Starting a Home Based Business -- Focus on Firm Foundations for Online Success

Copyright 2006 Dave Foster

If someone were to ask you: "What are the foundations of your Internet Marketing business efforts?", would you have an answer? If you find yourself hesitating for even a moment, then it may be time to rethink this age old concept and figure out how much it effects your current and upcoming online ventures.

We are all taught that a great building is only as strong as its foundations. This analogy is usually used when teaching a life lesson - whether to enforce the importance of a strong base for matters of family, friendships, education, or business endeavors. With bricks and mortar businesses, the concept of a solid foundation is not lost on most people either.

However, when it comes to an online business, this principle seems to slip through the nets of internet business owners. One reason may be that it is much "easier/quicker" to create an online business than a traditional bricks and mortar one. Therefore the importance of creating a solid foundation is often overlooked during the lightening-fast birth of the new enterprise.

In Internet Marketing circles, you frequently hear talk of the "power of focus" (very important when creating a solid business foundation), but being dragged (kicking and screaming) into staying focussed is not going to magically build a solid foundation for your online enterprise.

The sole purpose of a strong foundation is to uphold the entire structure. When Internet Marketers are told to focus, what should be emphasized is the importance of focusing on the foundation...not simply focusing on a given product, or a specific project or a dedicated niche. A strong foundation for your online business is the rock-solid base that underpins success for your products, projects and niches now and into the future.

You don't have to look far to see the effects of a weak online foundation. Just watch the panic that ensues whenever Google has one of its infamous algorithm changes. This is akin to putting all of one's eggs into one basket and has caught many a marketing guru in the proverbial crossfire.

With Internet Marketing, the prospect of laying a proper foundation can be a double edge sword. On one hand, it is risky to jump from one project to another, whilst on the other, it is critical to stay up-to-date with current trends and technologies. Trying to maintain a balance between the two means you walk a fine line in establishing a solid foundation that will be both dynamic as well as firmly grounded.

Whether you've been marketing online for a while or you're just beginning to establish your position in the Internet Marketing world, be aware of the direction in which you are going and where it may lead you in the months and years to come.

Here's a quick example:

Let's say you choose a niche (by definition it will be based upon consumer demand), its popularity may be largely dependent upon current fads, available technology, market need or a combination of all three. Whether you choose to serve that niche through email marketing, affiliate programs, blogging, or content sites, in each instance you will need to meet the current trends.

A typical scenario would be to capitalize on a niche topic like MP3, podcasting, or something similar. However, the moment that technology becomes obsolete and is replaced with the next greatest electronic wonder, the profitability of the niche would swiftly decline.

If however, you choose a niche such as consumer electronics or audio video equipment, then your foundation would remain much more solid and have the capability to stand the test of time. Establishing yourself as an authority in the consumer electronics niche -- albeit through promotion of iPods, MP3s and podcasting today -- gives you a buffer to incorporate whatever may become flavor-of-the-month tomorrow.

These are the things that need to be considered when building a proper foundation for your Internet Marketing business. Using this method of reasoning will ensure longevity. To do otherwise will ensure only short term success at best.

Bottom line: Aim for tightly targeted niches, but root them firmly in a less volatile foundation.