Building an online business is a lot like building a house.
First, you dig out the ground down to bedrock.
Then, you pour the foundation.
Next, you put up the walls.
After that, you put on the siding.
Did I miss a whole lot of steps? You bet I did.
Because building a house requires this and a whole lot more.
WHAT IT REALLY TAKES
Some internet marketers would have you believe that all you need to have to succeed online is a product and a website. That makes about as much sense as thinking that building a house requires only painting and landscaping skills.
But you and I both know, nothing could be further from the truth. You need all of those things mentioned above, and more.
It took a long time for me to learn how to do this internet thing.
I began delving into the whole “internet marketing thing” 13 years ago, and boy, did I have a lot to learn!
Here’s my story:
After the birth of my fourth child, I decided it was time to get serious about my family’s financial future.
.
My husband had always “taken care of me” and by that, I mean, he paid the bills, he worked the job, and he did anything “heavy-duty” that needed to be done (like taking out the garbage, carrying in the groceries, etc.). I guess you could say, he pretty much sheltered me. In the winter time, I would send him out for whatever I needed, as I stayed inside, warm and toasty with the kids. He handled pretty much everything including the finances.
Especially the finances.
I was completely in the dark about all things financial. As long as their was food on the table and the lights were turned on, I was pretty much okay. But then, something happened that forever changed the course of things. It was catastrophic.
For the first time in our married life, I became exceeding anxious about our financial future.
During the pregnancy of our youngest child, my husband was diagnosed with lung cancer. Kind and loving as my husband is, he had one fatal flaw back then…he could not bring himself to quit smoking, even when given a diagnosis of cancer.
I couldn’t imagine living without him, and tried not to think about it.
(my daughter to me)
“What if daddy dies?”
“Daddy won’t die, he’s too awnry”
But still, I wondered….what would I do if he wasn’t around?
At the this point I need to tell you that I was pretty upset about the fact that my husband had gone and gotten himself cancer. I knew my husband was still a great guy, even though he smoked. Believe me, I know that. I mean I do realize that smoking cigarettes is not the worst thing that a person can do, and that some very good people (my husband included), have smoked. Almost every day my husband would say something to the effect of “Baby, why are you so mad all the time? I’m a pretty good guy and smoking is really about the only thing that I do wrong.”
“Yea” I would agree. “But it’s also probably the only thing you are doing that can actually KILL you!”
This is not a story of how bad my husband is, because he really isn’t; rather, it’s the story of a broken heart.
Now, the next part may break your heart or it may seem like I should shut up now and get on with my sales pitch. But it’s my story, and my web page, so allow me to share.
Actually, it may make you mad. It sure made ME mad.
Because after I drove him home from the surgery, after I stopped at the drug store to get his heavy-duty, Oxycontin-based subscription, my husband purchased (you guessed it), some cigarettes.
If you have ever watched someone struggle with an addiction, only to “waste” their time in rehab, then you know the frustration, anguish and even anger you feel when all of the “fix them” time is down the drain.
I love my husband. There is no doubt about it. I kept hoping that this surgery would be the turning point for him. And I think, as a family member of an addicted person, it was the hope that had been killing me. Every week before the surgery, I was sure his “quit smoking” date was just around the corner. After every doctor’s visit and every specialist’s exam, I was sure that this will be the day he throws out his cigarettes for good. So it hurt even more when I realized that those two weeks in the hospital, nicotine free, had NOT yielded the results I’d expected.
Well, that was the turning point for me; I realized that my husband wasn’t at all serious about quitting his smoking habit, and that he probably never would be.
I really didn’t know if he would be alive in another five years. I didn’t know if he would have to go through another painful, expensive surgery like that.
In the meantime, bills were piling up, and I don’t just mean the medical bills (that’s another story..) The mortgage, utilities, and phone bill still kept coming, and he wasn’t yet able to work…Through some miracle (well, that’s what I call it) he kept getting a paycheck for a week or two. He was so popular at his job, that his co-workers pulled together and donated their vacation time/pay to scrape together a pay check for him. And he wasn’t on worker’s comp, I mean it was nothing like that. They just collectively decided to bless him.
This was all new territory for me. See, my husband had never shared with me the dynamics of paying bills. I realize how juvenile this must sound on my part, but I had never seen the bills, never handled the bills and really, I had never even thought about the bills. All I knew was that my husband was the organized, efficient guy who got up every morning, like a marine, and took care of us. I knew he was the guy that would go to work outside in the freezing cold to make sure we were all provided for.
