Focus and experimentation in web publishing

[memenode]

Just before new year I launched a new site which I have been working at, on and off, for the last two months. It was the project I picked among a list of project candidates that I would try first in my attempts to start making around $5000 a month by September 9. 2009. During these couple of months I did occasionally struggle with motivation.

The problem with me is that I have multiple of interests and the only common thread between them is that all of them involve working with computers and internet. Gaming, electronic music, web design, space exploration, futurism, science fiction, high tech and philosophy (free form thinking and pursuit of freedom and self-empowerment). What a mess eh? But those are the things that I usually cycle between.

And that's the thing, I cycle. One day I'm totally into one of those interests and another day I am totally into something else where the other interests seem temporarily dull. There may be one of those which could hold me motivated continuously, perhaps philosophy, but I'm not yet 100% sure.

So what I thought of was to pursue the current primary project for 8 hours a day or so and take the rest to pursue the other interests, and if I find that some of the other interests could spawn a project that could overshadow the current primary one in terms of potential (profitability and overall satisfaction), I could just switch them over or even sell the current primary project.

But this could lead to switching primary projects too often, or in other words, a lack of focus. For example, I am right now seriously tempted to switch the site I just launched because after a hundred or so visitors I received practically no significant conversions. I expect a project that will earn $5K a month to be viral. What I experienced with my just launched site seems to indicate that it wont go viral and that it's a dead end considering my (high) expectations.

But I'm not sure if it will really indicate a lack of focus or perhaps just the opposite.

If my overarching goal is stated as follows: Start making $5000 a month by September 9. 2009 with an online venture then focusing on that goal could lead to working on multiple projects at the same time, or switching projects quickly until I hit something I am really confident about and that really shows signs of early success. The end goal is to start making $5000, regardless of how I reach that and how many web sites will I have to maintain at once in order to make those kinds of earnings (5 per $1K, 10 per $500 etc..).

Could that really be called "being focused"? Or is the only way to really be focused on this goal, to pick a single interest and a single web site and work solely on that until it either achieves the goal or fails, regardless of how tempted I may be to ditch it quickly because I feel it's not quite it?

I think web publishing is a peculiar business, because barrier to entry is so low. Experimentation is generally cheap and this allows for great innovation potential. Perhaps it IS a better way to take advantage of these facts instead of treating each web site as if it was an expensive "no turning back" kinda brick and mortar biz? Diffusion of focus then maybe becomes less important or it doesn't even happen because each web site requires a certain same basic set of skills and jobs (web design, internet marketing etc.) so it's not like each new start requires relearning the fundamentals...

What you think?

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

If my overarching goal is stated as follows: Start making $5000 a month by September 9. 2009 with an online venture

Your language tells me why you haven't gotten there and probably won't ... "start" making $5000/mo? As if that happens overnight? Making $5000/mo (or any figure) is a process, not an event. You can't "start" making $5000/mo ... you have to start making $10/mo. Then 50/mo. Then 100/mo. Then $1000/mo.

Instead of this figure, you need to have a plan that breaks down your goal figure into its smallest components and actions that befit the plan.

That said, to get to $5000/mo, try a goal of $10/mo first, or $500 if that is more challenging.

Could that really be called "being focused"?

I don't think so. Tiger Woods didn't get to be a golf king by diverting his focus around from different ventures. He ate, slept, and lived golf. Your own business really needs to fall into the same mindset. You sound a lot like me when I was in my early 20's -- it wasn't until I focused on 1 thing was when I started making headway.

Keep us posted.:smx9:

 

[memenode]

You're right. I didn't express that right. The goal is to be making $5K a month by that time, but it of course must be a step by step progression. I already make around $500 a month, though on sites which I lost a bulk of my interest for so the earnings are stagnating and I'm looking for the next big venture.

The thing with trying to focus on that one thing, in this case I suppose, the single web site, is that considering what kind of a commitment that is, it seems hard to choose what that one venture will actually be. If I don't choose right I might end up forcing myself through something that doesn't feel all that rewarding.

This is where maybe the experimenting phase might help, so long as it doesn't last forever, as it's not perpetual.. Maybe better way would be to focus on one thing at a time, even if switching them multiple times until the single best idea is found.

Maybe that phase in your early 20s was actually not a mistake, but a necessary phase. You started hitting it once you finally found the thing that you actually have enough enthusiasm about to focus on as much as you did?

Thanks!

