Get Your Own Products

I'm going to rant a bit, those with sensitive constitutions should leave now, I want to offend you but can't stand listening to your complaints. All right, here it goes. I can't effing stand it when I get emails from other store owners looking for advice.

What do I look like? I'm not going to take time out of my day to explain to you how I got my store up and running. I'm not going to give you step by step instructions on how you can build your own store. And I'm certainly not going to give you a list of my vendors with contact information. Are you joking? Why would you even ask for that? You just figure I've got a store so now all I do is sit on my ass collecting money all day? Well my friend you are wrong... and stupid.

I don't do consulting, there is no suggestion anywhere on my site that I do it, so stop asking for it. You lazy bastard, do your own research, actually learn how to run an online business instead of asking for handouts. This is a real business and I run it, I have no time to be handing out information and techniques that have taken me years to master.

I sell an online video course called Online Store Profits and am part of a large forum for individuals who work online. Buy my course or get a membership to the forum and I'll be happy to give you all the information you desire - except my vendor's names, c'mon. Running an online store is hard work just like any other business, you can't just waltz in and expect someone to hold your hand and walk you through it. Put in some effort people.

Newsletters Are Necessary

Lots of people balk at the need for regular newsletters to be sent to a customer list. Mostly I think it's because so many doubt their writing ability. It is true that some people write better than others and there are some who really can't write to save their life. That's just how it goes, as humans we all can't be good at everything. But even if you fall into that non-writer category that's no excuse.

You don't have to be a wordsmith to send out a professional newsletter, no matter what you are selling. Try creating a theme for each newsletter. Then fill it out with product pictures related to your theme. Then all you really have to do is write a small blurb about your theme topic and tell your customers it's on sale. Not so bad, especially after you do it a few times.

It might be hard and a little scary but newsletters will bring you repeat customers. It's a reminder that you're around, something an online business definitely needs. The Internet is a vast entity with many other beings floating around in it. Try to think of the websites you visited for the past month, you probably can't name more than a 1/3 of them, if that. Help your customers help you.