I have to be completely honest with you. I am brimming with self belief.
As an experienced business owner (albeit offline), I have no doubts about my capabilities and am 100% sure I can be successful at anything I turn my hand to.
When I started in this business (that being the business of Internet Marketing), only a few short months ago I was convinced I would be one of those dancing from the rooftops singing, “I started making 5 figures a month in 30 days”.
After all, I’d read so many reports of people who had ‘apparently’ done that. If they could, then so could I!
Oh, boy did I have my head in the clouds!!! I’m sorry to tell you guys, but don’t believe a word of the hype – this business is tough! Why do you think that out of the millions of people who start online businesses every day, only a few really make it big.
If it was that easy, we’d all be millionaires by now – right?
Starting a business online is just like any other business, it takes energy, focus, resolve, persistence and a determination to succeed no matter what.
So let me run through the key areas and where the pitfalls are;
Stumbling Block 1
Research – Once you’ve decided what niche you’re going to be in you need to research your competition and your market right? But research can be tedious and confusing. All this talk about keywords and SEO. Also there’s so much information out there, where do you start?
I spent hours researching keywords and ‘exact match’ terms in the SERPS (search engine results pages), learning what percentage of keywords to use in copy, what search engines are looking for, how many people are looking for what I’m offering etc.
It bored me, it frustrated me, it cost me money in all the ‘Magic Way to Research Your Market’ tools I bought and worst of all I’m not even focusing on SEO now as part of my strategy (more on that later).
So my tip to make research fun, far more interesting and to find out everything you need to know about your market, your competition, and keywords…. Forums!
Forums are brilliant! There are forums for practically every niche in the world! You meet like-minded people, engage in conversation, ask loads of questions and reap all the information you require while having a good laugh, daily encouragement and making some friends. Just go to google, type in your niche + forums and they’ll spring up on the page in front of you. Go register and get chatting!
Stumbling Block 2
Creating an opt in page, a blog, recording a video and getting it all live on the web. I have to say this frightened the life out of me. HTML, CSS, FTP – What??????? – “It’s too hard”!!!
Well, actually it’s not that tough and the beauty of the net is that all the information you need to get your head round this stuff is right under your nose. I’m afraid though that you are going to have to take a little bit of time learning some of the basics.
Yes, you could outsource getting your web pages built, but that means you can never make an amendment or add a quick image or upload your own videos etc and it will end up costing you a lot more in both time and money.
I’m not suggesting you become a programmer (I’m certainly not – I still don’t know much about CSS – cascading style sheets – something that makes your web page look nice!)
Seriously though, about 4 months ago, I had absolutely NO IDEA how to do any of this and now, I can upload a video, create a web page and get it live on the web in under 10 minutes. Once you know how to do this, it’s easy.
So, how to get to this stage – well I have 2 ways:
1 – Find a very good mentor who is teaching this stuff, that’s how I did it. I found someone who is excellent at teaching how to create your first website and I learned all the basics.
2 – Look on You Tube – there are thousands of people publishing ‘how to’ videos every day teaching you exactly this, step by step, click by click. YouTube is a resource I utilize daily!
Stumbling Block 3
Driving Traffic. Oh boy is this a biggie! I believe this is the toughest part of the business. Why? Because you have to be doing something every day to increase and maintain a presence on the web.
Now when you’re a lot bigger and word of mouth has joined ranks and you have a reputation and some well tested systems in place, it will snowball, but when you’re starting out, you have to keep testing and measuring, testing and measuring every day and find the systems that work for you.
Some days you’ll have a few subscribers, some days you’ll have none and each time you spend time testing a new strategy and it doesn’t work, you have to keep going until it does work, or test another strategy.
This is the point at which I believe many “would-be” internet marketers lay down their hats. Because you have to just keep going, keep pushing, day after day, testing, trying, creating relationships, writing articles, making videos, posting tweets, posting blogs, etc., etc.
There is no quick win solution here and don’t believe all that garbage about ‘this piece of software will bring you 1000’s of subscribers overnight’. It doesn’t work like that. YOU have to create momentum and drive the traffic to you. YOU have to make it worth the traffic coming in your direction and YOU have to give them a reason to want to do business with you.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel! If you stay focused and keep pushing forward you will succeed – there is no doubt. This is where that persistence and resolve comes in!
Here’s a tip for making this part of the journey a little easier. Find someone to work with. Someone who’s roughly at the same level as you, preferably a few steps ahead. Skype regularly, exchange ideas, talk about your frustrations and encourage each other. It works wonders!
