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Cold Hard Facts On Internet Marketing You May Not Like To Hear
Through the many years I have been involved in Internet Marketing, there have been occasions where I have been victimized and conned. But I am now reaping the rewards as well as inspired in many ways. I make a cool 5-figure income online every month consistently from the comfort of my wheelchair.
I received numerous emails from my subscribers, mostly seeking desperate help and in terrible financial situations, that sometimes keep me awake at night trying to figure out how to help them.
There are also emails from subscribers saying they are committed to working hard, being motivated by some gurus telling them it is possible to earn a million dollars in 3 months, working just 4 hours a week.
I call that misguided information. While it is “possible” to achieve that, it is not likely to happen, and will end up in huge disappointment.
So I set out to talk about the real TRUTH behind Internet Marketing. Having the Correct Mindset is also what sets apart successful marketers from wannabes.
It is going to be cold hard facts that you might not like to hear. Regardless I’m going to tell you anyway because I think it’s high time you know the truth and stop wasting your time on a bunch of half-ass products that don’t or can’t do a thing for you to get you hopping on the fast track to success.
1. Don’t Believe Everything You Read
The internet is a vast source of information plastered all over the place. And the Internet Marketing field is no different. You’re likely to see 2,000 products all on the same subject. Each one of the authors claiming that THEIR product is better than all the rest because of X-Y-Z reasons.
Internet Marketing is just like a magic trick. Every Internet Marketer who’s worth their weight in gold knows that it’s all in the presentation.
Here are some of those “smoke-and-mirror” effects so that you can learn to see past them:
- Expiring Offers. Sometimes it’s real, sometimes it’s bogus.
- Limited Introductory Offer. Usually this is simply a trick to get you motivated to purchase a vendor’s product.
- A Compelling Life Story. Internet Marketers use this trick to connect to the emotional part of their customers. Some marketers will lead you to believe that they have been made multi-millionaires through their efforts of creating and selling information products online. More often than not, they get rich by selling “how to get rich” information to people like you.
2. Don’t Believe That You Can Be A Cash Powerhouse After Putting In A Few Hours Of Work
It Ain’t Gonna Happen. Period.
There’s no “magic bullet” or pill that will magically transform you into a multi-million dollar
earner overnight. If there was, I would line up to get a few of them myself!
If you’re not willing to put forth some effort on your own part, you might as well just quit while you’re ahead of the game. It takes a serious commitment on your part if you honestly want to have an online business.
3. Don’t Buy Every Product You See
I honestly believe every newbie goes through this stage of the game. In the process, they learn the cold, hard truth of the matter. They should have done some research before plunking down their cash. But, at that point, it’s too late. Money spent. Lesson learned.
The “Product of the Decade” comes by probably once a week, so don’t think you will miss anything if you don’t buy that “life-changing” product!
4. Don’t Quit Your Regular Day Job
If you work a normal “9 to 5″ job in the real world, DO NOT QUIT. Although the promises of “wealth from home” may be calling out to you, earning money online is a tremendously fluctuating income.
What you NEED to do is ease into the Internet Marketing industry slowly, learn what you can, then run it. Don’t try to master every aspect of IM – it is very important to DO AS YOU LEARN.
5. Just Because Someone Is “Well Known” Doesn’t Always Mean They Are Right
Some of these so called “gurus” are self-proclaimed as such. My advice is, take it all with a grain of salt. Everyone is in this business to make a name for themselves and recruit their own little cult of “followers”.
I’m not telling you not to listen, just to be choosy at who you are listening to.
6. Don’t Expect To Make Money For Free
I’ve seen this time and time again. Thousands of people hopping onto the internet expecting that they can somehow make money starting from $0. This really isn’t plausible if you think about it.
Compared with starting a brick-and-mortar business, Internet Marketing is indeed low-cost, but never no-cost. With that being said, you also need to know WHERE to spend your money for it to do you the most good and see the most profits as a result of spending it. So, be choosy where you spend your money.
