You can make a fortune in business without really trying, however, most people do nothing of the kind. Many more people try really hard and make little or nothing. Why does this happen. In many cases its because although they work hard, they fail to work smart. They expend far too much effort for meager returns. Perhaps this is you. Youve tried everything. Online business, offline business, eBay, you name it, youve tried it. Why has nothing worked?

It doesnt matter weather you are just beginning a home based business or have been running a business for years, there are certain things you must do in order to become successful. The first is planning. Its often been said that those that fail to plan, plan to fail. Do a business plan. A good business plan will cover all aspects of your business. It should include your service or product line, your marketing plan and a timeline for the future. You should have a good financial plan as well. Where will your revenue come from? Where will it go?

Do you need capital to begin or expand your business? If you plan on seeking financing, either from conventional sources, such as banks, or other sources such as private investors, they will want to see how you plan to spend their money. This will help them evaluate your chances of success. After all, your ability to repay the loan or increase the value of their shares depends upon how you will be using their money.

A business plan will also enable you to plan for contingencies so you can effectively deal with them. The more you can plan for risk, the better you will be able to mitigate them. You dont want to be waylaid by something unexpected that could cost you dearly. Youll never be able to anticipate all business problems, but you can plan for as many as possible.

The next thing you need to do is execute your plan effectively. Many great plans, in business, sports and war have been undone by poor execution. Youll probably need to make changes to your business plan due to unforeseen circumstances or opportunities. These are similar to the halftime adjustments made by a football coach. Its often the coach or business owner who makes better adjustments that is the most successful.

The third thing you must do is test everything. You should test your marketing and advertising to determine what gives you the best R.O.I. If you are doing pay per click advertising or other online advertising, you have an advantage in that you can very quickly see the results of any changes you make. Youll probably see big differences from small changes. For example, headlines can often give very different results from just one or two word differences. The only way youll know is through rigorous testing. Test different product mixes to see what sells the best to your market. Do lots of research and find a good niche to market to and then test, test, test.

These three things, planning, execution, and thorough testing combined with the resultant changes, can make you a fortune in your business. Failure to do any of these things properly can limit your profit and chances for ultimate success.