Constantly Ask Yourself, "What Do Real Businesses Do?"

14 years ago

Good post, John.

Like "real" businesses we have to work at it consistently too, not just when we feel like it... imagine going down your high street and seeing many shops boarded up because the owners didn't feel like working in their businesses that day... their customers would head off somewhere where they could rely on service.

Katie

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suemax

14 years ago

GREAT post. I am continually amazed by people I meet expressing their opinions that our businesses are not "real" businesses.....!

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ArticlePrince

14 years ago

I never though of building a list... has this worked for you? :-p

'Treat it like a business' is a heavily repeated phrase here, but it's sort of like physics... you either get it or you don't. Once you do, your income increases every year (instead of scrambling for the next $25 sale). Not judging anyone; I've been on both sides of that spectrum. Great post :-)

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Brian Mullis

14 years ago

Well, I love pizza so I will chime in. If you do all the things John mentioned, it will have another hugely great effect. My favorite pizza joint never advertises but they have branded themselves (rightfully so) as the best authentic Italian pizza place in my area. They have huge word of mouth referrals from their customers.

The same thing can be true in your online business if you treat your list and customers right.

Brian

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Zeus66

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Brian Mullis

Well, I love pizza so I will chime in. If you do all the things John mentioned, it will have another hugely great effect. My favorite pizza joint never advertises but they have branded themselves (rightfully so) as the best authentic Italian pizza place in my area. They have huge word of mouth referrals from their customers.

The same thing can be true in your online business if you treat your list and customers right.

Brian

Thanks, Brian. You're 100% right - and thanks for adding that important point to this. Real businesses strive to become branded... to become known for quality and such. You should do the same! It doesn't matter that Coca-Cola employees tens of thousands and you work at home by yourself. You share the same core goals. When people think about where to turn for __________, you want them to think about YOU!

John

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Mike Hlatky

14 years ago

I think it's funny that posts like these disappear so quickly off the first page with little to no comments. And by "posts like these", I mean posts that give actual advice about how you should start Internet Marketing.

People are too focused on the little picture, how to do x, y, or z. People should always try to think like a business. So what exactly what does a business do?

- Take action

- Creates products

- Develops a business plan

- Work first, questions later

- Customers are the priority

- Multiple products or services

Internet Marketing isn't really that difficult to figure out what you could do to make money, especially if you are reading these forums.

1. Provide a product or service

2. Get people to purchase that product or service

See, not so complicated

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drmani 14 years ago

One of the points Jay Abraham made on the introductory call of a
26-week mentoring program I did with him made a huge impact on my
attitude towards what I did online.

He said (I'm paraphrasing here):

"Why would you put in a minimal amount of time and effort to build
a business that's only modestly successful when you can invest just
a little more, do just a few more things differently, learn just
a few twists in how you do them - and turn it into a wildly
profitable powerhouse that will launch you towards all your dreams?"

Completely changed the way I viewed things since then!

Thanks for the powerful reminder, John.

All success
Dr.Mani
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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Zeus66

Why aren't YOU sending your customers nice surprise bonuses or at least an email now and then to ask how things are going?

How many people actually do this? I've been on a lot of mailing lists in my day, and I can tell you that very few of the marketers I've ever subscribed to do this. I can also tell you I do, and it builds loyalty like crazy. Treat people like you want to be treated and you'll be surprised at how that contributes to your business.

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mikemcmillan

14 years ago

Hey John,
Don't get excited about my coming here. I'm just getting my post count up so I can go over 1,000 tomorrow.

But seriously, let's keep your pizza example going. In my town there is a privately owned (not a franchise thingie) pizza place. Most people will tell you that by far and away they have the best pizzas around. I agree! There is nothing like them.

However, I have refused to go there for 3-4 years. Here is the problem. I can't remember the last time one of the workers pushed a pizza through the window with a smile on their face. I can't remember them looking me in the eye when they mumbled, thank you. They close at 7pm every evening because that's what's convenient for the owner--hell, I'm just getting up at 7PM some days. They leave for 5 weeks every winter to go to FL and shut the place down completely.

So yes, they've got great pizza, but their customer service sucks!

Related to IM? The best product may not always make the most sales (it helps). Treat your customers poorly and they will seldom, if ever buy from you.

So JS, what's the temp down there? If it's above 55 mind if my girlfriend, four cats, one dog and ex-mother-in-law come down for a week? If that's too much how 'bout just the ex mother-in-law? Eight inches on snow on the ground with 15-17 coming in next 48 hours

.