 

[memenode]

He ate, slept, and lived golf.

I keep checking back this thread and I just reread it and then this part of what you said caught my eye..

I need to eat, sleep and live my project. Somehow that sounds like a good principle to test my interests against. Do I "eat, sleep and live" electronic music? Hmm not quiet.. it comes, albeit often, in surges. Do I "eat, sleep and live" space exploration, futurism, science fiction? Not.. quiet.. I don't check space exploration, futurism or even scifi news daily. It's just this thing that's embedded in my cultural preferences. What about gaming? Frankly, I'm afraid of getting too deep into any game so as not to get addicted.. and my liking of games comes down to my being impressed with the kind of technology they employ...

But philosophy.. I am almost in disbelief about that because it seems like I'm just picking the easiest thing... It really is something I could do all the time. I love to talk, debate, discuss, think about interesting things... My family will agree, trust me! My past projects were centered around that and the project that's high on my list of what to try next is a blog with what I think is a unique blend of self-empowerment and self-liberation - ideas I am convinced about, yet most of the world is completely oblivious to... and I burn to spread them in the most effective way possible.

The only problem is.... I'm not sure if this is the most profitable thing to do... PhxMJ, you wrote before that we should be asking what other people want or need, not so much what we're interested in. But on the other hand that stands in stark contrast to the fact that what you are really interested in is what you're going to do best! What if there's no demand for what I want to write about? Then maybe I should just create it. Although, frankly, especially due to the ongoing deep recession, I think there WILL be demand for the kinds of things I have to say and present...

There's also the thing that.. I can actually spread my worldview in ways that includes much of my other interests. I can use electronic music or even custom create it as the background of my videos. I can organize meetings in virtual worlds for debates! I can talk about scientific innovation, technology and science fiction when trying to make some points about the power of self-liberation... Oh man... It could all fit together.

Then there's the question of whether this is fastlane.. Is blogging fastlane? I am beginning to lean towards the idea that anything can be fastlane. It depends on who you are and what you're made for, so to speak, right? Maybe MY fastlane is the blog kinda site I have in mind!

Hmmm... you really made me think with that "He ate, slept, and lived golf."...

Thank you and please do point out if you see any flaws in my thinking!

 

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[dkt91]

Then there's the question of whether this is fastlane.. Is blogging fastlane? I am beginning to lean towards the idea that anything can be fastlane. It depends on who you are and what you're made for, so to speak, right? Maybe MY fastlane is the blog kinda site I have in mind!

Hmmm... you really made me think with that "He ate, slept, and lived golf."...

Thank you and please do point out if you see any flaws in my thinking!

Almost any idea can be fastlane - it depends on how you put it into practice!


For example:

- Running a hot-dog stand near some railroad station is not fastlane. Owning 10.000 hot-dog stands near 10.000 railroad stations, creating a brand and having other people sell for you is.

- Writing your own computer programs and selling it to a few local companies usually is not. Having a lot of computer programs written and sold to a larger, nationwide or global market is.

... etc. - I think you should get the point. It is very important that your idea can be replicated any number of times.
Therefore it is crucial to get rid of the thought that you have to do all the work yourself as soon as possible. Find competent people to make the money for you!


As for blogging I think that the gold rush is basically over. The big money has gone to the blogging pioneers and innovaters!

But still: You can make decent money (much more than 5000$/month) with blogging if done right, using the fastlane principles.

 

[yveskleinsky]

I keep checking back this thread and I just reread it and then this part of what you said caught my eye..

I need to eat, sleep and live my project.

But philosophy.. I am almost in disbelief about that because it seems like I'm just picking the easiest thing... It really is something I could do all the time.

The only problem is.... I'm not sure if this is the most profitable thing to do... PhxMJ, you wrote before that we should be asking what other people want or need, not so much what we're interested in. But on the other hand that stands in stark contrast to the fact that what you are really interested in is what you're going to do best! What if there's no demand for what I want to write about? Then maybe I should just create it.

In order to be successful you need to apply massive, consistent effort towards your goal, which is why people talk about doing what you love. However, doing what you love while losing money on it will quickly turn a dream into a nightmare. ...To create a market for your product is a hard way to go about things; life is much easier if you can fill a need that is not being filled or that is being under served.

