We get a lot of calls from folks that are starting businesses. Some have some unreasonable expectations that I figured I would share:
- When I start my business, people will start using my Web site without me having to do anything.
- There are some easy special things I can do to my Web site to attract a lot of new customers.
- I want to start the next Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist or eBay.
All of these expectations remind me of a “Get Rich Quick” scheme. The scheme usually goes like this: spend some amount of money on a book, program, or training materials and you will become rich. These schemes never work for a simple reason: if getting rich was so easy, everyone would do it and then everyone would be rich, which means no one would be rich.
The fact is that starting a business requires hard work, both in creating a product or service folks want and getting the word out about your new business. If you do these things well, you can be successful. In fact, the odds can be in your favor that you will be successful, but only if you avoid the “Get Rich Quick” mentality.