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MichaelHiles

14 years ago

Zeus baby... I couldn't resist.

Do you recall you and I getting into a pretty deep debate once about this very topic at a Friday Night Chat several months ago?

Back then, you took the position that internet marketing was something for people who didn't want to be a real business. It was a way to make some extra income without having to do all that business stuff. Just do some article marketing here and direct traffic to some affiliate offers, and whammo.. an extra $100 a month.

And my position was that view is an unsustainable model, and to really create lasting revenue instead of hoping to get a few bucks here and there, people had to embrace traditional business philosophy and build a real system. The allure of internet marketing fools so many people, it's the evolution of the good ol' classified ad "envelope stuffing" scheme. Just like envelope stuffing, there IS a real BUSINESS MODEL - but it has to be treated as one.

Nice to see that you've finally fully embraced my entire position - lock, stock, and barrel.

Sorry, I had to pull your chain over this because we had such a great debate over it.

Anytime we ask someone to pay us money for anything in exchange for something of value, we're engaging in business - and the standard rules of business apply.

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x3xsolxdierx3x 14 years ago

Many want businesses....errr....to "make money online"...but, few want the leg work required to form and maintain relationships with people. That takes effort. Many people don't like to do things that require effort.
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Zeus66

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MichaelHiles

Zeus baby... I couldn't resist.

Do you recall you and I getting into a pretty deep debate once about this very topic at a Friday Night Chat several months ago?

Back then, you took the position that internet marketing was something for people who didn't want to be a real business. It was a way to make some extra income without having to do all that business stuff. Just do some article marketing here and direct traffic to some affiliate offers, and whammo.. an extra $100 a month.

And my position was that view is an unsustainable model, and to really create lasting revenue instead of hoping to get a few bucks here and there, people had to embrace traditional business philosophy and build a real system. The allure of internet marketing fools so many people, it's the evolution of the good ol' classified ad "envelope stuffing" scheme. Just like envelope stuffing, there IS a real BUSINESS MODEL - but it has to be treated as one.

Nice to see that you've finally fully embraced my entire position - lock, stock, and barrel.

Sorry, I had to pull your chain over this because we had such a great debate over it.

Anytime we ask someone to pay us money for anything in exchange for something of value, we're engaging in business - and the standard rules of business apply.

Do we really have to go over this again? LOL OK, once again into the breach, dear friend. Examples abound of how you can work online - even make a full-time income doing so - and not have any of these traditional business principles apply. I give you....

Adsense (and all the related contextual advertising alternatives).
Affiliate Marketing.

Used by many, with zero need to ever deal with any customer... ever.

My OP was about people who DO have online businesses that involve the normal two-way communications of seller and buyer. I'll take the blame for your misunderstanding on this one, though, Michael. I should have made it clearer in the OP that I meant to exclude anyone who didn't follow the traditional model.

Thanks for chiming in, though. Always nice to hear from you.

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A.Green

14 years ago

I think one of the causes of the "throw-away business" problem online is the perception that there's an endless line of customers and it doesn't matter what one or two or twenty of them think of you personally. The international English-speaking market online seems so vast it's easy to think you could never run out of customers. People end up thinking "If I make $27 off 100 people per month..."

But suppose you're based in, for example, Greece and sell an ebook written in Greek. Now, Greece is small and there aren't too many Greek-speakers in the world (compared to English, Chinese, etc.). You really can't afford to assume there's an endless stream of people waiting to buy your one single ebook, esp. if you have competitors. And in this case, even if you're based online, you may still be able to meet many of your customers in person. You pretty much have to treat your online business as you would an offline one.

Even if you do think you have an endless stream of potential customers, it's still foolish to spend all that effort and money getting them to your site only to ignore them after they buy. Tracking cost per customer acquired would show that.

Hope that ramble made sense. I'm kind of tired...

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ExRat

14 years ago

Hi x3xsoldierx3x,

Many want businesses....errr....to "make money online"...but, few want the leg work required to form and maintain relationships with people. That takes effort. Many people don't like to do things that require effort.

Or it could be that 'form(ing) and maintain(ing) relationships with people' is the most complicated, difficult and frustrating thing in the whole world, rather than because 'many people don't like things that take effort.'

It could be that the 'price' that people try to make you pay for forming and maintaining those relationships is simply too high for many people, so they seek ways to earn enough to survive without having to engage in psychological warfare and mind games - alternatively known as 'forming and maintaining relationships.'

'Ordinary' people (not psychopaths) want to sincerely form and maintain those relationships, but they are not satisfied if the receiver of value does not appear to appreciate, recognise and benefit from the value and in many business relationships, it is all too easy for people to take the value and consume it while telling the provider that they are simply not satisfied.