7. Don’t Let Others In Your Life Downplay Your Online Goals
Yep, this is tragic. But it happens to every single Internet Marketer. The main reason for this is because most “offline” folks don’t understand how someone can make money from their computer. There’s always a workable solution to fizzle out the “nay sayers” before their troubling words of doubt have a chance to settle in to your goal mindsets.
If you are getting complaints of spending too much time working online than spending with your family, you’ll have to try and balance that out somehow. It won’t be easy, but it is do-able.
8. Don’t Overload Yourself
It’s called “information overload” my friend. It is probably the most dreaded stumbling block to IM success, apart from “distractions”. It will only set you back instead of propelling you forward.
I know of someone who is probably a true EXPERT on Internet Marketing. He spent a good two years studying everything about IM. In great admiration, I asked him how’s his results so far. He looked at me and said with a blank face he has not earned a cent. He said he’s still learning, and will take action after he’s learnt everything.
My jaw dropped on hearing this.
One effective way to overcome information overload is to remember this motto:
READY. FIRE. AIM.
READY: Get the relevant information ready
FIRE: Take concrete action to get started
AIM: Fine-tune along the way.
9. Do Learn To Write And Write Well
Writing is a skill you simply cannot afford to put on the back-burner. You need to learn how to write effectively to grab your readers attention and get them to take action. Words are what sells products.
My advice is, go pick up a course on copywriting or sales letter writing. It takes practice and persistence to develop your “power writing” skills.
10. Try To Do What You Can By Yourself First
To really learn every aspect of running your own online business, you need to at least make an effort to learn what is involved in the process.
Yes, eventually you should “outsource” a variety of your online tasks, but if you don’t first do these yourself, how will you know for sure that the person you outsourced to will be doing what he or she needs to?
11. Have An Online “Mentor”
There are some online mentoring programs you can join, but these usually cost a bomb.
There are cheaper or even no-cost options. For instance, newsletters owners. You can subscribe to the best newsletters you can find. You can then try writing to them for help on specific topic. The problem is, not many marketers (in fact very few) will personally respond to any email you write, for various reasons.
If you come across one who will respond to your email (for example, I make it a point to personally reply to all my subscribers’ emails, no matter how busy I am), then stay subscribed to that newsletter as you never know when you’ll need help.
12. Join A Community Of Like-Minded Individuals
This is a terrific way to start up an online “support system”, through online communities such as forums. These are sometimes good sources of information and support for those who are interested in the same industry. Keep your eyes wide open when looking for information or help – you don’t want to end up with a situation of the “blind leading the blind”, so to speak.
One word of caution though: It is very easy to get caught up with hanging out in forums. Set a time limit you can spend each time, and get out once you reach that. You do not want to spend more time than necessary within forums.
–
A famous quote by Thomas Edison when inventing the light bulb goes something like this:
“I have not failed 1000 times. I just found 1000 ways NOT to build a light bulb.”
Never give up, believe in yourself, and you can succeed!
If you resonate with what I mentioned above, I’d love to hear your comments!
Wishing YOU Success In Life,
34 Responses to “Cold Hard Facts On Internet Marketing You May Not Like To Hear”
First of all, I did not put my website information down because this comment comes from the heart, not for promotional purposes.
Craig, thank you for this post. This came at a time I needed it the most. Your heart felt words touched me deeply and helped me get back on the right track.
Thanks and God Bless!
David
Craig,
I agree with what you say. I have been in the IM for years and have nothing to show. The same “gurus” are still after me selling their latest products.
That only tell you one thing that their so called latest products don`t work. So they have to come up with their next break-through products and we are the fools that keep on buying from them.
That is where they make their millions. Agree?
Looking forward to your next post.
Thanks for the honesty it is one thing that the internet lacks for newbies and all products seem to give you almost most of the puzzle and then leave the most important bit out so frustrating.
