So you want to make money online, huh?
We bet you’ve seen those ads and sales pages, promising you the moon. All you need to do is to buy this magical software and your life won’t be the same ever again. The good news is that yes, you can earn money online. The bad news is that you’ll have to work hard before you become an Internet sensation. So relax, keep your credit card in your wallet and read these tips instead. They can save you a lot of time and money…
1.Find Your Purpose and Vision
You will often hear Internet marketing ‘experts’ bragging about how many dollars they make every month, and how much you can make if you buy their product. But let me ask you this: Does a bunch of green notes really gets you thrilled? Really? Rather than think how much money you can make, try to think what you can accomplish and what difference you can make once you’ve earned money.
It’s going to be a while before you start seeing money coming in, but having a clear purpose and vision will give you a reason to get up in the morning and work your heart out, no matter what.
2.One War at a Time
Building a serious Internet business takes a lot of your time and energy. Think about it as a massive war you have to fight. It’s hard to fight two wars at a time, right?
Therefore, you’re more likely to succeed if all the other major fronts in your life – health, finance, relationships etc. – are on even keel. Starting a business and a new relationship together is generally a bad idea…
3.“Is This Bringing Me Towards My Purpose?”
When you’re online there are many distractions like email and social media. As you subscribe to more and more email lists you will be exposed to an influx of information, most of which you don’t really need. Rather than being flipped from one link or email to another, like a steel ball in a pinball machine, simply ask yourself: “Is this bringing me towards my purpose?” You already have a purpose, right?
If the answer is “No” then stop doing whatever you’re doing and get down to business or else you’ll stay in that virtual pinball machine forever.
4.Online Business Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Here is something most Internet marketing ‘gurus’ won’t tell you: It can take anywhere from a few months up to a few years until you start generating a sustainable income from your online business. Even if you have a great idea for a product or a service, you will still need to create it, build connections, spread the word and a lot more. There’s also a learning curve if you’re entering a new arena such as blogging, Pay Per Click advertising or CPA (cost per action). And there’s also a chance to fail and the need to start over.
Therefore, before you start an online business, get a job you don’t hate too much or make sure you have enough money to keep you going for at least a year. This way you’ll be able to focus on building a solid business and focus on value rather than making a quick buck in unethical ways.
5.What’s Your Product or Service?
No money has ever been earned without providing value in return. And value is usually provided by either a product or a service. You can have a popular website, build a large list of subscribers and become a social media superstar. But at the end of the day, you will have to offer a product or a service in order to be in business.
There’s no need to become obsessed with earning money but you do need to have that as part of your plan. So what will you offer the market? Your content? A video course? Coaching? Reviews for other people’s products?
6.Just Get it Out There!
Kevin Rose, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Digg, was once interviewed about web development. One of his tips for web entrepreneurs stuck in the product development phase was: “…So many people forget that, they think it has to be perfect before they get it out there and it’s like “Get it out there!” because they’re just wasting time…”
Whatever your product is – a blog, an ebook, a video course, a piece of software – don’t waste time trying to get everything right. Release it to the world and let the market tell you what you need to improve. If big online players like Google and Amazon do that, so should you!
7.Value Your Time But Sell it If You Need To
OK, this one is a bit tricky. Of course you must value your time because you never get it back and online business is a great time saver. But what if you can hardly pay the rent? What if at this point in your life you have much more time than you do money? Your first priority should obviously be to keep the roof over your head. There’s nothing wrong with using your talent and time to earn money and help others build their business.
There are many services you can provide online when you need cash. For example: Writing articles and blogs, designing banners and logos and proofreading.
8.You Cannot Walk Alone
Think about successful companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook. They started with a few visionaries but the reason these companies are still doing well is the great team their founders managed to build. Indeed, finding the right people to help you along the way can make or break your business.
Start building connections with potential business partners via social media, live events etc. Find bloggers in your niche and do your best to help them and they’ll be there when you need them. You cannot walk alone!
