Some great advice for a newbie

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I was talking with a guy who's been doing the IM thing since 1998. He coaches, mentors, has his own web hosting/design company, has affiliates, making money on kindle, and a few other things. I was talking to him today and he told me that if he could start all over again in 1998, he'd focus on only one thing. He's spread thin and has to keep his multiple projects going (he's had for years) to ensure income. He told me his friend started the same time he did, invested his time and resources into one project/site, and now he's making 6+ figures a year. I share this for all you newbies, because if you're like me, you're still trying to figure out "where you belong". Dabble in a few things, find what you like, and start building your empire. Me? I'm a writer. I keep throwing the idea around of writing fiction over and over. Not sure exactly what my niche is, but I'm getting closer. Until then, I'm going to mess with me affiliate site until I have my focus. Hope all of us newbies can figure it out soon. Don't spread yourself out too thin; invest your time in what drives you and success will follow.
#main internet marketing discussion forum #advice #great #newbie
  • Really great post, thanks for sharing! I was similar to the guy you spoke to, a couple of years ago I ran a hosting company, several membership sites, I recorded video tutorials for clients, had a small workshop offline and I worked as a freelancer. While doing all of this online I also worked offline as a manager! How I found all the time to do this I do not know, but it eventually caught up with me and I had to make the decision to simplify my entire online business.

    I do believe it's good to have a few strings to your bow, and I've made some decent money as a freelancer for example, but I wish I could go back and not work as much as I did.

    Good luck with whatever you do, you've already got the right attitude right off the bat! I was a scatterbrain when I got started.
  • I think I figured out my niche and was going to build that one site and monetize it. I thought about several smaller niche sites, but thanks to this post, I'll just focus on the one and turn it into a content-authority site. Thanks!
  • The key is to find a good balance. I know part of the IM business (much like the stock market) it's also not a bad idea to diversify so that you have multiple streams of income coming in, and if one stream dries out, you still have the others to keep you afloat. I, personally, don't like spreading myself too thin simply because if my business starts taking too much of my time away from what's really important to me - my kids and family - then I'm focusing on too many things. But, if you can find the perfect balance of attaining multiple streams of income without compromising your health, family, etc, then you can have the best of all worlds.
  • I'm *absolutely* the guy that has spread himself too thin. I'm working on that now, and getting some focus. Nice post.
  • This is a great lesson to learn. Focus on one or two projects. But this doesn't mean place all your eggs in one basket. It's important to simplify as much as possible, but still have another source of income in case you run into some bumps in the road.
  • Balance, without spreading yourself too thin. And, just like a sports coach...you want to go with the hot hand. When something is working, you want to be prepared to do whatever it takes to milk it!!!
  • Yep, don't dip your fingers into too many pies

    Time management is key in this industry and if you don't focus on your strengths, you will just make it hard on yourself. Stick to something that works and it will pay off.
    • [2] replies
    • The difficulty especially when you are starting out is you don't really have any idea whats going to work so you sort of have no choice but to try afew things till something works, unfortunately this can eat up a lot of time. Best if you are lucky enough to find a good mentor or training program early on to help you avoid the pitfalls.
    • That's so true! You need to have one main focus with a bit of diversity thrown in
  • Excellent advice. I started out trying too many things at once -- now I'm only focusing on one or two methods and working to produce some decent results
  • This is the same point everyone makes to every newbie and it's the same point that 98% of news seem to ignore completely. Just pick something and make it worth rather than going crazy trying to make money from 20 different methods. In most cases, they won't even have the success your friend had. They'll just fail.
    • [1] reply
    • Are you saying that if you are starting an IM business, then you should pick one niche and stick with it?
      but if I am going to build Amazon sites....should I do that as well?
  • Even though I've read, on this forum and others, to stick to one method when you're new, it's so easy to find yourself scattered.

    There's so many interestig e-books, WSOs and tools out there that it really takes a lot of self control not to buy them. Even when you try to stick to one mehotd, it gets difficult along the way and you put in so much time, not knowing if it will ever work.

