Linda Jenkinson Web Content Design

Start right and you won’t need to worry about competition… they’ll be worrying about you!

1. Find something you do well that you enjoy doing.
2. Research ways to make money from that ’something’.
3. Plan your work and work your plan

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

That’s a sentence that bears repeating. The best advice I ever received, this advice is never more relevant than for those who freelance and/or work from home.

You may need to schedule free time, but you’ll find that it gives you something to work towards and additionally helps you to be sure to not fritter away your free hours … instead you’ll find that you are doing the things that add true enjoyment to your life. In fact, I think you could substitute the first occurrence of “work” with “life”.

Yet, the definitive word here is ‘work’. Working online is no different than working offline. There are no magic get rich quick schemes here, whether full-time or part-time, just as there is no magic to making money in the brick and mortar world.

What is your experience in sales or establishing a business?

E-Commerce is very competitive. Instead of a few home-town players, you will join a global community of retailers and marketing professionals. If that is your intent, then research your options well and be prepared to spend a substantial sum of money before you make any.

Determine who your competition is by defining your target market and zeroing in on your market niche.

A big element of any successful business is its “unique selling proposition”.

• What can you offer your potential clients that other businesses can’t?
• What can you do better than other providers they may contact?

Define Your Target Market

If you do a search for just about any job, you’re going to find millions of results. How can you compete with them all? You can’t and the good news is that you don’t have to!

Your competitor is anyone who bids on the same project as you. Narrow down your competition by narrowing down your target market. Are you bidding to Fortune 500 companies or just Mom & Pop Shops?

Define your market niche.

• Wholesalers only? Retailers? Service businesses or product businesses? Those who need e-commerce sites or those who just need some static web content and a contact page?
• Define the geographical area your business will serve. What distance from your office are you willing to travel to a meeting?
• Define the range of services you provide. Put together a strategic business plan so that you know where your business is going and what steps you need to take to get there.