Ok so once you’ve found your niche, researched your market, built your ‘engine’ and driven traffic to your site, you can go on to build a fantastic relationship with your subscribers, offer quality content and loads of value and start to make money online. But that’s another article altogether!
Good luck with your business and never give up!
Great info. I agree with alot that was said – quality content, do your research, and patience is a virtue… got it 🙂
In the words of Mary Kay Ash, success is spelled W-O-R-K. I am only starting out but I am confident that this will work it is all in the amount of effort you put into it. There are so much things to learn about internet marketing. Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet.
Brilliant article Lisa. I’ve read so many of your articles and watched your videos and each had something new to offer me. This post also made me have a deeper insight on the myth of Internet Marketing. An internet marketer has to take into consideration many important factors.
they are lot peoples making the same thing with you but yet not all getting success. Lot of internet marketer are fail to reach the market and bring the traffic they want and they become counter effect which internet marketer become offer what for the the existing traffic looking for rather than reaching the traffic they want.
Definitely, this article has the ring of truth. I started my web business on January 2009, and I am still at it. I have made a few mistakes purchasing things that really did not help me much. However, I did find a program that is perfect for me on Lisa’s site. SBI, I am now earning Google money every month and I just earned a check from one of my affiliates. It has not been easy, but it is my dream come true. I am making money online y’all. I cannot tell anyone how to make 6 figures online, but I do know how to make a few hundred dollars. Thanks to honest people like, Lisa and the members of the WB and SBI forums. Lisa you give so much and I appreciate it!.
that is not easy to be internet marketer and there are no earning fast money in the internet world. You definitely need to put lot of hardwork and time to get result. Even you there to spend money on it but you unable to shortcut. Even lot of thing share out by expert is myths. No one able to said it correct or not because that their strategies and not yours. So be work smart while work hard.
Awesome article I have to say also DON’T Give UP!!! I am only starting out but I am confident that this will work it is all in the amount of effort you put into it.
Lisa
Please disregard the unprofessional appearance, and lack of content on my blog right now if you happen to find yourself checking it out, it just went live 2 days ago. I just want to first say, the last two months I’ve been preparing for the launch of my blog and have found myself on this site for hours on end, rummaging through the endless supply of QUALITY content. I’ve found so many useful posts, techniques that I’m certainly going to apply in my new venture as a writer/blogger. In regards to stumbling block #2 in the above post, I totally agree that nothing can top having someone teach you CSS/HTML in person. Unfortunately, most people don’t know someone who can teach them. And too those people I offer you this link, which I also find very resourceful. The site’s name is w3schools and the link to their homepage is http://www.w3schools.com, where you will find free, hands-on, tutorials covering HTML/CSS and everything else you will need to design a website or blog. Between this site and w3schools you can pretty much find anything. To Lisa and all the guest bloggers I just want to say thank you for the endless supply of great info and please keep it coming.
Joe Renzo
That very last line is what it all comes down to in my books. Never giving up is what you need. 🙂
Great post Jo
Great tips! In fact I wouldn’t recommend that people pursue blogging as a career at first, because it does take a long time to grow into something worthwhile. But if you pursue blogging as a hobbie (or get someone to pay you for it full-time) then it can be really worthwhile!
Pete
There are so much things to learn about internet marketing. The concepts you’ve said will be of great help to me. Thanks.
thanks for sharing this information your so real..you already convinced me to create a blog..for all this tips you shared i definitely so sure that it wont failed.
Lots of people make Internet Marketing harder by not sticking to one thing. Instant results are hard if not impossible, that why people quickly quit because they do not see the results that they are promised on the sales page.
Keith, this is so true.
I think the one key point that can’t be overemphasized is the fact that you have to enjoy what you do. Rational people will never tell you it’ll be easy…because it’s not. However, when you enjoy it, all those roadblocks simply become challenges that you are enthusiastic to overcome. Great post, Jo!
I’m often to running a blog and i really respect your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your site and keep checking for brand new information.
Hi Jo, nice post. It’s definitely a tough road and it’s refreshing to see somebody be honest about what it takes to achieve results online. There are so many sites that guarantee you the ultimate quick fix to internet glory – it can make you lose heart when you don’t see results. Best advice is to work hard and work smart and in the end your efforts should pay off.
