Help! I'm killing myself here! What do you suggest?

Sorry, Craig... I couldn't help laughing. You just related the exact process I went through for years. Just so much to learn, so many directions to look all at the same time. It's a massive challenge when you're trying to do it all yourself. Warriors kept telling me to outsource and focus on what I do best (writing and creative stuff). But outsourcing just wasn't an option because all I had was time.

And so the learning curve went into play big time.

There were times I became extremely frustrated and overwhelmed with everything because, like you, I started from scratch with absolutely no knowledge of marketing, building sites, hosting and all of the things that are needed to set up and run an online business.

The best advice I can give you, based on my own experience, is this.

Focus on one thing at a time, in the right order, and as you need them.

This is one of the things I found lacking in most of the how-to manuals I purchased over the years. They give you the concept and what you need to do, but no real plan of action, like what to do in Day 1, 2, 3, - Week 1, 2, 3.

Stick with each task until you know it before moving on to the next.

The very first thing would be to decide exactly what you want in an online business. Will you sell your own products or be an affiliate? What topic interests you? What is the market like for those types of products? Who is offering the best products in that category?

Then, move on to what you need to do to make it happen.

I found that it wasn't quite as easy as it sounds to follow through everything that needs to be done because there was always something that sidetracked me - ie: building a web site - Oh, how do you do an opt-in form? - Oh, how does an auto responder work? - oh, what will I put in my offer for people to sign up? - Oh, I need to create something - Oh, I need to do some research into the subject so I can create the product to give away - Oh, how do I make it so people can download it?

Ad infinitum...

Just one thing always leading to something else. It reminds me of doing a repair job on my house. Fix one thing and discover that you can't finish the job until you fix something else - and something else.

If you can keep your mind focused on one small aspect of your business at a time, you will be much more successful and far less frustrated. So for instance, spend a week or whatever it takes to learn everything you need to know to set up a squeeze page, opt-in form, get a product, make it downloadable, and set the links on your download page.

Once you decide what it is you need to know or do, (ie: build a squeeze page), make a list of what it will take. That becomes your plan of action. Follow through each step, adding more steps as you need to, until the task is complete. Then and only then move on to the next task (plan of action).

Do this with each task - from building your site, to developing a marketing campaign - to collecting money = and spending it.

Feeling overwhelmed comes from having too much going on in your head at one time and trying to do it all. If you're like me, you'll be skipping around from one task to another rather than staying focused. This method I've explained will significantly reduce the frustration and information overload.

Hope this helps.

Sylvia

You are familiar with the rules of the game.

I suggest you find an actual PLAN to implement. You will be able to jump through the majority of it, and some parts may need a little help. But it will now give you a focus and direction.

Finish one plan from start to finish. This could take a week or a month - depending on which one you choose.

Do one, get it under your belt, and you will have something to analyze and improve on.

Do it, and if you don't like it when you are done, then you find a new plan to try.

There are several action plans on this forum, and I'm confident you have enough basic knowledge and skills to carry one from start to finish.

Also, there are people using FREE resources to get themselves started - and they are able to jump past the technical hoops with a wysiwyg editor and just get the content out there.

I thought I had to learn dreamweaver when I first started. I struggled for the longest time. It wasn't until I said screw it and just got a simple 5 page website put up with a website tonight plan. I was making money in just 3-4 days after that with the help of PPC.

Don't get hung up on things being perfect. Just take what you know, find a quick plan, and get something up you can start with. Then learn from it and go back and do what you want in creating your site.

You will see your whole perspective change on what is necessary and what is overkill.