Principles of Influencial Business

[supportfreedom]

Looking through the threads of this topic, I can't help but feel disappointed. There are too many scams and third-party money-making sites that saturate this otherwise valuable resource with time wasters and fraud. I am interested in starting a business and would certainly like to take a part of that business to the web; many of us know a good tip here or there or have picked up a few bits of advice along the way, but we don't often have the opportunity to learn from each other or possibly collaborate to practice successful business.

What are some things you have learned, either from others or from personal experience, about starting or perpetuating a successful business?

Considering the topic, an emphasis on e-business is certainly encouraged, but good business strategy is universally applicable, so any advice is appreciated. I need to work on a few personal commitments but will be back later to contribute myself.

Regards,
Josh

[supportfreedom]

After several busy days I have this brief moment to share a few words.

While organizing my thoughts on what I would like to discuss tonight, I am tempted to list principles in order of importance. This is very ineffective because no single principle followed will make everyone's dreams come true, but I will succumb and do so tonight with the hopes of being better understood.

We'll start with just one tonight, principle #4:

#4 Simplify
One of the greatest companies to exemplify this principle is Apple Computers. Just last week I visited my grandparents for the 4th. They have this large TV with a nice sound system and every gizmo and accessory for a TV as far as I've ever seen. The problem is fighting through the four or five different remote controls with their several modes and dozens of buttons. Few people need so many buttons; almost always the three or four standard television functions are sufficient: on/off, change the volume, change the channel, and the basic dvd controls. This is when Apple begins to take over, simplifies things, and becomes highly successful. Many of their products are sleek, slim, and equipped with only a few but highly functional controls. Some examples of this include their inline ipod remote and their new Macbook (the touchpad is buttonless). An Apple TV remote control would be the same- just a few buttons with high functionality.

Another facet of simplicity deals with communication. Many relationships, both inside the business circle and sometimes closer to home, are soured because of difficulties in communication. I am fond of listening to speeches given in the past; some of the best ones I have ever heard, that have been great influences on other people, are those that are easily understood; these speeches communicate feelings that reach out to those listening instead of just being a meaningless jumble of words. Often volume is a component of success, such as a large number of products sold or the ability to effectively work through many school assignments quickly, but this is not so with words. The shorter the statement the more powerful it becomes; simplifying our speech and writing has a way of helping others better understand what we hope to convey. People will not be tired of listening to you but will value what you say; when you speak everybody will listen. Of course, listening to others in critical in applying this principle; listening is often more important than speaking. This next example is somewhat comical but I feel helps get the point across: Yoda in the original Starwars movies said to Luke "Do or do not, there is no try." The shortness and clarity of this phrase is remarkable considering the somewhat backward use of grammar; I would suspect that very few people don't know this phrase. Be simple in words; choose what you say carefully; speak as if everything you say will never be forgotten and others will remember what you tell them.

I'm sure there are other important things that could have been included in the above discussion but this is sufficient, I feel, to apply the principle to our topic- The best websites I've ever visited are simple and sleek; there are no excess links, images or buttons (without limiting the functionality of the website) and the site is organized and easy to navigate. Whenever there is text it is just enough to get the point across without adding too much fluff or unnecessary information. Complicated websites lose visitors while simple ones are celebrated, bookmarked, and utilized, over and over again.

-Josh

[nirajkum]

wonderful article .. reading it was really pleasure .

[hiointernat]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I am still starting up my online business so I don't have comments on how to be successful with income, but I can reflect on what has worked so far for me.

Another facet of simplicity deals with communication. Many relationships, both inside the business circle and sometimes closer to home, are soured because of difficulties in communication.

This cannot be overemphasized! It's really important to align with the right people and to be as clear as you can all the time. It's hard to get it perfect, but miscommunication only leads to more complicated problems down the line.

Also, what you say about the site itself being simple I think is key. There are too many websites out there that focus on too many things, the clutter just makes a bad impression on me. If you are simple, it's not that you are lacking, it's that you are focused.

[supportfreedom]

Thank you for the replies. Your way of putting simplicity as being focused is insightful. I have a quick writeup for principle #3 which I hope to have up within the next few days, so stay posted.

-Josh

[lady_8]

I have learned through personal experience that people don't really buy a product online they buy into a person.

So I think the key is marketing and selling yourself. Because everyone wants to hang around someone successful because most hope that it will rub off on them selves.

That has been my experience anyways.

[vmrcks84]

I have learned through personal experience that people don't really buy a product online they buy into a person.

So I think the key is marketing and selling yourself. Because everyone wants to hang around someone successful because most hope that it will rub off on them selves.

That has been my experience anyways.

Yes, I can say from experience as a buyer that I only buy from someone online if I can gather enough information about their personality and credibility to trust them beyond their copywriting skills. You need to build that trust online.

