Interview with Honor Hart in "Your Date With
Success" Stories
by Kim Thomas
Kim-Thomas.com
1. Please tell us about yourself.
My name is Honor Hart and, yes, it is my real name. I legally changed my
name to this name during a huge life transition when I was 35. I’m much
older now….but, we’ll leave that part unanswered.
I am single, now (remember, that big life transition?) but I don’t live
alone. I live in the gorgeous mountains of Colorado near a small town,
called Guffey. I work from home full-time (in a separate building,
really…but next to my home) and I love it all!
2. How would you describe your personality?
What can I say. I am an Aquarian, which for some, tells a lot. This means I
am very changeable, somewhat heady (means I think too much), can be bossy (I
like to think of myself as “The Bossy Coach”), am sometimes distant and
sometimes very friendly…..and, it means I can talk A LOT!
I also have a very good heart and my coaching and consulting clients find
that I may sound bossy, but that I am really quite easy on them and
understand the stresses of starting up a business on the net.
3. How did you become interested in the internet and when did you first "go
online"?
I have been interested in the internet since I got a decent computer back
in...oh, way back in 1997 but I didn't put myself online until 1998 when I
started out playing around with some free sites to promote my local
counseling and life coaching business. I've been playing ever since!
4. What businesses/websites do you currently operate on the internet?
Oh, gosh. A bunch! I have a list of some of my sites at
www.HonorHart.com
but I want to let people know, most importantly, about two of my sites. I am
a big advocate of woman on the net. I want to see women more visible since I
know there are plenty of women, not only making money on the net, but
creating sound, viable small businesses that they own and operate. So, on
that note, I opened iBizWomen.com at
www.ibizwomen.com . It's
started out as a membership site with a whole host of women experts who were
right there to contact for assistance and good solid advice to help other
women grown their business on the net. But, as the internet changes, so did
the emphasis for this site.
My second primary website is,
SiteBuildItSolutions.com where I offer my
services as a certified
SiteBuidIt webmaster. In today's very competitive
internet marketplace, I feel that the only way the small business person can
even hope to get ahead of big business is to have an
SiteBuidIt site. Only a
SiteBuidIt site has the tools and internal technology to get listed in the search
engines without mortgaging your house. As a certified
SiteBuidIt webmaster, I
consult with people to help them understand the SBI method and I also build
full websites from the ground up (and anything in between!)
UPDATED August '07
My second primary site is now
www.TheMakeMoneyShop.com where anyone can join for free to get access to
thousands of digital download products to resell along with free video
tutorials and free forum help to learn how to sell ebooks and software for a
hefty profit on Ebay.
At www.TheMakeMoneyShop.com,
I also focus on helping others to make money online in a variety of ways. My
motto is, "Let's make money together!" and that is exactly
what I intend to do with those who are truly seeking to earn online.
5. What inspired you or made you decide to start your current online
business/website?
Well, a lot was said in question four, but I was also inspired by the desire
to QUIT COMMUTING! I was spending a long time driving to my offices in
Colorado Springs and Woodland Park and it came to be a bit much. I loved
working one-on-one with my life coaching clients and counseling clients
but...a time came when I needed to give myself what I needed. So, I started
learning that there were definitely ways to make money on the net.
6. What is one of the biggest mistakes and/or blunders you have made while
marketing online, and what did you learn from it?
My biggest mistake was not doing the correct kind of research and not
thoroughly researching my projects before I put them up on the web. I found
out that once you put up a website, it takes on a life of it's own and can
begin to consume a person.
Even if it's a site that is not making money, it's hard to let go of the
site. I have opened many websites only to find that they couldn't get good
placement in the search engines because I did not do the research.
Of course, when I started, there weren't the research tools that we have now that will tell you the profitable keywords to
build your online business website around so that it can be successful from
the get-go. Now, I know better than just throw up a site and hope it will
earn some money. Research, the right tools and some helpful advice from the
experts are the key!
7. What percent of your income is made from online sales?
I earn 100% of my income from the net. I haven't worked offline for over 2
years now (update...it's been over 8 years now).
8. What are your most successful means of advertising....(please be
specific, such as what ezines you run ads in, what banner exchanges you use,
etc.)
I believe a lot in viral marketing. Getting small digital products out there
that have my name in them. I have several free ebooks that are viral. One at
eBizsuper.com and one
at
Womanmillionaire.com and a few
others.
I also use pay-per-click advertising such as Google Adwords and I use EBAY
since both these programs are cost-efficient forms of advertising. You can
bring in the targeted buyers when you write your ads correctly and keeps
your advertising cost down at the same time.
Plus, ezine marketing is never going to die. People are on the net looking
for information first and foremost. I have found it very successful to use
ezines to establish your credibility and create rapport with others. Only
then, can you expect them to buy from you.
And, one more thing. Don't miss out on the opportunity to join good credible
sites like
iBizwomen.com where you can list your site in
my women-owned directory. I find that many people find what they need through small
specialized directories that link off the membership and community sites
whose theme or focus match each other and what the site visitor is looking
for.
9. Do you have any advertising tips or secrets you would like to share with
our readers?
Relationship marketing (also call data-base marketing and attraction
marketing) is the only way for the small business person to go on the net.
Sure, a lot of the "gurus" that everyone follows have made big money with
direct sales or direct response marketing, but the net is changing very
quickly, now.
People are already jaded and don't want to find a sales page in their face
when they visit your website. Instead of trying to sell them, strike up a
relationship and you are more likely to get a sale further down the line.
That is where ezine marketing comes in. Capture their email addresses and
give them good, solid information in the form of ezine and ecourse, viral
ebooks and other ways to connect and you are more likely to succeed in
today's internet market.
10. What do you like most about being online?
I like the freedom of working at home. I can't truly say, "the freedom of
working my own hours." That's a myth. When you are building a business
online, it's just like building a business offline. You work long hours and,
sometimes, for little pay,
Still, I like not having to comb my hair and worry about my wardrobe. Plus,
it is true, that if I want to take time off to play, I am the one who gets
to decide when that is (even though it might mean I have to make up the time
later!)
11. What advice would you give to someone trying to start their own online
business?
First, please understand that it is, indeed, a business you are starting up.
Too many people see it as a work-at-home situation and don't properly put in
place the mind set that they are in business. Even if you are doing a
variety of things and creating multiple streams of income (which I do and I
suggest that you do, as well), you are still setting up a business.
It is necessary to understand this from the start so you can elevate your
goals beyond just making money. Sure, you need the money. Who doesn't.? But,
as a person who is starting and operating a business, you will also be
finding creative ways to expand you business and to access the resources you
need to grow.
When you know in your heart and mind that you are building a business, then
you know that you will have to spend money to make that business work. If
you are only working at home to make money, then you all you can think about
is the money that needs to come in.
But, if you are building a business on the internet, then you realize that
you will have to spend money for advertising, to hire the people that have
the skills you don't have and to consult with someone who has traveled the
hard journey before you and know the snares and pitfalls to avoid.
I wish you all success and I hope you enjoy the thrill of building a
business on the internet as I have and still do!
Honor Hart
HonorHart.com
iBizwomen.com
TheMakeMoneyShop.com
What's the fastest way to get your start earning online? Find out at
www.TheMakeMoneyShop.com !