Hi Jo & Lisa 🙂
Wow, do I ever wish I had found this article a year ago! I can definitely relate to this, with my head in the clouds believing I’ll be one of those people making lots of moola in just a month or two. Ha!
This article really delivers one nice, big cold dose of reality. And it’s well needed! I HATE those stupid sales letters that claim that I can make $20,000 in two weeks with their copy&paste method! I have now learned to separate the REAL internet marketers from the people who are simply just “selling” the idea of internet marketing and nothing else. It took me a long time to figure that out.
Thanks for this excellent blog post. It sure was a great read!
lisa i never got success in affiliate marketing.yes i got success in blogging and thanks again for a great post
Excellent Article. A little more on traffic would have been nice.
Hey Jo,
I completely hear where you are coming from. I’ve read so many ads, forums, blogs, comments – you name it – about how easy it is to make money online. Moreover, it’s people promoting that you can make good money with no skills and no time.
Sure, you can start off with little skills, but you have to take the time to learn.
An online business is just as hard to be successful at as an offline business.
I do the like the fact that Internet businesses can require much less overhead than a traditional bricks and mortar business. I also like the fact that you can find a lot of good – and unfortunately – a lot of bad advice online.
Never give up – that’s the main point. Whatever you do, you do it for yourself. And you do it for better. Nil result is still a result!
WOW! I’m saving this post and using it as my background! This is amazing and uplifting! A+!
VEEY VERY informative article about internet marketing
Thanks for the post dude..keep it up :0
Great stuff from you, man. Ive read your stuff before and youre just too awesome. I love what youve got here, love what youre saying and the way you say it. You make it entertaining and you still manage to keep it smart. I cant wait to read more from you. This is really a great blog. :)) :))
A lot of great thoughts and advice here in this article. Great guest post! I look forward to reading more from this guy about his experiences switching from “real world business” to an online income stream.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
All I can say is Online business will be great this year. I feel it. We just aim for our goals.
Hello,
Nice post. I am sure that this will help in making wise decisions in running a better internet marketing campaign without much problems
Honestly, I don’t think internet business is hard. But I say that coming from over two decades of being self-employed. To me, internet business is just, well, business. Nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. You work for what you get.
Well said, Alison. I have never felt it was hard either from a difficulty standpoint, but I think it’s because I enjoy it so much. But it is definitely hard work.
great post! its very true.. i guess its hard to get traffic at first but the feeling you get when you start building the traffic is one great feeling!
again great post!
Regards
CapitalBlogPress.com
Nice post Jo and thank you Lisa.
I started out nearly a year now, thanks to great training with Wealthy Affiliate, so the correct training and information when starting out in this game is vital as there are a lot of so called top marketers waiting for the likes of us newbies to pound our brains with miss-information.
With hard work, persistence and dedication it is possible to make decent money online as it has finally started for myself. Too many people give up too soon.
Great post Jo. Starting an online business is similar to starting an offline one. An individual has to have the resources to make it successful. For instance, before starting an online business an individual should write a business plan (doesn’t have to be 50 pages long) and obtain financing from lenders or raise capital from investors. More important, an online business owner should have patience and realize that success doesn’t come overnight. It may take up to two years for a small business owner to breakeven or finally generate a profit.
I had many of these thoughts initially and as time went by, I did realize that although some tactics may apply both offline and online, truth is exactly what you are saying. Anyone who thinks that running a business online is easy, is either been doing it for a long time, hence now is easy, or does not have s clue as to how you can succeed. The 80/20 rule if applied will make one go nuts. In this case, if there are millions of websites out there, what are the real chances of getting it right? After having applied these advices in the course of my online journey, the one thing that made it possible is that I took “action”. No point of knowing all this if you are just sitting there and waiting for it to happen.
Hey, excellent article!
Very honest, it is hard to build momentum but i guess its also a great feeling when you do start seeing all that hard work pay off, eh?
Regards!
Sometimes I think I’m not doing enough to generate traffic because I see my friends getting so involved and driving their numbers and all that. But the truth is, I’m sort of afraid to get lots of traffic before my blog is really ready. You know? I’ve got to get better. Takes time. And patience.
Thanks Jo. I just started, and posts like this are really encouraging to read!
Jo, Thanks for being brutally honest. There really is no substitute for hard work and dedication. This whole game is about providing good content and building trust. The traffic and revenue will grow in time. There’s a saying “the man at the top of the mountain did not fall there”. The terrain is rugged, but with perseverance, anyone can reach the top.