Hi Craig
I’ve been following you for quite a while now. To me, you are an “underground gurus”. LOL.
And I must say, I always enjoy your sincere approach to things. No hype. Just plain truth.
Point 2 and 3 resonates quite a lot for me. I’m an engineering trained guy who hold a regular job that I absolutely hate. I started off not knowing what is marketing, and thinking IM is easy with little hard work needed.
Now, I’m numbed to all those product launches and finally realize, it’s really about getting stuff done.
It’s easier online compare to the traditional “brick and mortar” business but nonetheless, still requires WORKS.
I’ve got over point 2 and 3 and now “Product of the Decade” don’t bother me a single bit because I know the “last time” that they offer a product may not happen till literally a decade down the road. But when that happen, surely there will be better products available. LOL
Thanks for your great post!
Hello Craig,
Your assessment of IM is dead on and I can relate to each of the 10 points described in your blog. It bothers the crap out of me to see how some of these so called self serving experts would sell their own mothers in an attempt to make a buck. The expression “tarred and feathered” comes to mind.
Dear Craig,
After read this article, I certainly felt you are writing about me… someone fell into the trap of what you mentioned.
What I started by Internet interest,a year ago, I almost bought anything I could grab to hope that it will save me from drowning.. ebook, online course, mentoring, video etc you name it.
You have hit the nail just right, I believed you have pointed out several practices a newbie like me. At one time, I was really information overload until I could not do anything in its completeness
I also tend to hop around to look for magic answer to make more money online. Shame on me !!!
Hi Craig,
I just discovered your site. Nicely done.
I appreciate you telling the truth, it is important for newbies to grasp the struggles in setting up an online business.
I feel that is important not to blame the gurus and their product launches.
The fact is that many of these products are very good and are offered at many price points.
I have received benefit from Frank Kern’s expensive material and from Geoff Shaws very inexpensive products.
The real fault lies in most people not grabbing onto one system and making an honest go of it.
Please keep up the good work. I really like your site.
Best,
Scott
Thanks Graig – here’s a few more underpinning to do rules on self employment networking…
# Never ridicule someone who is learning
# Only reprimand in private and when absolutely necessary
# Always praise good work publicly
# Be personable and care about other people
# Always involve people in your long term vision
# Reward good work financially and in appreciation/praise
# Motivate, inspire and lead by example
# Be consistent
# Forgive
# Be clear of the outcome before you start [write it down]
# Set realistic goals: set others up for success
# Earn respect and keep respect [which may involve distance and professionalism
Wilson Cowden
Scott,
You rightly pointed out that gurus and their products are not to be blamed. Very often when people don’t see quick results, or when they realized too much work is involved, they declared the product “doesn’t work”, and started to drift and look for another ‘magic’ product.
I personally know of a few “genuine” marketers who have earned my respect – they know their stuff, and they made it outside the IM niche. Then when they started to sell “online marketing” products, the credibility is already there because they have real results to show.
Craig Johnson
Great advice Wilson! If everyone took this advice the internet would be a much better place to spend time, whether it be for business or pleasure.
Nice!
Harve
Thanks for the wise word. Many people on the Net require it… hehe… including me!
I’m here on the net for past 2 years and have nothing to show for it but a hard disk full of downloads I thought were very important and good.
Talk about false impressions…
More than half is repetition, and others are software and articles/information I don’t understand much…!!
Anyway, I’ve bookmarked your Hard Facts and will be referring to it making sure I’m not collecting any more garbage..
Thanks again for an informative article.
Hi how you do’in!Watch need…Mike
Thank you for your tips I find tips like these very helpful in preventing individuals from making the gross mistakes of falling for all the offers on the internet aimed at making money.The process of learning can be painful but as the quote says I have learnt so many ways of how not to try making money on the internet.
Craig,Thankyou so much for this excellent,concise information.Like many others who have responded I too have fallen into the pitfall of too much information,too many products to buy and really not knowing or understanding how everything works.I now know I’m not the only one.
