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The Legitimacy of Internet Marketing as a Business

by bettersocial
7 replies
Like it or not, most people still consider IM as a hobby - a side business (that still makes more millionaires than a regular business). I'm still in college right now, but my parents and relatives expect me to get a "real job" once I graduate - a job that will pay me 5 times less than IM.

This is especially true for most of us who work from home or don't have any full time employees (which is the majority). There is still this social perspective that working from home is for housewives and life's losers - at least in my society.

Besides, Internet marketers are hardly ever seen as "entrepreneurs". We are never labeled as such, nor is our enterprise ever referred to as a "startup", despite bearing all the same characteristics.

A Yelp or a Facebook founder is lauded and celebrated (and these are the big companies; even a Weblogs Inc. founder gets the same treatment), while IMers never get the same treatment.

So how do you reconcile with this social perception? How do you get society to treat internet marketers as entrepreneurs, internet marketing as a "real job"?
#business #internet #legitimacy #marketing
  • Profile picture of the author john_kennedy
    You should get ahold of Paul Myers book - "Need to Know". Definitely a must read for any IM whether you are new or a seasoned pro.

    From the book:

    "There is only one meaningful definition for success:

    Living your life the way YOU want to live it.

    Anything else is a hand-me-down that doesn't fit."

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author Clyde Dennis
    Originally Posted by sashas View Post

    So how do you reconcile with this social perception? How do you get society to treat internet marketers as entrepreneurs, internet marketing as a "real job"?
    My take...

    You don't!

    You keep working on the thing that provides the 'juice' that brings YOU happiness.

    Those who don't 'get it' or have some other perception aren't my concern.

    Figuring out which city I want to spend a few weeks in next, as I work my way through my year long tour of the US... WHILE working my business is my concern.

    ...but that's just me.
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  • Profile picture of the author TyBrown
    I wouldn't worry about it. From a young age I chose dog training as a career path. The whole family thought I was crazy and encouraged me to go to college to get a real job. When my income outpaced most college grads I know my family then thought it was great. Just have success in what you're doing and that will hopefully prove its worth, if you need to prove its worth.

    Now that I've been doing a lot more internet marketing over the last year I actually hear much more applause. It seems like people are realizing that it is really cool to earn money online. I think your family will come around.
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    Online Dog Training
    Salt Lake City, Utah Dog Training
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    If everyone is doing something, go the other way!!!!!

    Listen, most people would not care since they do not understand it. My wife parents are still to this day confused how my wife and I can both be working at home, making a good living and taking two 1 month vacations this year. They still want my wife to get a stable job

    People will not understand it and if they do, they will only when they see you get massive results and not understand the sweat that went into it.

    You do nothing as long as you are happy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marian Berghes
    How to get accepted? and be labeled as an "entrepreneur"?

    When you make enough money, get a Porsche and tell everyone " Hey, look what my "life loser lifestyle" bought me"...then come back to the forum and tell us the look on their face lol

    On a more serious tone now...you shouldn't be affected by that, if it makes YOU happy and if it brings you money to be happy...then don't care about what others are saying.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Besides, Internet marketers are hardly ever seen as "entrepreneurs". We are never labeled as such, nor is our enterprise ever referred to as a "startup", despite bearing all the same characteristics.

      A Yelp or a Facebook founder is lauded and celebrated (and these are the big companies; even a Weblogs Inc. founder gets the same treatment), while IMers never get the same treatment.
      The apps you list ARE internet marketing.

      Those who have a vision for what they intend to create - and what product they offer online - and the resources to create their business...do get a lot of respect. Their "startup" is the necessary funding, having their teams in place to do the work, etc.

      For someone who has a goal of "make money online in IM" without full knowledge of what he plans to accomplish and how it will be done - it's a different scenario.

      a job that will pay me 5 times less than IM
      There is your goal. If you are earning 5 times more in IM than you can with a "job" when you graduate I doubt anyone will disagree with you.

      If you are telling people how much "I will earn" and have no earnings, your plans will not be credible. Your goal should be to earn enough income to fully support yourself by the time you graduate.

      kay
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      Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
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      • Profile picture of the author netkid
        I've been "unemployed" for the past 17 years working out of my house as an "entreprenuer" and my mother still tells me to get a "job!" (old joke: entreprenuer is an unemployed person looking for their next job) I guess my earning in the low 6 figures is not a measurement if I am working for the "man" or not is justified, I would not trade being self employed AND operating an online business at the same time for anything in the world! I am having the time of my life.

        Don't let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn't do. At your age, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Forget about "perceptions." That is someone else's problems not yours. (smiles)

        Whether it is online marketing or working out of the house as a self employed person, the real "job security" is to work for yourself.

        Good luck to your future...

        Bruce
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