“We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.” Max DePree

So let me ask you a few questions to get your brain juices flowing around this concept of being comfortable in your selling:

  • Do you stick to the same couple of products when selling online because they have always been reliable at bringing in cash for you in the past?
  • When was the last time you introduced a new product within your niche market?
  • Have you spent any time researching additional niche markets in which you could establish yourself in the last couple of months?
  • Do you sell on more than one website online or just stick to eBay as the most familiar?

Have a think about your answers because you’ll immediately be able to see if you are currently in your own little ‘comfort zone’ and if you are settling for what is comfortable then you are missing out on massive potential for making even greater amounts of money online!

If you are only selling on eBay, try expanding into Amazon. If you haven’t got a website yet, create a simple one for your products. If you are only selling one product, research and source a complimentary product that you can cross sell…

But why should I make myself uncomfortable?

Uncomfortable as it is sometimes, pushing yourself that little bit harder and making yourself that little bit more uncomfortable when it comes to online selling will allow you to reap the benefits – most noticeably more sales and so more profit.

So first things first, as you may or may not realise depending how long you have been selling online, markets do tend to fluctuate! A product that may have been popular and bringing in £10 profit per sale can very suddenly become ‘last season’, leaving you with a stock that you simply can’t shift.

It’s a horrible situation to be in, let me tell you – I’ve been there on more than one occasion over the years, however it doesn’t have to be the end of your online selling career! By branching out into new and different market areas, introducing new product lines and even selling your goods on different websites you will effectively cushion yourself against the blow of one of your product lines suffering.

Another benefit of learning to branch out from your comfort zone is simply that by utilising different online selling websites for your products, or creating your own website that can increase traffic to your existing products, you will start to have more eyes viewing the goods that you have for sale.

The more people that see what you are selling, the more sales you are likely to make, and the more money you are likely to receive!

There really is no reason not to continue to expand your online business to incorporate new ideas. And yes, while it’s true that research takes time and that there is always some risk when introducing new products (though that risk can be reduced to almost nothing with the correct research), the benefits far outweigh those initial costs that may be putting you off leaving that metaphorical sofa.

What do I need to do?

I hope that by this point you are starting to realise that stepping outside of your comfort zone is actually quite a beneficial thing to do! So I thought I would come up with a few top tips to help you to stretch those selling muscles to see an increased profit coming into your bank account each and every month.

Tip 1 – Be honest with yourself. Don’t live in denial thinking that the products that you have sold successfully in the past will sustain you for the rest of your life. Just selling your favourite products could, at best, stop you from maximising your earnings online and, at worst, leave you in the lurch should the market shift away from what you stock.

Tip 2 – Research new products. I know full well that research can be challenging but it really will help you to branch out into new areas. Have a look at other eBay stores and websites that are selling similar things to you and see if there are any products there that you could offer.

Tip 3 – Sell on different sites. eBay may be what you know and love, but there are other websites that could open the doorway to even more prospective buyers. Consider Amazon – you’ll be surprised at how successful an entirely separate income stream is at keeping your online business running at full capacity.