The key is to find a solution to an existing problem in an area that keeps your interest. (You will find that your interest will really grow once you start making money from it too!) I guarantee that with enough determination and research anything can become interesting. I also guarantee that enough beating your head against a wall doing will you love will create equal amounts of pain. (I had a roommate in college who followed her passion of playing the Cello at a professional level. Long story short, she hated all the networking and politics that go on in the music industry, not to mention she had to practice hours a day. She quit playing the cello, and hasn't picked it up since.)

Personally, I have found that my industry is not something I am super interested in, but something that I find interesting enough and know a lot about. I also like puzzles and a good challenge. Developing our site has been both. I find solving the puzzle more rewarding than just the product itself.

 

[memenode]

Ok, so the current project isn't doing it because I went into it not prepared enough, lost motivation and ultimately found it to be lacking in demand, or else I would have probably had at least some more success than I did.

The blog project I'm considering seems far more motivating, interesting and a good match for who I am as a person, but it's doubtful whether it will truly meet lots of demand. While anything can be fastlane, some things are probably harder to turn fastlane than others. I do have some ideas for it, like eventually selling a book through an affiliate network of my own, but it'll still be an uphill battle if there isn't as much demand. I am yet to verify that though, so this isn't a lost cause just yet.

Then there are a couple of existing web sites which I can't fully abandon because they make me roughly $500 to $600 a month. I can think of abandoning or selling them only after some other project exceeds those earnings. Neither of them are big or popular though, just old enough and with enough accumulated content and backlinks to be worth some advertisers money.

About experimenting vs. focus, one thing I wanted to say is that no matter what it's always gonna be experimentation. When I decide on the next primary project I can have faith in it, but I cannot guarantee it to be the big success I desire, so it's still an experiment that could fail and put me back to choosing what next. The key is probably to simply be aware that until you truly hit it big, everything is just an experiment, testing, learning, gaining experience until the big one is hit. This mindset is also one which easily sustains continuous persistence because nothing is ever considered a real failure, just useful information.

So it's probably better to just pick something and do it then forever thinking about what to do. No better way to check whether it's a good idea than to actually go and do it, right?

So... now I need to do some research and pick the best next experiment to focus most of my time on. So the idea then is to pick something that resides at the point at which there is the most demand and most of my interest or ability. I'll keep you updated, hopefully with shorter posts.

Thanks! Reps all around.

 

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[WinWin]

Thanks memenode,

Your original post and the follow-ups along with its responses triggered a lot of introspection within me.

Thanks,

 

[memenode]

I'm glad WinWin. Thanks for the rep.

Right after I posted my last entry and went looking for the first place that came to my mind where I thought I could find clue of demand for something I could offer I came up with what seems to be the best idea with which I could reach my goal the fastest. I've already conceptualized it and made some preparations and am about to choose a domain name.

I'll post once I choose and register it.

 

[memenode]

I'm glad to report that soon I will be launching a new website/service which both me and my sister think is the best idea I've had so far in terms of potential for reaching the goal I've set.

It's almost finished, but I'll launch and start offering the service once I complete the ongoing move to a new flat, which is by the end of this month (move is a part of the agreement with my sister, my expenses aren't gonna be significantly higher yet it's a better place to live ).

I'll say what exactly it is once I launch.

This is also the idea that I've referred to in my post above and finding it was directly inspired by what yveskleinsky said with regards to finding something that could lead to success more easily and not just something that I am immediately passionate about since more success potential may trigger growing interest in that which I'm successful with.

Thanks

 

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[MattThomas]

I really enjoyed what you have had to posted in this thread. I think this can often represent a problem for a lot of us, not just as entrepreneurs but individuals who have a lot of passion for a lot of different interests.

I'm glad to hear that you are moving in a positive direction, but I am still concerned...just because it seems as if there is demand for the direction you are currently moving in, will you stay interested and motivated on that topic for long? How long do you typically stay motivated on one particular topic?

I am curious because I can identify with your issues on many counts. Sometimes I can come up with a torrent of different business ideas, but it would require so much work to launch, that they get pushed aside and I lose interest. Do you lose interest just because of the variety of interests you have? Or because your different ideas would take a lot of work to launch?

 

[memenode]

Hi Matt, sorry for the late reply. I was out of internet connection for a few days.

I'm glad to hear that you are moving in a positive direction, but I am still concerned...just because it seems as if there is demand for the direction you are currently moving in, will you stay interested and motivated on that topic for long? How long do you typically stay motivated on one particular topic?

