Why I’m going offline.

Okay, that’s kind of a stunner for a headline, I understand that. I’m not going offline altogether or joining a cult or anything.

Sidenote: I think I’d be a really bad cult member. I’d keep trying to improve the business efficency and marketing of the cult. I don’t think it would go well. That or I’d just take over the cult. Wow. That would be a lot of responsibility, having all those brainwashed people thinking you’re the second coming of something or other. Yeah, no cults for me.

As most of you know, I have a second company. It’s like the secret squirrel company I’ve formed based on everything I’ve learned since the day I started working from home.

The biggest secret about the second company? I’m not marketing online. I’ll create an internet presence for it, sure! But I’m going to go all local community style with the marketing.

I hear you asking why…and I’m happy to oblige with an answer…

First, I actually want to help my community. We have the best schools in the state, some of the best community leadership around…and an AWFUL web presence. If you look at the businesses in my town, the $100/plate chophouse has a Yahoo Geocities website.

How shameful is that!

Where, for just a little lettuce, I could create a presence for them that extends far beyond just a simple, elegant website and goes full bore into a marketing juggernaut. I mean, the place practically sells itself (nothing TRULY sells itself, but they have a LOT of referral business) and why not make it easier for them to stay packed every night of the week?

A little marketing goes such a long way – and I want to be the person that helps my community go from "Yeah, we’ve got a website" to "Please check our website for menus, specials, and by the way we have a blog that lets you know about local events" or something similar.

Admittedly, I’m not a website princess. I don’t have the design skills to whip up some fantastic template that will last for eons and stay in everyone’s mind as being THE website to visit.

That’s why I have a designer. I’m actually looking for multiple designers, because every artist has a "style" and I’m going to want to choose from different styles for sites, depending on the feel of the business.

It’s all about targeting the consumers, no?

The only wrench in my plans is that I’ve been sick for two weeks now. Not "I have the sniffles" my friend…full on, exhaustion, coughing, earache, "oh my gosh I should REALLY see a doctor about this as soon as I’ve met this deadline" sick.

Being a walking plague makes local networking a little difficult.

So I’ve had a chance to work further on my plan, sleep, recouperate, and try to come up with a logical, affordable pricing schedule that still sees me making a profit to be proud of.

Why is pricing the most difficult aspect of ALL businesses? I mean, I’m kind of jealous of people who start "Dollar Stores." They know the pricepoint and just have to find products OTHER people have priced lower than a dollar.

Ah, to own a dollar store.

Okay, back to reality. I don’t want to deal with retail, so the dollar store is way out of my business owning goals.

Which means I have to stop writing…and start working on my pricing. That way I’ll be prepared back to front and top to bottom when I walk into my first networking meeting and someone asks, "So…how much would that cost?"

Because it needs to cost enough to have a wicked great perceived value, but just enough that it’s affordable. All while making my small business counselors at the University happy about my business growth.

Wish me luck, because I’m thinking it’s going to take divine guidance of some sort to find that magic number!