The Internet can be a ... place to do ... Itoften seems like there are a million 'gurus' on the Net, ... at the same time, and telling you how they ... road map to success. T The Internet can be a confusing place to do business. Itoften seems like there are a million 'gurus' on the Net, allspeaking at the same time, and telling you how they have"the" road map to success.The truth is ... there is no one map. There are many roadsto the destination we call success. How long the trip willtake depends a great deal on the choices you make.They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with asingle step. And that's certainly true. To help you alongthe way I offer my five steps to success.1. Sell What People Want To Buy.For a thousand years (or more) small business has thrived onone motto. Find a need and fill it. The Internet is nodifferent that Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart didn't sell what peoplewant they would go out of business in short order.The best way to find what people want is to ask them.Contact the people you know and ask them what their #1problem is today. Then tally the results and look for apattern. Once you find the pattern, find a product orservice to meet that need and contact them again. When you do, very good things will begin to happen.2. Follow Up With Everyone You CanThe people who come to your website will fall into two broadgroups. Those that buy and those that don't buy yet. Createa follow up system for the people who don't buy and you willmake time your ally, not your enemy.You don't have to be a great writer to do this. Just jotdown the five top reasons people should buy your product andcreate a short message for each reason. Then put those in anautoresponder and offer people more information. Over time,many will buy your product. It's equally important to follow up with those who do buy.Be sure to offer them products and services that complimentyour own. For example, it's only logical that someone who buys a carwill eventually need their oil changed. In a like manner,people who buy your offer may want products or services thatenhance your product's benefits. 3. Use A Simple Sales SiteThere is a lot of discussion about how many words should beon your web site. While this debate will continue to rageon, the sites that sell the best seem to be one-page, verysimple sales sites. After all, why use more words thannecessary. People are in a hurry today so give them what they want.Tell them clearly why they should buy your product, ask forthe order and offer them more information if they choose notto buy now. Simple.4. Use Automation To Your Advantage'Automation' is simply a fancy term for letting a computerdo the work you would normally do. Perhaps the best exampleis an autoresponder. An autoresponder is a program that sends emails out over aperiod of time. Rather than having to remember who shouldget which message when, the computer remembers and sendsthem for you.There are ways to process orders, send email follow ups, askfor referrals, place ads and more all using the power ofautomation. While it is important to maintain a personal touch,automating everyday tasks means you will be able to respondfaster to inquires and have the time you need to follow upwith clients and expand your business.5. Give Yourself TimeJust as in any business, it takes time to succeed in anonline business. Since time is going to march on anyway, whynot make time your ally?Using tools to automate your business will help you savetime every day. Having clearly defined goals and objectiveswill help you have 'staying power' for the long haul. Using time wisely and being committed to long term successare both vital to your online business. Success is simple if you keep it simple. One key is to findpeople who are successful and learn from what they aredoing. When you are offering a popular product using a simple salespage website, are following up using automation to youradvantage and are patient enough to let your business grow,you will find that the path to success is short indeed. Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com