[ARTICLE] Controversial SECRET To Online SUCCESS - 90% Of Readers WILL NOT Do It!

WARNING: this post is not for the faint of heart, those looking for an easy way out or those who are not READY for the truth.

The REAL secrets are NOT what you think.

They are definitely not what those who are happy to "sell" you a secret will tell you.

In january 2007 I had an Instant Message conversation with a new, young internet marketer who was currently in college at the time.

he found and purchased the right to resell an ebook that tells how to make all kinds of money in a short amount of time.

He said he was having money problems, so he needed to make a lot of money, and fast.

He said he didn't want to just "get his feet wet"

He said he wanted to be successful and "take off with this stuff"

I told him there were 3 things he needed to do...and they are the 3 things that most do NOT do.

After talking to him, there was a fourth I later told him about.

I see post after post, on forum after forum of people who are frustrated they are not making the "easy" money of Internet Marketng.

some for YEARs and not quite "making it"

some spend $1000s on ebooks, videos and courses

only to end up frustrated and out of money

In the end...I see IMers are just like any other entrepreneur...who is striving to start a business.

There are 4 Foundational KEYS To Succuess

these 4 keys will not be done by 90% of those who want to get into this field

I bet 90% of the people who read this post wont do it either

That means, odds are, you are likely one of them who will laugh, taunt, scoff, deny or just outright ignore what I am writing.

Note: You can't do 1 and not the other 3, you can't do 3 and not the other 1

you must do them all, or be stuck in the land of mediocrity

if you think you are ready...hang on, here they are

Key 1) Make a budget

Inevitably, someone will ask you what your budget is for this or that.

"I havent thought of one", "I don't have one", "whatever it takes" etc are all cop outs and are the result of someone TOO LAZY to make a budget or has ZERO DOLLARS.

It does NOT matter how much it is, but you should have a SPECIFIC amount set aside to do your project. Be it $10 or $10,000...have it available, up front.

Break your budget into unequal 3rds (whether you do it yourself or outsource, there will be expenses)

1/3 - Development/setup/Production (programming, writing, plr, editing, etc)
1/3 - Marketing - (ppc, jv, print, myspace)
1/3 - Maintenance (responder, shopping cart, hosting)

your budget wont be equal parts for each! But just make sure there are 3 parts allocated.

The idea is to make sure you account for all the aspects

what??!!

No one told you it takes money to do this stuff??

Well, it does..or at least the resources/ingenuity to get those things that cost money.



KEY 2) a Written Plan

A plan "in your head" is not enough. WRITTEN is the key

Why?

Because, it forces you to think and research and actually map out your budget.

You should have a marketing plan and a marketing calendar to track your marketing efforts.

The old saying holds true

its not about being long, wordy, fancy or elaborate.

It IS about having a road map that covers all the bases so you can be PREPARED for what comes next.

Ever notice how many forum posts go something like this:

"Hi,

I just started a (blog, website, business), and I have done (this, that and the other thing). Can someone tell me what to do next? how do I ________?"


Well, that person definitely does NOT have a plan.

When you have a plan, you are ALREADY PREPARED for "what do I do next"

You know when to do it and how much it costs, because you already researched it, and WROTE IT DOWN.

You spend more time WORKING THE PLAN, then figuring out what "to do next"

A plan also allows you to gauge your pace and level of success. Are you on track, off track, behind schedule or ahead of it?

How will you know without a plan?

Here is a quote from me that summarizes this

Which of these things is completed successfully with quality and has no written plan

A College Degree
Building A House
Starting A Business
Retirement
A Bus Route
An Airplane Flight Path

TRICK QUESTION

The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.

If you ever see a successful model of one of the above...someone, somewhere wrote down a plan.

Would you spend your money to be involved with any of the above, if you knew the people in charge had NO PLAN???

Key 3) Get A Mentor/Coach

If you think this is an expense you can not afford..then YOU ARE IGNORANT...not stupid, just ignorant of the truth that coaching, like advertising is not an expense, but an investment.

The truth is YOU CANNOT afford NOT to have a mentor/coach..not if you want to achieve greatness...if OPRAH has a coach...don't you need one?

Every champion has a coach...EVERY, single one of them.

Now, if you are fortunate enough to get one to do it for free...then count your blessings and do not abuse the relationship...follow instructions to the letter.

I was helping a young woman start her PR business, so she could quit her school teacher job. She didnt do the homework assigned, missed appointments, and worked on everything except getting her business together. Despite me sternly telling her to start taking this serious several times, and giving FREE sessions (including after hours), and REFERRALS...she refused to appreciate the situation.

I charge $150 per hour for coaching...She was getitng it free, after hours, PLUS she was getting new business from me.