Everyone seems to want to tell the world that they were ripped off. Many of the people ARE ripping others off, while the others are on the losing end of the mind games and are consumed with angst regarding whether they truly did unintentionally rip the other guy off, or whether the other guy is actually ripping them off.

Constantly Ask Yourself, "What Do Real Businesses Do?"

Therefore one of the problems is that we live in a world dominated (in general) financially by psychopaths, therefore when we ask ourselves 'what do real businesses do?' - the answer we arrive at too often is that 'they rip people off.'

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Dave Rodman Banned 14 years ago

So that is the mindset of your average newbie when they
start out. And I don't see anything wrong with that i.e.
Seeing it as a money-maker at first.

.5% of people might make money that brings them full-time
income, but it doesn't resemble a business in any way.
Personally, I think this is the most "at risk" group. The
business relies entirely on their own ability. They don't
really have a marketing strategy, sales funnel, or actual
business. And you see what happens when something
drastic happens, like an illness, they are completely and
totally wiped out. That's why I think it's a silly idea for
people to quit their day jobs when they are making 50%
of their salary. Because they end up just trying to
"make money" instead of building something that will
provide leverage.

The other .5% get it. They build a business that has
customers, assets, and a sales process. And most importantly,
they at least have 1 years expenses in the bank
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- wilsonm 14 years ago
  
  It is important to build a real business but list building is not the only way. In the offline world there are all sorts of models, not all businesses are totally dependent on repeat customers as with the pizza example.
  
  I was in tourist part of my city today. Here it is a continual revolving door of people visiting the part of the town. Most people are here for a week or so and will be replaced by new arrivials. It is no point a shop here trying to build a relationship with their customers other then the usual courtersey, they are better off attracting as much traffic to their shop as possible.
  
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Michael Oksa

14 years ago

I wonder...

Do "real" businesses hang out with each other complaining about how the other business is marketing to their customers?

Do the successful ones engage in petty debates?

Do they whine about how everything is so unfair and how the "big guys" have the edge?

Question: What are you doing here?

To be fair, I am just as guilty of doing these things from time to time, but try not to. That's not to say everybody here is doing these things, but if you are, then re-reading Zeus' message and taking it to heart is a safe bet.

All the best,
Michael

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Kevin AKA Hubcap 14 years ago

@Michael

They do, but its usually in a courtroom.
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- Michael Oksa 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Kevin AKA Hubcap
  
  @Michael
  
  They do, but its usually in a courtroom.
  
  LOL
  
  That may be.
  
  I'm sure it does happen, but my belief is that you can only succeed in business if you mind your own; not somebody else's.
  
  Sure, you need to pay attention to your competition, but for the right reasons.
  
  I just don't think most "real" businesses would do some of the things far too many of us do far too often when we come to the WF. That's nothing against the forum itself, but should give us all pause.
  
  All the best,
  Michael
  
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  "Ich bin en fuego!"
  
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Wiggy0618

14 years ago

Good overall discussion.

Not necessarily making any particular point here (per se), but one of the things I've found so......intriguing....(that was the nicest word I could come up with...LOL) about internet marketing is that business as it's done on the internet is so unlike much of the 'real' world.

Let's say I go into a Barnes & Noble and purchase a book. I take it home and read it. The next day, I show back up to the Barnes & Noble customer service desk, and tell them that I think the book I bought the day before sucks, and even though I've already read it, I want my money back. Oh, and I plan on keeping the book, too.

They'd laugh at you. Yet this sort of return policy (more or less) is commonplace on the internet.

On the flip side, pricing is so much different. I can go to Amazon right now, and pick up Tim Ferriss' "4-Hour Body" *and* "4-Hour Workweek". According to Amazon, you're looking at a total of just over 1000 pages between the two books, and you can get them both in hard copy format for under $25 (plus shipping).

Yet, people pay $77-$97 all day long on the internet for electronic info products that end up being less than 100-150 pages total. Imagine Bares & Noble trying to take a hard copy of that same exact product and sell it for the same price in one of their stores. It's probably gonna sit there quite a while.

Again, not saying any of this is 'right', 'wrong', or whatever...just interesting to think about.

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JohnMcCabe

14 years ago

John, I get your point.

But, given the number of boarded up shops and "For Lease" signs littering the landscape, wouldn't a better question be:

"What Do Successful Real Businesses Do?"

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Constantly Ask Yourself, "What Do Real Businesses Do?"

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