How To Simplify Building A Successful Online Business
In my role as a Coach and Mentor, I spend many hours helping people learn how to simplify building a successful online business. Our business can be overwhelming when you are starting out and it is easy to fall into the traps of distraction and complexity.
Here are 3 pointers that have helped me to stay focused and on track. Perhaps they may be of benefit to you as well.
1. Stick With The Training - ONLY
Wealthy Affiliate (WA) offers immense value and opportunities to learn, get involved, share and get distracted. Very often, I see members, especially those who have just gotten started, sharing how confused they are.
More often than not, it is because they strayed away from the core training and started to get too involved in the community too early. From the get-go, we are encouraged to begin supporting others. That's great BUT most members end up staying in that zone way too long.
Before long, you are wrapped up in other members' issues, questions and concerns that really have no direct impact on you, your learning or your business.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
Stick with the core training!
Get the basics down pat and master them. Go over it as often as you need to. There is a lot to digest and when you do you will find enjoyment in being able to fly around, flutter and land where you choose, with confidence.
2. Focus On YOUR End Game
Complexity is a real killer. Call me lazy but I like to keep things simple. You may think that having a lot to do keeps you busy and makes things more important.
It doesn't.
What it does do is keep you away from the 1 or 2 things that are most important for you to reach your end game. And it usually boils down to 1 or 2 things, almost everything else can either be delegated, thrown out or placed on the waiting list - to be delegated or thrown out.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
We are in the business of Content & Affiliate Marketing.
There is a reason why 'Content' comes first. It is THE most important aspect of our online business. That means you should be doing 1 of these 2 things each day:
- Working IN your business by doing keyword research, writing quality content and publishing it on your website and/or,
- Working ON your business by updating your existing content, doing additional training and researching trends in your niche.
3. The Grass Is Not Greener On The Other Side
The reality is that the grass is greener wherever you water it.
Again, very simple.
I am always taken aback when I see members investing USD 49.00 or USD 99.00 each month for Premium or Premium Plus membership, respectively, and then getting lost in someone else's garden and smelling their roses.
It makes no sense to me.
If you have invested your money, in WA then make sure that you squeeze every ounce of anything that you can get out of it before you go wandering into someone else's garden, watering and nurturing their produce.
While you are doing that, yours is dying over here and you are the only one to blame.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
Stay here and put everything that is available to you through the juicer.
We have buckets full of opportunities right here - to learn, create, build, grow, network and earn. Stretch them thin and make them work for you.
I shake my head every time I see a member post that they have lost time by drifting off to somewhere else only having to return to WA. By doing that you lose the value of your dollar, your time and the earning potential that you could have been enjoying if you had simply stayed on course.
My Closing Thoughts . . .
The past few weeks, I have been swamped with PMs from members asking me how I have been able to build my earnings so quickly in WA. Well, this should give some insight as to how and why.
Call me frugal. Call me lazy. I welcome both. I do not like to waste my money or my time. If I invest in something I am going to make real sure that I get an excellent return on my investment AND my time.
As I have shared more than once, sometimes - most times - you have to be a little selfish to get ahead. By that, I do not mean being uncaring or unsupportive. I mean seeing about YOUR business FIRST.
If you really want results, kill the complexity and give yourself a KISS.
Have a restful and rejuvenating weekend!
Cassi
Recent Comments
73
Good morning Cassi,
I hope you're doing well. Thank you for another excellent blog post.
I am all for keeping things simple Cassi, there is absolutely no need to overcomplicate things. I know of one successful Internet marketer and his famous words were; "keep it simple"! How true those words are!
Here at Wealthy Affiliate, we are privileged to have everything we need to start a successful online business. I agree, there are far too many members who are all over the place and trying to answer questions that they don't actually know!
The great thing is that if we stick to the training and take action at every available opportunity, we can quickly grow an online business.
I remember when I first started researching Internet marketing back in 2004, I was trying to learn from all different types of people! This was a very expensive way of learning, I purchased many spam products as I didn't know what was true and what was false. It actually took me three years to get my first moneymaking website up and running. With Wealthy Affiliate, this can be achieved in almost a few days. The fact was that I needed a plan to work to, I didn't have it, but with Wealthy Affiliate, we do have a solid plan!
If you're new here and reading this, the Wealthy Affiliate training really does work, stick with it! Don't be like I was back in 2004 working hard, and yet almost getting nowhere!
I have been at Wealthy Affiliate for nearly 7 years Cassi and I have seen many people come and go. Often I will see a new member come and I can see that they are going to be successful, you were one of them! Roope was another one, too!
Have a great day,
Roy
Roy, what an excellent summary and guide, especially for our new members.
This is something that Partha has been driving home for a few months now - stick with the basics.
Our business is content and that is what we should be focusing on 90% of the time.
Thank you very much for sharing and, as always, your support.
Have a good week.
Cassi
Thank you for your reply, Cassi, it's appreciated.
I think sometimes as humans we think that things have to be more complicated than they need to be! I'm very much with Partha and sticking with the basics.
I agree that the majority of our business is content and 90% of the time we should be focusing on building that content!
Wishing you a great week and hoping you will achieve much.
Roy
So very true, Roy.
Content is our inventory.
Once you stock up with great content, anything is possible.
Have a good day.
Cassi
Thank you for your reply, Cassi.
That's so true, I have blog posts that have been written several years ago and they are still ranking very well.
Have a great day.
Roy
I fully agreed with your sharing.
Stick with core training - WA is our website foundation, great teaching plus great support.
Focus on my content writing because it is my website strength and value. I have the freedom to write for my website, not for everybody (it is impossible) only for a small group of users who trust and support me.
Without watering, no grass is green. I keep my commitment to publish each article on my fixed weekday to keep my website growth stronger.
With your three recommendations, no member should fail to build their website. If you agree, give the writer a "like".
Stephen, this resonates:
"Without watering, no grass is green."
That is so very true! But yet, we often neglect to do our own watering and then wonder why things are not working out the way they should.
Thank you very much for sharing and wish you a great weekend.
Cassi
I am all for keeping things as simple as possible Cassi! As for lazy, that is never a category I would contemplate putting you into!
I totally agree though, watering someone else's grass can be fulfilling, but, at the end of the day, we are all here to nurture and watch our own gardens grow.
I wish you a happy, rejuvenating and restful weekend too my friend!:-)
Nick, you and Jeannine are very kind.
Perhaps it is because I like to keep things organised, structured and to the point. All the frills can get in the way more often than we would like.
Sometimes you just have to zone in and get your stuff done.
Thank you for sharing.
Cassi
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I'm a bit late-as always on WA lol but this is a seriously helpful post thanks Cassi!
Some real gems of information shared here, which are very inspiring and helpful. It's definitely VERY easy to get caught up in other's journeys and challenges, and in doing so, let our own slowly die!
I love your whole approach here, and in general-I think your pretty much the embodiment of working SMARTER NOT HARDER!
Thanks again, hope all is well with you :-)
Hi Mat.
I do not know how I missed your comment.
Please accept my apologies.
Thank you for your feedback and I trust that you are doing well.
How are things in NZ?
Cassi