So it wasn’t until this blessing from his co-workers happened that it fully dawned on me, and when it did, I mean, when I finally “got” it, it hit me like a TON of bricks…
…we had NO steady income!
I knew that I had to bail water out of our ship and fast! I searched online for some way to make money, and signed up with a company I trusted. The only problem was, it required me to sell on the phone.
When working from home goes all wrong
I really thought that I could do it. I reasoned that I would put my daughter to bed, and call a few prospects while she napped. After all, my other children had always taken naps with no interruption. What do you think ended up happening? You guessed it; this child was unique. In a good way; I had actually prayed for a snuggler (her siblings were so independent and adventurous). Unlike her sisters, though, she wanted to be held non-stop. Even while she slept. During those few times that I was able to get another sibling to calm her, I would make phone calls. And that worked okay; for about the first five minutes of the call. Then, it happened; someone had to talk to mom, and they meant RIGHT NOW! Maybe it was a crisis. And maybe it wasn’t. But by the time they got through screaming for me, the baby would cry. If you are a mom, then you know that nothing in the world can re-direct your focus like a crying infant–
(this clearly was not working).
My husband had just started working again, shortly after I signed up, so he wasn’t available any more, during the daytime.
But, I had a plan.
“Honey..” I approached my husband that evening. “Do you remember that work-at-home membership I just purchased?”
“Yea! How’s that working for you?”
“Um… not so good. Could you hold the baby and watch the kids so I can get some work done tonight?”
“Yea, sure.”
I mean, I should have known: I guess I shouldn’t blame him too much; after all, he is a man, and men don’t like having their wives micro-manage them, I get that.
He took that opportunity to watch every video I disapproved of, while I chatted with prospects. Will the kids have nightmares? Will I lose this sale? Oh great, another moral conflict to feel guilty about: do I close this sale or snap off the worldly video he’s feeding the kids?
Working at home just wasn’t working.
Well, I wasn’t ready to give up yet. After all, I had already invested major money into my first online opportunity. Maybe I just needed to try again, and pick up on the phone stuff when the kids got older.
I decided to try my hand at selling online. Calling customers wasn’t possible given my busy daytime schedule. Maybe I could work on a website at night, and sell items online!
That night, I put the baby to sleep (finally) crawled out of bed after I had tucked hubby in and given him his “quality” time and then, when I knew everyone was asleep, I started surfing the web.
I stayed online for four hours trying to figure out how to set up a website. Oh, and did I mention, I also signed up for every free internet marketing newsletter that I could find. I even signed up for (heaven help us all) those “paid survey” rackets.
Reader, please stay away from paid survey’s. They are a complete waste of time.
Finally, I decided there just wasn’t enough free info on the web that made any sense to me. Everyone had conflicting “secrets” and everyone thought that everyone ELSE’S method was a scam.
Hmmmm…..
I finally did buy a couple of them, but again, the information was lacking…I had to learn this to make sense of that, etc.
“Man” I kept thinking.
“Doesn’t anyone, anywhere, have one piece of info, one DVD, one e-book or something that I can buy that will just tell me where to start, what to do first, and take me through the process?”
I think it’s obvious, the answer was no. All of the e-books I bought were incomplete, and the “free newsletters” were even worse. I don’t know if I have found more than one in a thousand “newsletters” which actually had any real content. Virtually all of the free ones gave me nothing to sink my teeth into.
Occasionally, I would run into something that promised to show me a “real system” that would bring me real success. But in the end, I found all of them to be self-serving models that only existed for the benefit of the company’s owner.
I knew that what worked for them wouldn’t work for most people who didn’t have their money, skills, and prior knowledge.
Yet they always presented their stuff as something that the average person could do.
And it was all a lie.
I ran into so much of this nonsense that at one time, I actually believed that the only way anyone was making money online, was to pretend that you are making money online, and to sell the lie.
Because all of the people who were making money online, did it by selling “that secret” (not).
If you’ve been online for more than a while, you are beginning to see the unethical schemes of some “marketers”. They’ll promise you jewels, mansions, whatever it takes to get you to lay down your hard-earned cash.
