Top 10 Online Business Mistakes that you Shouldn’t Make

Do you also want to do business online? and wan’t to know online business mistakes? Working in your pajamas, exercising for an hour in between, and doing something fun with your children in the afternoon. And of course, sleep in because as an online entrepreneur you have that freedom. A lice life. Or is the reality different? I can already tell you that it is hard work.

Success is a matter of persevering and learning from your mistakes with an online business.

No longer working an hourly invoice

With the current technology and affordable tools, it is easy to become an internet entrepreneur. The start-up costs are low and you can reach more people online. So egg. You no longer have to work an hourly bill, but you also offer your services in the form of online programs or online training courses. This way you can earn a lot more while as an online entrepreneur you also have more freedom.

Sounds too good to be true… ..or not?

Not all roses and moonshine

Doing business online is not all roses and moonshine. Certainly in the beginning, it is hard work, usually, you first have to work hard, unless you have enough money to immediately outsource all kinds of activities 😉

I have free training with 5 valuable lessons on success tips with an online business.

You are never stuck in a traffic jam and you work well in your jogging suit, but you work just as many hours as other entrepreneurs. Keep in mind that it can take a few years before you can really make good money with it.

Are you still enthusiastic? Then read on… ..

In this article, I will discuss a number of mistakes that starting online entrepreneurs often make. And this also applies if you already have a thriving business or are a successful coach or consultant, but you want to make the switch to working online. Online business is yet another sport. You work just as many hours as other entrepreneurs.

Common mistakes with online business

Of course, there are exceptions, but in general, you really need guts and the ‘drive’ to persevere. So persist, even if it does not immediately yield anything. It takes time to build an online business.

Working online is fun. Indeed, you can just work in your pajamas, sleep in and do something fun with your kids in the afternoon. But as your own boss, you do need the self-discipline to plan your work.

I regularly speak with my clients or other online entrepreneurs about the challenges and opportunities of an online program or training. And you make quite a few mistakes with online business when you just start. I know that all too well from my own experience 😉

That’s why I’m sharing some common mistakes below so that you don’t have to make them anymore. What mistakes are often made with online business when you start as an online entrepreneur?

1. Have way too high expectations

Building a successful business takes time and energy, and so does an online business. Don’t underestimate that! If you think you can get by with a 4-hour workweek, or a few weeks, then you are wrong. You often hear success stories, but talk to those successful entrepreneurs.

• Ask them how much work it was before they became successful?
• And how long did that take?

It takes time to build brand awareness and get your business off the ground. So if you’re not willing to work hard and keep it up for a few years, you’re probably not going to make it.

2. Don’t have a plan

You need a plan of action. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.

And you really don’t need a 20-page business plan, but you do need a plan so that you know what you’re doing and take the right actions. I have a handy marketing calendar that can get you started.

In any case, you need to know who your customers are, what you sell (is that also a solution to an urgent problem?) And what people are willing to pay for your solution. And what makes you distinctive. You cannot serve everyone. If you choose a specific niche, your marketing activities will be much more effective.

3. No urgent problem solving

Of course, it is nice if you can turn your passion into a profession. But are people also waiting for that? Do you also offer a solution to a problem? Are people also willing to pay for your solution? If you solve an urgent problem, customers will come naturally. What if you have a solution for cancer or Alzheimer’s? Then customers know where to find you very quickly.

But if you are trying to sell something that you think is ‘cool’ but that no one is interested in, then it is pointless to try to reach a larger audience.

• First, consider whether you offer a solution to an urgent problem for your target group?
  Perhaps your service or product is effective, but you are not expressing it concretely enough?
• People want to pay for results. They want to pay for better health, to lose weight or to earn more money, and not, for example, to “get into their strength”.

4. Don’t listen to customers

How do you know if you are solving an urgent problem? Listen to your customers. Do your research, ask your potential clients before creating your online program. Talk to people and above all listen. And never stop listening.

• Listen to your satisfied customers.
• But also listen to people who are critical.

By listening to those criticisms, you can improve. So also listen to those who request their money back or who buy your online program, but do not use it.

There is a reason the customer is always right. Because without customers you have no business. They pay for your sandwich.

5. Not being distinctive enough

There are many online services and products for sale. You are probably not the only one who does what you offer. Customers have plenty of choices. How can you ensure that customers choose you and not one of your competitors? If your answer is ‘I am doing better then that is not good enough.

• What value do you deliver?
• Do you also convey that value in your communication?

