Be Careful Where You Get Your eMarketing Advice!

What You Need to Know Before You Spend a Penny
to Buy Any Product or Sign Up for Any Program

Hey people!

First I'd like to thank Roger Madison for this fabulous community. I've been a member of iZania for several years now, and thanks Roger for inviting me to blog here.

Just about everyone in business today knows you need to have a presence online. OK, we get that. But most entpreneurs are experts in their industry - in their own products and services -- and not necessarily on web marketing.

I've been marketing online since 1995. And doing it full time since Jan. 1, 1997 -- that's now more than 11 years where the Internet pays my bills.

It saddens me that there are so many fake gurus out there trying to make a quick buck off of OUR people who really want to learn how to market themselves successfully. They make big promises and play off your desire to learn. You shell out anywhere from $10 to $10,000 for their e-book, course, or membership and end up with nothing.

1. First, beware of fake gurus and wanna-bes.

Do your homework! If you want to learn how to cook, are you going to train with the cashier at McDonalds? Don't buy "how to succeed online" materials from anyone who isn't successful at it themselves! If they have a day job because their online business doesn't pay the bills, that's a red flag. How are they going to show you how to make a living at it if they haven't figured it out yet for themselves?

Don't just read testimonials on a web site if you are going to make a major investment. Ask for references -- look to see if their clients or students are real people who have experienced real improvements. You should be able to research and contact the people listed as success stories on your own.

How long have they been marketing online? Beware if they just started recently and are reselling someone else's work. Also beware of long sales letters that look like they've all been written by the same person.

What have they been successful at selling? Just because someone sold a bunch of downloadable e-books doesn't mean they can help you sell your physical products. Different ball game.

2. Be realistic with your expectations.

Any real entrepreneur, whether online or off, knows that building a successful business takes time.

There is this strange perception out there that you can get rich quick on the Internet. Give me a break! An Internet business is just like any other business, it requires planning, resources, marketing and effective management.

If you're looking to get rich quick, you'll be better off buying a lottery ticket.

3. Beware of MLM and Network Marketing claims.

I don't have anything against multi-level marketing or network marketing businesses. If that situation works for you, go for it.

However, I've heard a number of presentations and pitches that I'm a bit disturbed by -- that with your membership you will get a web site and easily get thousands of new customers because the web site is worldwide.

Let's think about this for a minute. Yes, I agree that a web site is an important marketing tool for any business. But let's say the company you're considering signing up with has 10,000 reps. That means there are 10,000 identical web sites with identical products, all competing for the same customers. Not to mention the thousands of other companies competing in the same industry. To make matters worse, most of the MLM companies have very strict restrictions on you customizing or creating your own web site.

Again, do your homework. If any recruiter is touting the web site as easy MLM money, ask them how much their web site made last month in product sales alone, and ask them to provide documentation.

Again, MLM can possibly work for you, but like any other business, it takes work and takes time. There's no free ride.

The bottom line is this: if Internet marketing was so darn easy or simple, we'd all be multi-millionaires by now. All of us. There is no free ride, there is no turn-key web site or program that will instantly make you rich. Smart business means researching your opportunity thoroughly, identifying your market and your competitive advantages, creating a plan, managing your resources wisely, and marketing like hell.

Here's to your smart success!