The uncomfortable truth about internet marketing

I’ve just sent out an email to my email list of subscribers saying its getting easier to build a business online.

Now, I am not lying.

It is getting easier

There are so many products and training courses that can help you build an online business.
As part of my mission, I identify what works online to help people leverage the internet for success. So I am always on the lookout for products that will help people get started and move past that initial inertia to start bringing in income.

There is some great training out there – like THIS SYSTEM.

And there are great products that can help automate and speed up processes – I will provide a list in a coming post – or help you save money, such as a couple of “all-in-one” platforms and a webinar platform that is available for a one-off payment (not the arm-and-a-leg monthly payments you typically have to pay).

This is all good.

THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH

But there is a downside.

If you are building a business online – selling products as an affiliate or selling your own products and services – you have got to treat this as a business.

Sounds obvious – but you would be surprised at the number of people who look for quick cash and a fast track and get frustrated when they don’t find it. They are typically the ones who fail.

The commonly bandied around percentage of the number of people who fail in the online space is 97%. Just who researched this is unclear and whether there is any credibility to this assessment. But there is an underlying message here.

PUT ON A BUSINESSMAN’S CAP

Whether you are looking to create a job-replacing income or merely wanting a “side hustle” to bring in extra income, it is crucially important to treat this as a business and not expect to have everything done for you.

In order to have success in this space, it is important to put on a businessman’s (or businesswoman’s) cap and take it seriously.

What you have to do is build the skills and work to provide people with real value.

You have to take responsibility for your own skill-building and you have to take care to put your ducks in a row when presenting products and services.

This takes effort. And learning from your mistakes – and we all make mistakes.

Mindset is a crucial part of the equation. But you also have to recognize there is no fast path to riches.

STUDYING BUSINESS AT COLLEGE

Prior to beginning my online journey, I built a great career in journalism, having gone to business college prior to my start, yet none of this prepared me for the skills, marketing and mindset that I need to build a business online.

What has been helping me is the high-level training and mentoring I have been receiving and paying for, and then jumping into the trenches and putting what I have learnt into action.

Underlying it all is the need to take this seriously – like one would if one was building a bricks-and-mortar business.

We all have an incredible opportunity at our fingertips courtesy of the internet.

The potential is immense. But nine times out of 10, people squander this, hoping for a quick fix, rapping a product or system just because success is not immediately forthcoming.

IMAGINE THIS

In the real world, businesses stand or fall on the correct planning and careful steps taken to provide products and services, making sure in the medium to long term that you make a profit.

Just imagine you were setting up a real world gardening business, not a sole enterprise, one with a few employees. In order to make it work, your business plan would need to endure the scrutiny of a bank manager in order to get a loan to buy equipment, a couple of vehicles, and hire a space to store everything from fertilizer to turf. You would have to demonstrate you have customers or a viable plan to build a customer base. You would more than likely have a plan to hire some staff, and be in a position to assess their competence or give them the appropriate training. You would also need to diligently keep your books, both for the bank manager and for the tax man.

Taking these steps would mean you have skin in the game – it would cost you money and would put you in debt. And you would recognize this is a normal part of the game.

This all adds up, however you finance it.

THE ONLINE WORLD

The online world has a very low-cost entry point compared to normal businesses and the amount of money you might have to invest.

This is great – but again there is a downside.

Many people try to scrape by on a minimal budget and then wonder why they are not making much money.

Sure, there is a cheaper entry point to the online space compared to most ordinary businesses. Yet there is still a need to invest in training and skill building. And while there are free traffic methods, the faster and more effective way to bring in leads and sales is by using paid traffic. It is hard to get traction if your budget is too small.

Treat it as a hobby and it will remain a hobby. Treat it as a real business with the responsibility resting on your shoulders and you will be far better placed for success.

Are you ready to jump into the trenches?