Your biggest 'making money online' stumbling block & the cure?

[new2ebiz]

It is not uncommon for a person who has decided to create an online business to find themselves with information overload.

For those who have made money online, what decision/solution was it that finally made it possible to start making money?
What was the stumbling block and the action you took that finally broke things loose?

Thanks

[Cerberus]

Stop jumping from one brass ring to the next.

If the latest and greatest money making thing is truly so great why is the person sharing it.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by Cerberus

Stop jumping from one brass ring to the next.

If the latest and greatest money making thing is truly so great why is the person sharing it.

Amen to that Cerberus. I still have to watch myself on that one.

To help me focus I use checklists. I have one for each website and an overall yearly, monthly, daily plan.
That made a big difference.

[GailTrahd]

I agree. I didn't start 'figuring it all out' until I realized that I would need a basic education (like in any profession) and then learn to specialize after that. As a nurse I recognized that I could specialize in one field at a time but becoming a 'jack of all trades' only led to being frustrated and working on general medicine floors where you couldn't be an expert at anything.

Gail

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by GailTrahd

I agree. I didn't start 'figuring it all out' until I realized that I would need a basic education (like in any profession) and then learn to specialize after that. As a nurse I recognized that I could specialize in one field at a time but becoming a 'jack of all trades' only led to being frustrated and working on general medicine floors where you couldn't be an expert at anything.

Gail

Your nurse analogy is perfect. I think alot of people online forget to look at their own interests/hobbies/job experience and feel they have to 'make money' in the IM field.

I made my first money in the 'saving money on groceries' market. My husband claims I can 'squeeze 13 cents out of a dime'.

I wonder if you have created anything in the health field? Lots of possibilities there.

[Jared Alberghini]

#1. Step Away From Your Computer

#2. Get a Pen & Paper, sit down in a comfy chair, (I prefer my hammock outside next to my pond) once again, far far away from your computer & all of the distractions just waiting for you on the web.

#3. Write Your Plan!


123, easy as abc...


.jrd

P.S. You also need to follow through with your plan.

[peter gibson]

Information overload was the one MASSIVE roadblock for me. It was just too much, too fast. The latest CPA guides, PPC guides, et all. The aha moment for me came after cramming info into my skull for around a month, because I started to notice some basic fundamentals were at work within every system. Then I started to notice that - aside from these core commonalities - the rest of the advice I read seemed more like fluff - details that could be open for interpretation.

That's when I realized it's useless to learn every nuance of every system out there, I mashed everything learned into my own quasi-system, based on the commonalities in every guide/advice I had seen. That's when the real money making began.

The kicker is, at what point do you jump in the water? You can read about the Back Stroke, the Front Crawl, and even the Butterfly Stroke, but to reach the other end of the lake you eventually have to jump in and figure out what technique will keep you from drowning.

[new2ebiz]

Forgot to mention one of my worse stumbling blocks.

I had this unrealistic idea everything had to be perfect with my website; copy, etc., before I should start.
I'm not saying it's a good idea to 'throw' something up, but you're always going to be tempted to change something.
Make some decisions and just get something uploaded. You will make plenty of mistakes, I have, but that's OK.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by Jared Alberghini

Write Your Plan!
P.S. You also need to follow through with your plan.

If you and I had a $1 for everyone who 'planned' to put up a blog or website, write a ebook or whatever, and never got around to it, we could both retire easily.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by peter gibson

Then I started to notice that - aside from these core commonalities - the rest of the advice I read seemed more like fluff - details that could be open for interpretation.

That's when I realized it's useless to learn every nuance of every system out there, I mashed everything learned into my own quasi-system, based on the commonalities in every guide/advice I had seen. That's when the real money making began.

... you eventually have to jump in and figure out what technique will keep you from drowning.

Yes. You read enough and you start seeing the same 'tips'.
I think it's important to choose a model that fits your personality. A variation of the 'adapt, adjust, and overcome' saying from the Marines!

[Dano77]

Stumbling block...

Not enough hours in the day...

Answer: Outsourcing..

Specifically, for jobs that can be done loosely without any special requirements, you can send those jobs to just about anyone and pretty things when you get them back.

For things that require a special way of getting them done, hire friends, family and people you can watch closely.

Rock & roll straight to the top.