Thanks for the words of wisdom! As a person who is new to marketing, the internet and working for myself, I had (and have) a lot to learn. Your honesty has made the learning proccess much easier and I now navigate the internet with some confidence. I read every one of you emails and am trying to follow as many of your tips as possible. My business is not big, but it is big enough for my needs. The only item I would like to add to your tips is: Customer Service.
Far too many websites and people doing business via websites, seem to think that as they are not face to face, then customer service is not as important. I disagree 100%. I have proven, to myself at least, that great customer service means loyal repeat customers (who now make up over 25% of my monthly sales). And I am selling products that people need only buy once or twice a year!
Please keep up with the info and tips, they are a great help to me and I hope many others.
Thanks
Thanks for the Inet Mktng Cold Hard facts 101. We all need to be reminded of the basic basic’s.
Ii is easy to get caught-up in the hype…know the “school-of-fish” you run with…and don’t give up.
Hi Craig, Ah, thanks for pointing out the pitfalls that all internet marketers have to face – after more than a year I’m starting to realize I have to stay focused and not buy this week’s ‘Product of the Century’! Regards, Di
All too true. There are many good products out there, but we fall for the “push button” claims, then when we find out it’s a bit more complicated than that, we are primed for the next “push button” solution.
Since the IM market is so competitive now, you can actually get a lot of valuable information, and even tools, during launches and such, for free, as the gurus battle each other trying to get there affiliate cookie on your computer before you buy something.
My recommendation for a newbie is, try to learn about the different business models (ways to make money) online first, find something that will make the best use of your strengths, then stay focused on that until you accomplish something, anything. If you accomplish something good, do it some more, if not so good, learn from experience, adjust your course and move forward.
Hmmm… gotta go follow my own advice now.
thanks craig for reading the minds of the majority of people in the internet world. I must say that in my years of doing online marketing I have gained a lot of experience from personal development to knowing the trick of the trade. I have earned a few bucks but not enough to cover my expenses.
I do not condoned the people behind the product.
It is our responsibility to do proper research.
I still love to learn more. I fully understood that any kind of business whether online or offline takes time to mature. But if you keep doing what is necessary to succeed anyone can succeed. One must be prepared to work and learn at the same time. I can honestly say , I am a victim of some products that does not work spend a lot of money thinking there is an easy way. Anyway I put it as part of my learning process. But now I am wiser enough not to accept everything handed to me and just concentrate on the program I believe in.I stick to it and work hard.
Your approach to your subscribers is commendable.You spoke honestly.
thanks
Violeta
Hi Craig,
Thanks for your excellent blog. Have been looking at IM as a home business for two years now, bought a system (didnt work for lack of support but got my money back) and now still chasing my dream.
My fear of investing in another program has kept me away for over a year and I am back again,as I have not lost my vision. I am doing affiliate marketing while learning the trade in the process. Hopefully, this will give me the cashflow to create my own online products later on.
As you said, READY>FIRE>AIM. I am at the firing stage and your hard facts will surely help keep me on the track for the rest of my journey on IM.
May you have heaps of blessings as you endeavor to help others through your gift of writing and encouragement.
Beth
Hi Craig.
Thank you for the post. Most of your advice is obvious
but the obvious sometimes needs to be said.
I got a bit worried when your email said you would tell
me things about Internet marketing I do not want to hear
but, on reading them, I saw that some marketers had
already given similar advice. Also I have learnt some of
what you say the hard way.
At a seminar given by Brett McFall last year, his
parting advice was that the first thing to do when we
get home should be unsubscribe from half our email
subscriptions.
I can add advice that I do not follow. Your own life is
as interesting a story as any novelist or TV script
writer can create – say I who spends too much time
watching TV. Anyhow learn to appreciate how interesting
your life is.
As for writing, learn to write well and FAST. Do not try
to be a perfectionist. Perfection can come by tweaking.
I will have to put something on my web site now I have
submitted it.
