Internet Consultant Business Model...

by sgtsavvy

Posted: 13 years ago 14 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

Just read the Emyth revisited and currently on lynchpin so i am applying what im reading into my business model and was thinking about the scalability and long-term and i had a question for any of you who have adapted/tweaked the internet consultant business model.

Ultimately, there is a long-term process of "dues paying," experience gaining, mindset changing, client base and income growing before you can come to this question for oneself, but...

Let's say you've systemized every piece of your business that should be and you don't NEED to do.

You've got a structure that is both efficient and effective.

You've clearly know and have the confidence to market any product or service online using the appropriate strategies, and can deploy them with little effort.

You have an automated income of 10k+ or so and its all maintenance work for clients that you've gotten results for and now handled by your outsource/subcontracted team.

Is your goal to...

1. Train someone on what you know and pay them a salary or percentage,which then allows you to grow your business continue to help more businesses, but gives you the freedom to basically do whatever you want... travel, make music, fly fish, etc...

2. Not do that. keep it all in your head and just make your organization the most profitable it can.

you see what im getting at... how have some of you who have gotten there answered this or adapted some hybrid combination?

I think one of the coolest things about this businesses potential is that we're in total control and can adapt it to fit our lives... or is this really just daydreaming an inexperienced naivety.

I cannot live through too many more battles, can you offer some insight on your experiences?

#business #consultant #internet #model

sgtsavvy 13 years ago

not that kind of a crowd tonight huh...
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- ginder 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by sgtsavvy
  
  not that kind of a crowd tonight huh...
  
  It really depends on your own personal goals and your mindset. I'll try to come back to this thread later sometime and make a detailed post, sorry cant do it right now! but I know exactly what you are thinking. I would suggest not to worry much until you are at that point but to get a good idea of what others do who are in similar shoes, here is the best source
  
  entrepreneur.com
  
  Maybe thats not what you are looking for but there are lot of articles there on the website or in the magazines which discuss the "growth" issue and it gives good examples of how such and such company handled it. Businesses from all walks of life, you can probably adapt same ideas for your own business once you get to that stage.
  
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TyErickson 13 years ago

If you really have a marketing system that is proven to work and contains marketing collateral etc (other stuff besides SEO etc) then...

1. License it to business owners for a fee ($XXXX for every month they use it)
2. Package what you know and put it in a box and sell it to business owners
3. Package what you know about selling in that space and sell it to other aspiring consultants.

All 3 of these work best when you focus on a niche. All 3 will let you scale your business tremendously. The key is developing your own proprietary marketing system that gets results and is proven.
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- sgtsavvy 13 years ago
  
  hi thanks. ya i get that its all personal goals, but thats exactly the discussion im trying to open up.
  
  i'll check out entrepreneur.com
  
  Point is who knows what i'll be thinking about when i get to that point... its not about me, im talking about you, im just interested to see what other folks (hopefully some people similar to me who understand what im asking) have to say about this point in their "journey."
  
  maybe a little less important to your immediate bottom line than Make 500 Dollars in 5 Months Secret Strategy "wso presale"
  
  But im hoping a few "artistic types" will get a chance to vent, and i'd love to listen.
  
  Thanks
  
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iamchrisgreen 13 years ago

Hi sgtsavvy...

How close are you to the automated 10k+ a month?
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- sgtsavvy 13 years ago
  
  me, i got a ways to go... why?
  
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  iamchrisgreen 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by sgtsavvy
  
  me, i got a ways to go... why?
  
  Just wondering why you are asking what to do past the point you are at?
  
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sherylmartin 13 years ago

The E-myth changed how I view my business. It made me realize that my businesses main purpose was to provide me with a lifestyle and NOT a job. This a big thing for me because it meant that I had to sit down and create processes to allow other people to run my business instead of me relying on myself to get everything done.

In the end, I think that it forever changed me because it taught me that using systems produces predictable results, which lessens my stress and fattens both my clients wallet and mine. Combining the training from E-myth & having a team to use those processes is going to always outperform keeping it all in your head.

Also, you should really look into some of their additional training as the books that they have are more of a primer or introduction to the E-myth, they don't get as much into the strategic objective and primary aim as I wanted them to. At least that was my take on it.

Sheryl
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WiiLoveSuccess

13 years ago

Greetings All ....

I believe that building and sustaining a Virtual Consultant Business on the Internet is no different than building a physical one in your hometown.

Website = Storefront

I've been a retail store owner, Tax Accountant (in two different States), and a Financial Planner before I retired and "decided" to make "a little bit of money" using the Internet. I chased the schemes like "Make Money Overnight!", "Turn your Computer into a Money-making cash machine!", "Start your business absolutely free - No money involved!", and many many more similar pitches. After doing this for more years and paid more money than I am willing to admit, I came to the realization that I needed to treat this "decision" like all the other businesses at which I had become successful. I needed to think of my Website as my brick and mortar store front! I needed to build my clientele the same way I built my three Financial Practices and attracted customers to my retail store front.

