TOOLS FOR CHANGE
TOOL ONE
The first question you need to ask yourself is: Am I ready to go from employee to entrepreneur? There are so many things that change when you make this decision.
Here is a good article from Entrepreneur magazine about the difference between employee and entrepreneur. Read article here. This will help to understand that there is a difference and it isn't for everyone...
TOOL TWO
When considering a new business it is important to brainstorm some ideas and then research them. Narrow your best ideas down to a couple and then look for other businesses that are in that market.
It is usually best to choose business ideas that you are interested in or passionate about. This is especially important for entrepreneurs because of the amount of time you will spend starting up your business.
TOOL THREE
You have an idea, you've done your homework, now what? Often times that is as far as people get...why? Because of the unknown. Making a change can be scary so you need to control the fear.
Change is risky and can be frightening. In order to be better, to have the things we really want, we need to change. Accept that you will be scared, face it, and don't let it hold you back.
TOOL FOUR
Follow other entrepreneurs that you respect to see how they handle risk, fear and positivity. Find people in the business you are interested in. Interested in SEO? Follow Alistair Gill. Content Marketing? Try Ann Handley. Entrepreneurs? My favorite is Richard Branson. Affiliate Marketing? Pat Flynn is the top.
TOOL FIVE
Have a Plan A, B, C, okay maybe even D! Have some solutions ready in case your first idea doesn't pan out the way you want. Be ready to be flexible as you may need to tweak and change your plans.
TOOL SIX
Learn how to post content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - as many social media outlets as you're comfortable. This can be new to baby boomers...well maybe not Facebook! But having a business page, knowing how to post content, is a little more involved than posting to friends.
These mediums are the way to get noticed with any business now so you need to know how to use them.
TOOL SEVEN
Everyone will tell you to start with one social media site to post on. Learn it well then move on to another. It can be way too overwhelming to try to do everything at once. Especially if you are on your own.
Just remember the big names have a huge staff to do all these things for them. As a start-up, usually you're flying solo or have one partner.
TOOL EIGHT
It is important to know how to make videos. I don't care to have myself in a video, so I make videos with pictures, with information, with music. Animoto is the program I use, but there are a lot of others out there.
Animoto found that 4x as many people prefer to watch a video about a product and it should be about 1 minute.
TOOL NINE
If you are still working your full time job and just starting out as an online marketer, it is important to prioritize your time. It is so easy to get distracted by reading posts and engaging with people that you aren't progressing your business.
Make a list, try to stick to it and keep moving forward!