Hey, it's Tim here...
Finding success and freedom as an online entrepreneur can be challenging.
Rich Schefren’s Internet Business Manifesto is a timeless guide to escaping the grind and building a thriving online business. It has inspired me to writing this article.
Let’s dive into the core lessons that can transform your mindset and unlock your true potential:
The Struggle: Why So Many Fail
Most internet marketers get stuck chasing shiny new “opportunities” without a real plan.
This leads to “Shiny Object Syndrome” - the repeat behavior of buying so-called shiny objects.
Shiny objects are the siren calls of the internet. They promise everything and give you just enough to keep you hooked, always chasing the next solution instead of buckling down to do the work.
This lack of strategy keeps them overworked, underpaid, and frustrated.
The Solution: Think Like an Entrepreneur
- Have a Vision: What do you truly want from your business? A clear vision guides your every decision.
- Strategize: Analyze your strengths, the market, and different paths to reaching your goals. Choose the best strategy, not just the easiest.
- Focus: Build a strong foundation in one niche, offering a range of products for maximum revenue and long-term success.
The Key to Freedom: Your Time
To build wealth, you need to understand the value of your time:
- Productive Time is focused on creating or marketing products - activities that directly generate money.
- Super-Productive Time is building systems to automate marketing, product creation, and scaling your business. That’s true leverage!
- Protect Your Time: Delegate and outsource non-productive tasks to regain control of your most valuable resource.
The Path to Success
Remember these essential principles as you build your empire:
- Think Long-Term: Build a real, sustainable business, not a series of shortcuts and get-rich-quick schemes.
- Invest Wisely: Only buy what supports your chosen strategy. Tactics alone won’t save you.
- Scale Up: Create systems for maximum efficiency and growth potential.
- Outsource & Delegate: Build a network of experts to multiply your productivity.
Understanding Income-Producing Actions
Income-producing actions (IPAs) are the core activities that directly contribute to your business’s bottom line.
Every business has its own unique set of IPAs, but here are some common categories to consider:
Lead Generation & Sales:
- Creating & promoting your own Automatic Lead Machine
- Direct sales calls or consultations
- Crafting compelling sales pages or offers
- Running webinars or workshops
- Networking and building partnerships (JV/affiliate outreach)
- Social media outreach and lead nurturing
- Organic content creation
Product/Service Delivery:
- Creating and developing your core products (digital or physical)
- Providing client services (coaching, consulting, design, etc.)
- Fulfilling orders (if you sell physical products) and delivering on what you promised
Customer Retention and Upselling:
- Providing excellent customer support
- Creating high-value upsells and backend offers
- Developing loyalty programs and incentives
- Staying in touch with your list/clients
Strategic Partnership Building:
- Seeking out joint venture opportunities (JVs/affiliates)
- Collaborating on product creation or cross-promotion
- Building a strong affiliate network for your products
Prioritizing Your Income-Producing Actions
Focus your most productive time on the actions that bring the highest rewards.
Here’s how:
- Identify Your Key IPAs: Look at your business model and revenue streams. What activities directly generate income for you? Be specific.
- Track Your Time: For a few days, meticulously track how you spend your time. Be brutally honest. How much time is spent on genuine IPAs versus less productive work?
- Audit Your Activities: Analyze which of your current tasks offer the highest reward and contribute the most to your goals.
- Delegate or Outsource: Can some of the non-IPAs be delegated to a virtual assistant, outsourced to a freelancer, or automated? This frees up your time for income-generating actions.
Extra Tips:
- Don’t Confuse Learning with Earning: Learning is valuable, but only implementing knowledge leads to income.
- Batch Your IPAs: Block dedicated time for your most important revenue-generating activities to maximize focus and output.
- Price Your Time Accordingly: Knowing what your time is worth helps you make informed decisions about where to invest it and how to price your services.
Remember: The KEY To Building A Successful Online Business…
...is ruthless prioritization of the actions that lead to real profits.
By focusing on income-producing tasks, you’ll create a powerful engine for growth and freedom.
Your Time is Now
The online marketplace is still full of opportunity, and this article reveals how to seize it.
Embrace a strategic mindset, value your time, and unlock the extraordinary profits and freedom you deserve.
Are you ready for a change?
Let me know if you’d like help applying these powerful principles to your business!
Best,
Tim