What do you think is the no. 1 most important skill to be successful in Internet Business?

The ability to create your own business and not rely on other people to tell you what you should be doing - or why.

effective communication.

The ability to find a hungry market.

I don't think there is one most important skill, since most anything you're not good at can be hired out.

If I have to pick one it wouldn't be what most people would think of a skill (such as copywriting, web design, getting traffic, etc.), but something more like the ability to take action or adapt to changing conditions or something along those lines.

A business plan does nothing by itself- I'd say most people I know making money online don't really have one.

The ability to build relationships

For me, the most important part in IM is the ability to communicate effectively, and know how to make a great relationship

The ability to take action....

my $0.02 anyway.
--Jack

I second the ability to action, and taking on going action. Number one for sure.

#1 Skill = Not to think of it as Internet Business

Can I change my answer.

I thought about it some more and decided........

None - There is no essential skill to being successful with an Internet business.

There are so many ways of doing it that you don't have to be clever, educated, rich, or anything else - you can pick a model that fits you.

So there really are no particular skills essential, and if you pick a model that requires skill - the ability to outsource might be the best skill you need.

Andy

The same thing it takes to be successful online is the same thing that it takes anywhere else. Offline, parenting, relationships... actually I believe there at several major components to being successful at anything.

Faith
Perseverance
Committment to being a lifetime learner which includes acting on the new things you learn throughout your life.

persistence

Persistence is #1.

However, I believe firmly in running a strengths-based enterprise, so I suggest that the road to success can be a smoother one if you pay close attention to the principles of Marcus Buckingham. Identify your strengths and focus on them, then find (or hire or pay) others who are strong where you are weak in order to put together a winning team.

All the skills in the world will do you no good if you can't treat it like a business...If you can't be at home and still work like you are in a office...forget it. Most people fail because they can't keep that mentality I think. Because if you can keep that mentality...it is impossible to not make money online.

I would say knowing what you are doing is the most important thing.

I know hundreds of people who have spent so much money buying all kinds of tools, tracking systems, etc but don't know how to use that data to make money like crazy.

Buying tools is not bad, don't get me wrong, but using them right is where the money is. People who make tools like these are at a certain level and can look back and think, if I had this when I started, I would have made it big, but they can say that because they have been through the grind. Those who have not, don't understand the value of those tools ...

I helped a friend who manages Advertising for a Dental Clinic. He spent $32,000 on PPC (Adwords alone) since May 2008 - Sep 2008. And he had bought some nice tracking tools before even he started. I sat with him for a few hours, took all the data he had, implemented and got his campaigns down to $1500 a month with the same growth rate of traffic coming to his landing pages, more conversions than before. USE WHAT YOU HAVE AND MASTER IT.

So the money is right there, before you start looking for what else can I get, think about what do I have and how can I use it.

Actually the number one skill you can develop is...

Speed Of Implementation.

discipline... I believe it would be discipline.

How many people never get anywhere due to lack of discipline? Jumping from one scheme to the next without finishing the first?

Dennis

By far the most important skill is to know how to get your wi-fi signal connected to your paypal account while staying at Hotel Atlantis....

.....overlooking Paradise Island in the Bahamas

I think one of the most important things is the ability to take action!

Ok, here's what I came up with at 1:53 AM EST

1 - A Positive Mental Attitude
2 - ability to learn
3 - common sense
4 - basic sales skills (copywriting, etc)
5 - intestinal fortitude ( cahones )

There's a ton more, but those jumped out at me
and now I'm going to play some Call of Duty 4
on Xbox Live.

Hit me up on there if you want to get knifed ;P

my gamertag is jaydinner

Staying focused and on track. Especially on the net, it is extremely important to avoid distraction.

persistence, persistence and openness to success

For me, the top skill would be the ability to build and generate trust. Build trust with clients/affiliates/peers. Generate trust when you deliver what you said you will.

Simple.

Traffic & Conversion

master these two and you'll always have food on the table IMO

Without a doubt the ability to take action (as many said before me). Without that you can never have anything no matter how great a product you have.

This thread can be turned into a product - if you noticed that then you are entrepreneural minded

I´m a little stubborn,

that helped a lot

#1 Taking Action - If you're not making money this is probably why!

