Reality Check for Internet Marketers
So you want to set up a business on the internet Here’s a little reality that you should read at least once a week while building your business.
FOUR BITS OF WISDOM
1. INVESTMENT-THERE IS NO FREE when it comes to doing business on the internet. Whether it’s an investment of time, or an investment with money, you have to ‘invest’. This is a business, and a business cannot grow without some capital. Plus, if you are investing in your future, it makes sense to invest in your business. If you are still employed, don’t fall for “Fire the Boss” as you might just have to crawl back and ask for your job. Continue with employment until you are making more on your internet business than you are earning at your paying job. When you have made allowance for the benefits you will lose and making a live-able wage then full time internet marketing might be feasible.
You will need advertising. Oh my did I miss that one when I bought my first site. The business you buy has no obligation to promote. You are on your own and a perfect set-up to spend big bucks.
Connect with a business that fits your personality and passion in life. Ask yourself this “Would I buy this product if I were not selling it”. Your testimony to the usefulness of the product will speak volumes. Auto ship is the method of forcing you to purchase or another way to say it is, they send a specific amount automatically. Your downline will do the same, and that is how you make your money. Since it means you must purchase a certain amount yourself, ask yourself if you want a shelf full of potions and pills that you will not use. By far the largest investment will be in time and learning how to market. Internet marketing is not like selling to your next door neighbor as your customers will be people you have never met. Know how this potential business suggests promoting. If you detest cold calling (people you don’t know) or typing ads, doing research or what ever the suggested method, then check out our personality traits and abilities for marketing.
Number 2 – YOU HAVE TO MEET PEOPLE-The idea of working from home in your pj’s, saving on gas, saving on lunches and clothes seems so appealing. But guess what, you still have to meet people. Yes, you can do all of the above but networking means working with other people. There will be people on line just like you or people that can make you want to throw your computer across the room.
Where will you meet these people. You can talk or write to people on Yahoo, MSN, Skype and other free message centers. Forums are a great place to learn about people and you can share about yourself and your experiences. Perhaps your product would be of interest to someone when they learn about your product. Writing e-books is a great way to share your ideas. You can enroll in sites who will provide leads at little or no expense. Live conferences on the phone or in on line meeting rooms will develop business partners and build businesses.
Number 3 – YOU MUST HAVE PATIENCE On the internet, we are told of instant riches, and success in 90 days or less. Some go so far as to promise you will have money in 3 hours. FORGET ABOUT IT. Remember, this is long term income we want here, not a quick fifty bucks. You must have patience with your online business. This is the only industry on the planet where success is ‘demanded’ in weeks and months, not years. It just cannot happen, most offline businesses take 2-4 years to turn a profit, it should be no different online. Take your time, there is no rush!
Number 4 – WORK, WORK, WORK I know…The images of sitting back with your feet up, sleeping in until noon, owning a yacht, travel to the islands….It’s a myth! You must roll up your sleeves and put in work. Again, this is a business, it takes effort. Do not be scared of it. Beware of any site that says, No work, No advertising, no recruiting, no nothing. All that means is that you just bought “NOTHING”. Do the math. If you are promised to make a certain amount of money, figure out how many people it would take to make that much.
Take those four points as you wish, all I ever write about is what I have experienced. These things have worked for me, and trust me, I’m not a ’special person’. I had no clue what a url was when I first started. Even the words, mentor and internet marketer were unknown to me. Hopefully, when you find a business, you find mentors who will take you by the hand and take you through the strange world of on-line communities, advertising sites, computer skills, and most of all where to hide your credit cards.
Panda Picked this subject so that our Seniors new to the internet are not victims of the internet. Choose a business unique to you and I wish you well on your journey.
Hi Mary,
I have just read this, and I have to agree with all of what you have said as the only way to earn money on the internet is to ask questions and learn from other people who have made mistakes and learned from them and then gone on to success!
I have had my ups and downs and a very recent downer due to bloody hackers. I am in the process of now picking up the peices, your readers must always remember there are these people out there who will cause problems. Also there are also thieves lurking for the unwary surfer, always make sure you are on a secure site if you are asked for credit card details and check that the site you have gone to is whats showing in your browser window.
Another tip is never click on a link you receive in an email unless you do know who its come from, and then thats no guarantee either, so be careful out there!
