Is some form of Internet Marketing the best vehicle to overcome financial adversity?
It can be, but don’t give up your day job just yet, the law of averages is against you.
The Internet and our email in boxes are awash with promises from experts promoting “Follow your Passion”, “Information Marketing” and more ideas that promise instant riches.
The language of these promises range from cautiously modest to outrageously extravagant. The more extravagant the promise, the more space is given to screen shots of bank or affiliate commission accounts.
Information, affiliate or some other forms of Internet Marketing have taken over from Network Marketing as the promised road to wealth or financial salvation for all those who are dissatisfied with their jobs, need more income or have no jobs and need any income.
Not that there is anything wrong with Network Marketing, many people’s lives have been improved by it and there are hundreds of success stories.
This is where the two industries share common ground.
Hundreds of thousands are attracted to test the water, large numbers part with some hard earned cash or credit, few earn a real net income and only a tiny percentage become wealthy.
That is neither good or bad, it is a function of a free enterprise economy and it has its parallels in any industry, the major difference being that the cost of entry into a bricks-and-mortar business narrows the field considerably to those with assets and a strong desire to get involved. It is to be expected that a lot more thought and planning goes into investing half a million or more to start a franchise for example, than entering your credit card number on-line to purchase a $97 Business-in-a-box kit.
There are people who have made millions on the Internet, more doing so right now and more will continue to do so in the future.
But they are a small percentage of those who attempt to do the same. The tip of the iceberg or the select few who reach the summit of Internet marketing achievement. Most who start down this long and twisting road will not make any money, probably incur debt in the process and invest scores, hundreds or even thousands of hours chasing their dreams.
Through a combination of factors, some will achieve great success very quickly, it does happen. Others will persevere and will achieve varying levels of success over months or years.
The majority will not, many will become addicted to buying new products, tools, programmes, systems and promises from the already successful, until they run out of money, credit, motivation or all three and give up.
As in most markets, a few producers satisfy the demands of a large number of consumers. Many of the successful Internet Marketers rely on the aspiring, as yet unsuccessful new players to keep on buying new stuff in the mistaken belief that new tools are the answer.
Are Internet Marketers dishonest? Setting customers up for failure? Not necessarily and not generally, although some probably are and others regularly test the boundaries. Disclaimers on websites and sales materials are now required by law. They are prominently displayed on responsible websites.
They accurately state that results claimed may not be typical and list many factors that might cause individual buyers to see different results.
Why then is the road to Internet Marketing success littered with so many broke, burned out failures?
Many reasons:
- Low cost of entry
- Buying hope
- Lack of business experience
- Lack of commitment
- Failure to identify a market need
Of them all, I believe the last is the most common. People get seduced by the promises of tools, systems, and start finding or creating stuff to sell without making sure there is a need and desire for it.
Can people succeed without much start up capital, experience, technical knowledge as is promised by so many experts? Yes, the Internet is the new Gold Rush, but it is becoming more obvious every day that the real winners are the stores that sell the picks and shovels, not the miners – except for the ones who really know where that seam of gold is.
Internet Marketing and on-line business are helping thousands of entrepreneurs, coaches, professionals, small and large business owners transform their lives, it can be a simple business but it is not always easy and needs to be approached with a dose of realism.
Self confidence and positive thinking can and do help you perform miracles, but they have to be matched with action.
More is achieved by active cynics than inactive dreamers or perpetual planners.
So by all means, if you want to change your life, become financially independent or just increase your existing income, get started. But get the basics right, find a problem to solve and a way to solve it before spending money on the latest tools.
And keep your day job for now. It’s hard to stay motivated when you can’t afford to eat.
Want more ideas where to look for the gold? Call me.
image by Stuart Miles freedigitalphotos.net
Great information and advice, Peter. In addition to what you wrote, I would add: create and work for something you like and believe in. Passion some call it. I think you really have to believe in your blog and what you write if you want to be successful.