Dan

[alanm88]

I am glad I stumbled upon this thread because I was in the same situation with information overload about internet marketing. I bought the profitlance course, a few ebooks, a web copywriting book and tried to absorb all the information at once. My first mistake was trying to jump into it TOO EARLY.. I had only skimmed through the profitlance course and thought my technical background would help leverage my little understanding of internet marketing. I couldn't be more wrong my first campaign was a complete failure. I went back to learning, read through a few e-books, a web copywriting book, bum marketing e-book, read through tons of warriorforum threads, and like peter gibson stated above you start to see crossover in concepts over and over. This is the part where you have to take a step back and make your taskplan. It isn't easy to just make a taskplan from scratch so what I did was take Bryan Zimmerman's Newbie Workbook which provided a very solid base to start my process. I then added and removed the parts that I thought would be the best streamlined taskplan. This is an organic process, meaning if something works.. leave it. If it doesn't work, take it out or replace it etc.

The Newbie Workbook can be found here. The thread is titled (sorry I don't have enough posts to provide a link): $$ NEWBIES - MAKE $3300.00 A MONTH THE EASY WAY WITH DAY BY DAY INSTRUCTIONS-VIDEO PROOF OF INCOME$$

From then on, I decided to go through each step process in making a profitable niche and decide what tools would help me with this? For example: Keyword research, there lots of software out there.. I settled on Market Samurai. Social Bookmarking tools such as socialbot, rss tools rssbot. Getting good backlinks... angela's backlinks and so forth. These are bigger investments and I was fortunate to have the money to support these. If I didn't I would have definitely invested the other way.. which is time.

Felt like I went a bit off track lol.. hope this helps

[CDarklock]

Originally Posted by new2ebiz

For those who have made money online, what decision/solution was it that finally made it possible to start making money?

Stop spending it!

I spent ten years buying books and systems and tools and all kinds of things.

Then, last month, I said "no more; I will spend NOTHING on ANYTHING for making online money unless I earn it from my online activities."

And now I've got money coming in. You start making smarter decisions about where you spend it, too.

[tommygadget]

Hey Jared, nice to see you again! I saw some people were worried
about your disappearance in another thread. Hope all is well. Love
your blog entries, they are a must read for all the newbies here.

TomG.

Originally Posted by Jared Alberghini

#1. Step Away From Your Computer

#2. Get a Pen & Paper, sit down in a comfy chair, (I prefer my hammock outside next to my pond) once again, far far away from your computer & all of the distractions just waiting for you on the web.

#3. Write Your Plan!


123, easy as abc...


.jrd

P.S. You also need to follow through with your plan.

[activetrader]

My major distraction is hanging out at forums. I know I should be working finishing up my several projects. Not having them completed cost me at least a couple hundred dollars a day at my estimate.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by CDarklock

Stop spending it!
I spent ten years buying books .........
Then, last month, I said "no more; I will spend NOTHING on ANYTHING unless I earn it from my online activities."

And now I've got money coming in. You start making smarter decisions about where you spend it, too.

I bet lots of people here can identify your comment. Glad it's working out now.

Originally Posted by alanm88

My first mistake was trying to jump into it TOO EARLY.. I had only skimmed through the profitlance course ... I couldn't be more wrong my first campaign was a complete failure. .... This is an organic process, meaning if something works.. leave it. If it doesn't work, take it out or replace it etc.

At least you took a step and did something. Learning what works best is going to be differnet for each person I think.

Originally Posted by HookUPcom

... visit that list everyday until it's done. It is way to easy to start something new, before finishing the last idea.
Focus... You must finish something, or you'll end up with nothing...

Check lists really help me. I can concentrate on doing not remembering. Sometimes it seems there is so much to remember just to keep up with family responsibilities !

[highprofitdi]

Great thread, glad I found it my biggest victory came when I started treating my business like a business and not a hobby. Stopped believing the "internet lifestyle lie" you know the send a few e mails in your pajamas and make a million on autopilot stories. We are Entrepreneurs and usually very creative risk taking people, and as long as I stay focused and complete my projects I stay profitable. Great comments about outsourcing only way to grow.

[jasonl70]

Originally Posted by Cerberus

Stop jumping from one brass ring to the next.

If the latest and greatest money making thing is truly so great why is the person sharing it.

While I totally agree withthe first one, I do not agree with the second. People DO share and/or sell great ideas.

