Header Image
  • HOME
  • MEET JEANETTE
  • BOOKS
  • COURSES
  • CONSULTING
  • OTHER PRODUCTS
  • NEWSLETTERS
Jan
14

Online Business Models: Bridge or Smokestacks?

by Jeanette
Lake_Pontchartrain_Causeway

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

It was my first trip across the Lake Pontchartrain bridge in Louisiana. It was the longest bridge I’d ever seen – and it made a big impression.

One of the things I couldn’t get out of my mind was how they built it. First by laying down the pilings, then connecting those pillars with the road on top.

It was that image that I carried with me into my Internet business.

My plan was to create a series of products that supported one another and could be sequenced in different ways. Then start to connect them, much as the bridge had been connected.

So I started on the plan. I created and created and created. But it wasn’t time to sell yet. I still had just a “few more” pillars to put in.

It took not months, but years to put all of the pieces in place. Then of course, I had to start revising the older products… and well, as you can imagine, there still wasn’t any revenue coming in!

I *don’t* recommend the Bridge model!

Smoke stacks as a business modelCompare that to the smoke stack model. In this model you build the first smoke stack. You promote that first product and start building your list while you continue to drive traffic to the site. You’re actually making money right from the start!

Once you have one smoke stack working, you build the second one. You get that up and running, making money and well, you see the pattern.

I *do* recommend the smoke stack model!

So what is your first smoke stack? If you’ve been working on multiple projects, stop! Choose one – the one that is the easiest to complete, the fastest to complete, and the one most likely to be immediately profitable.

Then turn your full attention to that project. Do everything you can to get that ONE project to market and making money.

Need help choosing your Online Business model? Watch the free video at Online Success Explained.

Comments

comments

Categories : Online Success

Comments

  1. Terrie Wurzbacher says:
    January 14, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    This is an excellent analogy/metaphor/whatever they are called. And it makes so much sense. Thanks for “dumbing it down” for us!
    You are the best Jeanette!
    Terrie

    Reply
  2. Jeanette Cates says:
    January 14, 2013 at 7:36 pm

    Thanks. The Lake Pontchartrain bridge was exactly the image I held for several years, so it made it easy. Then I saw a presentation at a conference that gave me the idea for the smokestack – and ta da! The image was born!

    I just want to encourage other people not to wait so long to succeed as I did! All because I wanted to have it all perfect and in place before I started promoting.

    Reply
  3. Cynthia Charleen says:
    January 14, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    Jeanette, that is SO encouraging…thanks for all your support and info you give us, your readers!

    Reply
  4. Pat Wiklund says:
    January 14, 2013 at 11:18 pm

    My biggest mistake was to jump right in with 3 new websites all at the same time. Talk about multi-tasking. Now I am looking to sell 2 of those sites, just too many things to do to make them all super successful while trying to have a real life!

    Reply
    • Jeanette Cates says:
      January 15, 2013 at 1:30 am

      Pat, if you will, share how and where you are selling your sites. I suspect others will be interested in how to sell what they’ve worked so hard to build.

      And I agree – building more than one site at a time is a mistake I’ve repeated – more than once!

      Jeanette

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Buy It On Amazon

Look Who's Talking

  • Connie Ragen Green: So much excellent and actionable information here, Jeanette! Thank you for sharing.
  • admin: Stacy I understand. It’s always easier to write in the way you are comfortable. So I would recommend...
  • Stacy: I am writing book which is my autobiography. My daughter think it would be better to write on my first...
  • Darrell Williams: What formatting company do you use for your ebooks? I love your books and the way it’s...
  • Janet Wahl: Hi Jeanette, Thanks for your response. My books are “textbooks” or books that will be used...

Topics

  • 15 Years Online
  • Announcements
  • Articles
  • Autoresponders
  • Blog Challenge
  • Blogs
  • Book Publishing
  • Business Clean Up
  • Calendar
  • Content Marketing
  • eBooks
  • Email Marketing
  • Facebook
  • Joint Ventures
  • Marketing
  • Membership Site
  • Membership Sites
  • Multimedia
  • Online Business
  • Online Business Tools
  • Online Presentations
  • Online Success
  • Outsourcing
  • Pinterest
  • PLR Products
  • Podcast
  • Powerpoint
  • Product Development
  • Productivity
  • Resale Products
  • Shopping Cart
  • Social Media
  • Starting Over
  • Teach Online
  • Technology Tips
  • Teleseminars
  • Tracking Success
  • Twitter
  • Webinars
  • Webinars
  • Webmaster
  • Your Affiliate Program

How Can I Help?

Best-Selling Book

Click To Buy On Amazon

Jeanette Cates
Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved

Compensation Disclaimer | Earnings Disclaimer | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Support