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Your Own On-line Business

Once your website is up and running and you have initiated some kind of promotion, visitors will start arriving. They will be few at first, but the clicks, hopefully, will increase over time. Most will presumably come because they believe you are offering something that interests them. If they like what they see, they may even recommend it and your site to others, perhaps by word of mouth, but more likely via the Net. That, of course, is a good thing; but there is a down side. Your business can also be the target of “Haters”. These are sad individuals who gain some perverse delight from posting negative comments about websites, products, even people – to them, everything and everyone is “fair” game. This is called “Trolling” – remember the grumpy creatures from the fairy tales? – the practice of going on-line with the express purpose of finding sites where they can dump their hurtful spam. These spoilers will even log onto XBox games, don a headset and troll everyone playing with abuse, but not actually play the game themselves. There’s little you can do to prevent Haters commenting in the public arena – everyone has the right to criticise – but if they do it on your site, there are measures you can take:

    1) Don't respond to them - they are waiting for that and it will just feed their enormous egos.
    2) If they post comments, delete them. Or, better still, make posting messages by approval only.
    3) Don't believe what they are saying – it’s all down to jealousy because they haven’t the intelligence or staying-power to achieve what you have.
    4) Don’t take it personally; don’t hate them back; don’t even pity them – they aren’t worth it. Just develop a thick skin and get on with your business.

Starting your own on-line business is a very personal thing, and your website will say as much about you as it does about the services you are offering for sale. Think well on this. It has taken you a long time to become who you are now and I daresay there are goals not yet achieved that you are still working on. Put all of this past experience to work for you and make a success of this rewarding opportunity.

I'll leave you with the words of Kristy from Western Australia, a friend who has recently started an on-line business and who helped with the writing of this:

"Have your huge dreams, but start them small! Know your budget. Know your product. Get some education on the business do's and dont's. And last but not least, stick at it. I have met some amazing business owners who have taken several years to finally establish a well-functioning business."

Thanks Kristy.

Next issue: Buy Superseded and Save - last year's model can be better value

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Where every effort has been made to be accurate and fair-minded, comments and opinions expressed on this website are based on personal experience and do not necessarily reflect the views of the wider community or those groups and institutions mentioned. A Season of Happiness and its staff accept no responsibility for any outcome based on suggestions offered. What works for us may not work for you. Please bear this in mind.