Best course of action for part time success

by ct_roy
7 replies
Hi there,

Ok, I'm still in a full time 9-5 job (as a web project manager) and am struggling to make some money online part time.

My biggest problems at the moment are

1.) finding the right niche
2.) staying focused

Assuming I can get no. 1 sorted (which I think I can!), I'm really struggling with no.2.

Information overload and failure to construct and execute a definite plan of action with limited time are killing me at the moment.

I can spend an average of 2 hours per day on Internet Marketing tasks. How best should I utilise my time? Are there any good courses or books I should buy with specific task orientated steps to help me stay focused on clear tasks to achieve success?

I would define success at present as getting to a situation where I'm making $1,000 per month working part time online.

This would then give me the confidence to pursue Internet Marketing on a full time basis.

So, there you have it - what do you guys suggest I do?

Many thanks,

Ed
#action #part #success #time
  • Profile picture of the author GB2008
    My suggestion would be to plug into a system or an affiliate program with some structure to it. If you are simply trying to create an online business with your own product, then you could waste a lot of that 2 hours per night just trying to work out what the question is. A good system will help you pick a strategy that works (in the context of that system) and lead you through setting up your daily goals.

    BTW - information overload is pretty much a standard state when you're getting started. Just keep taking the next step, and it will all start to make sense!
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    Hi Ed

    Maybe we can help you here.

    Post back with this information:

    1. What value (yes, real value) are you planning to offer?

    2. Who (yes, real people) are you planning to offer it to?

    3. How are you going to let those real people know about it?

    There nothing more to it apart from the mechanics of doing it.

    Cheers,

    Neil
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    • Profile picture of the author ct_roy
      Originally Posted by Neil Morgan View Post

      Hi Ed

      Maybe we can help you here.

      Post back with this information:

      1. What value (yes, real value) are you planning to offer?

      2. Who (yes, real people) are you planning to offer it to?

      3. How are you going to let those real people know about it?

      There nothing more to it apart from the mechanics of doing it.

      Cheers,

      Neil
      Hi Neil.

      Thanks for the help
      1.) I'm initially planning to offer valuable original content on areas of expertise I've built up in my day job

      2.) I'm planning on offering the information to my industry peers.

      3.) I plan on marketing my content via search engines, article directories, existing industry magazines and websites.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    If you can afford it on your full-time job salary, pay for some articles to be written around keywords in whatever niche you pick. Use some on your site and submit some to article directories. Spend your own time getting links to your site. Use social networking sites like Twitter and start following people in your niche. Many will follow you back. Contribute to forums like this one and always use a link in your signature pointing to your site. Find forums in your niche and do the same.

    Add content to your site regularly, never stop working on getting links, and find ways to monetize the site. If the niche you pick is something you know a lot about, create products and sell them from the site. If not, go the affiliate or AdSense route. The key is traffic, of course, which means adding content and always working on building links. Good luck!

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author dean_holland
    Hey man,

    Ok the reason I suggest you are struggling is that you are not working to a plan...

    When I finally started doing this my productivity trebled ! I like you work a full time job and I put in around 2 - 4 hours per night into my online business.

    Get yourself a 2009 year diary, preferably one that is a day by day A4 size so each day has its own page.

    How far in front do you think you could plan ? ?

    Me I work out a 90 day plan, then I break that down into a 30 day plan ... Then a weekly plan and finally into a daily plan.

    Without a plan to work to how do you know where you are heading my friend ?!

    It is a MUST that you plan tomorrow TODAY !!!!

    So each time you sit down at your pc you know exactly what is to be done.. Then you complete those tasks and move on. Turn off all distractions during working time ( emails, skype,msn,forums etc... )

    Trust me when you make a plan and WORK it ... You will head strongly in the right direction.

    I dont believe you need to buy into any more ebooks or software, if you really want to invest some cash into yourself then in your postion I would suggest a good mentor. That is what I did about 3-4 months ago and have since made around $4,000 with my blog.

    Best of luck

    Dean
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    Follow My Journey To Online Success > www.DeanHolland.com
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    • Profile picture of the author ct_roy
      Originally Posted by dean_holland View Post

      Hey man,

      Ok the reason I suggest you are struggling is that you are not working to a plan...

      When I finally started doing this my productivity trebled ! I like you work a full time job and I put in around 2 - 4 hours per night into my online business.

      Get yourself a 2009 year diary, preferably one that is a day by day A4 size so each day has its own page.

      How far in front do you think you could plan ? ?

      Me I work out a 90 day plan, then I break that down into a 30 day plan ... Then a weekly plan and finally into a daily plan.

      Without a plan to work to how do you know where you are heading my friend ?!

      It is a MUST that you plan tomorrow TODAY !!!!

      So each time you sit down at your pc you know exactly what is to be done.. Then you complete those tasks and move on. Turn off all distractions during working time ( emails, skype,msn,forums etc... )

      Trust me when you make a plan and WORK it ... You will head strongly in the right direction.

      I dont believe you need to buy into any more ebooks or software, if you really want to invest some cash into yourself then in your postion I would suggest a good mentor. That is what I did about 3-4 months ago and have since made around $4,000 with my blog.

      Best of luck

      Dean
      thanks for the advice Dean.

      What tasks would you have in your plan?
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil Morgan
    Cool.

    That all seems pretty clear.

    So it seems that your next steps are to:

    1. Create the product.

    2. Put a sales site up for it.

    At this point you'll feel a whole lot better and feel you're heading in the right direction.

    3. Start driving your targeted traffic to the site.

    Embrace the fact that there is no "holy grail" for (3), apart from maybe PPC so you just need to do anything and everything you can do drive that targeted traffic.

    I believe the lack of focus in this area can be put down to the fact that you don't want to waste time doing stuff that doesn't produce results.

    Understandable, but know there are no guarantees, no matter how long you seek them, or how much you spend on research.

    So accept that and move on.

    Start driving traffic and commit to leaving the guesswork and hope out of it.

    That really does remove the feeling of lack of direction and focus.

    Meaning?

    Keep track of your numbers:

    - your conversion rate.

    - your visitor value

    - your costs (eg PPC).

    This is a numbers game, pure and simple, so know your numbers inside out.

    Do more of what works, and less of what doesn't.

    Hopefully this helps somewhat.

    Cheers,

    Neil
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