I Have A Goal - Now What?

The Importance Of Organization

Before you launch into your first website creation project it will greatly benefit you to get organized. Other wise you will find yourself 3 months down the road buried in a sea of emails, e-books, free reports, mp3 files, and videos. Your desktop will resemble a bomb site. Or like mine you will have a folder called "desktop stuff" overflowing with files and containing another folder called "desktop stuff" that is overflowing and contains a folder called... you guessed it... "desktop stuff."

All these files were useful tips in building websites and creating web businesses but they were so far buried that I never accessed any of them - besides there is always 10 more to download!

As for email accounts (yes I said accounts with an "s"), I had a number of them too. And occasionally I would go in and delete page after page of emails that I never opened, just so the account had room for next weeks installments.

DO NOT MAKE MY MISTAKES.

There is a better way.

How To Get Organized.

Now I have one "Desktop Stuff" folder. In that folder I have a number of folders with titles like:

Downloads: this contains a "programs" folder and a "games" folder (don't tell my wife).

My Websites: this folder has a separate folder for each website that I am working on. In these folders I put everything from images, passwords, files and anything else that relates to the individual website. This is a must do - even if you think your first website will be your last website.

Building Websites: This folder contains a number of other folders: writing, graphics, SEO, Adwords, several specific courses, sound clips, and more. Some of these folders contain a range of other folders (for example the different aspects of writing - Sales copy, articles, web pages, blogging, etc).

The point is that you must set up a system for organizing your business - that what you are building. Do not treat it as a hobby no matter how part time you think it will be to begin with. Plan as if it is a major corporation that you are running. You will save yourself time, heart ache, and money down the road.

Yes, proper organisation will save you money. Many of the courses and e-books offered for sale are recycled, rehashed, and PLR (Private Label Reseller licensed - which means you can change the cover and put your own name as author and resell).

So if you know what you have, and can check easily, and you are less likely to buy the same stuff over and over again. There are thousands of computers out there with hard drives clogged with e-books and courses that have been downloaded an never opened.

Email Accounts.

I do recommend that you have more than email account.  You can get them free from man providers -Hotmail.com, Fastmail.org, and Gmail.com to name a few.

I highly recommend that you have one specifically for signing up to get "free downloads."  If all you want is the free e-book or product then you don't want a constant barrage of emails from these people and possibly their friends.  At least you don't want it in an account that you use for other things. 

Another option is to use a service like http://10minutemail.com/10MinuteMail/index.html where you can get an email address for 10 minutes - just like the label.  This is long enough to get the download link sent to you (or you can get 10 minute extensions if it isn't) and then your temporary email disappears.

Then have an account for signing up to any gurus that you think might be helpful.  I have one of these that I try and scan once a week to see if it looks like there is anything interesting.  Doing this will also show you what people are just pitching you products, as any "big launch" product will have pre-written emails included for affiliates to send to their lists.  If you get this kind of mail I suggest you delete those people - no guru worth their salt will send carbon copy emails to their list.

Then you will want an email address for doing business.  I highly recommend one that is your name@your domain.com.  It is the most professional image you can present.  If you are not ready for that yet, I recommend you get yourfullname@gmail.com.  Something like Jimmy2009@yahoo.com or shadyknight@freeola.com isn't an impression that will be taken too seriously.

So take the advice of someone who learnt the hard way and set yourself up right - right now!