Going Full Throttle In The Information Age

How An Internet Novice Built An Online Business

Let's start with the truth. I didn't fail my first computer class in college, but is was D-graded for dismal.

Guess what?

I retook the class the next semester and "upgraded" to a C. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would get the hang of this new computer stuff.

So I got a forestry degree.

I did my assignments on IBM keypunch machines ... yes those original metal monsters that punched out square little chads to code your work on stiff manila cards. Only the real computer science students got to use those high-tech terminals.

Even my housemate hooked up a build-your-own computer from Radio Shack with a telephone receiver stuck in a rubber coupler to communicate with the mainframe on campus.

Cyberspace was in its infancy and I was grounded in tree identification, not DOS.

Fast forward a few decades and now the entire world is wired. Luckily I learned to do three things in the interim:

• Type with all my fingers. (Thank you Mrs. Stockton.)
• Write and rewrite. (Now you can outsource.)
• Research like a pro. (Very handy for success.)

These are the key skills of my new life as a webmaster and infopreneur.

80 bytes of data
Photo: Dick107

Are you a cyber-believer ... or holding on to the past?

Computers have changed the world, and the world is changing for computers.

As an environmental and travel writer, the traditional avenues of magazines and newspapers are dead end roads. Fewer and fewer editors agreed to use my stories (plus the pay was always paltry) as readership declined and print markets plunged.

Online web magazines, forums, blogs and websites skyrocketed as more people scrolled web pages than turned over black and white print.

Each year cyberspace is flooded with amazing content that attracts more and more visitors ... I had to find a way to get online.

But first ... what happened to my great book idea?

Nature Escapes was first mooted as a book idea.

But dealing with book publishers meant that I'd only get a 10% royalty check, at best, and very little marketing to boost sales.

I held out for a better option.

Audiences today demand more mouse-click interaction than bookish reflection, so I had to find an Internet solution over recycling dead trees.

My next decision not only changed my original book idea, but my entire approach towards understanding the World Wide Web.

The SBI solution ... changing odds and opportunities for all.

I am a writer, not a website builder. I am an amateur photographer, not a Photoshop expert. I have a passion for nature and science, not Internet marketing.

But I do know how to harness the power of the Internet and build a business based on my passions, knowledge and creativity.

And the one tool that allows me to do all of this is Site Built It!

Everything done on this website is due to this powerful online business package; it's not just a website builder.

SBI takes the time to prepare you to build a profitable business, before you jump into choosing a domain name and start building your site on a whim, instead of online wisdom.

Did I make mistakes? Yes, lots. Why? That's how you learn.

As a novice, the learning curve is steep at the beginning but the incredible support from the SBI Forum will not let you fall down.

By reviewing the detailed Action Guide video series over, asking questions in the forum and researching other SBI travel sites, I got back on the right track to Internet success.

Show me the money ... and the path to future independence.

How is the website doing financially? Slow and steady.

Not all websites are created equal for fast revenue potential. And remember, I started Nature Escapes with a flawed design based on a preconceived book idea. Doh!

In my view, travel websites require longterm planning to earn money from various sources and to build relationships. For instance, I use the growing traffic to my site to sell nature books, ebooks and videos; forward hotel recommendations and nature guide referral services; offer travel agent tour packages; and sell advertising space.

The potential for spin-off projects and additional revenue models only increases each day as more web pages are built and more visitors appreciate your content.

Perhaps the best reason to plug away at a niche website are the benefits that accrue 24/7. The real value, at this stage, is not how much money, but what is the vision for the future?

Each one of us has special talents or unique knowledge to share.

Site Build It! sets the foundation and provides all the components to take advantage of your skills to reach the goal of independence, whether financial or personal.

If you desire to work at home, gain extra income or turn a part-time hobby into a business, then take ten minutes to check out these successful SBI websites. Many of these sites started earning money in just a few months on such diverse topics as vacuum cleaners, Australia Outback, Caribbean beaches, birthday cakes, juicing, wedding photography and much more.

Build your online business ... and ditch the 9 to 5

As a freelance writer and consultant, I already value working from home: no boss, fewer traffic jams, more time with family, more exercise, and a flexible lifestyle.

Integrating SBI into my work goals let's me pursue other online business ideas - one product site, one health information site - that diversifies my revenue potential from different interests.

Plus in the past year, I feel like I've graduated from the Best Online Business School. The education gained from online learning is phenomenal.

Now cyberspace acts as an open frontier with room for ideas and opportunities to launch information products, build rich content websites and pursue work outside the office cubicle.

My chapter is really just beginning, but review these case studies of other SBI users to spark your own dreams.

There are plenty of ways to pursue your passion. Give it a try.