| Starting a Business in Second Life | | | | something I just came up with. Advertising |
| The virtual world of Second Life is a friendly place | | | | through a virtual Second Life company is what |
| for businesses, as it offers most of the | | | | many of the real companies do. Basically, if you |
| advantages of our real lives when you're about to | | | | already have a business in real life, you can create |
| start one. But, just as in real life, the competition | | | | a dummy of it in Second Life and promote it to |
| is stiff and only the strong survive. Usually, people | | | | the people in the game, which could be |
| start out a business in Second Life with one of | | | | tomorrow's real customers. And of course, |
| the following three purposes, that we'll discuss | | | | there's a big psychological advantage when |
| over the course of this article: for profit, for | | | | someone that has seen your business' name |
| advertising or for creating a real life business. Let's | | | | in-game will see it in real life: "Oh look, I know that |
| talk a bit about each of these options. | | | | store from Second Life, let's go buy from them". |
| Starting a Profit Business in Second Life | | | | Starting a Real Business through a Virtual Second |
| As you probably already know, Second Life uses | | | | Life One |
| a currency called the Linden Dollar, with 270 such | | | | Last but not least, some businesses in Second |
| Linden Dollars being equivalent to a US Dollar. | | | | Life will have an inverse development as the |
| Linden Dollars can be freely exchanged using the | | | | above advertising ones. In this case, we assume |
| in-world currency exchange programs, or using a | | | | you don't have any real company or business, but |
| third party one. The point is, you can actually | | | | you want to create one in the future. Second Life |
| make money in Second Life, then translate that | | | | is a good way to create a basis for it to land on |
| money into real life cash. | | | | when you'll have the money or room to make it |
| If you aim on starting a business for profit in | | | | happen. Some pre-advertising will help a lot, but |
| Second Life, you will want to find a niche market | | | | make sure you're consistent in following your |
| that people need in-world. It doesn't really matter | | | | business' traits in game, to the real life one. |
| if "car parts" is a good niche in real life, in Second | | | | In conclusion, I must state that you won't need a |
| Life it will be useless. If "cotton candy" is what | | | | lot of technical or law-related knowledge to start |
| everyone in the virtual world needs, then that's | | | | a business in Second Life, which will most likely |
| your niche. The point is that you shouldn't base | | | | differ if you want to start one for real. So |
| your profit-generating business on what could | | | | although Second Life businesses are a good way |
| work in the physical world. If you manage to | | | | to practice or advertise, they don't resemble real |
| make a name for yourself and sell your stuff, | | | | businesses in all aspects, especially the |
| you're bound to make a profit you can cash in on. | | | | uncomfortable ones. Think about it, your Second |
| Starting a Business in Second Life for Advertising | | | | Life business goes bankrupt, so what? But what if |
| Purposes | | | | your real business goes bankrupt? You can't |
| Don't worry, this is not something new, it's not | | | | simply get a new avatar and start over. |