Great post Craig. I too fall under many of the IM traps mentioned, especially point 8 where there seems to be forever something new to learn.
I guess what is important is to really identify an area where I should put my focus on and just take action on it. READY -> AIM -> FIRE should be the way to go. Easier said than done though.
Nonetheless, it is good to be reminded of these traps once in a while. Focus, focus, focus…
Craig,
Everything you said in your post hit home, because I am a newbie and I have been through a lot of what you are saying and this is the cold hearted truth and you are right about nobody can think that you can make money online, it sucks coming from your love ones, but I know what I need to do now “Ready – Aim – Fire. Thank you.
Hey:
Thank you for caring! What a rare commodity in this world.
It is easy to see you want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Your integrity shows in your post.
Again, I would like to just say “thank you.”
Regards,
Peggy
Craig, this should writen in stone as the ten comandments of newbie Internet marketing.I must made every single of these mistake twice each when I first started out,if only I could have read this when I first started out it would have saved me a lot pain and a lot of time.Thank goodness I finally saw the light and things finally started to come together for me.The I. M. world needs a lot more people like you to state the truth and not just what people want to hear. Keep up the great work!
I like to share my own experience on the hard fact #1 “Don’t Believe Everything You Read”
When I started blogging 1 year ago, I could not get any income from my blog. So, as most newbies do, I look around the internet and see many people made promises on “make money online”. The I saw this advert talk about “Make money blogging”. So, I bought the system and and I subscribed to this “Make Money Blogging”.
I did the basic set up and configuration as instructed include my ad account on my new blog. As required, I also did regular posting to my new blog.
So, I was hoping some income but week after week, I could not see any income, not a dime. After 3 months of hope… I finally canceled my subscription.
Hi Craig,
Really GREAT STUFF here! One point I would like to point is that too many newbies go straight into the ‘IM’ niche, thinking that the gurus must be right if it really is this easy to make money.
Someone recently said, “Everybody’s an expert on something.” So before deciding to ‘DO’ internet marketing in the first place, one should really find something close to your heart, have immense experience in or just know a lot about.
Then search Google Trends, Amazon Hot Search and eBay trends to see what people are looking for “RIGHT NOW”. Now you know what to sell and what people will buy.
In other words, “Sell to people who are spending (they HAVE money) AAAaaaaaand then sell them what “THEY” want. What “THEY” are looking for. Then you will make money. Everything else is either technical or trivial. And the customer is always right.
Everyone’s an expert on something! Go for it!
Hi Craig,
Some great common sense here. Keep up the gtreat editorial work.
Hi Craig,
Maybe you are sitting down on a wheel chaire, but you are certainly not handicapped at all!
In fact, some IM marketers suffer in silence or simply give up, others try to apply the same “speach” that worked on them (and keep growing the failure).
When I decided to include the Dalai Lama’s site in my main personal web portal, did it for pointing the need for balance in life and so forth. If they didn’t listen to me, maybe they could pay attention to others.
But it has been a pleasure reading your writings on this kind of matters. I usually agree from 90 to 100% with you!
Best wishes,
PT
Hello Craig,
Yes everything you say is true there and it it good to see someone tell the truth for a change.
I first took an interest in IM in 2001 when I started a job that I disliked intensely and wanted a way out. I was conned out of quite a lot of money buying websites that were all set up and would make me a good income every month. As you can guess I made nothing. I dropped out of the IM game for a few years thinking the whole thing was a con. About three years ago I decided to give it another go an have since had a couple of payouts, one from Google Adsense and one from an Affiliate. I now know that it can be done, there is potential out there but it’s not easy. I have recently been made redundant from the job I didn’t like so I will put more time into IM.
I will delete all the mails I get from the so called Gurus and concentrate on what really works.
Thanks for all your good advice.
Regards
David.
Hey Craig,
thank you, your caring is warmly felt.