Best Wishes
John.
John Partington — November 2, 2008 @ 11:40 am
Hi Mary,
this is a great site… with lots of interesting stuff!
but I thought I’d let you know that I had to scroll with my mouse wheel and couldn’t go far enough to the right to make use of what’s there….
now this page has the scroll bar Wait… I’ll try this. Smaller text! yep if is full functioning now
those bushes/plants look like …it’s a houseplant I use to have. Can’t think of the name now. Must be a senior moment!
I’ve bookmarked your site …thanks
Beth
Beth — November 3, 2008 @ 12:35 am
Thanks for the suggestion in my Skype that we “Swap” blog links Mary. This is a well written article. All of it is true. And I hope your senior readers gain the wisdom of all our mistakes with out having to re-invent the “internet marketing mistake wheel” so to speak, with out having to go through it themselves.
This article has some sound advise! Do head its 4 points!
Mary, this is an excellent idea and much needed; a blog for seniors on the net! Good job! I hope your introduction is on my blog so we can send seniors here!
http://incomeassurance.com/blog/?page_id=460 This is actually the guidelines for my Skype chat room for Skype Tips … and your intro can for here.
To Panda Picks readers, you are welcome to come learn more about Skype from me. This is my area of expertise, using Skype, blogs & email list building for relationship building for your business. I own a Skype chat room with other marketers learning Skype for relationship building.
As mentioned in the article here, this is a people business, and Skype allows you to make new friends, partners, mentors and affiliates on your journey’s online.
No need to be alone.
As you learn, you too can be helpful and share as Panda Picks has here. This helpfulness will build you a good reputation and solid relationships. This is the only way to build business online with no need to sell …
what is?
Relationship Marketing, web 2.0, Sociel networking. In short, leading with the relationship, not the sell… build relationships. This is easy with free tools like Skype which have a worldwide reach with both instant texting and voice (VOIP).
Have fun expanding in knowledge & friendships,
Julie Wolf
360-275-7856
http://incomeassurance.com/skype
This link above is for free Skype download, funny Skype movies & my Skype buttons to connect with me and my Skype Tips)
Julie Wolf — November 3, 2008 @ 11:05 am
John these are great ideas and I know you speak as the voice of experience.
I have sent you a request to write us a page about hacking so that the new internet user can understand. What you write is always so clear that even the new people will be able to understand.
I look forward to printing a page on this subject so that we can keep all Seniors safe as they work on the net.
Mary Hofstetter — November 3, 2008 @ 11:31 am
Beth, thank you for showing us how you solved the problem. We all can learn from each others mistakes or problems. Now anyone else with that situation has a solution.
You certainly must be a team player.
Mary Hofstetter — November 4, 2008 @ 5:30 am
Julie, I have added you to Panda’s Friends because you have so much information that will help our new Senior marketers.
As you have noted, this blog is here to save all our Seniors fustration and disappointment by being lead astray with big promises.
Feel free to pass on this blog to your skype friends
Mary Hofstetter — November 4, 2008 @ 5:33 am
hello
how are u doing today?i am Elizabeth from Ghana 21 years old.and u
elizabeth brago — November 4, 2008 @ 5:48 am
Thank you for the good advice. I like your site and I always enjoy what you write whenever I come accross it. Keep up the great work.
Mary Jean Decker — November 5, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
Hi,
I really enjoyed reading your reality checks.
Your observations are good and reflect much of what I have discovered.
The biggest problem I have as I get older is keeping track of all of the url and affiliate links etc.
So often you join a program (lets say for leads) and the next you find is rthat you have to join another half a dozen other sites to make it work. Where is all this extra time supposed to come from.
I am now getting back to solid realistic REAL products that you can see, feel and show.
It is then possible to present these to friends and colleagues and in turn encourage them.
My advice now is to rationalize and get back to those REAL products that have either a good track record or are representing the future trends.
Roger
Roger Macdivitt — November 13, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
Hi Mary,
You have some great tips.
No matter what age you are you have to have patience and be ready to work. Reading hours a day also comes into play.
My favorite days are the ones where I do blog comments backlinking – I get to go look at all the blogs I want, and post comments.
I hope your 2009 is off to a great start.
Sheryl
Sheryl Loch — January 22, 2009 @ 7:22 pm