When I told her I would no longer do it, because she was not taking it seriously, she cried.

But the fact is, there are people who APPRECIATE what I do AND PAY ME, and so there was no point wasting my time on someone not serious about their goals.

Now you may think it was because she was getting coaching for free...it was not. I fire PAYING clients who do not follow directions also...it's a waste of my time and energy.

I only want to help those who WANT to be helped.

My time is important to me, and I demand it be respected...the same as I respect others time. Regardless of how much money is involved, if any at all.

The truth is many people SAY they want to be successful, but are not truly willing to do what it takes.

If you find a coach or mentor - appreciate and respect them!

Their time is valuable and they will help you:

==Save Money (they know where to get things for the best price and quality...you don't)
==Make Money (they know the tricks to increase performance..you don't)
==Get Free stuff (they know the secrets...you don't)
==Succeed (they have been there, done that, got a T-shirt and taught a class about it...you have not!)

Having a Mentor or Coach is a crucial step that many overlook, and therefore beat their head against the wall over and over again wondering why they don't get anywhere.

KEY 4) Operate with integrity

Don't tell people how to make $284,432.21 in 30 days, and don't attempt to sell something that tells how to...if you have not done this yourself!

So let's go back to the Instant Message Conversation for a moment.

I asked the young man, since he has money problems, why doesn't he just follow the advice in the ebook he is selling...here is an excerpt of our dialogue (igrowyourbiz is my screenname, his screenname blocked out for privacy):

======================

[15:26] igrowyourbiz: if you are in need of money, why arent you doing what you have outlined in your ebook?
[15:27] igrowyourbiz: ?
[15:28] HIM: I have had friends that have made money using what is discussed in the ebook, but I have not implemented it myself yet. I'm trying to promote the ebook.
[15:28] igrowyourbiz: how do you know it works if you have not done it
[15:29] HIM: Current Buyers have bought the ebook, implemented it, then wrote me back emails.
[15:29] HIM: Then, some close friends have used it.[15:29] igrowyourbiz: i would caution you about trying to tell someone how to do something, you have not done
[15:30] HIM: Ok, Thanks for the advice!
======================

Is that not one of the most ridiculous things you have heard???

Hey, sorry to be so blunt, but if you do not see whats wrong with the above response he gave, then its because YOU think the same way.

There is an old saying

All I am saying is, it is gonna be hard for you to convince someone how to make money online, if you can't do it yourself.

NOTE: this may present a CATCH-22


You might be thinking...

"then how do i sell IM products, if I have to be successful first?"

The answer is actually simple...sell something you are knowlegeable about.

If you are not knowlegeable..then do whats in the ebook/product etc FIRST and THEN sell/tell others how to do it.

Or simply try selling a product like hosting or software or something else that is not based off of "experience".

I am just saying you need to BE REAL...or you can not truly expect to be successful...if you lie, you're just a scammer.

Now, of course there are some other keys to success...but these are the foundation

These 4 are REQUIRED...like basic math...

If you can't understand

1+1=2

&

1-1=0

Then money, geometry, calculus, royalties, percentages and any other higher maths just won't make sense...because the more complex areas of math, all boil down to the simple concept of 1+1 and 1-1.

You can't multiply if you cannot add...
You cannot divide if you cannot subtract...
You cannot exponentially equate if you cannot multiply...
You cannot geometrically equate if you cannot divide...

and so on and so on.

Likewise, if you don't know the 4 Basic Keys, you cannot be successful in business.

Forget about it.

See, many are mistakenly under the impression they just need ONE thing.

And their sheer willpower or desire will be enough to make up for the rest.

WRONG!

They feel all they need is this one thing, they have been missing. Man, you are so sure, if you had the ONE THING, you would be a superstar! The magic bullet!

Maybe you think its a good JV partner with a huge list!

or maybe a great product no one else has yet!

or maybe you think its your own list you need!

or all you need is a little more money so you can hire a good writer to help you make a kick butt sales letter!

WRONG!

Forget all about the following:

=guerrilla marketing
=JV
=List building
=delegation
=outsourcing
=research
=sales letters
=back end sales
=one time offers
=affiliate
=niches
=blogs
=web 2.0
=squeeze pages
=viral videos
=social bookmarking
=sales funnels
=memberships

and all the many other things that in reality, you DO, in fact, need to know...

The problem is...

if you don't have the foundation outlined above... NONE of those things will work for you.

There is no magic bullet!

People are looking for the ONE THING.

Whats the BEST place to advertise?

Whats Better a blog or a forum?

Whats the BEST place to get hosting?

Whats the best EBOOK to sell?

