4-Step How-To Guide to Dealing with Problems in Your Online Business

November 2, 2012 by Daniel Sharkov|

The recent domain change I did brought a lot of work…I had to update dozens and dozens of links, spread throughout more than 100 posts. I had to deal with sitemaps, robots and all those tedious SEO tasks. On top of that all social media counters were stuck at zero…

Fixing one problem was bringing a new one and that soon began taking its toll on me…

I went from super enthusiastic to “I don’t really care” kind of thinking… Fortunately I was able to resolve the issue rather fast and today’s post will overview just that.

In the below paragraphs I will share with you the emotional side on dealing with problems in your online business – be it blogging, social media-related or something else. Enjoy!

Should You Really Feel Bad About It?

That is the most important question to ask yourself before jumping into that soup of emotions that recent problem brought in your day.

First is it really a problem? Is what happened actually slowing your progress or can you rather easily get out of the stinky situation?

Well the thing is that the answer to the above questions doesn’t really matter. Whether or not you will need to put a lot of hours into fixing what happened, sitting there thinking and rethinking the situation is simply a waste of time.

Can You Do Something About It?

A few weeks ago I had a problem with one of my posts on Triberr ( What’s Triberr?). It just wasn’t getting any shares. Not a pleasant situation considering the fact that the service gives me 60-70 additional retweets.

The only thing I could do, was to send a support ticket and wait for the guys to fix the issue. Even though I knew the problem wasn’t on my end, I wasted like half an hour and a lot of nerves searching for a solution that didn’t exist…

So instead of the above, if there’s nothing you can do about the issue, start working on productivity and get on with your daily tasks. If you aren’t sure what to do, refer to the post I wrote – My Blogging Day: When and What I do Plus Tips and Tools

Action is the Antidote to Despair

Heard of that phrase? It is actually a quote from Joan Baez and a pretty good one. When there is no easy fix to the problem and especially when that same problem isn’t of your competence just leave it aside.

As I said in the above paragraph, getting back to your tasks will slowly put you on track. Another positive effect is that once you dive into whatever you decide to (I’d recommend writing – “ 4 Reasons to Write Everyday“) the problem simply vanishes from your thoughts. That is exactly what you need to achieve!

The more you think about it, the less motivated you are to keep pushing. And often the simplest of problems turn out to be the reason why a lot of bloggers and marketers quit.

It isn’t only about improving productivity. It’s about moving on.

Are You Measuring the Wrong Metrics?

Looking at the topic from a different angle, let’s assume there is really something that could be done about what you are struggling with… Let’s assume that yesterday the number of Twitter followers you have began decreasing.

First question – did you do something different yesterday?

If the answer is yes, using pen and paper try to remember and write down the steps you took that were different from your usual routine. If the answer is no, don’t start worrying. Fluctuations are generally a normal thing. If you are following the same routine for some time and it is bringing good results, one bad morning should not set you on fire!

Second question – did that had an effect on traffic and earnings?

If the answer is no (and it most probably will), take a deep breath and relax. Observe the situation for a couple of days and if all goes as usual, then there is no reason for panicking. If it is yes, don’t take it too hard on yourself! If you can do something to deal with the problem, get going! Leave the daily routines and put all your focus into fixing that problem area. More often than not solutions are far simpler than we think, so you might be surprised by how fast you will sort out the issue. Stay positive!Final Words

Key notes to remember are – if you can’t change the situation – just get back to your normal schedule – that is good for your productivity and will also help you avoid thinking about the issue. Secondly – expect fluctuations in numbers. And thirdly – if there is something to be done, start now and put all your energy into it!
What’s your approach guys – how do you tackle problems in your online endeavors?  Let me hear what you have to say in the comments section!

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