Make yourself visible with that value. By standing out and being different. Maybe you have a good guarantee scheme or a unique target group? Many freelancers who sell their knowledge online are actually the product themselves. Even then it is important to convey your distinctive value in all your marketing activities.

And remember, just being yourself will make you 100% original and people won’t be able to copy you.

People do business with people. Look at successful entrepreneurs, see what works, and be inspired by it. Don’t copy this. An original is always worth more than a copy. Even if you think you can copy a successful entrepreneur and do it much better. Because ‘better’ is subjective. So don’t try to be better, try to be different.

6. Focus on unimportant matters

I know this all too well. I am a bit of a perfectionist and can also worry about trivialities such as an image. But focusing too much on the design of your blog, your business cards or the look and feel of your website wastes valuable time.

Do you prefer to do things that really contribute to the growth of your company? So focus on sales and marketing.

That will give you customers. So make sure you make yourself visible online by showing up consistently. And then worry about those details later. You can always change your house style later or make your website even more beautiful.

7. Do everything yourself to save money

Of course, the more you earn, the more work you can outsource. It is therefore understandable that you want to do as much as possible yourself in the beginning. But you shouldn’t overdo this. Don’t design your logo or make your business cards yourself. There are plenty of services such as Fiverr where you can get this done for a reasonable price. This way you can focus on more important tasks to run your business.

An online business simply requires a few investments. As an entrepreneur, it is good to continuously invest in training for your own development.

And also in systems to automate your processes. That takes a lot of work off your hands and saves time. Or do you want to manually send all invoices and e-mails? For example, you need an email provider. I started with Mailchimp myself, but now I am very happy with the possibilities of ActiveCampaign. With this email provider, you can very easily set up sales funnels. You can use this service for 9 euros per month. And with this link, you can even try it out for free for a month 😉

8. Get isolated

It’s easy to spend all your time alone behind your laptop as an online entrepreneur. But it can sometimes be tough and lonely to work with your laptop from home.

You need other people around you. People who understand and support you.

You need the support and support of other entrepreneurs who are in the same phase as you or who are further along. This also yields new ideas and inspiration. Go to conferences and meet-ups. Or start a mastermind with other entrepreneurs. You can then regularly spar with each other, discuss what your struggles are and what you encounter. But they can also inspire and encourage you if you need to.

9.Confuse a blog with a business

A blog is a great platform to share your ideas and expertise and to build awareness. You can also build your mailing list. The same applies of course to podcasting or a YouTube channel or any other place where you distribute content for free.

Sharing free content is not a business. It is a marketing tool to build your online visibility and show what you can do.

There is only a handful of people who earn enough from advertising income and sponsors to make a good living. So you will have to have a different plan to make money.

10. Waiting too long to sell

Entrepreneurs often wait far too long to launch a product or service. They do blog or podcast fanatically, sometimes for months or even years, but they do not offer a product or service. This is possible for several reasons:

• It can be very overwhelming to create content and work on an online product at the same time.
• Think it has to be perfect first.
• Wait until you first have the “magic” number of people on your mailing list of 1,000 or 10,000 email subscriptions.
• Or you suffer from insecurity and fear of failure. What if nobody buys?

While you have spent a lot of time creating your online program. But you have to take this risk to fail. There is always room for improvement and it will never be perfect. So you have to take the risk of making something that no one buys.

My first online training was also a huge flop. I had spent hours, weeks on it and hardly made any sales. But that has been such a good learning experience 😉

By practicing creating and launching online programs, you keep getting better. So the sooner you launch something, the sooner you will earn a good income with your online program.

• Do not wait for the right time, because then you will never launch anything.
• A big mistake is thinking too much and doing too little!

Without action, you will not move forward. And you will have to work very hard in the beginning. So are you willing to take action? Are you willing to stick with it? And to learn from your mistakes?

Finally

Still, excited to become an online entrepreneur? I have free training with 5 success factors needed to build a profitable business. This will get you off to a good start and prevent a number of mistakes with an online business.

Prevent these mistakes with online business

The internet offers many opportunities to start your own business. If you have an idea, just go for it. But make sure you have a plan of action and the necessary self-discipline. Persevere and learn from your mistakes. Above all, learn by just doing it.

I also have free training for you with 5 valuable lessons about entrepreneurship.

And do you want to get started with your marketing plan? Check these tips for a marketing plan.

Remember, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Avoiding these 10 online business mistakes can improve your chances of success.

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