I wish I could tell you that they don’t need to do that to get your money. But I’d be lying. Maybe they wouldn’t have to do that to get YOUR money, but to get most people’s money, they need to support the lie. That is the lie that all newbies want to believe:
The lie that all newbies want to believe.
Here it is:
“There must be some magic formula, some pixie dust that I can buy that will launch me to the top overnight”.
“Successful” internet marketers know that they can get your money by telling you this garbage (I say “successful” tongue in cheek, because success is more than money).
They may get your money, but in the end, they will never earn your respect.
A wise sage said
“A good name is rather to be chosen than silver or gold”.
My reputation is worth more to me than the globs of dough I could rake in by lying.I have first page rankings on Google for “internet marketing blueprint”
Don’t think for a minute that my online ranking hasn’t earned me credibility.
And massive traffic.
Any day I want to turn renegade and forfeit my soul, I can start lying and telling others just what they want to hear…that success is easy, costs nothing, and requires zero effort.that I have THE formula, and you just have to buy something and do nothing.
Folks would buy it.Because.
They want to believe it.
Even people who know better, who lie for a living, would want some additional fodder to add to their arsenal of ba hooey.
Why do people buy this lie?
Greed.
Greedy people selling to other greedy people.
And here’s the lie they sell…”I have a formula that no one else has.”
It’s a lie.
There is no formula. Only wisdom.
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- Wisdom knows that there are specific, intelligent, time proven ways to make money online.
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- Wisdom knows that there is a proper way, time and method for using different approaches in different situations.
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- Wisdom knows what works, what works well, and what works exceptionally well at select times.
The best way to learn how to create wealth is to get one on one mentoring from an internet black belt.
That is extremely expensive.
The next best way is to learn some marketing basics, implement them one at a time, in the proper order, and make money as you go, until you can upgrade your internet business.
Do you really think that some body who is a millionaire got there through some secret method?
They didn’t. They tried many different programs, learned what really worked, and fine tuned it. No way will they tell you everything they know. They know massive amounts of info. What sells. Which crowd. At what time. What sells you. What works with what .but not there or then. You get the picture. They couldn’t possibly tell you everything you need to know to get as rich as them, because it would take you a while to learn it all. They will never tell you that even with their “all inclusive” program, there are expenses involved. Even if they wanted to be honest, they could not sell it to most people. Most people want to believe “the lie”. Almost all of them will buy the lie. If it sounds believable. People want to believe it is easy.
Something that people don’t level with you about is the importance of being able to work your work at home business. Or whatever business you happen to be in. A lot of people want to sell on the internet because they want to work from home, but working from home isn’t always a good idea.
Yes, you heard that right! Working from home is not always a good idea.
You should never sign up for a “work from home” program if you
- don’t have a reasonable block of time to devote to your business each day.
- If you don’t have the money to sign up.
(because, that would mean going into debt…which is never, ever good!) - If you don’t have the support and approval of your family
Without having your family on board, there is going to be friction and strife.
Also, if you have recently been through a major event (like the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, or a major stressful event), then you may not have the emotional and mental resources needed to work from home or to start a new business.
Now, right now, I can just here some of you saying, “Well, what can I do if I can’t work at home?” I want to tell you that working from home is not the be all, and end all of money making options. So many people out of work head toward the internet trying to “make it rich” and I think that’s a mistake. They are given plenty of testimonials on how anyone can do it, and maybe anyone can…if they have enough time to learn it, and have the money to buy the information
NOTE: Reader, if you are completely broke, go ahead and read this article. But please…if you are hoping to get rich online RIGHT NOW and you have no groceries in your fridge, please. Go to a food pantry and take a job at McDonald’s. Your biggest need right now is to live in reality. Get some income, save some money, and when you can afford it, get some training.
Starting a new business can be depressing. And deflating. It’s a major let down when success doesn’t happen instantly, especially if you invested money in something. Be sure that you can really afford any “opportunity’ that you sign on with, and that you are prepared to spend time learning it before you make any money (you should really read that again).
MAKING MONEY ONLINE TAKES TIME!!!
MAKING MONEY ONLINE TAKES TIME!!!
MAKING MONEY ONLINE TAKES TIME!!!
And while we are on the subject of learning, don’t attempt to make money online if you know nothing at all about the internet. I had just learned how to “log on” weeks before I invested in an online “opportunity”. I didn’t even know what an “inbox” was, or a “browser”.
You really need a fundamental understand of the computer if you are going to sell your product online.