Not very long, but once my attention shifts to something else it's not permanent. There are a few things which I seem to continuously come back to and so I treat this as the set of interests that really belong to me, and I feel somewhat secure in knowing the things that I consistently love most.

When the goal is to make a certain amount of money per month which I think would give me some financial freedom, that alone can be motivating. If I start losing interest in my current project I just try to remind myself of all the great potential that it has. If it really is the key to meeting my set goal, then that matters most, especially considering that reaching that goal also means being freer to pursue some of the perhaps more motivating goals.

Motivation is a relative thing it seems. The end motivation valuation depends on personal interests, current major goal and things which are the reason I set that goal in the first place (which comes down to your life's desires and ambitions). But the key seems to be to have this overarching goal for the current larger period of time (like a year or few), something that must be achieved above all else, no matter what you have to do. Even if you have to do something that's not exactly what you're most passionate about, if it can achieve that overarching goal, that alone could supplant the otherwise loss of motivation.

I am curious because I can identify with your issues on many counts. Sometimes I can come up with a torrent of different business ideas, but it would require so much work to launch, that they get pushed aside and I lose interest. Do you lose interest just because of the variety of interests you have? Or because your different ideas would take a lot of work to launch?

I'd say both. The other interests begin to sound more attractive and in proportion to that the work on the current project begins to seem more daunting, until at some point I decide to scrap that and switch.

But then again, if the current project really shows potential that could prevent premature switches, the more potential is obvious the better. Until you detect something like that I think it's not even all that unhealthy to take some time to simply experiment, switch back and forth, try things and see what works. At some point you gotta hit something that has just the right balance between your personal interest in it and its potential to reach your financial or other goals to keep you focused at it for much longer.

PhxMJ is right about focus, but even he went through that experimenting phase. I don't think that phase is a mistake. It may be necessary.

Cheers

 

[memenode]

Since I promised to disclose the project of choice I'm working on, here it is: Site2Review.com.

I am offering constructive and honest web site reviews with two unique characteristics: each review follows a predefined outline so that the customer knows what to expect and it allows the customer to add improvement updates to the review even after it was published. This way, when the web publisher makes improvements to the site that was reviewed, he can post about those improvement right in the review and those improvement notes will be prominently displayed in a green box below the review content.

I don't know of any service which offers something like this.

I believe there is a niche for this service. Many experienced and budding web publishers ask for reviews on forums at sites like DigitalPoint.com and SitePoint.com daily and what they get is usually a bunch of very short opinion posts with a few suggestions. Not bad for a free service I suppose, but if you want more your alternative are any of the bloggers powered review services like ReviewMe.com, PayPerPost.com etc. which are paid, but you don't quite know exactly what to expect. You can pay anywhere between 20 and 200 dollars for a review based on the blog's traffic, ranks etc, but the form, style, quality and detail of the review will differ and not all are as good as they should be for the money paid.

On Site2Review.com you know exactly what to expect, yet you gain many of the same benefits of the blogger's reviews (and growing as the word spreads) plus additional cool features like the above mentioned improvement updates. I've wrote more about that in this blog entry: A new take on web site reviews.

 

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[memenode]

I might have misjudged demand for the new service. I'm yet to do some more testing, but the project described above seems more suited as a side job for an extra buck (whenever it generates few sales that it may ever generate) than a fastlane vehicle. What is in demand don't necessarily appear to be honest and constructive web site reviews so much as some buzz, a link and a mention, something a brand new site with not so much traffic like mine can't deliver.

And the only way for it to do that is if I turned it into more than I initially wanted it to be, a blog with content that isn't just reviews, but other web development related stuff. And that would put it in the segment with huge competition and that's a whole other story.

I thought a little bit about what PhxMJ said about dividing the goal into smaller milestones. Time is ticking and I figured I'm at a point where my required monthly milestones are $1000 increase per month.. I'm beginning to get a sense of urgency. And I'm re-thinking this whole thing about focus again.

Researching online business models and opportunities it seems clear there's plenty of ways to make money, just a matter of finding what fits you best. Second thing is that a lot of successful web publishers DO have multiple projects which they treat as diversification - eggs in multiple baskets kinda thing. They set up semi-automated or automated web businesses and then go on to set some more, and at any point in time work on a project that really interests them.

So aren't the "rules" for the web slightly different? I can't get past that one and I can't help but think that this extreme focus mantra is missing a link. What is focus exactly? Seriously?

How do you define focus in precise scientific terms, without using any of the metaphors?