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On Monday when I posted about preparing to pursue internet marketing full-time, I got a series of questions about what my favorite business model is. I started to reply to a couple of the comments, but before I got very far I realized it’s not a very easy question to answer.

I’m kind of a business junkie anyway so asking me to name my favorite business model is like asking a chubby person to name his favorite flavor of ice cream. It’s not easily done.

I’d rather not tell you my favorite business models, and give the impression that my preferences define what is best for you. I think I’d do you a favor by telling you how I think you should choose a business model for yourself. The best way to do that is probably to look at the elements of business models you see used on this site, and pick which of them would be the best fit for your personality.

At the core of every business is the single question: Which of its core activities are most closely related to making money? Let’s answer that question in terms of business models you’re seeing on this site. You’ve seen us talk about Keyword Sniping, Flagship Blogging, BANS (via Vic), and you’ve also seen Court offer his own personal coaching services.

Activities Most Closely Tied to Income:

Keyword Sniping/BANS*:
- Keyword Research and Selection: the ability to consistently find new niches to target is key to success and income with this strategy.
- Link Building: Sniping is all about Google traffic, and Google traffic is all about links. Whoever gets the most and best links wins.

*I’m no authority on BANS, but the reading I’ve done on Vic’s site tells me that it’s all about keyword selection and links, just like Sniping.

Flagship Blogging:
- Content Creation: as I’ve been part of Court’s Internet Marketing School I’ve seen his name and audience explode as he has found something he can teach (with authority) that solves a real problem for a lot of people (actually achieving rankings on Google and making money off those rankings). If you can write content that achieves the same thing, you’re on your way to doing what Court (and many others) have done.
- Networking: when this blog was new, I remember Court commenting on 50 or 60 blogs per day, sending emails introducing himself to people, and making friends like crazy. At the time I didn’t get why he was doing it. Now it’s pretty obvious right? Flagship Blogging is about people knowing who you are.

Being known and having problem-solving content will bring links, traffic, and subscribers, and income.

Coaching and Consulting:
- Flagship Blogging: Yes it sounds odd, but the entire Flagship Blogging model fits right inside the Coaching and Consulting Model. At least it should in my opinion. I used to work for a coaching company that sells its services to people without creating a relationship of familiarity and trust first. My take is that this sets up the client to always doubt what is being taught. If you successfully create a Flagship Blog first, you’ll position yourself to give your personal clients real value because they’re learning from someone they know and trust.
- Interacting with Clients: Court spends a few hours each week on the phone with our personal clients. He really enjoys it (mostly because we’ve been lucky to work with nothing but high caliber, hard-working people). He also responds to emails answering our students’ questions. Interacting with our students via phone and email are the core of the model.

Which Of These Activities Appeal Most To You?

Whichever model you pursue, you need to understand that successful businesses are highly repetitive in nature. You should pursue the business whose core activities best fit your personality and preferences. If you can’t see yourself performing these activities day in and day out for an extended period, without becoming miserable, then that model isn’t for you.

Court has been coaching people one-on-one for years now and he really enjoys teaching and building relationships with his students. I’ve been doing keyword research and building links for over two years now, and I’m far from sick of it. That’s why these models work for me and for Court.

Which models and activities appeal to you and why?

(original article)