Pillars of Internet Independence
On Monday morning, just after I had written my first email to you, my friend Matt asked me to help out a subscriber on his website who was interested in getting started online.
I reviewed my notes, going over dozens of OSP newsletters and my OSP e-book, and I came up with what I call…
My “10 Pillars for Internet Independence”
If you follow these 10 principles, none of which involve any sneaky SEO or expensive pay per click tricks, I guarantee that you’ll be able to build a strong business and powerful connection with your readers – and ultimately, the lifestyle you deserve.
Pillar #1 – Ruthless Time & Energy Management
When I was a full-time personal trainer working on my internet business, I would get up at 4:30am to work for 20 minute before
heading to my first 6am client.
And in those focused 20 minutes, I was able to get 2 hours of work done.
With an internet business, where people work at home/on their own schedule, people can have amazing ideas, PPC skills, great copywriting ability, etc., but if they can’t implement, take action, and get the work done, they’ll still struggle.
That’s why ruthless time & energy management is my first pillar. You’ll need to learn to organize, prioritize, stick to deadlines,
fight against email, and delegate the simple tasks.
Here’s a great line I read from my favorite small business mentor, Dan Kennedy: “Always ask yourself ‘where’s the profit in this’?” For example, there are times I’ve read article on a blog and then I spend 10 minutes reading the comments. There is no profit in that. So I need to stay focused. You’ll need that too, and you must always be asking yourself that question.
Great resources: Dan Kennedy’s books, “Ruthless Management of People and Profits” and “No BS Time Management” (all his books are worth getting).
Pillar #2 – Value Creation
Just yesterday I received a newsletter from Dan Kennedy where he summed it up perfectly:
“It is infinitely easier to become a millionaire by becoming the kind of person deserved of being a millionaire and likely to sustain being a millionaire, than it is to pursue just the million dollars.”
Discover your Unique Ability (read Dan Sullivan’s books for more about this) and create value for the world.
Pillar #3 – Passion plus Products plus Personality = Profit
People buy from people they know, like and trust. They want to do business with someone who has a personality they connect with. People follow people that are passionate about their subject.
And being able to create more products allows you to create more value for current clients and offers a new avenue to get additional clients into your business.
Pillar #4 – Have a BIG IDEA that serves a hungry niche market
Almost all markets are crowded, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.
You will need to create something that has a unique hook, something that allows you to stand out from the others in your marketplace.
That’s why it’s so important, as a friend said, to “FOCUS on on thing that interests you or that you can really get passionate about. If you don’t LOVE what you are marketing, then you’ll quickly get bored and quit.”
The entire process won’t be easy…it’s relatively simple, but not easy. And if people don’t love their chosen topic, they tend to quit when things get tough.
Pillar #5 – 1000 Customers gives you $100,000 per year
Fortunately, it doesn’t take a million clients to create a 6-figure income. Resource: Kevin Kelly’s essay on 1000 True Fans
=> http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php
If you have 1000 clients per year at $100, that’s $100K. Now it’s easier to repeat sell to clients (i.e. a membership site like this
one) than to get 1000 new clients every year, so consider that as you plan your business.
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Okay, this is getting a little lengthy and I want to keep these daily posts short, insightful, and motivating, so I’ll save the final 5 Pillars of Your Internet Independence till tomorrow.
To your best year ever,
Craig Ballantyne
“Plan you work and work your plan.” – Nido Qubein