    I find I am the most vulnerable to shiny new objects when I get stuck on a technical issue.
  • Hopefully I am close to finding my own focus as well. Would like to eliminate half of this crap and get right down to what is the most lucrative!
  • Banned
    using your brain in one side rather than 1000 sides is always. its like magnifying the brain. if you use the magnified brain to one project then you will get success in that project easily.
    its a super truth.
    • [1] reply
    • I have started and never finished many projects. I had success with Facebook and have stuck to that ever since.

      I always think there is room to branch out but it has to be worth my time away from my normal work
      • [1] reply
  • Its great to have multiple streams of income...but master each area first..the problem is people dabble a little bit in one area...oh that didnt work...let me try another....master one area first....once that is good....create another....then you can expand that way.....
  • I love how you ended this quote "invest in what drives you and success will follow". I don't think anyone could have said it any better. There are a number of individuals out there that actually overlook the importance of achieving results with the power of time. What people need to realize is that results come with dedication and results bring happiness. Keep up the good quotes my friend!
  • It is good to diversify somewhat as you find yourself in this industry but you must first find your "niche" learn it thoroughly then move on to another. Be careful not to spread yourself to thin because then you will not be able to accomplish much of anything.
  • Thanks for posting this - I'm a newbie, so great tip for me!
  • Hi All..This make money online business can be very frustrating. There is just soo much out there it makes it very difficult to focus. Pick one thing become an expert share your knowledge.....money is sure to follow. I'm trying to take my own advice!!
  • cheers man! focus on what drives you, then continue from there
  • Thanks for the reminder about the importance of focus.

    For newbies or anyone who wants some help with the refocus process, I recently came across a fantastic post on the forums by fellow Warrior Rod Cortez, an 11-year IM veteran who took the time to share his wisdom and post:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...t-started.html

    If you have never read that post before - I highly recommend.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • yeah...focus is essential when you really want to succeed
  • I'm just getting started and this post is so helpful. I have many ideas, but only a couple of "passions". I'm now going to concentrate on just one of those "passions" until it gets going well, then concentrate on the other. Two authority sites should be more manageable than countless micro niche sites.....

    Thanks for posting!
  • Wow...thanks for sharing. This will help us a lot especially our fellow warriors who just got started. But i think it's just normal to try different things when starting up - just so you can test what's working for you Anyway, goodluck to you!
  • Thank you masca07 for your excellent advice. The Internet world offers such a wide and growing range of opportunities and all their associated business models that one can fall into the trap of becoming spread too thin, or of losing focus, or of jumping from one plot of greener grasses to another. This is at once the beauty and the danger of being in business online, isn't it. So it seems to us that we have to somehow strike a balance between finding and focusing on specializing, yet diversifying in more than one specialty because there is no end to the change constantly coming our way. Change that can wipe out a given source of income almost in the blink of an eye.

    MBDirect
  • Starting as niche website slowing building it as macro website, having good authority is good idea. choosing a niche - passionate about and devote lifetime on research and building site always wonderful thing, no doubt we can earn 6 figure but I feel most get tempted to try different thing and latter get settle down to one avenue.
  • thanks for the advice
    • [1] reply
    • from my experience pick one business model and stick with it, and build on that model and get it to a 6 figure business, then branch out into other business models

      birdi
  • I think the lesson is...how much you can handle at one time. Labor over one thing the wrong way won't bring success too. And too many things on hand, that is beyond your capacity is certainly a recipe for disaster.

    The point is, start a project with the end in mind and not start blindly. What results you want and are you getting the results. Work from there and certainly you'll have good luck + success...
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    Some great advice for a newbie

    I was talking with a guy who's been doing the IM thing since 1998. He coaches, mentors, has his own web hosting/design company, has affiliates, making money on kindle, and a few other things. I was talking to him today and he told me that if he could start all over again in 1998, he'd focus on only one thing. He's spread thin and has to keep his multiple projects going (he's had for years) to ensure income. He told me his friend started the same time he did, invested his time and resources into one project/site, and now he's making 6+ figures a year. I share this for all you newbies, because if you're like me, you're still trying to figure out "where you belong". Dabble in a few things, find what you like, and start building your empire. Me? I'm a writer. I keep throwing the idea around of writing fiction over and over. Not sure exactly what my niche is, but I'm getting closer. Until then, I'm going to mess with me affiliate site until I have my focus. Hope all of us newbies can figure it out soon. Don't spread yourself out too thin; invest your time in what drives you and success will follow.