Originally Posted by Jared Alberghini

#1. Step Away From Your Computer

#2. Get a Pen & Paper, sit down in a comfy chair, (I prefer my hammock outside next to my pond) once again, far far away from your computer & all of the distractions just waiting for you on the web.

#3. Write Your Plan!


123, easy as abc...


.jrd

P.S. You also need to follow through with your plan.

This has been a key difference between my more profitbale undertakings, vs those that failed.

Originally Posted by new2ebiz

Forgot to mention one of my worse stumbling blocks.

I had this unrealistic idea everything had to be perfect with my website; copy, etc., before I should start.
I'm not saying it's a good idea to 'throw' something up, but you're always going to be tempted to change something.
Make some decisions and just get something uploaded. You will make plenty of mistakes, I have, but that's OK.

great points. My first real success was in a niche I had expertise in, but I had no passion for at all. Combine this with using a pen name, and it freed me from my perfectionist ways since my ego was not involved Yes - I am living proof that a half hearted effort can make money if you follow a good business model and plan.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by highprofitdi

Great thread, glad I found it my biggest victory came when I started treating my business like a business and not a hobby....

Thanks. If you want your ownline efforts to make you money you surely have to treat it like a business.

Originally Posted by activetrader

My major distraction is hanging out at forums.

You have take a break every once in awhile! (laughter)
On a regular work day I set a timer before I start each task that way if I get distracted it 'wakes me up' so to speak and I refocus. But today I'm taking it easier.

Originally Posted by Dano77

Stumbling block...Not enough hours in the day...
Answer: Outsourcing..

Specifically, for jobs that can be done loosely without any special requirements, you can send those jobs to just about anyone and pretty things when you get them back.

For things that require a special way of getting them done, hire friends, family and people you can watch closely.
Rock & roll straight to the top. Dan

Dan, outsourcing is probably the decision that has made the biggest improvement for me in productivity and profit.

I really like your idea of outsourcing certain projects differently. I've been thinking about hiring a local VA for certain jobs and have outsourced online for some time. Just haven't pulled the trigger on the local hiring yet.

[Matt Maiden]

Originally Posted by tommygadget

Hey Jared, nice to see you again! I saw some people were worried
about your disappearance in another thread. Hope all is well. Love
your blog entries, they are a must read for all the newbies here.

TomG.

Same here Jared

[mikeyman120]

Hello,
The biggest problem I had was not realizing that the money is in the list. I was a direct linker and that cost me thousands. It wasn't until I got my autoresponder and figured out how to create opt in forms on all my sites that the tide started to turn and I began to make money with my lists.

Now I use lists all over the place. In fact I now use one as a thank you page so the buyer has to optin to get their product. This allows me to build a list of buyers. The most valuable kind of list.

Mike

[Matt Maiden]

Go back to basics. Ask yourself what it takes to make money online or anywhere for that matter.

Product, place to sell it, people to buy it, and a way to get paid.

That's all you need. Of course the most difficult part online or off, getting people to buy it.

But once I sat down and broke it down to the simplest form a light bulb went off in my head. "I just need to learn four things".

I learned those four and put them together. Everything else has been tweaking and tuning, a little bit of expanding and experimenting.

But every time I start to feel a little overwhelmed, I just remember that I'm only juggling four things.

[Pat Blank]

My big one was when I got rid of the word "easy". Yes, the parts of putting together a successful web business are Easy - after a while. In the beginning I had to break things down into tiny pieces and figure out things one bit at a time.

I used to get frustrated because I'd read about somebody who could throw together a web site in minutes, who could write a half-dozen articles in a hour, who could put together an autoresponder in no time and without any research, and a perfect product or two will fall into your lap by magic.

Nope - it was complex and frustrating at first. I had to learn to see it through, and do it over and over again. Then it got easy.

Then all the rules change - but that's part of the business.

[Andy1750]

I was a little shy of back linking. Pure laziness. The semi automated techniques work OK but you need to do some manual back linking to get the top links.

Worked this one out and, with some meticulous keyword research, ranking on the first page for moderately competitive keywords is no longer that difficult.

Thanks,

Andy

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by mikeyman120

Hello,
The biggest problem I had was not realizing that the money is in the list. . In fact I now use one as a thank you page so the buyer has to optin to get their product. This allows me to build a list of buyers.
Mike

Yes Mike. The first time I heard about lists I went 'no', then slowly I realized 'yes'. Now I try to create at least a customer's list and usually a 'prospect' list although I slack off on that one too often.

