Have you tried to imagine building a house with a plain old hammer and nails in this day and age of high power tools? Certainly if the thought of such a strategy does not ring an alarm then you better sit up.This is what I believe is necessary in considering the internet business and the necessary tools for maximum profits, sustainability and long lasting marketing benefits.

So whether it is a home based business, online marketing, internet business opportunity, joining affiliate programmes, making money online or the internet, proven multilevel marketing or home based online business opportunity there is the need for you to focus on the set up and the critical factors involved.

Statistics indicate that half of American internet users are using some form of high speed connection we are made to remember that that leaves half of them on some level of dial up. An old computer and slow internet are the least of their worries. They may be able to log onto the net and find some great resources, but they are still limited in the type of resources that they can consume. All due to limitations in speed and access.

If you desire to get started with an internet business you are going to need a bare minimum of tools.

A. A good computer.

You need to first consider the fact that your computer will be the main medium to communicating with the global market. It is more or less going to be electronic headquarters of your global business. It is therefore very necessary that you get the computer that is up to date and can handle the type of task needed to maximise your chances of profiting massively on the internet. It is advised that your system may need an upgrade if it is four years old.

B. High Speed Internet Access.

Your earnings are dependent on the speed with which you communicate with the online customers and audiences .You do not have to use the excuse of cost as the reason for going for a dial up set up. High speed internet connection is a key to the success of your home based internet business. It will guarantee that your earnings and profits online are boosted and dial up system set up would not get even a tenth of what you can earn.

C. A Professional Website.

Starting an online business on a shoe string budget is what we sometimes hear however we must resist every urge to sign up for a free website host just to get started. The freebie website will represent you poorly. When you can register a domain for less than $8 and buy feature rich hosting for around $9 a month, there is no excuse for cheaping out.

You can purchase a simple template for as low as $5 and adapt it for your own use if you are comfortable with it or hire a designer to put up a few pages for you. What matters is that what you put up represents you well.

D. A professional and reliable mailing list system.

With an online and internet business the major focus is to build a reliable and dependable customer base. They are the lifeline of any successful business that can stand the test of time. From the moment that you set up your website you are working to build a following of one kind or another. When someone visits your site and has an interest in you they must have a way to invite you to stay in touch. You need a lead capture page that will compile the list of visitors to your site. With your mailing list invite on every page, they will be able to do that. Whether you will be sending out a regular newsletter, a free e-course or occasional product specials.Your list of interested contacts is golden. The money is really in the list.

E. Business Mentoring.

No matter what kind of business background you have off line, internet marketing is a whole different playing field. There are tried and true principles to learn and apply and some that change constantly. It is important to know who you can trust.

If you are serious about taking your business to the web you can use this as a preliminary check list. With the right tools in place your internet business will be on a solid foundation.