All the other points above I agree with. I think that simplifying actually helps you build trust too.

[John Klyne]

Let me tell you a bit about my background first...

My father/uncles from my fathers side started working probably at age 7.
My father/uncles started their own company, when my father was 18.
My father ran 250-500 workers, in his sector of Germany.
My uncles with the help of my father have made hundreds of millions of dollars.

Was it easy? They say it wasn't...I am going to say the same thing, IT WAS NOT.

Well now here is a bit about myself, I come from a family that lives, to literally make money in everything they partake in. My family loves money, and truth be it, I love money as well.
It gives a person a sense of power, and freedom. I love both of those things.

I am what you would call, a web entreprenuer who can't finish squat related to the internet business. I can come up with great ideas, but am not willing to waste money to make them happen. So with that said, I am not a person to be giving e-commerce advice.

BUT, I am also a normal, non-internet related entreprenuer, and yes I am not that old AT ALL, and still do live with my parents...I do not have a job, I do not think I need a job.

But what I do need, is money, and to get money, I make others get it for me...I am the owner of a couple of businesses. Some are small, some are bigger and more income extensive.

Want to make $ 1,000.00 a day selling lemonade, from your lemonade stand? Well, I've done it, some people say $ 100.00 is hard enough, but nope, I think I am one of a very few people who have made that much money selling lemonade around the age of 16.

It takes persistance, you have to have a reason for customers to want to come to you, you have to make them want you. Well that is something everyone should think about, "How can I make the customers need me? or "How can I make the customers come to me no matter what they want?" ...think about the 2nd personal quote...Block the bridge, and make them buy lemonade to get across!

Persistance is something, needed, no matter what, to make money.

I am the Vice President to a construction company per say. If your customers are leaving, figure out why! Figure out what you can do to get them to come back! Well, in my case, I decreased the amount of income, I made, by lowering project costs...

Does this make sense? Charge less, to make more money???!!! Well it does work, and I am currently doing that. This is how it is done...(my explanation) ...if you are getting 5 projects for a projection of 25mill in company income for the year, and did not get the other 4 projects because we charged too much...what do we do? We charge less, so we got those 4 projects, of course since we charged less, we are not making 5 mil in profits from each we are only making 3.5 ...isn't it better to get 3.5mil from a project then it is to get ZERO??? YES OF COURSE IT IS!!!!

Well that is it, I am not sure how my real life example will work out, with e-commerce but ...I am thinking, if you find that customers are leaving because you charge too much...don't you think you should charge less, so you make the most amount of money, possible from all customers...and not lose a single one???

-----
Well here is something else...
Having opened a syringe plant...where they make syringes for flu shots or anything of that sort, there are just too many hospitals, and private doctors that need syringes, to inject their patients some "medication"...well if I only had the capacity to make 35,000 syringes a day...when some of our customers total need for a 1 month period at least 2mill these customers WALK AWAY...DAM I just lose thousands of dollars!

Well this is once again another reason why people fail at running successful businesses...clients walk off, because you don't full fill their needs...

Well let me tie this all up with my small lemonade business being run over the weekend.
You must be persistent, being persistent will get you father in the long run, you may not like the results yet, but when you keep on trying and thinking of how you can make your small lemonade business successful being persistant with what you need to accomplish is NEEDED A LOT!

Capacity! How in the world was I able to sell $ 1,000.00 worth of lemonade, (each glass at 1$) in one day, or weekend???

First you need a good location, and then you need to be able to meet the demands of your customers...you need to increase your capacity to make money! I DID NOT, sell my own lemonade??? I only bought, already made lemonade, and put it in a glass...and sold it! Well that's a good way to work your capacity issue...just use outside sources...that cost less than what you will be selling something for, so that you make a profit! I can buy 20 small cups of lemonade for I think it was 7$...that is a 13$ PROFIT... from my 7$ investment.

Change your capacity...think of ways to make it efficient and well you'll be on your way to a better more profitable business.

(Note: No trade or copywritten law applies to people younger than 18 years old...just like anyone under 18 can buy a camera today and return it 1 year later, the store can't say, "Ow it's past the 6 months...or whatever they say..." IT DOES NOT APPLY. HEHE

Who here can say, they havn't tried this AT LEAST Once? I have done it hehe.

Well Not sure if this was an apporpriate place to post, but I think it was, since the name of the thread is Influencial Business...I believe increase your Capacity and Persistence to stay with something is a very large factor of a successful business or lemonade stand!

...Note: Sorry on spelling.
If it was wrong to post here, please delete this post.
Thanks.

[hme2779]

I agree, persistence is a key principle of success. Especially in online business, as I'm learning, you have to stick to your goals and your plans, because it's all to easy to just give up and let it all go because it's not something tangible, but instead something on the "web."