Originally Posted by KrisK

thanks great info

You're welcome. Remember, people do make money online. See Matthew Maiden's post. But it does take effort and time.

Originally Posted by Matthew Maiden

Product, place to sell it, people to buy it, and a way to get paid.
That's all you need. Of course the most difficult part online or off, getting people to buy it.

That's the list I use in my local workshops, except I add delivery method to the list.

Originally Posted by Pat Blank

My big one was when I got rid of the word "easy". Yes, the parts of putting together a successful web business are Easy - after a while. In the beginning I had to break things down into tiny pieces and figure out things one bit at a time.

Good point. One person's idea of easy is another person's 'what are you talking about?" It gets easier, but some sales letters make it sound like you have to do nothing at all.
Wrong.

Originally Posted by Andy1750

I was a little shy of back linking. Pure laziness. The semi automated techniques work OK but you need to do some manual back linking to get the top links.

It took the longest time for me to realize that anything that needed done could be outsourced, and a lot of it could be automated. Some things are best done manually but can be outsourced if you don't want to do it.

On thing you can't outsource is your decision making. But if you are willing to decide what you want done and are willing to manage the project; you can outsource just about, if not, everything else.

I've just recently started looking into backlinking. Like anything else I'll pick it up in time.

[JohnB23]

I don't consider myself an IM expert at all, but the concept of "highest and best use" is critical.

You have to start at the top. Invest in only the top books and education. Find authors, methods, systems that intrigue you, or that you like. You can get familiar with them. You can get subsequent books that come out. You need something to springboard from.

You can't just know keyword marketing or article marketing. What's the strategy behind it? What are you trying to accomplish with it? Maybe there's a better way to accomplish that.

How are you spending your time? I'd rather be learning something, or making some new revelation if I'm not making money, than spending time on twitter, facebook, or something of much lower rank and value.

The big gurus all have huge libraries....and not just because they look good The rich have big libraries and the poor have big tv's.

The big guys that make money really know something. That's a very important concept. They don't just sort of "know it", they really know something.

[jasonl70]

Originally Posted by JohnB23

The rich have big libraries and the poor have big tv's.

this has got to be one the greatest things I have heard in a long time! loved it..

[Josef_Benjamin]

My biggest stumbling block (or one of them atleast), was thinking I needed
to sell "anything".

The cure?

When I started "marketing" what people are alreayd looking for.

I stopped thinking about what I wanted to sell as opposed to what
people were looking for, find certain products, and put traffic in front
of that offer for easy sales.

It's called, "going with the abundence flow"

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by JohnB23

I don't consider myself an IM expert at all, but the concept of "highest and best use" is critical.

Invest in only the top books and education. Find authors, methods, systems that intrigue you, ...

The big gurus all have huge libraries....and not just because they look good The rich have big libraries and the poor have big tv's.

It's not always easy to separate the 'wheat from the chaff' online, but it'll save you money and frustration.

A twist on your 'highest and best' idea is a question I try to ask myself daily, since it is easy to get caught up in 'time robbers', tasks that don't make the best use of your time.
I try to ask myself, 'what is the best first move for me to make today?'. What is best next step for my website/blog or whatever?

Love the tv quote! It reminds me of people who buy 'way more' car than they can afford, then complain about having no money.

[new2ebiz]

Originally Posted by Josef_Benjamin

My biggest stumbling block (or one of them atleast), was thinking I needed to sell "anything".

Sounds a lot like the 'find a market, then decide on the product' line of thought.
And the copy mantra of speaking to your potential customer's wants and needs and not using "I'.

I stopped thinking about what I wanted to sell as opposed to what
people were looking for, ... It's called, "going with the abundence flow"

The buyer wants his problems solved, his wants fulfilled.

As much as anyone is in business to take care of their family or live their life as they wished; the potential buyer is there for himself.

[JohnB23]

Originally Posted by jasonl70

this has got to be one the greatest things I have heard in a long time! loved it..

I borrowed it from somewhere else on this site I thought it was a pretty true quote.

One of the guys I've modeled, learned alot from is Jay Abraham, the marketing guru. On some of his tapes, he'll say that he read so and so book 30 times or 40 times. That's why he's making money and we're sitting here on an internet forum Sad, but true I think.

Another "Stumbling block" might also be, making things too complicated. These big gurus all do seemingly "simple things". They know simple principles, and I think the amateurs overcomplicate those simple principles.

