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Intro + what skills do you need to possess to start online?

by Xkm
12 replies
Hello everyone,

I hope it's not too late for me to say hello to everyone as it's been 3.5 years since I first joined this forum!

On and off, I have been mindlessly and randomly reading on this forum for quite sometime now because I was attracted by this whole online marketing thing. Like everyone else, I was lured in because of the power of the internet and the the freedom from physical location. (Money was also a factor but at this moment that's not my main concern)

However, I think it's time to stop reading and start doing some work but instead of asking where to start, I would like to humbly ask, what skills do I need to possess in order to start online? (be it internet marketing, a blog, or even provide services to others). And in order to answer this question I have come up with the following. I would greatly appreciate if someone can provide me with feedback.

Basic html/css
Unless you need to start ditching the back end or customization, do people still hand code the site from scratch? Regardless, I believe no matter what you do online, you need to possess some basic knowledge of html/css, after all that's the fundamental. Can anyone suggest to me the best place to learn online and more importantly practice?

Wordpress skills
While a lot of people against it because of security etc, however I think being able to set one up is essential because it is one of the easiest way to start site or blog without building a CMS from scratch (at least from a personal use perspective anyway)

Web design
I am not sure about this one, while I love and admire designers'work I am by no mean any good at graphic design at all, so I am not sure how would to go about learning the basic. Any ideas?

Writing skills
I am definitely not a good and fast writer, however no matter how good or bad you as a writer, you need to know how to write to a certain degree, after all this is one of the most basic form of communication. While I am not intended to become a professional copy writer like kk075, but I do want to practice and improve this on.

Traffic generation
This is very board topic, it basically covers everything from social media traffic, PPC, video marketing, viral marketing, adsense, just to name a few. This is definitely one of the core skills needed but I deliberately place this at the end. How could one learn about this?

Is there anything else I missed? And any comment to the above is appreciated.

Thanks for reading and bigger thanks if you bother to reply.

xkm
PS: At this moment I would focus on writing skill and the basic of html/css/wordpress. I believe in learning by doing it, and if you need some work done I am more than happy to do it for free as this gives me a chance to practice as well. I have approximately 30 hours a week for the next 3 months. Feel free to post a reply or send me a PM. (sorry, a bit of off topic, but I suddenly realize I can gain some experience by asking for some practice sessions )
#intro #online #possess #skills #start
  • Profile picture of the author Alex The Lion
    Hey Xkm, it seems you joined WF back when I did.

    I left this place a few years ago and went out into the world looking for success. Now I am back to provide some wisdom and help to newer entrepreneurs.

    The best advice I can give you is to stop worrying about what you need to know, all you need to know is how to learn something and preferably how to learn something quickly.

    Go get a Wordpress blog set up today and start blogging about whatever you are most passionate about. Learn what you need as and when you need it.

    Once you feel knowledgeable about the world of internet business, assess your blog and if it is making an income, congratulations and continue! If not, well it doesn't matter because it provided a place for you to learn. That would be the time to look into starting a more profitable venture.

    Hope this helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author mrgoe
    All I can tell you is that when I started, I didn`t know a thing.. It was a slower start but I managed to learn everything I needed to earn big.. So just dive in it with confidence and you`ll slowly learn everything you need to be successful.

    And the best way of learning is by testing, so be sure you stop reading at some point and start taking action..
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    Worked as a senior editor on ThePricer.org, experienced in financial topics
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  • Profile picture of the author MarketingRain
    HTM/CSS is definitely worth learning if you plan on building sites, has been ESSENTIAL for me. Otherwise you end up paying for a developer for every little thing. Plus it is very easy to learn.
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  • Profile picture of the author EPoltrack77
    Mindset!

    Biggest thing is learning what you are doing. How you are thinking and how that thinking is getting you results.

    Spend time on that and you can learn to develop full control...
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    Working to achieve higher results...
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    • Profile picture of the author kilgore
      I think you've accurately described some of the basic skills I might look for if I were hiring an employee for my online business. But I don't think any of those skills get at what's necessary to be a successful entrepreneur.

      Posts like this make it seem like all you need to start a successful business is knowledge or skills. But that's not true at all. Don't get me wrong: You do need knowledge. You do need skills. But that's not enough. Not by a long shot.

      Business also takes a certain natural aptitude; it takes a lot of hard work; it takes a certain degree of luck; and most importantly, it takes creativity, the ability to think for yourself and to think on your feet, to be able to respond as the marketplace shifts under you, as Google's algorithms change, as online advertising becomes more or less expensive, as new competitors and new technologies emerge.

