This article is going to start out sounding like an ad, but it quickly shifts to focus on the most important key to your success online and in business. You’ll neeed the background at the beginning to understand the rest.
I’m very excited that for the first time I’m offering my services instead of only being able to offer products to people? Why, because giving personal attention to someone and contributing to their lives and their businesses and their personal development and skills feeds my soul.
I was invited to become one of a select few who are instructors in the AdMistresses’ New Vision Ezine Boot Camp. By using a simple system she developed with other professionals and my own knowledge and experience, I’ll be teaching some people one on one every day by e-mail for a full month with another month of follow up.
If I had been able to take a class like this it would have saved a minimum of 9 months and over 250 hours of trial and error and research off of the time it took me to get my ezine started. I would have killed to have been able to have a mentor when I got into this business. I know that the #1 most important part of succeeding online is building up over 10,000 subscribers to your opt-in e-mail (ezine) list and building your relationship with them.
There is nothing more important that an internet marketer can invest money into than getting help in building their list. Nothing. The size of your list determines the amount of money you’ll make. Period. End of story.
So it was with dismay and disbelief when I received a second return e-mail the other day from someone who had responded to an ad wanting more information on this course. His subjuct line simply said “Count me in if it’s free.”
Before he sent the “count me in if it’s free” e-mail he had responded to an ad and I sent him information outlining all of the specific benefits, details and price of the course. This is the ad he responded to at first:
When you Graduate, you will get subscribers and you WILL get a Free Ad Pac to get your New Ezine off to a Great start! Better hurry. We can’t sit on these “Bonus” Graduate savings much longer. Let me Count YOU In ! mailto:sopan@n… Simply say…Count Me In!
Now, I understand if someone isn’t interested in a service being offered. But after personally spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to create an online business that is at the begining stages of the success I want, I’m baffled at someone who appears interested in getting 2 months of personal help, but not for $150.
If you don’t want to invest $150 into your business then you have a hobby, not a business. (A hobby is something you spend money on for fun, but it doesn’t make any money. A business is something you invest money and time into that in return makes you even more money.) Lets face it, even if you’re broke you’ll put $150 on your credit card if your son breaks his leg or if you really want something.
The key to your business and your life being successful is to be clear on what you value. The person above probably does not value information and assistance that will help his online marketing. Or, I think this is the key for him – he doesn’t value online marketing.
If you feel that online marketing is a “have to” in your life and not a “want to” then you need to go do something that you “want to” do.
I don’t think he values creating online marketing skills because I know I do value these skills and I’ve invested (not spent) thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in my education.
I value my dentist so I have no problem paying him for his services. I value my mechanic so I pay him with a smile on my face. I value my saxophone teacher so I pay for lessons. I value my plumber when I need him so I pay him. I pay people everyday for services that I value.
You do it too. If you value the services someone offers then you don’t even think twice about paying them. They’re giving you help with something you need and you aren’t skilled at doing it well yourself.
We pay for what we value. If we respond to something for free it means we’re interested. If we pay money for it then we value it. If we don’t value it, that’s not good or bad, it’s simply what’s so.
If the only word you respond to is “free” then you don’t value whatever it is that you’re reponding to for free. If you see a pattern of not ever putting any money down for it, then the truth is you’re not ever going to value it. If you only want it for free do you really think you want it? I don’t think you do.
My point is that if you don’t value something, stop wasting your time on it. I’m saddened by the hundreds of thousands of people who are kicking the tires of internet marketing. They will fail because they don’t value what it offers (low overhead, high profits, home business, freedom, etc.).
If you’re one of these people I want to give you the gift of release. You can’t “try out” building a business. Do you know anyone with a successful business doing anything that they just “tried out?” No. It’s impossible. “Try” to pick a pen off the floor. You can’t do it. You either pick it up or you don’t. Try is a myth. You can’t “try” to do anything.
You either build a business or you don’t. There ain’t no tryin’.
If you think you’re “trying” to build a business then it means you honestly don’t value your business and you’re not committed to it. Again, no shame or blame here, just facts. If you’re not committed to it then you deserve to wake up and go do something that you do value. No one deserves to waste their time on something in false hope that it’s going to magically make them money one day.
I have an online business because I value it, I put money into it, I put time into it, I’m in it for the long haul and it’s succeeding only because I’m committed to making it work. No one waved a magic wand and gave me over 5,000 subscribers and a lot of sales.
Everyone who is successful online or offline in business invested time and money into it. People who have failed have spent time and money (probably a lot less). So what’s the difference in them? It’s simple – the successful people value their business and they are committed to finding out how to make it successful and to do what successful people have done, not just read about it or listen to stories. They took action on what they value.
Look at your own life. Didn’t everything you’ve had success with happen because you clearly valued it and you decided to make it happen nomatter what? I bet you did.
I started with an idea and have built what I have with my commitment, my time and my money because I believe in it, I value it, and I love it. You can do the same if you want to. But if you’re looking to get rich quick go to Vegas (a town I was raised in for 20 years and I’ll tell you it wasn’t built on winners my friend).
Just be honest with yourself. If you’re interested in building a business sit down with yourself and honestly look at whether or not you value it. If you don’t, then move on. If you do, then put everything you’ve got into it and you’ll join the rest of us who are committed to every ounce of success we create. There’s plenty of room and the waters fine so jump in!
By the way, If you are committed I’d love to work with you and help you.
Jason is the editor of Achieve Net Profits, where he interviews successful Internet marketers each week. Save yourself time and money by learning marketing directly from the pros! –> http://www.AchieveNetProfits.com/