Paraphrasing from Jay..."the simpler and the more reduced your awareness of what makes something work, the more powerful it normally becomes".

[Phillip King]

I have been trying for 6 months to make money online, let me back up, I have been buying a lot of junk for a while. Once I have now decided to really get into the WF I think I can make it.

[NickCook]

I had 2 "stumbling blocks" - the first was trying to handle multiple tasks at once, and losing sight of the big picture. The second was learning to think like a "producer" instead of a "consumer". So, to overcome these I had to focus on planning and mindset.

[Easy Cash]

Actually spending the time to create quality - whether it was through better content, a product or generating traffic.

Quality matters and getting out of the 'get rich quick' frame of mind makes a big difference.

[Matt Maiden]

Originally Posted by Phillip King

...I have been buying a lot of junk for a while...

That is the biggest stumbling block I see with people starting out.

I did it too. Kept buying. Kept getting more overloaded.

The problem is not the junk. It can be top-of-line quality stuff from the top marketers but when you are just starting out you not only get overwhelmed with all of it but at that stage how do you know the "good stuff" when you see it?

The key is to say to yourself that you are only going to learn one thing at a time. But learn that one thing before you move on.

There are so many ways, or "models" of making money you choose the one that you feel more comfortable with and then start there.

A hundred people can tell you that doing "ABC" is the "easiest, fastest, quickest way"...but if you are just not comfortable with that particular way of doing it, then don't do it right now.

Don't get hung up with trying to start at the "perfect" starting point.

Pick something that you have a pretty good idea that you can accomplish and do that to get the ball rolling. Build some momentum.

Go to Blogger and start a blog on anything and get a feel for that. If your skills are past that then find something else like learning about List Building.

I discovered something a long time ago that I try to live by and it keeps me moving along

"a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing".

[Tizzy Dupont]

I've had a few stumbling blocks.

First, I didn't know what type of marketing fit me personally, and I got sucked in by people making big promises. Now, if there is something I need to know, I look for something that answers that particular need. This is good from a buyer's point of view and a seller's.

Second, I chose a niche based on my current interests, which is fine, but I didn't do my homework to make sure I could make money in it.

Third, I tried to make things perfect to start out with, before I really had a handle on anything. I should have just focused on making my first hundred dollars or so, following advice without trying to change it up too much.

[theaffiliategeek]

Originally Posted by new2ebiz

Forgot to mention one of my worse stumbling blocks.

I had this unrealistic idea everything had to be perfect with my website; copy, etc., before I should start.
I'm not saying it's a good idea to 'throw' something up, but you're always going to be tempted to change something.
Make some decisions and just get something uploaded. You will make plenty of mistakes, I have, but that's OK.

That one plagued me for a long time . I later found out the syndrome is called "paralysis by analysis". I still catch myself doing it from time to time, but not as much. By the way, things got a lot better for me when I figured this out.

Pat

[DaveHughes]

My biggest stumbling block wasn't taking action...it was not CONTINUING to take action.

Yes, I was poisoned with the "Make Big $$$ NOW!!!" disease. (It's usually fatal.)

Once I internalized (REALLY realized, not "knew"...if you "know" something, it's in your brain; if you INTERNALIZE it, all of a sudden the knowledge guides your actions) that making money online was the end result of a continuous process, not a "one-off" quick fix, well...

That, and the fact that I finally figured out that the service side of things was where I needed to be, since I love writing and producing content, but have to force myself to promote.

When "everyone" says "Do what you already have an interest in," most people take that as advice on what niche to get involved with, but it can also mean "Do what part of the process you already have an interest in".

At least, that's my experience so far.

[theaffiliategeek]

I forgot to mention in the earlier post that constantly looking for the nonexistent magic bullet was a huge waste of time and money.

[Greg McKenzie]

Who to believe was the stumbling block and the cure was deciding to become the Shovel Seller instead of the Prospector.

I went from prospecting for Gold in "tham thar hills" to selling the picks and shovels, maps etc to the prospectors.

When I realized this I even called my first company Goldrush after the Klondyke Goldrush of the 1800's.

Greg

[duncanb]

My biggest stumbling block was failing to concentrate on one particular project at a time.
I would work hard for a few hours, see no success, and move on to other things, where as now i appreciate the time it takes in building a profitable system and methods in IM.