Early on, I went to John Chow’s blog (an experiment in making money online) and found it to be quite disappointing in that it left me feeling completely empty inside. I believe that if one is to make a go of supporting oneself online, one must be true to oneself.

You have a voice that is unique. You have a point of view that is intriguing. Capitalize on that!

The truth is, IMers aren’t the only ones making money. There are those who sell marketing systems and tools, there are those who sell leads, there are those who sell software, there are those who sell hardware, there are those who sell a service, there are those who sell books that actually change lives…

Those who learn how to market online will have an edge over others when it comes to marketing/selling a product. Those who struggle are probably those who really never get their mindset right in the first place, wanting to own a business but actually looking for another job on the inside.

I was like that in 2001. In 2002, things took a turn. Since then, things just get better through the years.

Things that seem to be “crappy” are sometimes the very stuff that work. So, have a good look and test them out before coming to any conclusion.

There are indeed many rehashed products, but there are just as many rehashed stuff offline. There’s always variety to tailor to different kinds of people. People still buy them, you know. Thus, the important skill set to have in marketing online is the ability to target the right market.

To have “original” things online/offline is just how we sometimes wish to see in order to say to ourselves that that’s worth our time etc. When we’re asked to reinvent the wheel, it’s usually very exciting. Yet, that’s one of the surest way to go offtrack easily and put our sustenance at risk.

Having said that, I must add that I’ve no problem with being creative =) In fact, to market effectively, that’s one of the criteria. Yet, we can always outsource if we’re not so good at something =)

If you want something really short term, try selling things that marketers need to be successful in their campaigns. Remember to target your market and you should be fine =)

Have an open mind, the possibilities are endless my friend =)

I don’t want to do that of course…but what do I do?

That’s a dilemma.
One I will sort out. )

It’s the people who are out there really doing a great job, and helping others learn the ropes, that make good money and don’t advertise their total income every week or month. I want to be one of those people. I want some newbie to say, “Wow, thanks for the tip. That really worked!” I want people to come to my blog and leave comments like, “I never understood gerunds until now.” LOL

This is my way of saying that there’s nothing wrong with being nice as long as you’re not a doormat. Getting an on-line reputation doesn’t have to be because you are a hard-nosed mogul. Be a good guy, wear a white hat! Just look out for people trying to take advantage of you.