***NEWSFLASH***

THERE IS NO ONE BEST THING FOR ANYTHING IN BUSINESS!

Success comes from a series of little things, that when all are working together as a whole, they bring about a specific goal.

My prayer is that this will open the eyes of at least ONE person and help them to see they need a foundational change to move towards making their dream a reality.

If 10 million other people read this and ignore it, I will be happy for the one.

HERE is the bottom line...

its about taking ACTION

Now the lazy man in you may have a "YEAH BUT" or "WHAT ABOUT" or "THATS NOT TRUE BECAUSE" comment...

You probably will come up with a far fetched example of "SO and SO did this without that?"

The fact is you're not where you want to be, and havent yet figured out how to get there..so I am not the one who is wrong...its you.

I challenge any SUCCESSFUL "guru" to tell you any different. They will all tell you its the same as I have written.

It starts with your thinking,

and moves to your action.

At the point of action,

you need the above 4 to achieve success and achieve it rapidly.

If you do the same thing that everyone else does..,

well just be prepared to get the same results as everyone else...and from the looks of the majority of posts on many internet forums...that strategy wont be "getting" you a whole lot.

If you want to get something DIFFERENT than everyone else (i.e. success)...you need to do something different.

You already know most people wont do the 4 things I listed here...

you also can see what they are (not) getting.


So, the question is:

what will you get?

Will you do what the others won't, in order to get what they don't?

Remember to Picture Your Success!

©2007 Maurice Evans. All rights reserved. You may reproduce this article only so long as this full copyright and author information is included. Maurice Evans is an author, dynamic speaker and Guerrilla Marketing-Style Business Coach for http://www.aBusinessCoach.com. Since 1992 he has assisted entrepreneurs in boosting profits while spending little or no money. For coaching sessions or speaking engagements call Toll Free: 1-800-691-2WIN

 

Great article, I'm going to read it over and over because its sooo important.

If anyone ignores what was written down here, their not to eager to learn.

 

good points. This part should be a sticky for DP

 

Thanks for the compliments and the rep, always appreciated

I hope more take it to heart.

 

You've kind of inspired me on what to write about in my next blog post

 

feel free to quote it for your blog, just give me credit!

 

its really a long post and i must read it carefully incase i miss out anything haha

 

I started reading your post and it smelt of some sort of self-affiliate-marketing-promotion. However I was surprised that you actually have some quality recommendations and content in that jumble of text!

 

I haven't read such a great article for a while. Rep. added

 

nope no affiliate links, no agenda, just a free article based off of what I do for a living

thanks guys for all the rep

 

Brilliant article. The only problem I have is that I am doing 3 out of the four because one of them is out of my control. I have been looking for a mentor for I don't know how long but it's easier said than done. How would one properly go about aquiring a mentor?

 

Great sharing, I need more time to digest your information. Thanks for sharing...

 

I like it.

 

Wow! what a great question!

The first thing I recommend is to change your thinking a little bit.

It is MOST DEFINITELY in your control whether or not you have a mentor.

If you are going to get one, it will most likely be by design.

Most of the people I have mentored have happened in one of two ways.

1) they specifically asked to be mentored (usually they express an interest in something I am doing and say something to the effect of "I will work for free, I will do whatever it takes to learn how to do this stuff")

2) It Occured naturally over time. They asked questions frequently. I saw them actually DOING stuff, I saw their drive and ambition, and felt like I could benefit them.

So in both ways, it starts with you making first contact with the "mentor"

I personally have a tendency to mentor people in high school or college (they are already in a "learning" state of mind) and also, I rarely mentor people who are not local to me. I like to meet face-to-face, one-on-one. Also, a mentor is usually involved with their PERSONAL life.

So I suggest you find someone who is already doing what you want to do, and begin to dialogue with them.

The alternative is to hire a coach to help you. Although that now entails spending money, a "good" business coach is gonna make you a whole heck of a lot more then you spend in the short AND long run.

Hope this helps

 

Like I said easier said than done, and I'm not trying to be rude in any way because I really appreciate your article. Let me ask you this, did you have a mentor and how did you get them to mentor you? I agree with you that I do have a certain amount of control and will apply what you shared with me.

 

actually i did have mentors....back in 1994, they taught me how to be an effective business consultant. It was later I really learned to be a good coach.

i still have several mentors to this day, including the #1 marketer in the world

In 1994, i was out and about doing my thing as a young ambitious man. Mostly as a salesman and graphic designer.

They saw potential in me, i would come in on my own and hang out and ask questions...turns out I had some office space and they were looking to move, they took where i had offices and expanded it

i got trained while being there. I was already doing my own stuff and learning, they saw that, and looked to help

unfortunately with them, i learned more about what NOT to do, than what to do from them..lol

The head consultant had a SUPER ego, and in the end was kind of shady.

