How Does A Website Make Money?

How does a website make money? Isn't that the million dollar question? My feeling is that most people that might love to start a business, or start a website, really have little or no idea how a website makes money.

They think it is some sort of magical "slight of hand" or technical wizardry. So they never begin. And to me that's a real shame.

Why?

Because it is SO far from that. If you find youreself asking: "How does a website make money?" and you are unsure or totally perplexed, we have the entire mystery solving information right here for you! You see, not only is starting your business website far easier than you probably think (can be started in one afternoon easily!), making money with yuor website is even easier.

Yes, so true. However, you must know that the secret, if there is a "secret" (there really isn't) is to do things right. The most common mistake that I see almost everyone (including myself!) make is to try to "get the money to come in" TOO SOON! Ex. You wouldn't build a roof on a house before laying the foundation would you? And then say: "This is a lousy house. I can't walk around in it. I can't stay dry. Can't even get inside! What a house--it just doesn't work." Yet that is exactly what people do when it come to their online businesses and wesbites!

OK. Now, Let's say that you are a real smarty. YOU knew that you needed a great foundation and a great "floor plan". So you built the structure and foundation of YOUR website and online small business the right way. YOU called Searchlight Business Advocates and let them assist or do it for you. You are so smart! Congratulations! So now what? How does the money actually happen? It's "just a structure".

That's right. It is just a structure--so far! Just as a retail store on the street needs a great structure and the ideal location, so does your online business website! You must think of it exactly the same way. What would you do next if we were talking about a STREET business instead of an online business?

Yes! You would need to figure out HOW TO GET POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS TO THE STORE! OK. Now I can hear you thinking: "But Waaaaiitt a minute Brian. "Mr. Online Business Expert". Aren't you forgetting something? Like (duh) something to SELL?".

Well, actually, no. I didn't forget that. I am just being logical about how to not only build a solid business, but to truly succeed! Here's an example: If I build a candy store. And I locate it at the busiest street right in the middle of a busy shopping plaza. And I FILL it with the best candies the world has available and at the best prices. I am certain to sell lots of candy and be a huge success right? That does "sound" logical. But it isn't. That strategy relies too much upon what I call "the luck factor".

Do you want YOUR success to rely on luck? Or would it be better to rely on intelligence research, competitve analysis, bullseye target marketing and customer service? Confused? Well let's say you think you OK with the above strategy. BUT three other candy store open in the same great plaza. They ALSO sell the same exact candies as you and the other two stores. What happens to YOU? Your business potential was just slashed by 75%!

So don't let that scenario be a possibilty. Fortify yourself right from the start by truly setting yourself apart from all competitors! Become a "Brand of ONE"!

Here's how:

What if there are four candy shops. But YOU are the only one with specialty european chocolates, nostaligic penny candies and even a sugarless line for diabetics! And, by the way, your prices are as good or even lower than the other three. In addition, you have taken the effort to ATTRACT a large and very "candy oriented" set of potential customers to the plaza and to YOUR store.

What happens to YOUR chances now? There ya go! That's what we do for you at Searchlight!

Alright, that's the ideal way to position an OFFLINE store to make money. But we are talking ONLINE.

Here is the simplest illustration for how to look at it:

NEED	OFFLINE	ONLINE
Base Of Opps:	Brick And Mortar Physical Building	Small Business E-commerce Website. Usually Operated From HOME.
Location:	Best Available/High Traffic?	No matter where you are, the INTERNET gives you the perfect location! And -- The Most Traffic Possible!
TRAFFIC Generation:	Rely On Street/Foot, Costly Ads, Word-Of-Mouth Is it enough? Is it targeted?	It's Your Website's CONTENT! Unlimited and perfectly targeted. Generated Via Precision Search and Market Analysis
Marketing:	Print And TV/Radio Advertising. Expensive! Questionable Return On Investment. Better look into the web!	Ideal Approach is SE Analysis and CONTENT Building! More CONTENT=MORE Traffic! Gives back resources to selectively try others as well.
Product/Service	Your Choice. Management/Inventory/Employee issues	Your Choice. Ideally dropship directly to customers. YOU never have to handle inventory.
Payment Location:	Must Be Inside Your Store/Office	Anywhere From A Computer
Payment Types:	Cash/Credit Card/Check	Cash/Credit Card/Check
Payment Processing:	Merchant Account/POS at your registers	Merchant Account/Buy directly from your site. Paypal!
Customer Retention	Direct mail, print newsletter, coupons	E-mail communications, ONLINE newsletter, autoresponders, onlinme offers!
Overhead Costs:	Can Be Overwhelming	Extremely Low. Best Possible Chance At Early Profits

Does this table help you? Do you now see that a website makes money very much the SAME ways as an OFFLINE business out on the street?

Yet the online business has FAR less overhead and headaches! You may be thinking that an offline business has greater income potential. NOPE! A correctly built internet small business website has equal or even actually a GREATER potential to make money as any offline business.

OK. So I,ll bet you are still wondering how to get your products and/or services onto your business wesbite so you can sell and make some money. Correct?

Again, it's so simple. I have other pages detailing exact steps. But for your benefit right here, let's do another table chart:

Item For Sale	To Sell OFFLINE	To Sell ONLINE
Professional Services	Advertise, Consult Over Phone, Make Appointemnt To Meet, Pysically Sign PAPER Contracts, etc.	Website Attracts Potential Client, Consult via Phone/Email, Digitally Complete Contract Directly From Your Website OR Meet In Person
Hard-Goods	Stock Shelves And Manage Warehouse Inventory. Sales Take Place Right Off Shelf. Payment At POS Registers.	Publish An ONLINE STORE Using Pictures Of Your Inventory! Include Any Product and Payment Details. Payment Takes Place Directly Through Your Payment Gateway Ex. Clicking a Paypal Button and Checking Out with Cash, Credit Card or Check! Never handle Invetory yourself!
Information Products aka eBooks, software, etc.	Not an Offline Option --that is unless you have an ONLINE business too! How about it?	Works the same as any physical product except that there is no "physical" product. Customers receive what is known as a DOWNLOAD. The prodcut is digitally delieverd right to their computer - usually instantly!

Easy Dont You Agree? If it still seems difficult, don't worry. That's why we are here. We will either help you with each and every one of these items OR just do it FOR you.

There are other ways a website makes money too. You have undoubtedly heard of Pay-Per-Click Advertising.

Advertising is a great way the many websites make money. A ridiculously simple way for you to start earning some money with your website, is to install Google Adsense ads on specific pages. At first it won't be a lot of money. However, I have known some successful internet business people that earn upwards of the mid 4 figures a MONTH. Just with Adsense! This is 1-2-3 easy to do and it is as close to "money-off-a tree" as it is possible to achieve.

Call us to get more specifics on exactly how to make any or all of this a reality for YOU!

Thanks for reading! Sincerely, Brian P. Hower President and Founder SEARCHLIGHT Business Advocates www.business-internet-and-media.com "Business, the INTERNET, and YOU!" 814-392-0356 or TOLL FREE 1-866-452-4243 Click Here To          E-mail Us     OR Click HERE To Go Back To Our Home Page Click HERE To Go Back To T2 (If approp.) The class for this font is changed in the stylesheet. It is only here to give you the option of a bold text, without the extra size Click here to speak to us right now! e-mail