Why Internet Marketing Is Not For Everyone
Just because Sam earned a five-figure income in his venture doesn’t mean you will, too. Furthermore, he could be truly enjoying his job much more than you would.
Just because you’re thinking about internet marketing seriously doesn’t make you a prime candidate for it. A dream does not a venture make, you know. Here’s a checklist to find out if you it’s right for you.
- You’re ready to take risks.
Calculated risks, that is. Internet marketing, like any business, will require you to put your skills and products out in the open. Whether or not people will respond to it is not your call, but will depend on your product’s viability and relevance and on the tastes of your market.
- You have a product that you’re ready to sell.
If you just thought about going into an internet business this morning, then maybe you should hold on there a little bit. You should have a product or marketable skill that you can sell. It could be your writing or design skills, or maybe you’ve had many years of experience on coaching and engineering, but you do have what people are willing to pay for.
You should have a product that, once advertised, you can deliver should orders pour in. They should be packaged and fit the description specified on your website. They should live up to their promise, whatever that may be.
- You have realistic goals.
If your idea of internet marketing is turning a webpage into a money-churning machine, then better stick to your day job because you’re bound to be disappointed. Of course, you went into business to earn a certain financial independence, but it can only happen if you’ve set your goals in smaller, more attainable units. Going after dreams in leaps and bounds may not work for everyone.
- You should be ready to talk.
Just because it’s internet marketing doesn’t mean you can have the luxury of being an anonymous businessman working unseen behind your website although in rare cases, this can be done. But if you’re marketing a skill, sooner or later you will have to talk to a real person.
- You’re willing to make certain sacrifices.
Just because you’ll be working from home in your underwear doesn’t mean you can slack off and sleep anytime you like. The biggest temptation would be sleep or giving in to guilt especially when you feel you’re neglecting your family.
When this happens, make some compromises. Set your deadlines and a timetable and let anyone in your house know when you’ll be working and cannot be disturbed. This is necessary in order for you to get work done.
- You’re willing to spend hours working.
Yes, working. Because that’s what you will be doing, sitting in front of your computer. The hours will be long and sometimes lonely. You would not have Pete over at the next cubicle to talk to or exchange banter with and you won’t find the accounting guys at the water dispenser waiting.
- You should be willing and able to promote, promote and promote.
How else will people know your product exists if you don’t? Working via the internet may seem like a boon to shy people, but if it’s a clinical disorder, you’ll need to do something about it. Your product will not write the press release for you, it will not speak for itself, it will not market its capabilities. You’ll have to do that yourself.
If writing is not your strong point, then by all means get help. There are lots of freelance writers and copywriters out there who can do the work for you, for a reasonable price. You can even tap a friend or colleague. The point is, your website will just sit there until you invite people to come.
- You don’t believe in get-rich-quick schemes.
The lure of internet marketing is mainly based on the stories of unparalleled success: the truck driver who hit his first million during his first two months, the housewife who turned her hobby into an online empire, the high school graduate who built a website and then sold it a year later for $10 million.
Some of these stories may have a smidgen of truth, but most of the blurbs you read or receive on your email are just fictionalized accounts of other people’s dreams. People have gotten rich with their online businesses, but just like any other business, it’s not a sure-fire guarantee of wealth.
Internet marketing is an exciting, convenient way to conduct business alternatively. It’s not for everyone, but for those who believe in its capability, it has the power to transform a dream into reality.
If you found this page useful, consider linking to it.
Simply copy and paste the code below into your web site (Ctrl+C to copy)
It will look like this: Why Internet Marketing Is Not For Everyone