      You can hire out or outsource almost all of the skills you mentioned. You can hire a web designer, a programmer, a writer and buy ads to get traffic. But the glue that holds all those skills together, the glue that makes the whole of those efforts greater than the sum of their parts, is your own brain, your own creativity, and your own vision for how you're going to improve the lives of your customers, if only in a small way.
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      • Profile picture of the author discrat
        All those skills you mention are important. But Traffic Generation and Writing Skills, imo, are something that if you can Master it will take you far.

        Particularly, writing skills.

        Practice, practice, and practice and learn from the top ones on how to do it right.

        You do not have to be a Ernest Hemingway but if you can become proficient at it , it really can take your business to the next level


        - Robert Andrew
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        • Profile picture of the author Xkm
          Thanks everyone for the reply.

          Originally Posted by Alex The Lion View Post

          The best advice I can give you is to stop worrying about what you need to know, all you need to know is how to learn something and preferably how to learn something quickly.

          Go get a Wordpress blog set up today and start blogging about whatever you are most passionate about. Learn what you need as and when you need it.
          Thanks Alex, and that's what I am going to do

          Originally Posted by mrgoe View Post

          All I can tell you is that when I started, I didn`t know a thing.. It was a slower start but I managed to learn everything I needed to earn big.. So just dive in it with confidence and you`ll slowly learn everything you need to be successful.

          And the best way of learning is by testing, so be sure you stop reading at some point and start taking action..
          Thanks mrgoe, thanks for giving me the confidence!

          Originally Posted by EPoltrack77 View Post

          Mindset!
          Yes, the mindset has been playing up. It keeps giving me negative thoughts stopping me from doing anything!

          Originally Posted by kilgore View Post

          I think you've accurately described some of the basic skills I might look for if I were hiring an employee for my online business. But I don't think any of those skills get at what's necessary to be a successful entrepreneur.
          Yep agree!

          Originally Posted by discrat View Post

          All those skills you mention are important. But Traffic Generation and Writing Skills, imo, are something that if you can Master it will take you far.

          Particularly, writing skills.
          Yes I cannot agree more, these 2 skills are what I want to learn the most, but they are probably the hardest to master.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
        A truly excellent post by kilgore.

        Originally Posted by kilgore View Post

        I think you've accurately described some of the basic skills I might look for if I were hiring an employee for my online business. But I don't think any of those skills get at what's necessary to be a successful entrepreneur.

        Posts like this make it seem like all you need to start a successful business is knowledge or skills. But that's not true at all. Don't get me wrong: You do need knowledge. You do need skills. But that's not enough. Not by a long shot.

        Business also takes a certain natural aptitude; it takes a lot of hard work; it takes a certain degree of luck; and most importantly, it takes creativity, the ability to think for yourself and to think on your feet, to be able to respond as the marketplace shifts under you, as Google's algorithms change, as online advertising becomes more or less expensive, as new competitors and new technologies emerge.

        You can hire out or outsource almost all of the skills you mentioned. You can hire a web designer, a programmer, a writer and buy ads to get traffic. But the glue that holds all those skills together, the glue that makes the whole of those efforts greater than the sum of their parts, is your own brain, your own creativity, and your own vision for how you're going to improve the lives of your customers, if only in a small way.
        kilgore said it all. All I can add is my belief that he's bang on the money.

        - Tom
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        I Coach: Learn More | My Latest WF Thread: Dead Domains/ Passive Traffic

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  • Profile picture of the author mark toughill
    Hi, Xkm, It's all about the mindset, you just keep going no matter what!. What you don't know, you will soon pick up. I believe that if you put your mind to something and work hard at it, then anything is possible. I would recommend at the very least that you get some minimal experience with html and css because you will be required to tamper with it from time to time and really, it's not that difficult. It gives you more control over what you are doing and you'll save money and tons of valuable time in the long run, so it's well worth doing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Xkm
      Thanks Mark.

      Western Aussie, you from Perth?
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      • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
        Um, you mentioned a lot of skills if you're applying for a job as Kilgore mentioned. But you missed the obvious but most important skill. Drumroll please ....Markekting Skills ! As in ...

        • Market Research
        • Niche Marketing
        • Market Analysis
        • Market Forecasting.
        • Market Planning.
        • Sales Marketing.
        Etc.

        Please don't ignore or underestimate these skills or you'll be another negative statistic.
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        • Profile picture of the author Xkm
          ah, I forgot, will throw this into list in my personal blog 8)


          thanks for the heads up!
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