table of the tasks and responsibilities you will have to perform on a weekly basis. If you are easing into this and still keeping your full time job (very advisable), you must take into consideration any family members and their take on it. It is extremely easy to allow distraction and procrastination to filter in and focusing can be quite difficult. Keep your timetable on a weekly basis and stick with it until it becomes habit.

Make sure you register you business name. You can do this through you county recorder's office for a minimal fee (somewhere between $10 - $60). This is if you are setting up business as a sole proprietor which in most cases you will be.

There are two excellent reasons for doing this at the beginning. The first is so it is easy to set up a business checking account. Most banks require your business name registration prior to opening an account. You need a business account separate from your personal account for accounting and tax purposes. The second reason is your website will have your business's name displayed. Even if you request payments to be made out to "Joe Smith", people will still send payments to "Smith Company". If you didn't have a business checking account, it'd end up quite difficult to deposit or cash those payments.

Unless you have unlimited funds, you need to determine how much you can comfortably afford to invest in the beginning. With that figure in mind it is easier to set priorities and the possibility of shelling out money on half researched items, tools or programs becomes less.

As you do your research as to what you will need to begin your Internet marketing venture, remember there is a vast amount of resources and avenues to take. You do not need to invest in everything at once. A step at a time is a wiser choice - and should be part of your total plan.

Linda Eberharter

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TEN THIRTY - the ebook from Atlantic Bridge for all
who are in the early stages of launching an online business.
http://www.atlanticbridge.net/pubs/10-30.htm
Use our experience and expertise to save your time
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