Today I got an email from Phil:

John, you nailed me, I am doing nothing while trying to learn everything. I can’t build an auto-responder, I found out me web-site is a template that I can’t change only add. I started a blog and found out it’s only a facebook page, I spent a great deal of time advertising on Plenty of Fish, over 200,000 views to get 25 clicks and no conversions.

I know that I need help but I believe you that I need to out source right now but I am afraid that I don’t know how to tell them what I need done, and what is it I need done?

I think I need a landing page, but why shouldn’t I out source it? I want a blog, outsource? I think I need a new web site but I don’t know how to abandon the old, damn this is hard.

I am aware that I need to dumb it down and get things done one at a time, I have clickbank, I have adf.ly, I have advertising money but what should I do to start the cash flow so that I can tackle the WHOLE? I need to produce leads for an insurance project how?

Woah!!! A bit overwhelmed…no?

So, here’s some advice for anyone who is overwhelmed in starting their internet business.

While I can’t answer all your questions (it would take me all day and would be an entire training course), I can give you some advice.

It sounds like you’re all over the place trying to implement a bunch of different things you’ve heard about.

It doesn’t sound like you have a cohesive strategy.

Map Out Your Business

I suggest you sit down and map out your business plan. Draw it out on a napkin or a piece of paper.

Figure out

• your traffic source
• where the people will go
• why they’ll go there
• what they’ll do when they get to your site
• why they’ll do it (you’re crafting your “offer” here)
• what action they’ll take
• what they’ll do after they take the action

Don’t skip any of these pieces. Skipping them means you’re going to fail.

Understand Your Customers. Add Value.

During the whole process, make sure you think about and understand “Why is someone going to do this?”

• Why is someone going to click on my ad? (saying “just because if I get 100,000 views SOMEBODY’S got to click!” isn’t good enough)
• Why is someone going to buy from my website (saying “if I get enough visitors SOMEBODY’S got to buy!!!” isn’t good enough)
• Why would someone opt-in here?
• Do I really need someone to opt-in here? (saying “because so-and-so guru says I need to” isn’t good enough)
• Why would someone buy this product?
• Is it what the person really wants?
• Am I giving them a reason to buy which would make ME buy?
• Am I trying to fool people here? Am I tricking people here? (if so, it’s NOT going to work)
• Why am I outsourcing? What exactly am I outsourcing?
• Does someone else know how to do what I want done?
• Do I know how to tell them how to do it? If not, you’re asking for trouble.

If you’re not adding value to people, you’re likely to fail.

If you’re trying to fool people, you’re likely to fail.

If you don’t understand why someone is going to buy, you’re likely to fail.

Understand The End From The Beginning

As you go through things, make sure you understand the end from the beginning.

Make sure you understand every step of the process. If you don’t, go figure it out NOW. Otherwise, when you get to that step you’ll get bogged down, you’ll skip it, and your business is very likely to fail.

Succeeding

There are lots of ways to succeed in this business. There’s no “right” answer.
When you fail at something, try that thing again. DON’T move on to the next thing and say “Well, that didn’t work the first time, so it must not work at all.”

One of my favorite quotes:

If you want to succeed, double your failure rate!
-Thomas Watson

Success in this business is a matter of understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing, doing it, and then doing it again.