Hosting = The Building

A website (your store front) will be needed from which you conduct your business. You will need to sell your products or show potential clients what services you have to offer. It serves as your "office" or "store", only you won't need to rent out expensive space in a building to use for your online business, instead you can rent hosting. The cost of hosting is all over the map, so a little research might be needed. I know I have my favorites, but each to his/her own. Websites are pretty easy to create if you use one of the many website design software programs or website building services. Don't let your lack of web designing skills hold you back - you Will Learn through experience - the more you create, the better you'll get. The skills you MUST have are the ability for hard work and good customer service skills. A lot of your time will be spent marketing your websites, so potential customers will find you. Having a good website set up will be necessary in order to provide the customers with everything they need when deciding whether or not to buy your products or services.

Customers vs Clients

Customers/Clients will have questions about the products and services and may have some problems that you will need to address, so good customer service skills will be a must. Establishing good rapport with your clients will be the incentive for them becoming repeat customers or long-term clients. Actually my definition of a customer and a client are as follows:
A Customer is someone who I deliver a "transaction" once or occasionally, whereas a Client is someone who I have established a trusted "relationship" with and who buys my products and services on a constant and continuous basis.

What Qualifies YOU as an Internet Consultant?

For you who are wanting to become an "Internet Consultant", then you want to become "trusted" to know the Internet, know sound marketing strategies, have a proven track record of using the Internet to actually have made some money and a proven track record of the marketing techniques used to gain Clients. Your new Clients with whom you've gained that trust will form a lasting relationship with you and follow your directives because they trust you and KNOW that they will be successful in doing so, because you've proven yourself.

Many of my best Clients were first Customers, who "tried me out" with one or more Transactions, before they came to trust me to be their Client and their Consultant. Building anything generally means there is "Growth", including growth in income. It might start with $50 monthly and after some time (generally weeks or months not hours or days) become $500 monthly, and then grow to $5000 monthly. Be patient and stay true to your existing Clients and ASK FOR REFERRALS and the growth will come.

Blessings,
Ray Delworth
We Love Success - YOURS!

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Raymond Delworth
Ultimate Flea Market
ray@ultimatefleamarket.com

We Love Success - YOURS!

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gudrunsmith

13 years ago

Ray you are so right.

Still I can't believe why so many think the Internet Business works different than a Local Business? Guess they chasing the get fast rich scams.

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Gudrun Marquardt
Personal and Business Development
http://gudrunmarquardt.com

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WiiLoveSuccess

13 years ago

Originally Posted by gudrunsmith

Ray you are so right.

Still I can't believe why so many think the Internet Business works different than a Local Business? Guess they chasing the get fast rich scams.

Yes, indeed Gudrun ... and I should have known better, but I admit I was in the chase for quite awhile too. I ran across an expression that seems to fit this theme:
Dead fish go with the flow.

I'm happy to say I'm going upstream and the hard work pays off with money in the bank every day that exceeds the expenses, so my internet business shows a "profit" instead of the "dead fish" losses I used to have to show my wife. Boy did that "stink" (pun intended)!

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Raymond Delworth
Ultimate Flea Market
ray@ultimatefleamarket.com

We Love Success - YOURS!

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superrooster

13 years ago

Originally Posted by WiiLoveSuccess

Yes, indeed Gudrun ... and I should have known better, but I admit I was in the chase for quite awhile too. I ran across an expression that seems to fit this theme:
Dead fish go with the flow.

Nice quote. I never heard that one but it rings true, eye opener. I have the problem of being in a comfortable 'state' at the moment, even though I know I want more and can do more. When do you get tired of settling and break out of your comfort zone? I guess 'now' is the answer to that question.

But, in regards to the topic post, scale up and hire others to do what you are doing for much less than your own time is worth. And, when you have become an expert, sell your knowledge.

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sgtsavvy

13 years ago

thanks for the comments everyone.

Just wondering why you are asking what to do past the point you are at?

must not have read my post, or maybe taking a pot shot, must be misunderstanding each other tho, im not asking what to do, its not about me.

i dont know how you get to that point from the topic we're on, but i agree!

Anyways, thats cool. i was fishing for someone with a mind like mine who would understand what i was asking and go to town on their experience and shed some insight on how they handled getting to this point...

But i think i may have a little different view and overall "primary aim" vision.

Good call on the "sell your info" once you've built a proprietary system, higher level training and stuff. Definitely.

cheers

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iamchrisgreen

13 years ago

Originally Posted by sgtsavvy

thanks for the comments everyone.
must not have read my post, or maybe taking a pot shot, must be misunderstanding each other tho, im not asking what to do, its not about me.

Sorry I misunderstood mate.

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