Wow and the truth shell sit us free. This a great post. I started my Internet journey listening to Lisa’s Youtube Channel and with SBI so I had no pie in the sky ideas. When ever I am thinking what to do next I check to see what Lisa and Dr Ken have to say.
In the words of Mary Kay Ash, success is spelled W-O-R-K.
Thank you for keeping real!
very detailed post and congratulations on your success Jo.
that said, is there really a “secret to making money online”?
Great post. Actually I’m on a way with my blog for the past few years and progress exists but is slow. Sometimes I thought that I will never reach 1000+ visits per day 🙂 You are right, it is not over night process and it takes a lot of effort and commitment. From my point of view it’s important not to giving up – good will and results must come.
Cheers!
This so reminds me in parts 🙂
I had the luck to start with SBI so the research wasn’t a big problem. But once I wanted to make my site go more wow than it did, I was blocked, HTML, CSS????
But what I usually do (yes, Lisa, I am a stalker, lol) is use search feature in this blog and even more on 2createawebsite static site and find HTML, CSS tricks I need.
There are certain videos of yours that I watched at least 10 times, I can’t seem to remember how to do some stuff so I just go back and remind myself.
It is so hard to get into these “waters” but once you are in, it is getting more and more interesting.
I think a big reason so many people have trouble getting their IM business off the ground is misinformation. For every self-made-millionaire guru there are hundred’s of people with similar claims who in reality range from nigerian billing scams to people with good intentions and misinformation. Finding the valuable stuff is tough, and there’s so much optimism in the IM world that it’s hard to maintain a healthy level of doubt.
Hi Jo,
Really excellent points, and it is likely that most bloggers can relate to all of them. I personally enjoy the seo stuff and the tech stuff, and I have no excuse for that.
But, I certainly don’t enjoy the need to be constantly working to increase traffic via methods like article marketing, etc. No fun.
And, you are right. At the end of the day, IM is no different than any other business model. Building relationships is what really matters.
Have a good day!
Great article and one that tells it like it is. It’s a tough go to get an online business going the same as it is for any business. And while the cost may seem to be lower the time and effort sure isn’t. And all of those “tools”, “programs”, and “gimmicks” that promise you easy times and easy money are just junk that do little to help beyond reduce your bank account.
And while it takes work there are legitimate tools and sites that are good to know and use that will help. There are some that aren’t just there to rip you off. But there is also, sadly, no magic bullet that makes it happen overnight. It’s more a matter of resolve and continued work than anything else to succeed online.
So what’s important is planning and learning what you want to accomplish and finding the tools and methods that help you to achieve those plans and goals. And as you say nothing is better than sharing your trials and tribulations with others. Doing so can help all involved to accomplish more and do better.
But always keep in mind that there are many here online that are promoting things that offer little in the way of true help. So research those you are considering using as a resource and know them before you trust or follow them.
And while SEO, site rank, Google ad-words, keywords, and lots of other buzz words will float around all around you don’t get too caught up in all the hype and study before you invest time or money in anything.
As in most cases to be informed and knowledgeable is the first step to success and is always required before you make any investments in solutions, sites, programs, or methods online or offline.
Hi Jo!
You are not alone! I started with the same ambitions and was quickly awakened from that dream – I discovered that the world of blogging and websites was so different from the way the gurus portray in all those ebooks. Really the online world is no different from the offline world – I wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and immediately try to sell them something, so what made me think it would be okay online – it’s not. You’ve got to build relationships first – and I’ve discovered that is the best perk of all!
Honestly, if you can make enough friends, SEO will chase you instead of the other way around.
Hi Jo, your guest post sure is a nice change of pace. I have a lot of the same thoughts as you. SEO has got to be the most boring part of blogging and even after you’ve done all of the homework, there are still no guarantees. I think the only folks that really enjoy keyword research are the ones that blog about it. LOL
I like your tip about searching YouTube for how to videos. I’m sure that’s where I first encountered Lisa and found out about her website and Website Babble Forum. Another great resource for how-to videos is Lynda.com – and WordPress users should look into WordPress.tv they cover every aspect of blogging you can imagine (including SEO and CSS).
Who knew blogging was so much work 🙂
Thanks for sharing your take on this.
I can really relate to this – I was also convinced that I could do anything and would be making 6 figures in no time. Ha!
It has been a fun ride, though!
Thanks again Lisa for always putting out good information. It’s really help me learn about this business. I’m in!!