| I received the following email from one of my ezine | | | | to sell someone else's products and keep 100% of the |
| readers. He asked a question I am sure is on most | | | | sale instead of a small affiliate commission. |
| peoples mind who want to start a small business. | | | | With the right products and the proper promotion, you |
| What Do I Sell? | | | | can have a profitable small business online. |
| Hi Jim, | | | | With the resale rights, you basically own the products |
| I have been thinking for a long time about what to sell | | | | you are selling and therefore have more control over |
| from a web page, I just can't come up with any good | | | | your product line than you do with an affiliate program. |
| ideas. I have read it many times before, what the | | | | In some instances you can also buy the Master |
| gurus says, it's all about setting up a web page with | | | | Resale Rights which means you can, not only sell the |
| something that I'm interested in & some things that | | | | product and keep all the profit; but you can also make |
| motivates me. | | | | more by selling the Resale Rights. |
| I have lots of interests, but guess what, I just can't see | | | | You should however, be aware that if it is a good |
| how I can make any money on them. | | | | product, you will have lots of competition. After all the |
| So that's my problem, I just can't come up with any | | | | person who sold it to you also sold it to a lot of other |
| good idea, so I just feel a bit frustrated about this. | | | | people. |
| Do you have any advice, what to do in my case? | | | | So to increase your chances of success, you will have |
| By the way, I really enjoy receiving your newsletters, | | | | to go one better than your competition and offer |
| thanks for putting them out. | | | | something that they don't along with the product you |
| Regards, | | | | are selling. |
| John | | | | Use your imagination and be creative. That's called |
| Dear John, | | | | marketing. |
| What to sell? | | | | Franchises |
| That is a question I hear a lot from clients, ezine | | | | Franchises have been around for as long as someone |
| readers and visitors to my website. They are eager to | | | | has had a good idea and allowed others to sell his idea |
| start a business; but the only thing holding them back | | | | under his name for a price, of course. |
| is... What to sell? | | | | Some that come to mind are McDonald's, Wendy's, |
| As John mentions in his very first paragraph, he's read | | | | KFC, etc. you get what I mean. |
| many times that it is always a good idea to pick an | | | | Franchises have not been a real big draw online |
| area that you have an interest in. | | | | because in order to get a really good franchise you |
| This is true for several reasons: | | | | have to make a large investment. But they are around |
| 1. You will be motivated to work at your business | | | | and if they are established will save you a lot of time |
| because you love what you are doing. | | | | branding your product. |
| 2. Also when the going gets rough (and it will) you are | | | | Plus the parent company will help you with your |
| more likely to stick with it instead of giving up. | | | | marketing efforts. |
| 3. If you like what you are doing, it won't seem like | | | | Your Own Info Products |
| work and may even be fun. | | | | Of course, there is nothing like having your own |
| When you can combined your work and your | | | | product to sell. |
| livelihood, that is true bliss. | | | | With your own products, you will have total control |
| How many times have you heard an actor or sports | | | | over your business enterprise. From pricing to |
| celebrity remark in an interview that they not only are | | | | promotion to total profits. |
| doing what they love but getting paid to do it. | | | | You can then have your own affiliate program and |
| Most of my working life has been devoted to self | | | | have thousands of people selling your products for |
| employment. I did, for the most part, what I loved and it | | | | you. Plus you can make more money selling the resale |
| rarely seemed like work. For over 25 years I was a | | | | rights if you wish. |
| Cabinet Maker and woodworker. It was my hobby, my | | | | Thanks to the Information Age and the Internet, it is a |
| livelihood and my passion. | | | | lot easier to produce your own products. If your skills |
| If you have such and interest and/or passion for | | | | and abilities are unique? If you have been alive for any |
| something, consider how you can relate this to | | | | length of time? Your experience is of value and worth |
| someone else with the same interest and make | | | | something to somebody. |
| money doing it. | | | | Take what you know or what you have experienced |
| You don't necessarily have to do the thing, perhaps | | | | and find a niche of other people interested in the same |
| you can just teach someone how to do it or write | | | | thing or want learn about it and you have a business |
| about it and sell the information. "How-To" info | | | | with your own info product. |
| products are one of the best sellers on the Internet. | | | | There is a lot on the Internet to help you create your |
| For example take my cabinetmaking. I don't necessarily | | | | own products. It just takes a little time and effort. But |
| have to build or sell cabinets online. I am sure there are | | | | then doesn't anything worthwhile? |
| a lot of people who would pay for information on | | | | Sell "Stuff" on eBayeBay and the many other auction |
| "how-to" layout and build cabinets from someone who | | | | sites online are not necessarily just to sell junk you got |
| has built cabinets. | | | | out of Grandma's attic. It can also be a business. |
| I didn't exactly do that with cabinetmaking in my online | | | | There are people making a living selling things on online |
| business; but I did draw on my experience of 30 years | | | | auctions. And a good living at that. |
| of running a small business to counsel others how to | | | | There are some rules and regulations; but the |
| do it for themselves. Add to that the Internet and you | | | | exposure is greater than you could muster with your |
| have the makings of a small business selling to a world | | | | own website. |
| wide audience. | | | | There is a lot of information in the form of websites, |
| So lets answer that question: "What to sell?" | | | | ebooks and print books on the subject. |
| There are many products to sell from a website. Here | | | | In Conclusion |
| are just a few ideas: | | | | I am sure there are many more things to sell from a |
| Affiliate Programs | | | | website that I haven't mentioned here but these should |
| The Internet gives you a great opportunity. You can | | | | get you brainstorming ideas. |
| learn as you earn. By that I mean you can sell other | | | | Here is one more piece of advice I will share with you |
| peoples products and earn a commission while you | | | | that is a sure fire way to have a successful product to |
| learn how to market a product, build a website and run | | | | sell. |
| a small business. | | | | One of the best ways to start a business is NOT to |
| Affiliate programs have been around since the Internet | | | | come up with a product to sell and then find people |
| started spawning small business seekers. It is a good | | | | who want to buy it; but to find a NEED that people |
| way to get your feet wet, so to speak, while learning | | | | have and create a business (or product) to fill that |
| the ins and outs of Internet marketing. | | | | need. |
| You don't need to spend the time, effort and expense | | | | Here is an extreme example to make my point. |
| to produce your own product. If you promote some | | | | People who are thirsty will buy water at any price; |
| good affiliate products you can earn some good | | | | however, people who are not thirsty will not buy water |
| money as you learn how to run your small business. | | | | no matter how you try to sell it to them. |
| I have been an affiliate for several companies since I | | | | Or to put it another way: "You can't sell ice to an |
| started marketing online in 1999 and I am still making | | | | Eskimo!" |
| money with them today. | | | | Fill a need or solve a problem and you will have a |
| Do your homework, and don't over do it by signing up | | | | profitable business. |
| for every affiliate program on the web and you can | | | | One last thought. The Internet will allow you to try |
| make some serious money. It will require some work | | | | different things and fail and then try something else, |
| and effort on your part; but isn't that how you learn | | | | without a large investment. |
| and prosper? | | | | I know it is not easy and at times it can be |
| Products with Resale Rights | | | | overwhelming; but the worst thing you can do is |
| Products with resale rights, such as ebooks and | | | | NOTHING. |
| software are becoming very popular lately as a way | | | | |