How to Start Enjoying Internet Marketing

Internet marketing is a little like getting married after you've been dating for a while. Suddenly, the wonderful person you fell in love with starts to show their flaws, and you wonder... did I make a mistake?

But when you stick with this "marriage" and focus on a few key aspects, you can really start to enjoy it. Here's what I learned.

1. Don't come into Internet Marketing with a desperate mindset.

You absolutely CANNOT start your online business efforts with a desperate mindset. If you're struggling to pay the bills, get a real job, even if it's a basic 9-5 at the local fast food place. If you already have a job, KEEP IT. I cannot stress this enough.

Desperation will be the #1 killer of all your online marketing efforts, so don't come into it that way.

The ideal way to start internet marketing is with a steady source of income that will gradually allow you to transition to a full-time online business.

2. Have a clear idea of what you want to do.

Many people (myself included) get started in IM by googling "make money online." There are about as many ways to make money online as there are in the real world; some are ethical, and others not.

And many are scams, so be VERY careful before investing in any "training" to teach you how to make money online.

The most stable ways to make money are by:

1. Offering your own digital products (info products such as self-help books that solve problems for a reader)

2. Selling someone else's digital products (as an affiliate, such as through Clickbank.com)

3. Offering or selling physical products (affiliate or vendor with Commission Junction, Ebay, or Amazon)

Of those 3, my favorite are the first two, selling info products through Clickbank. It's the simplest way - BUT there is a steep learning curve involved, and you must be prepared to get to know your readers.

If you prefer "cold selling" or basically just selling to people without making an emotional connection, the third option is best.

To make an emotional connection with your readers with a free method of getting started online, check out my post about article marketing the right way.

3. Be prepared to fail.

One of my favorite IM heroes, PotPieGirl, used the phrase "Hurry Up - Fail Faster!" in one of her blog posts. I bookmarked this and kept it on my Chrome bookmarks bar where I could see it every day.

In the internet marketing world, you've got to be prepared to fail. But you should realize that these so called "failures" are actually successes.

Every time you fail, you learn something new. So retrain yourself to think of your failures as "aha" moments, where you learn what works and what doesn't.

And you must really, seriously think about what caused you to fail so you can avoid doing it in the future.

Avoid old mistakes, make new ones, and don't expect instant money overnight. IM is, again, like a marriage. It has its challenges, but the greatest reward - being in control of your financial destiny - is the payoff.

If you're willing to work for it, and persevere even when you feel like you're never going to get it, then you will get there.

Always remember the old Chinese proverb when you're feeling like giving up on IM: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."

Here's a great blueprint for success if you are a struggling affiliate.