Not Just Another Internet Business Success Journey

Should an Internet business have anything in common with a franchise?

Yes and no. Many people have made their fortunes with franchises. McDonalds, Subway, Re-Max and 7-Eleven have become household names. Not only for the products and services they offer, but for the success they have brought to many small business owners who, in turn, employ many people in the community surrounding the outlet.

Most Internet businesses on the other hand, operate in relative obscurity in a digital world. They rely on a complex system of traffic generation and retention in order to survive. They cannot just rely on the residual perceived value in the parent franchise organization to pull them through the tough times.

So, what is the point of this post?

Well, I was beginning to see a lot of similarity in several of the blogs that I regularly follow. It was nothing like franchising and more like follow the leader. That can be a good thing if the leader is going in the right direction. It might be bad otherwise.

With a franchise the business owner faces constraints with such things as logos, standards of service and goods and services offered. This can all be good if the owner of the franchise chain is doing it right AND his/her success depends somewhat on the success of each franchise.

In an Internet business it is important to establish a branding that represents quality and integrity. Over-deliver on every promise by doing more than the customer expects or has paid for. This is one of my philosophies. I want to be known for my generosity.

For a short while there I was tempted to jump on the bandwagon and start mimicking a lot of the material I was reading. It seemed like a good idea at the time but after some careful reflection I have come to the realization that it is often pointless to write about a topic just because I saw some so-called expert do it. I believe that it might be harmful to my reputation if I was seen to be simply copying a post idea I saw on another blog.

Many of my posts are simply that - my posts. What you read is what I am thinking. In some I have referred to people or products that I have come to value for some reason or other. I will always endeavour to make my reasons clear and upfront. In some posts and links on this site I have embedded my affiliate ID so that if you do click through to a merchant’s site and make a purchase then I get a small commission. In some cases though there is no commission, such as with my friend’s photography site.

So, I will state this. An Internet business, if started by an individual for the purpose of making an income, should look nothing like a franchise but it should be operated according to proven business methods until it can establish its own identity. That is, there should be individual flair, personality and passion mixed with good business practices. When it starts to look like a facsimile of other established sites/blogs, then it is time to re-group, re-brand and re-launch.

I do not intend to purposely model this blog after any I have seen. I also hope that my individual style becomes the branding of this blog. It will not be just another “infomercial” site.

Brendan.