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FIRST thing a newbie should do in Internet Marketing (IM) is to...

by gjabiz
13 replies
A) Learn a skill (any)
B) Learn to BARTER

Over the past decade, there have been thousands of new Warriors who want to break into IM, and over and over again we've heard about how they have NO money (or waste what little they do on WSO's and shiny objects).

The "hottest" thread at WF is the one about what to do if you are desperate.

So, as to help you from becoming desperate, here is some time tested and proven advice which works.

Learn to BARTER, or Trade, a skill for whatever you need. Don't have a skill?

Perhaps, you might consider making that a top priority.

A skill, or knowledge, is a form of currency, something used as 'MONEY'.

Money is a measure of value, and, a medium of EXCHANGE.

MONEY is one form of currency. Have you heard of Bitcoin? Ever held one, stuck it in your pocket? Of course not, but if it is agreed upon, it can be used as an acceptable currency.

Over the decades, I have accepted many forms of currency for my products and services. Even today, in retirement, I prefer trade over cash, so a cash-strapped person could still get my "stuff", if they have a form of currency I would want (skills, knowledge, time, etc.).

A TRANSACTION is an exchange of value, it is at the very foundation of IM, in fact, all business and marketing.

So, if you are just starting your IM business or money-making venture, do yourself a big favor, see what people want, LEARN a skill or gain expertise on something, and leverage that to other things, knowledge or whatever else you need.

gjabiz

PS. The FASTEST way to analyze your IM idea, is to draw out the Transaction on paper, what exactly, in a step-by-step manner has to occur to get your Target's money into your pocket, what value is exchanged?
#internet #marketing #newbie #thing
  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    Some great advice for newcomers, gjabiz. Good post!

    GRM
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    I Coach: Learn More | My Latest WF Thread: Dead Domains/ Passive Traffic

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  • Profile picture of the author ivanadee
    If there's money then outsource will be great. Anyway, great info. Thanks for sharing
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    • Profile picture of the author kilgore
      This is an interesting idea for the newbies out there. The other advantages of bartering a skill is that (1) you'll get better at your skill and (2) you'll get a peek at how someone else is running his/her business and can hopefully learn from that.

      Yet another approach is to do what I did: find a partner (or partners), someone with skills and talents that are complementary to yours. There also are definitely advantages to not having a partner, but for me at least, the benefits of having a good partner far outweigh the disadvantages. Whether it's not worth it to you, I still think it's something that more people should consider.
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      • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
        Not all mentors will do it. But, it doesn't hurt to ask. Yes, partners can be one answer, and it may do some just fine. But, partners create a co-dependency, and the possibility of having the rug pulled out from beneath your feat.

        Still, a good idea, partners, as in your case worked out just fine...

        better, I think, is to find a mentor, in the field or area of your choice of IM and exchange value, so as both benefit without the messiness nor the dependency on a partner.

        gjabiz




        Originally Posted by kilgore View Post

        This is an interesting idea for the newbies out there. The other advantages of bartering a skill is that (1) you'll get better at your skill and (2) you'll get a peek at how someone else is running his/her business and can hopefully learn from that.

        Yet another approach is to do what I did: find a partner (or partners), someone with skills and talents that are complementary to yours. There also are definitely advantages to not having a partner, but for me at least, the benefits of having a good partner far outweigh the disadvantages. Whether it's not worth it to you, I still think it's something that more people should consider.
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  • Profile picture of the author Carter Boatright
    It's true, we are living in the best age for growing a business from almost nothing - the information age. Where pure knowledge and skill on a subject can be shared in exchange for money.

    How many people continue to educate themselves consistently after graduating college? Not many...most of these people are consumers whom we can sell our stuff too...this gives anyone who has the hunger for educating themselves daily throughout the rest of their lives a huge leg up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Ray
    The idea that knowledge or a skill could be traded in the place for money is nothing new.

    That said, I believe it's the nature of the business we do online that makes it allot easier to put more value on the knowledge and skills we have and to essentially start from nothing and work your way up.

    As far as teaching people how to put value on these things and leveraging them for their benefit is a great idea. It's one of the skills most people need (either online or offline) in their business and usually it only comes through experience or in some lucky cases through a mentor.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Nice Post.

      Also one thing I think that is important for Newbies to get off on the right track is treat IM as a business and not a hobby !!

      If you have the mindset of finding ways to MAKE MONEY ONLINE then you can probably kiss your ass goodbye in this Industry.

      Rather, you must find a way to BUILD AN ONLINE BUSINESS......not just try to make money online.

      A huge difference.

      If you just want to make money online hit me up with a PM ,and I will give you a list of Paid Surveys you can
      take


      - Robert Andrew
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      Nothing to see here including a Sig so just move on :)

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      • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
        The right track, depends on what a person wants.

        Yes, you are right to set a goal of building a business, if that is what a person wants.

        But,some people, and many NEW Warriors, aren't looking to build a business, they just want to make money. As noted, the most read and viewed thread is the what to do if you are desperate...

        Sustainable and continuous profitability would be a good goal to set, and to that end, I agree with you re: mindset, business not a hobby.

        But, barter and trade is often the currency used in money making deals, often, one off sort of things, which just make money.

        gjabiz

        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        Nice Post.

        Also one thing I think that is important for Newbies to get off on the right track is treat IM as a business and not a hobby !!

        If you have the mindset of finding ways to MAKE MONEY ONLINE then you can probably kiss your ass goodbye in this Industry.

        Rather, you must find a way to BUILD AN ONLINE BUSINESS......not just try to make money online.



        - Robert Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author jgant
    Gjabiz is right on if you have no other source of income. Selling services if you are skilled isn't that hard to do and you get paid quickly.

