eAction

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my dream of training interns to do some of my work for me, and in turn showing them how they can start their own web business successfully. I believe I’ll be taking some definite steps in this direction in the months to come, but just now I’m pondering what are all the key things I would take a trainee or intern through to teach them what I’ve learned. This list might take some fleshing out later as we get into it, but here are the basic stages I think one needs to pass through. At least if I’m allowed to be as thorough as I feel necessary.

Intern Training Outline;
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1. Set up Linux Operating System

Yes, I believe the most secure operating system is a Linux system, and a person who is going to operate a business all alone at home, needs to have some basic computer setup and repair skills. Installing Linux alone, or on a multi-boot computer will stand you in good stead the rest of your life. You’ll never be sorry.

2. Become Familiar with Your Computer & Programs

Lots of people are hampered by all they don’t know. It’s possible to struggle along and learn as you go. I did. But how it would speed up your success if someone taught you what are the most important programs, and how to use them to maximum benefit! You also need to know basic things like regular backups, and keeping your computer secure.

3. Become Familiar with the Internet and how to Do Research

Again, something I’ve learned over time, but my work was boosted tremendously once I caught on to much better research skills. Many folks only know how to find certain sites that a friend has introduced them to, and have no idea how to track down whatever they need to know, or how to make purchases securely. Things like that. Your horizons open up like on your first airplane flight once you know how to find whatever you want to know.

4. Learn Good Email Use and Etiquette, and Spam Protection

I’m constantly astonished at how little friends know about all they can do with email aside from hitting Reply. They think they’ve got it all cased once they learn how to include attachments. Huge pictures usually. What about replying in a conversational way, and deleting chunks that do not apply to this particular conversation? How about blind carbon copies? Or automatic signatures? And my big favourite, setting up multiple email accounts in one program, and systematically filing emails you want to save? Not all programs can do all this. You also need to know how to set up your own spam filters.

5. Survey the Many Business/marketing Models

By now my interns will be impatient to start their web businesses, but first I would insist on showing them the many different ways there are to make money online, and which ones are safer, which ones are illegal, and which ones you might dabble in to see where they go. These things are in a fluid state, often changing in a matter of months or just weeks. It’s important to know that although most “programs” to make money are free to sign up initially, that’s just to get your foot in the door and find out how the owner runs things. You really aren’t going to make money until you are ready to invest time and money. Some will suck up more than others! It pays to have mentors here.

6. Brainstorm with Someone and Analyse Your Style - Narrow Down Your Choices to One!

Yes, just one at the start. I think my biggest delay in financial results has been that I had too many interests and spread myself too thin. (Hey that’s why I need interns to take over certain promotional duties for certain businesses, and then more of them can succeed!) So I would brainstorm over several days with my interns, and help them select the business model that would work best for them, and if they have a batch of ideas, insist that they narrow down to just one choice and to give that one choice all they have for at least three months before they take up another.

7. Plot Your Business/site

My novel’s theme site sort of grew like Topsy as I learned and adopted more and more things about business and marketing. Now it is a huge Park, not just a garden any more, of over 600 pages! Plenty of content but it breaks a lot of rules for a successful, focused business. So yes, I understand the value of plotting your business ahead of time. That’s hard to do when you’ve got no previous experience to even know what might work and what won’t. This is where I, or other experienced netpreneurs, can be a huge help to interns! SiteBuildIt! is especially super excellent for this. (Where did you think I learned it?)

8. Learn Some Webmaster Skills

I had to teach myself webmaster skills as I went along because I couldn’t afford to have others do it for me. Now I am super grateful! People who can afford to hire others (or buy SBI) often brag that they don’t need to know any html coding. Maybe not, but if something goes wrong on their site, they have to wait for others to fix it for them. I just dash in there, find the problem-code and fix it myself. If it’s something I have not encountered before, I go do a quick search online, and soon I know how to do it. I like being able to solve my own problems. I would at least want to try to teach my interns this. If they are truly hopeless, well, I might reach the point where I would throw up my hands, but I would warn them that it’s more expensive that way!

9. Build and Develop Your Business

A web business is not finished when you have five or six pages up. Even if all the links work flawlessly. You’re not putting up posters on a wall or a power line pole. You are putting up a business - a legal entity - that must be nurtured and fed and developed. You are always looking for ways to improve or add to your business, and once you have customers or clients, you need to develop those relationships. Many will turn into friends, and friendships take time too.

10. Promote Your Business

Yes, dealing with emails and phone calls about sales to your customers, and often feedback as well, takes time. You will need to set aside hours each day for this part of your business. Each business! The world doesn’t come to your site simply because you have uploaded some web pages. You will need to write articles and post them, add more quality content, information, to your site, and write ezines or newsletters regularly to your contact base to remind them to come back and purchase again. They get busy, they need to be reminded. Of course, you want to find more clients/customers. If your site rides well with the search engines some will come without further effort, but you probably will have to learn to advertise, write press releases, and network with others.

Once my interns have passed through these basic ten stages, and are making money, I can see them getting antsy to resign and go focus on just their own business from home. So I’m bracing myself; I’ll have to recruit new interns and do this all over again!