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Why is it that the value of business planning is overlooked by many looking to start an online business?

It likely has to do with low start-up costs of building today's income-producing website. Too many individuals starting a work from home business consider an Internet marketing endeavor something less than a "regular business". Too often, the effort is looked on as "just a trial".

"Hey, if it doesn't work, who cares. It's not that big a deal!"

"It'll be a test drive. We'll give it a try to see if we like it."

Any business - including an Internet business - is not a hobby. Nor is it a game. Get serious! You'll likely fail if you don't treat it like something very important. If there's a chance of failing going in, don't even bother.

On the other hand, if you approach it like you would a traditional business and you have success, you might be surprised by the size of you new income stream. In fact, you might be overwhelmed!

You must have a business plan. As a matter of fact, you'll need two business plans: A traditional business plan and a website layout plan. Both are critical when starting the work from home online business.

PLAN ONE - THE TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN

This business plan is a "roadmap" taking you and your business on a "journey" through time. Along the way, there are goals and requirements that make your "trip" measurable and worthwhile.

It's also a systematic aid in helping you with your developmental research and thoughts concerning your business. Completing a business plan makes you look at your ideas from a different perspective. It takes time now, but it will help you see and avoid hidden flaws that could turn into disastrous errors later.

You could hire a professional to prepare a traditional business plan, or you could do-it-yourself with a book from the library. There's also lots of business plan help on the Internet. One of my favorites is at www.score.org in the Template Gallery. Download the template and complete it. Best of all, it's free.

PLAN TWO - THE WEBSITE LAYOUT PLAN

This second business plan is also an important part of your developmental strategies. It's the design of your website; The Website Layout Plan.

Your home page, also called the index page, is the usual entrance point for visitors to your site. The important home page must quickly explain your site to the visitor. If they don't like it or they don't get it, "click", they're gone. It's kind of like fishing. You want to "hook them" and "hold them" until you can "land them".

As you can see, the home page takes a lot of thought. The rest of the pages in your website are supporting pages to the home page. Each of these satellite pages need structural thought to keep the visitor interested. Planning is vital.

Finally, helping the visitor around the website is also an important aspect of this business plan. Make a navigational layout before you start writing your website's content, so you'll know how to direct them around from page to page with ease and purpose.

Two plans. Both should be done before you begin anything else.

Article Source: http://wah-articles.work-from-home-directory.com/

About the Author

R. K. "Bob" Granstrom shows how by working at home as a family unit, parents and children can discover how to develop and operate a work from home, income-producing Internet website. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ecommerce4families.com/businessplans.html