I have been in this game for a year and a half. Limited Job resources has pushed me to work harder to my goal as an online marketer. I do find it interesting how these marketers have put together these ready made sites, all set for you to make money. the problem is if you don’t know simple html, or the basics, these same marketers have you within their grasp. When the program they just gave you runs out they come back with their hands wide open asking for more and giving a new money program, and it will never end.
I myself got into a program where for $1997 I had four ready made products, you were taught how to set up a paypal button how to add links for additional pages, after that 500 people all had the same product. What does that give you? I would rather have a PLR product that I can re-write do the graphics and sell. Which I have learned to do.
I have put up my first product my own, and I am thrilled, no cookie cutter its mine.
I know this is long but I needed to say some things, next time I’ll talk about Adswap, one of my main peeves.
thankx
coty
W sup Craig?
Great topic…
I am on your list (as well as twenty or thirty others for various reasons as I’m sure you can relate) and I’m commenting on a follow up email I received from you about an earlier post you did on the related topic.
First I’d just like to say, I appreciate your candidness on this topic…
I would also like to point out something that might, at first glance, seem at odds with your theme on the subject matter (although it’s not, really…)
The way I look at Internet Marketing is that IM is a game really, albeit a serious game for most but a game nevertheless… And, if one is going to play a game and realize the full potential of that game, then it would benefit the game player the most if the player understood the rules of that game.
The better one understands the rules of the game, the better one can play the game and this usually results in greater enjoyment for the game player.
One of the rules of the IM game is you must get money from the other game players in order to stay in the game (and enjoy it that is
Now this is one “fact” of the game I want to elaborate on… Every player in this IM game is trying to get money from the other players in the game and this is one of the most fun parts of the game.
Granted, some players use methods that are different and less attractive than others but less not loose sight of the purpose of this part of the game playing…
I too do not agree with some of the methods I see other game players using, however, I recognize they are playing The Game according to their interpretation and not mine.
I could go on with this but the moral of my lil story is, we are all trying to get money from the other players in the game… I’m trying to get money from players, Craig is trying to get money from players and when you play the game, you will try to get money from players of the game.
You do not have to agree with everyone’s methods (or anyone’s for that matter) but please accept this “fact” of playing the IM game and get on with understanding the rules and how best to apply them, so that you can have the most fun playing the Internet Marketing Game
!!
Revisiting your site to look back at what I have learned so far for the past couple of years, I still find your advice useful.
I’ve moved from one traffic source to another, and over the past year have worked with the top traffic social networks that are out there to see what they can do to make a difference.
There has been a huge turn around in page ranking, as well as less work involved in driving traffic to any topic that I choose.
Although I’m not making money at it, I’m still putting a dint and realizing what people would like to do in the long run. Provide solutions.
So today, I’ve decided to promote a small set of solutions to a big problem. The BP crisis.
Although my group of friends is small, I’m hoping that some of those that read your posts will join me is spreading the news. Traditional news does not seem to be doing the task.
I’m looking for people who have solutions to solve the latest crisis, some have come around, but I need more.
One solution, is to keep the news rolling. Sharing by facebook, by millions of users has created actions before. This is not a marketing scheme whatsoever. This is a real effort by me personally to appeal to all those that I know online. And also those that they know. Every day, I’m resharing the same news articles, hopefully to keep people informed. Some days I find new ones. This is my small part. What will yours be.
There are more things important than money. This is one of them.
http://www.facebook.com/lgkan
Thank you for your time, and I would appreciate every effort on your part.
nice blog! Information overload really make me stack and paralyze! A lot of teacher and ebooks I’ve read and no one of them has been implemented. We couldn’t have two or more teacher at the same time.!
I bookmark your site because you really deliver a true and fair information specially to newbies. There are lot of people became victims of so called “gurus” who all interest is to make money. If really want to share what they know in making money they should give it all free because they already have a lot of money….if that is true! because all they earned money is just from selling their stuffs and products.
You’re a man with good heart Craig! You really do help people.
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