    Focus is critical. The key to getting going is to focus on one model until it's profitable and then scale up.

    Before you choose a model, think about what happens when successful. Do you like the activities required? Can you scale up?

    Focus like crazy to get to $1,000 per month and scale from there. If a model can generate $1,000, chances are it can be scaled by investing more money and/or repeating the method over and over.

    When starting, as soon as I focused on one website in one niche, I made fast progress.
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    How I hit $10,000+ per month very fast w/ 1 niche blog - Click Here to learn more (no opt-in).
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      Originally Posted by jgant View Post



      Focus is critical. The key to getting going is to focus on one model until it's profitable and then scale up.

      Before you choose a model, think about what happens when successful.


      If a model can generate $1,000, chances are it can be scaled by investing more money and/or repeating the method over and over.

      When starting, as soon as I focused on one website in one niche, I made fast progress.
      Good point jgant,

      Which leads to a discussion of MODELS. I like the Heidi Klum type...oh, but, in IM, she doesn't bring me any moolah, just ohlas...

      MONEY models. Low price-many units. High price-fewer units.

      A "typical" IM sales funnel often begins with low cost (or FREE) units, and then builds up during the time spent in the funnel. For example, information...

      A low cost or free HOTSHEET. I publish a bi-monthly lottery hotsheet for Ohio Lotteries, it sells for one dollar, which the merchant keeps.

      In the Hotsheet, I offer a low cost report, The Bell Curve-Flat Line Report. After that, there is a pay as you go membership program.

      And related products and services. In golf, it started with a FREE lesson, or video swing evaluation. Then a low cost book, an audio program, videos and a membership program.

      IMers use FREE to get people into their funnel, the standard IM advice is to start a list and then make frequent offers to this list, separating buyers onto a new list with higher priced offers.

      With HIGH priced items, you of course, need fewer sales, but it seems to take more time to get them, consider commercial Real Estate where a small apt. complex might sell for one million dollars and broker's fee could be 10%, so to reach the magical 100k per year, only a couple of sales would be needed, minus expenses.

      There is also the ONE to ONE model, where you sell to one entity at a time, or one to many...as you see done in webinars, seminars, workshops and PitchFests of the gurus.

      Example, in golf I would teach one student at a time, back then, 25 bux for 1/2 an hour. Then, on Saturdays, I'd do a clinic, maybe bunker play....25 bux for 4 people.

      Then, I had the special seminar, Think And Reach Par, which was also 25 bux, only now I was not limited to the number of attendees, had 10 or more each time. That is also known as leverage, to get as much as you can out of any given piece of information, the ONE to MANY model is fantastic.

      The short term, or fixed term membership program can be operated as both the one to one and one to many model.

      So, I agree, BEFORE YOU dive in, do some thinking as to
      WHO you want for a customer...

      WHAT model will you use and use the TRANSACTION as a way to analyze your thinking, to see how the money exchanges hands, gives you a blueprint on how to set up your IM biz.

      gjabiz

      PS. I did put my workshops on audio and video and they sold for a long time. I like information, it isn't going away any time soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author cherrytom
    Awesome advice --- thank you! Where I went wrong was in chasing after the next shiny object that promised to make me money, instead of sticking to one thing. After many years of failure and spending a lot of money, I realized I needed a mentor --- someone who would show me what to do and how to do it! There are many mentors, in many niches. I wish I knew someone like you when I started out but, to be honest, I thought I "knew" it all, and I would probably have ignored your excellent advice back then. I would respectfully suggest that all newbies should seek mentoring from either yourself or someone who has specialized in the niche that appeals to them.
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    • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
      Thanks cherrytom,

      I start all my mentees off the same way, with a blueprint, or PLAN, set for one year, on paper (not carved in stone), with time aligned goals.

      Well, most people need to start even before this, by learning a goal setting method which works. I use the Harvey Brody "view from the rooftop" system and whiteboards.

      The view from the rooftop has one seeing the big picture completed, then using a backward chaining process, takes a person down the steps or rungs from the step off rung to the step up rung at the bottom.

      It is a "flight plan" or a trip tik, a MAP of where one wants to go and the way to get there.

      The plan becomes easier once the goals have been clearly identified, and I think you might be able to relate, as many can, if you don't know what you want and why, if the goal is not clearly established in your mind, then the motivation to keep going can be easily interrupted by shiny objects, greener pastures and faster and easier money (which aren't).

      So, if any of you reading want to have a great year, PLAN for it, then follow your plan, you will surprise yourself.

      gjabiz

      PS. Your plan should include some cash success in 30 days, or you are probably over complicating your plan.



      Originally Posted by cherrytom View Post

      Awesome advice --- thank you! Where I went wrong was in chasing after the next shiny object that promised to make me money, instead of sticking to one thing. After many years of failure and spending a lot of money, I realized I needed a mentor --- someone who would show me what to do and how to do it! There are many mentors, in many niches. I wish I knew someone like you when I started out but, to be honest, I thought I "knew" it all, and I would probably have ignored your excellent advice back then. I would respectfully suggest that all newbies should seek mentoring from either yourself or someone who has specialized in the niche that appeals to them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amazing Money Stories
    Great question.

    I would say try their best to match what they would love to be doing everyday without feeling like its a grind to something that is proven to be a good money maker.

    Not everyone loves video, not everyone loves webinars, not everyone loves social media..so try to be realistic to what you can see yourself doing and it actually feels like fun.

    Of course every newbie scenario will be different.

    Some will have huge resources and some may be financially challenged.

    Your options become more clear and realistic then. You can outsource or you know that you will have to do everything.

    One skill to have is an immunity to shiny objects every single day.
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