I've got my computer hooked up to the Internet, now let the money pour in! What a silly sounding thought, but one that many people take a great deal of stock in these days. It would seem that many, many people have the idea that all they have to do to generate an income from home is to get online, join this, that, or the other thing and PRESTO! Cha-ching!
However, more often than not, these people shut down their computers at night, having spent much more than they have earned. Why...?
This, 'spend more, make none,' syndrome is so very prevelant because people expect something for nothing, and in cyberspace, as in the real world, 0 + 0 = 0. The Internet does not guarantee business success. All it does is provide individuals with the opportunity to start a business with a much lower overhead than in the real world. If you've got no head for a brick and mortar business, chances are that you aren't going to be any more successful building a business online. The reality is that you cannot just join a program, hang out a shingle and expect the money to roll in. And it doesn't matter what program you join, or how many programs you join. Building and maintaining a business is a skill that must be learned.
Most of the gurus of today have been successful off line, prior to experiencing online glory. What they have done is to take their skills from the real world and apply them to the realm of the Internet. Therefore, if you have no off line skills to bring to the Internet, you'd better get some. There's a lot more competition out here.
Another cause for shutting down broke each day is that a great many people spend their time online, joining every program that sounds good. They spend all their money on monthly memberships to every program under the sun, and have nothing left over to actually run the business with.
TIP: When someone calls you asking about your business, you should never have to answer with, "Which one?"
Aside from the scope of retailing informational products, it is best to choose a business, a single company, and work it! It is perfectly fine to have a business portfolio, including a few different interests, but to belong to and pay into everything you can get your hands on is ridiculous. How can you possibly learn everything you should know about each business, and what possible help are you going to be to your associates? There are just not enough hours in the day to make it work. (Unless you have created a clone, in which case, we need to talk.)
For Example:
My own business portfolio resembles this:
TLC Promotions -
www.tlcpromotions.net The parent company of all my business interests. My personal brand. The place you can go to find out all about what I do. Established - 2000
The Trii-Zine Ezine -
www.ezines1.com The official RSS feed for TLC Promotions. First published - 2001
Lifetimebusiness.com -
www.sugarant.lifetimebusiness.com The Internet marketing team that I promote Melaleuca with. This is my main home based business operation, the one that pays the bills... Promoted by TLC Promotions and The Trii-Zine Ezine. Established - 2001
AdsOnQ -
www.ads-on-q.com The Internet's first syndicated advertising agency, which I co-created with several other brilliant people. Established - 2004
Quikonnex.com -
www.quikonnex.com/193 The backbone (RSS feed source) of both the Trii-Zine Ezine and AdsOnQ. My perferred communications system.
Each business interest in my portfolio compliments all of the others in some way. This allows me to maintain a handle on all of them in a fluid fashion. I am an expert in each, and can provide the best support in them all.
If you spread yourself too thin, you are of no assistance to anyone within your businesses, including yourself. All you're doing is running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and the only thing you ever manage to get accomplished is making sure your monthly membership fees are paid on time, complaining that your free advertising isn't bringing you any cash flow.
HELLO!
If this sounds like you, don't beat yourself up about it. (Hey, I was there. I found myself answering, "Which one?" The t-shirt says: Dah!...) Just cut away the deadwood and focus on what you know, or can easily learn. Start cancelling paid memberships to things rather than adding to your debt load. Don't go hacking away with wild abandon though; carefully evaluate everything you've gotten yourself into, and create a protfolio that you can actually work with.
You can make money on the Internet, but you have to be smart about it. Use what you know, learn what you don't and spend your money wisely. Talk to people. Find out what others know, but don't start jumping on bandwagons. Spend the time to research opportunities. You don't have to shutdown broke every day.
Butter spread too thin yields no flavor, only grease.
Copyright © 2005
The Trii-Zine Ezine
www.ezines1.com About the Author
Trina L.C. Schiller is a professional network marketer, the publisher of the Internet marketing ezine, "Trii-Zine" and owner of TLC Promotions, as well as a founding publisher at Quikonnex.com, and President of AdsOnQ.com, the Internet's first syndicated advertising agency.
RSS, Blogs and Syndication... The Facts vs The guruese"
http://www.ads-on-q.com/RSS.html
