So you've decided to take the leap into deep water and go into business for yourself, specifically into Internet Marketing. Congratulations! This was a smart decision, one that will eventually reward you with all the dreams you can dream. Your challenge now is to survive that 1st year.
Hopefully you're reading this early on in your endeavors, and can make the adjustments necessary to keep your enterprise afloat and your bank account buoyant. Here are several things the "gurus" neglected to mention along the way to building your own internet marketing empire!
1 - Who are you listening to? There are a lot of people who've made a lot of money, and they're all too eager to tell you about it, frequently in the form of their latest product. It's very easy to find yourself tuning in too many voices, instead of riding one horse till it either gets you there or is spent. Find a niche that interests you, find products that are either yours or through an affiliate program, and focus entirely on your plan, not allowing yourself to chase rabbits.
2 - What is certain! And that is that the real money to be made in internet marketing is produced in the following ways: owning your own site(s), your own products, your own opt-in mailing list, and your own vision! Think about it! Not one of the internet millionaires to whom we look to for advice has lacked any of these for very long. You bought their products off their sites, joined their mailing lists, and to one degree or another shared their vision. If you haven't already, begin immediately to build your own empire. Build a site, start learning about traffic, linking, opt-in lists and all the other essentials necessary for long-term success. Affiliate marketing will only take you so far. In fact, most of the top affiliates have several of their own products!
3 - The learning curve. There is a certain amount of information you simply have to either learn (or pay for). Don't discount the fact that this will take a little time. One doesn't discover how to build and market a fully- optimized web site in a month. Or three! This is; and because of the fluid nature of the web; always will be a work-in-progress. Do what you can do every day and come back tomorrow for more. Don't be discouraged when the money takes a while to appear; if you do this right, when it does show up it will be worth the wait!
4 - A support system. Get one. Don't plan on supporting yourself from your business right away. It took the best at the very least several months to start seeing any real money. Don't despair if you turn out to be mortal, too. Give yourself a chance at this; the rewards are simply too great. I'll leave you with a quote that sustained me many a night: "I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." - Louisa May Alcott
Keith Thompson is the webmaster of Internet Marketing Here & Now where you can find lots of information on how to learn internet marketing!
According to many market forecasts, 2004 is likely to be... Read More
Everyone has heard about viral marketing but what is it... Read More
Why is this funny?Because in essence, a "click-through" places money... Read More
Everyone seems to be jumping on the internet marketing bandwagon... Read More
You can magnify and expand your business if you have... Read More
Copyright 2005 Tinu AbayomiPaulIn my last article on site promotion,... Read More
Everybody wants quick profits. The phenomenon is more prevalent on... Read More
Are you looking for something unique or unusual that you... Read More
Instant Messaging is rapidly becoming accepted in the business community... Read More
A common question and topic of discussion among Internet marketers... Read More
Although many say that things change on the net, still... Read More
I know what you're thinking, "Why is having your own... Read More
In today's world, online advertising is KEY to the success... Read More
I was winding my way up the levels of a... Read More
When Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith founded Hotmail.com they promoted... Read More
How to Succeed and Stay on Task with Your Internet... Read More
Being online is not only about getting your piece of... Read More
I attended a presentation a couple of weeks ago given... Read More
One day I was talking to a friend who had... Read More
Your URL (www) should be everywhere and more. I know... Read More
The Internet is connecting advertisers and marketers to customers from... Read More
All small business owners, especially those internet based, are concerned... Read More
1. Offer to write exclusive articles (that means you only... Read More
There are many people in the world who feel stuck... Read More
Hold a discount sale on your web site. Use the... Read More
1. Publish an ezine.Your ezine will help you to stay... Read More
There are so many business opportunities these days that promise... Read More
'FREE' is the reason people are successful, and make a... Read More
If you are marketing to an older audience, don't discount... Read More
When forming a joint venture with another business, your most... Read More
Online shopping continues to grow at leaps and bounds. Depending... Read More
Just yesterday a colleague of mine, whom I'll call "Sandy,"... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes affiliate marketers make is that... Read More
"Here's A Quick and Simple Way To Find Hot... Read More
Leads are the Life Blood of any Online Home Based... Read More
Why is it some people are incredibly successful at utilizing... Read More
Yes, I admit it - I hate asking for referrals... Read More
As well you should. New business is what makes the... Read More
'Hype' is now an often used slang word which is... Read More
Do you remember how, in days gone by, salesmen would... Read More
If you use PPC advertising and are in a highly... Read More
Marketing your company online requires patience and persistence. Like every... Read More
A nonprofit organization can take advantage of the Internet for... Read More
You certainly know by now that the term "viral marketing"... Read More
There is an interesting phenomenon on the Internet and that... Read More
I've recently begun working with individuals one-on-one who are truly... Read More
In my earlier article, "Online Network Marketing 101A", I wrote... Read More
How many times have I heard literal horror stories from... Read More
The list of promotional tools and resources available to online... Read More
When you offer your products via an email campaign to... Read More
The internet has grown explosively in the ten or so... Read More
Do you want to create a passive income? Are you... Read More
After spending a lot of time and effort on building... Read More
Many people don't have the time or skills to write... Read More
Online advertising is necessary for your computer business to grow.... Read More
Recently, I stumbled upon a simple way to hit the... Read More
What is an Internet Marketing Godfather?Someone who I *perceive* to... Read More
If you're a fan of Western movies I'm sure you've... Read More
All of us hate spam and all of us have... Read More
Do web surfers really bookmark websites anymore? A good friend... Read More
Uniqueness is what separates each business, its services and its... Read More
So what's the most profitable internet marketing strategy you can... Read More
Just like the infamous thank you page that a buyer... Read More
It's true. Just think about it for a minute -... Read More
A banner exchange program is a network of websites that... Read More
For the last couple weeks I have been running a... Read More
Internet Marketing |