Online vs Offline businesses

[biz1]

I see many people on this forum and other forums starting internet businesses and think that they will become successful just by having a website and running it from their dark bedroom. I think that you need to get out there and network and make yourself know. In my opinion offline businesses are better. I've tried internet businesses and they are very difficult to market and advertise. So I've moved on from doing an internet business and think I will have better success.

What do you people think?

[Road2Riches]

Personally, I think it's all about the person. Some people are afraid to approach people or talk to people offline, so they feel being behind a computer will benefit them and be more prosperous than taking their business offline.

Others are more of a people person and loves to market offline. Me, i'm in between. I can do offline and online marketing. And I definitly agree with you about people needing to make thierselves known. But you can do that both off and online.

Like you said yourself that it was difficult to run your business online, but to others it can be a piece of cake. It all depends on the person and what they are more comfortable with. And where they market theirselves.

And with these businesses or whatever you do in life....it's your motivation, your will, your determination, your attitude, your not giving up or giving in, your hopes and dreams, and consistancy is going to keep you going and help and make you reach your goals at the end.

So never quit----Winners never quit and Quitters never win....

[biz1]

You make some good points and I like that quote at the end. Also I like offline businesses because you can see your product out and about unlike the internet where its just on a screen.

[Lex]

Online vs Offline

Online:
Low Startup Costs
Cheap Marketing Available
Dont Require a seperate office (although some do and some offline dont either)
Sell things 24/7 (cant be done offline)
A much larger target market (unless the offline business is international)
IMHO more chance of success (not including the thousands who do a half assed job)

Offline:
More personal service (face to face)
Easier to hire staff (i dont like paying people to do work over the net large amount of uncertainty although escrow is good).


Welcome people to add more

[Karen]

Actually, in a way they are the same. Online you need to network, get the word out, spread the message. Offline you need to network, get the word out, spread the message.

Online however gives you the advantage of having a 24/7 store front, plus tons of free advertising.

Some businesses are better suited offline and some are better suited online. But both can be successful without a doubt.

Karen

[biz1]

They both can be successful but many people think they can throw up a website with products from alibaba and become millionaires. Many just sit in their house and go on the internet, but you need to go out in the real world to do it.

I was doing some internet businesses and thought I could become a success by just staying in my house but I now know I have to go out and truly work for it.

[Sport Skeds]

I've found - from my niche - that I have to do both - evenly...
The networking is as important face to face as it is through phone/e-mail...

...and -foremost- the customer (large orders to onesy-twosy) needs to be satisfied safely and consitently. So, some businesses you'll start force you to work hard at *both* the offline (affilaitions with other companies, personal relationships, etc), as well as online (easy ordering, quicker delivery, communication ease, etc) to be the success you want to be...

two cents...

[kozuch82]

It is definitely true that starting OFFLINE business is easier, thought it costs more. Online costs less but is much harder to begin with. This is my experience. Try mix of both.

[Robben_Salter]

I've personally been studying Internet Marketing for a while, actually finding and building a customer base online is not difficult.


Actually, starting and running an Internet company is fairly easy, most people have problems getting it off the ground.


There is also a vast amount of confusion floating around on forums and even books by so called 'experts' on starting an Internet Business.

The Internet itself is just a platform, like tv or radio, it's just a medium to get your message across.


Most people will not succeeed on the Internet... why?

Because, like real estate, there is a vast amount of how to information to digest.


The best way to learn Internet Marketing, is to find some one who already has a successful Internet Business (hopefully, a business that is not about selling informational products geared at making money on the web)


You're not going to get rich with a blog/adsense, or by joining some onesaffiliate programs, these are great ways to practice your Internet Marketing skills and have some fun along the way.

Remember this, your online business, is not a "ONLINE BUSINESS"

If I advertise my business on the radio, is it a radio business? no...
Your business often involves shipping, taking orders, checking e-mails and making sure the day to day tasks are running smoothly.

Apart from that, you're gonna wanna wake up early and work on building your web site traffic.

You might shoot a podcast video, to bring more traffic to your site, or email some folks for some reciprocal links or request a link on some ones site for a fee.

You'll wanna log onto your favorite forum and make a few posts with your sig.

You'll wanna check how your ppc campaigns are doing, and write some new ads to test against the old ones (beating your control, as it's called)

and, you might wanna tweak some of your web sites copy, and make some web site modifications.

You'll wanna search for new JV partners, and get your cards in order for your next e-mail campaign.


Alot of work, you can hire out some of it.



Is it easier than offline? it's different than offline. But at the end of the day, it's just a platform to get a message across, in and of itself, it's nothing magical.


I recommend those who know little about 'real' Internet marketing, to find some one who actually runs a full time or part time web business...

You'll learn more than way, than you would from a book.

[freetraff]

Online and Offline business are different. And you must have some experience.

Among other big differences I see a big power for automation. For example, you are getting into the niche where the service is costly. You can investigate the niche and business in terms of what jobs can be automated (done by robots and programs). Automate it wisely. And you are in the same niche under very low price.

But don't think that Internet business is easy. Today the competition level is bigger than 3-4 years ago. At the beginning of 2000 I could post my promo on some niche forums, and the traffic was flooding my site. Now you must care about publicity (article submissions and press release submissions), about doing good JVs/co-promotions in the niche, about getting position #1 in search engines (onpage and offpage optimization) and many other factors.

Plus, you must be nicely armed with knowledge about Internet marketing, SEO, online business.

But if you do nice job, the fruits will be amazing. So, good luck.

[Danny_Boy]

30 billion spent in direct sales in 2004!!

77% of that was done in belly to belly (in person)
14% over the phone
6% over the internt

I konw the internet is quickly growing in all aspects of what it can do. In an artical I read by Paul Zane Pilzer he writes "The impact of the internet, which is even now only in its infancy, can only be compared to the invention of writing, which created the birth of civilization, and the printing press, which created industrialization." This is a strong statement.

Pilzer finishes the artical with some fantastic news: "Based on this history and current conditions, I now forcast that the US household wealth will reach $100 Trillion (currnetly $40 Trillion) in the next 10 years, by 2016 - and that over the same 10 years, the exploding US economy will create at least 10 million new millionaires."

My interpretation of these, and other, facts is that the best type of business is one that utilizes the best of both online and offline businesses. 24/7 store fronts, like a travel website booking engine, allong with the face-to-face interaction and word-of-mouth advertising/marketing. Either way, if you are wanting to be one of the next decades 10 million millionaires, you need to utilize the internet. Thanks for letting me share.

Dan