marketplex.net

So why haven’t I been keeping this blog up to date? There’s a simple answer. I’ve started to make money online. Which means I don’t have a lot of time to TALK about making money online. In fact, this blog is a luxury I can’t afford. Every minute spent theorising here is a minute I might have used to make more money. It’s that simple.

I started out in this game a little confused at how best to start putting money in my bank account. I didn’t know if I wanted to blog for profit, be an affiliate marketer, release my own product. I tried a little of everything which meant nothing worked. Dabbling here and there and hoping for a lucky hit. Of course the “Make Money Online” gurus didn’t help, in fact they hindered me greatly.

A guru is similar to a drug pusher in many ways, and just about as ethical as I have discovered. Obviously not ALL gurus, but most of them. I know that’s an outrageous thing to say but consider the reality, a reality I’m confident has been gnawing at your own thoughts as you shell out your cash, follow the program and wonder why the traffic and money isn’t appearing as promised.

These gurus will even blame YOU for not taking action when their products don’t live up to the sales hype. Honestly, I’ve just concluded a lengthy argument with a very unscrupulous chap (well known in our industry) who was skilful enough to sell me a pile of crap (my fault) but didn’t have a moment to spare for his customer when I tried to apply his crap and, surprise, found it was just a bunch of crap (his fault).

Do you want to make money in 2010? Really? Are you prepared to put the effort in and absolutely stop relying on gurus whose whole business model revolves around keeping you just ignorant enough to come back and spend more of your money?

Think about it. If even a handful of these gurus were the real deal the whole guru business would quickly fade away because everyone would be using their methods to thrive and wouldn’t need a guru ever again. Right or wrong?

I’ve bought myself wisdom. It has cost me a lot of money. I had to be a victim of the scam before I realised it was a scam. Some people are a lot smarter than me and can spot a con from a mile off. But trust isn’t a shameful attribute. The real shame arrives when that trust is abused. Lessons learned and mistakes that will never be repeated.

If all goes according to plan (and for the first time since I got into online marketing I believe it will) I will have entirely replaced my regular income by the mid point of this year. I will have done it by relying on the one person that will never let me down. ME!

I’ve applied the skills I already had. Leveraged my experience. Shut my mind to the gurus and started using my own brain. Luck hasn’t entered into it. It has all been the result of hard work, realistic planning, application and common sense. I’ve stopped begging like a dog for a free meal and started taking charge of my own affairs and making my own decisions. Now I’m seeing the rewards.

You can do it too. But only if you have a skill or service to offer that’s in demand. Economics 101. There is no magic formula. I repeat, there is no magic formula. For as long as you continue to believe a magic formula exists you will continue to be easy meat for the gurus. Sad but true.

Maybe some people will protest and claim the gurus have lead them by the nose to prosperity. Stop and think though. Was it REALLY them that built your success, rather than you? What did they teach you? That you need a product to sell? That you need to market the product? That your product must be in demand?

Well hell, that’s hardly genius is it? So go to Clickbank, find a product that sells, create a web site for a few bucks, go and check out the web sites of the top ten sellers for that product. Copy what they are doing. Put your back into building back-links. Give something of value away for free and build a list. Market quality to your list. Tell the truth to your subscribers, build trust. Obvious! Do you want to pay me $27 or $47 or $197 or $1997 for the common sense I just revealed in the last couple of paragraphs? I doubt it.

What if I pad those paragraphs with a lot of fluff you can get for free on places like the Warrior forum? What if I stick up a flashy sales video full of lightening strikes and spinning dollar symbols, will you pay me double?

And that’s why I don’t spend much time posting here any more. Because I’m busy making a nice living online. It’s a time consuming process that demands most of my attention. Yeah, I tried those “do it for you” automated products. That’s right, they didn’t work.

I’ve cut out all the bullshit, un-subscribed for all the lists, cancelled all my memberships except those I really need. And focused on what I already knew worked but was distracted from by gurus who introduced complexity where none was necessary.

However, I will be using this web site again in the future. Once I get to where I want to be I’ll reveal, in great detail, precisely how I did it. And I’ll give it away for free. The gurus are being cynical when they claim they want to give something back. You know this to be true because they won’t hand anything over unless you get your wallet out. What if your best friend charged you ever time you wanted advice or a helping hand? Some friend, eh?

Well, I really will give something back and at the right price. Completely free. Check in every now and again. You won’t hear from me much in the interim, but when I’m ready I’m going to join the very small band of Internet marketers who genuinely are prepared to share (rather than exploit).

Is this a rant against gurus? Yes. But it’s also a plea to anyone who reads this. Have confidence in your own abilities and your own ideas. Try stuff, even if the gurus tell you it won’t work. Do what feels right for you. If you fail, figure out why and change things. Try again. Keep your money in your pocket. Make sure you are applying the basic rules. Good product, demand, awareness, profits.

Honestly, there is nothing more to it. And if you don’t understand or demand I tell you how or, worse yet, want me to do it for you – well then you aren’t cut out for this business anyway. Go and get a job in McDonalds.

All the best in YOUR business in 2010.

One Response to “Silence is Often a Good Sign”