But it was a learning experience for me. The most important thing I learned, was how to adjust my own thinking. How to grow. How to continue to learn.

I am an avid reader, and EVERY YEAR i acquire a new skill of some sort that I did not have before.

This keeps me viable, keeps me flexible, this makes me versatile, and definitely my ability to earn money in any economy because I stay current and ahead of my peers in skillset.

Later, I found it easier to do partnerships then "mentoring". As I learned not to let just anyone mentor me.

I found ways to learn from others while working WITH THEM. But still, to this day there are those I go to for advice and learn from.

The higher your success, the less intensive mentoring is for you.

Bill Gates and Oprah need mentors, but not to the intensity I do...they know and have experienced so much more (namely being billionaires)

I need a mentor, but not to the extent YOU do (sounds like you still need some basics)

so everyone is at a different level, and that is OK

When seeking a partnership, or to be mentored, I always ask myself the same thing i ask of other people.

When people come to you, you should ask..."what do you bring to the table"

I mean, if they bring nothing...then they should take nothing.

Responsibility and accountability are primary for learning.

If you have nothing to lose, then I won't offer anything to lose either.

As an example, private equity investors and venture capitalists look for good businesses to startup or expand using their money.

THey ask the owner if they have "skin" in the deal. Or how much of your own money is tied up in this right now, and how much liability do you have.

IF this goes bust, what will you lose.

If the answer is not something significant, then they don't invest (the smart ones anyway)

Because they know, its easy for someone to walk away from something they have no ties to.

But if this guy has 100k of his own money already spent, and a 2nd mortgage on his house, and personal guarantees on another 100k...ok, then its not somethign he is just going to give up on when it gets tough

AND IT WILL GET TOUGH!

so u need skin in, even with a mentor, even though no money is involved

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE INVEST TIME, ENERGY, MONEY or other RESOURCES IN YOU IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO YOURSELF

IF YOU DONT BELIEVE you are worth investing in, why should anyone else

I'm not saying this is you, but quite often, far to many people want hand outs, and are not willing to invest in themselves before asking others too

I guess i have to post the article about the silly farmer now...i will find it, update it and put it up

anyway, I digress

So, thats what I ask myself...what do i bring to the table...

because i already know what I want...I don't need to go to someone saying
"gimme gimme, helpme helpme"

They don't care about that, everyone wants to know one thing...what's in it for me.

FIrst thing, If I were you would be again. to change my thinking.

Instead of wondering where to get a mentor, or what they can do for you...

ask yourself...

"why would someone want to mentor me?"

"what do I bring to the table?"

so what do you offer a mentor?

A lot of people don't want to hear that kind of talk, but everyone already knows I'm only gonna shoot it straight, no beating around the bush

People's time is valuable.

I fired a mentee for that very thing...not appreciating what she was getting.

Everything that happens in your life will either be controlled by you or someone else....you have a lot more control than you might suspect.

So, The Million Dollar Question:

have you LOOKED for a mentor?

first place to start if you are in the usa is your local SCORE (Service Corps Of Retired Executives) office

look it up in the yellow pages, use directory assistance or go to www.sba.gov and find the links to your closest chapter

that may work out for you, but if your looking for online, technology related, will probably be a dead end. No pun intended.

Second, again, you need to find someone doing what you want to do, and reach out, and talk to them.

Start out with

"hey I want to _____(whatever it is)______, I don't want to take up much of your time, but do you have any suggestions on how I can get started, or any pointers you could give me"

let the conversation go from there....sell yourself...and see what happens.

And do that over and over, until you find one.

Yup its not easy, mentors do not fall out of the sky, but there are plenty around

Third and More importantly, instead of thinking how difficult something is, or that you "can't", learn to think "how"


some naturally tend to think:

"I need a mentor, i cant find a mentor, i don't even know where to start"

instead learn to think this way:

"I need a mentor, I can't find one, what can I do to find one"

God gave you the same brain as every other human, learn to use it and you will prosper.

Hope this makes sense and answers your question in a helpful way.

 

I expected this to be another sales pitch stuffed post but hell, I was terribly wrong. Some phenomenal advice. If only I could get a coach who would teach me how to stick to the simple points outlined :S

 

There might be some great advice buried in what he's saying but would it have hurt him to make some paragraphs longer than a single sentence? Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan...

 

Thanks mentor understood.

p.s. my thinking isn't as negetive as you might think, I might have given off the wrong impression. Love all the great advice.

 

nice article. that's true we have to write our plan before we can make money in internet..