I see so many con artists these days selling their garbage to under-educated people. And the sad thing is, all of the victims really believe that they are being sold a serious opportunity; it is sickening.
Wow, with all of these red flags to look for, is there any way to ever get started? Well, yes. There is.
But here’s how you do it…go slow. Learn each phase of internet marketing one at a time. Forget about making money on the internet with no learning curve. You can make money overnight, but probably not millions. Set realistic goals, while you shoot for the stars. If you dream of making it big on the internet, start with what you CAN do, right now.
- What are your skills?
- What do you know really, really well?
- What do you WANT to know really well?
There are many ways to make money online but most marketing wannabes head out in all directions.
Do you have a million money-making ideas? Pick one. Just one. What is the most promising one? Which one excites you? Which one has this vibe on it that instills an “I can do this” charge to your spirit?
Is this a dream that you even want? Is it what your creator wants? Have you asked him?
This program will work for you if you know what you want.
Filter down those dreams to your best one and focus, focus, focus.
I guess you know where I’m going with this: After it became obvious that my first “opportunity” wasn’t going to cut it, I began looking around for other ones.
Dazzled with the promise of getting rich quickly, I purchased all kinds of shiny new marketing toys, otherwise known as “get-rich-quick” schemes.
I say that because that’s what many of those programs, clubs, and memberships were; simply schemes; scams. A rip-off. All they were designed to do was to take my money and leave me floundering. I burnt through internet marketing program after program hoping to one day learn the truth.
Well, here it is: Internet marketing is not some mystical secret. Internet marketing is a process. The truth is, it takes time to learn what needs to be done to take you from ground zero to a successful internet-based business.
In my Internet training Manual, I show you step by step what to do next, in each stage of the game, starting from scratch.
I’ll teach you the basics like finding the right platform to sell your product on. From there, we’ll cover what the best marketing systems are for producing success.
You’ll learn about:
- Templates and customization in web design. From beginning to advanced and the processes in between, I cover what you need to know to get good results; even if you know absolutely nothing about web design.
- The basics of good, ethical Search Engine Optimization. What you learn will put you light years ahead of most internet marketers.
- How to develop a robust web presence that positions you as an expert in your field/industry.
- How to use social media to pull in a vortex of hungry, interested consumers.
- Building traffic that converts into sales, without spending a single dime on advertising.
Then, together, we will navigate the trail of finding the best and easiest payment methods that aren’t a hassle. So you can collect money right now on your website without being burdened with tons of fees.
I know it can be tough in the beginning, with all of the information overload So I take it all and reduce it into bite-sized chunks you can actually process. One concept at a time.
If you know absolutely nothing about internet marketing , you will not get lost; I take nothing for granted in my lessons while I “teach you up” to an advanced level. However. You must have basic computer skills to qualify. For example, you need to be able to cut, copy and paste text; send and receive emails; log on and off, and navigate your web browser (otherwise known as “surfing the web”).
I can still work with you if you don’t know these things, but you need to take my free refresher course (included for the clueless).
But please don’t think that this program is only for computer “newbies”. If you have gaps in your internet marketing knowledge, if you have tried internet marketing before, but failed, or if you just want to nail the basics down of sound Internet Marketing principles, then you need this program.
You’ll learn how to profit immediately from multiple streams of income while you build “the big one”.
It’s really not much different from those construction sites you see. I’m training you to be the foreman.
First, I show you how to get your on-site module home set up, so you can camp out by the construction site…and not freeze. I show you how to pull in funds to feed you, and to pay your construction team. And I show you which team members to hire, for which job, at which time. So that you don’t put in the plumbing before the electric. Or get something set up that you will later need to knock down, for lack of planning.
It’s a blueprint of the building.
The most valuable part of this manual is the way that it allows you to start from ground zero, and earn the funds to continue building.
Please don’t waste another moment of your precious time jumping from one gadget to the next;
Get real internet marketing training that takes you to the top!
“How to Sell Anything on the Internet” is a complete, internet marketing Program that shows you step-b-y step how to build a profitable online system.
This four-week course comes to you in the comfort of your home each week day.
You can take as long as you need on each step, until your course is completed; an instructor stands ready to help you during normal working hours.
Lessons and Assignments are emailed to you daily.
Your satisfaction is guaranteed. I work with ten people each month
Spots fill quickly-so get on board while you can.
How to Sell Anything Online 