Making millions with sheer honesty!

1. IM is all about finding solutions to problems.
>>IM is all about marketing - online. I suppose you can say everything is about finding solutions, but when it boils down to it, web marketing is about marketing.

2. The more targeted and specific your solution is, the higher you can charge.
>>Not necessarily, there's a lot more to it than that.

3. Being honest is the greatest strength of an internet marketer.
>>Ha!! There's a laugh... Go read the sales copy of some of the words best marketers, and then tell me if you still think that... Honesty is certainly a strength, I agree with that, and long term I don't think anyone can be truly successful in any industry without the kind of reputation which comes from developing real integrity.

4. Understanding who your customer is and where she hangs out is the greatest thing you can learn as an IM.
>>Well it's certainly important!! There are lots of important elements of being a good marketer, but yeah of course knowing who you're targeting and how to target is certainly one of them.

5. Squeeze pages, offers, split tests and everything else comes only after you know exactly what solution you are providing.
>>Yup of course.

6. The more friends you have in IM, the higher your chances of success.
>>Hmmmm, not sure I agree. Depends on who your friends are, and what action you take together.

7. The people who make the highest money are usually the ones who are the first adopters and the fastest adapters.
>>Sounds like a cliche... maybe it's true, some cliche's are.

8. A list is your greatest asset.
>>one of, for sure!

9. Making plans and doing something everyday is the most important thing.
>>Certainly helps. Although I rank breathing, eating, drinking and sleeping as being up there on the list of importance

10. IM is the most exciting and interesting way to live life, not just make money...
>>Hmmmm, possibly. How long you been at it? It's just business, online. Comments like this are often made by people who are very new to web marketing and still think it's glamorous

Great post and I would have to agree with all of your statements.

Not for everyone. I don't agree with that. 3 years ago, I would but not today. Today there are so many lists out there that you will be sure that 95% of your current subscribers are on someone else's list too.

one key to success is always be honest, be genuinely capable expert in what you're offering to your marketplace. be of genuine value to a lot of people, not just a marketeer out to hustle money with big launches

The same can be said for giving people something for free, and options to donate/pay for something should they choose. A good example is League Of Legends. The bulk of the game is free, however you can purchase skins for small amounts (cents/dollars). They make millions just through that monthly!

Not many employ this tactic, because it requires a lot of upfront work, and you can never guarantee success further on, but in most cases if the product is good (despite being free), it does extremely well and sets you up for a bright future with your followers.

**EDIT** I'm not even on about free reports. I mean full solutions, ones that you'd charge people high 2, 3 or 4 figures for, laid out for free to everyone.

That is one of my main principles is to be completely honest in this industry. No good can come from distrust. Trust is the key in the IM industry in my opinion.

6. Yes, having friends in IM can help, but it's not necessary (I realize you don't state it's necessary). Many people go about building their online business with little or no contact with other marketers. I suppose you're referring to JV opps, which can't be argued ... but those contacts don't need to be friends and business relationships suffice.

7. Every model I use to make money was not developed by me. I do pretty well. I use pretty basic models. While early adopters can do well, it's not necessary. Anyone can use an existing model and make a killing.

8. A list isn't always a greatest asset. If you're into local affiliate marketing, killer SEO skills and an ability to adapt, adjust, and rebuild quickly is more valuable and local aff marketing can be very lucrative.

I'm sure there are some 1,000,000 monthly visitor websites who would argue their site is their biggest asset. I'm playing devil's advocate because not all lists are all that valuable (I have a dud which I built with lousy methods).

Overall though, you make great points. I'm just playing devil's advocate to keep the conversation going and provide a different POV.

Yes, I totally agree. I love this gig.

Nice post! The truth will set you free!

Doing or try to learn something new is extremely important to become a successful Internet Marketer. Running after money will make you tired. When you will be skillful, money will run after you.

Your reputation is your greatest asset. And the list is probably your 2nd greatest asset. Everything else can flow from these two. Without a solid reputation, nobody's going to buy. And without a list, you have no one to market to.

2. Not so sure - I think it would depend on the niche and demand vs. supply.

3. That plus preselling, persistence and love for what you do are some of them...

6. Has mostly to do with trust. From a JV point of perspective as well as people familar with how good you are...

7. No personal comment on that , but I do have to say that's true...

8. Don't forget you have eyes, ears, a brain and a soul.

9. Not so sure about that. The greatest things in life are the stuff that money can't buy...

10. It may be a great way for you or me, but to each his own...