#2 Effective Outsourcing - If you get this concept down from the get-go and start training your own virtual assistants you'll make it for sure...I'm lazy, so I pay other people to work for me...that's how you GROW, AUTOMATE, and INCREASE your income each month. Of course, you have to make a little money first so you can train them, but it's not hard "hey, write a short review on xxx product...hey you, get me links from xxx.com...hey you, here's $3 to spin these articles...etc. "

You can either be the 'boss' or the 'working horse'...which is why I love paying $3-$5 for an article that's going to make me $20. What a S-T-E-A-L

Building a relationship with your list of subscribers. Giving them great information for free, that is what builds trust. Have them want to come back again and again and eventually they will buy whatever it is you are promoting in your niche.

never give up
1stn4most

Maybe my answer will not count as I still consider myself as a newbie, but I think it is- MINDSET and your ability to take action now and learn from your mistakes! You can learn all the skills, but you need to have the right motivation for that.

Hi... for me, the most important skill is "COMMUNICATION SKILLS"... Internet Business involves content writing and link building, if you are no good in communication, definitely, your Internet Business just can't work. Are you familiar with Search Engine Optimization? It is a process of improving a certain web site's traffic and page rank of which involves writing and linking. Aside from that, COMMUNICATION SKILLS are also needed in SEO Marketing. This is the big thing about communication skills.

determination

Thats what makes the difference. If you're determined enough you can accomplish just about anything.

commitment and creativity

Business is same as SYSTEM. And a system can't walk well if one of their part not work. So, to be successfull you must make all parts doing well. Right..!!

No 1 skill has to be finding out what your potential customers are willing to buy.

Regards Ian

My answer might sound dumb, but I think none.
I dont feel that any one thing is the most important.
There are many many keys to IM and there are many components to IM.
I dont think it would be safe to say that any one thing is the most important.
To have a long term successful IM business there are many things that must take place and many skills that must be had.

For example you can have a great product but without traffic you still wont make any money. And by traffic most often it does not ALL come from the same place!

I would say focus, whether an IM biz or offline, if one is trying to do too much, going after too many segments, etc. then a great idea can fail, with focus, your subconscious kicks in, the 'time vampires' can't stop you...and your energy then becomes powerful.

I'd have to say "salesmanship". If you know your market, how to talk to them, and how to compel them to buy ... things become much simpler.

Think about it. By learning the hidden questions in your prospects mind, you can ...

1. Write articles, press releases, and PPC ads that arouse curiosity and get people to click thru.

2. Create compelling, irresistible copy for your blog or website that truly motivates and drives your readers to buy. (Even seemingly negative copy that creates emotion will sell.)

3. Write enticing, persuasive emails to your prospects or existing customer lists that generate easy, instant sales every week.

4. Create no-brainer JV proposals that get accepted on the spot.

And the list goes on and on. IMO, learning how to sell or persuade is the single-most important skill you can master if you want to start a successful business (online or off).

~Jeff

Well Terry,

What's your answer?

My dad taught me (a long time ago) that driving a long distance is not about quick bursts of speed, but consistency. I believe the same holds true in IM, find what works, then STICK WITH IT... Too many times (and I'm guilty) we get caught up in what the latest and greatest is, when if we'd just stick with what we know, in the long run we'd be money ahead.

Focus, focus and focus. You're not going to get anything done if you can't focus.

Mindset, without the proper mindset, you are doomed from the start.

Copywriting. You can't sell without GOOD copy (unless you're selling Cold Water in the DESERT).

When I was growing up, mom's would always say mind your P's and Q's. As a business owner I mind my P's and R's.
1. P3 Principle - Persistence Produces Progress. Period
2. Repitition Returns Results.

When you find what works for you...keep doing it!

In my opinion, for any business to flourish,it is the passion to work towards

what you really want to accomplish.

As in anything in life I would say ATTITUDE AND ACTION. Believe you can do what you want, and take action... Nobody will do it for you.

Strategy is very important in the internet marketing world.

You have to have your campaigns carefully thought out on how you are
going to get your prosepect into your sales funnel and then take them through the funnel at increasing price points.

Does this make sense to you?

The ability to take actions , no matter how good your strategies are or copywriting skills or plans etc... if you didn't put it into actions ... well you know the rest :d

Malik

One word:

Persistence.

Create your own identity and provide top rate material. People will buy from you on the basis of your name being one they trust.