What is the most Important Skill to Have as an Internet Marketer.

I think the most important thing is not to lose your focus. Always mantain your focus and be patience and perseverance because you can get distract so easy and also with all the information at the internet or in the forums you can lose your concentration.

Being good at just a single thing won't get you very far if you're planning on doing it all on your own at the beginning. Sure, you could become an awesome copywriter, but who is going to see your sales page if you don't know how to drive traffic to it?

You can start off by trying to learn a single thing, but IM isn't like some other careers where you can learn everything upfront and then get started. It's constantly changing and you have to be able to evolve with it.

I would suggesting starting off by trying to learn about traffic generation though. Without traffic, it doesn't matter what type of website you have or how great it is - nobody will see it.

Tangible skills can be learnt or outsourced -- they are not very important to your success.

I know it's not the answer you wanted to hear but hard work is the answer. All the rest can be learnt but hard work can not be learnt and that's why it is such as deciding factor to your success.

If you studied all of the most successful people and compared them to those not so successful the one thing that would stand out with the successful people is the amount of hard work and determination they have to succeed.

Business acumen.

According to The Financial Times, people with business acumen "...are able to obtain essential information about a situation, focus on the key objectives, recognise the relevant options available for a solution, select an appropriate course of action and set in motion an implementation plan to get the job done. When they discover that changes are required to adapt to unforeseen circumstances, they make the adjustments as necessary and keep the activity moving forward." (For a fuller description, see here: Business acumen ).

Succeeding online isn't much different to success in the offline world. In many respects, it's actually easier. That's why those who've been involved with successful real world businesses are much more likely to do well with an internet venture. But these traits can be learned. If you develop your entrepreneurial spirit, understand the basic principles of business - for example, focusing on servicing the customer rather than obsessing over the latest gimmick, technique or trick that promises to deliver a quick buck for no effort - and realize that achieving anything worthwhile is going to take some time, that would be a strong start.

Individual skills can be developed or outsourced, as long as you have the right business vision. Yes, you'll probably have to work hard, but on its own, hard work isn't the secret. If there is a secret, it's deciding exactly what you want, and knowing what you need to do to achieve it. That simple decision is probably the hardest one for internet marketing beginners to make.


Frank

Hi Madshark,

Adaptability and foresight.

There are no constants except constant change.

Probably mastering really getting to know the prospect you're
selling to and effectively delivering what they want and need
in a way that gets them to buy from you.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

The most important skill as an Internet Marketer is patience.

Far too many people are in this industry to make a quick buck, and they are not patient and end up spinning their wheels until they fall off and then they move on.

If you stay patient with focus and determination, words can't describe the incredible outcome.

As mentioned above, it's about mindset. If you don't have that right you are wasting your time.

That being said, without traffic you have nothing. Learn how to drive targeted traffic to your squeeze page.

Confidence i feel as confidence will help with asking people if you get what i mean.

"Of all of the different skills an Internet Marketer will need to become successful, which one would you say is the most important?

I know this is a rapidly changing environment but Im looking for constants here.

Im sure someone will say "never giving up" or "all of them" or even "just working really hard". I respect those answers, but I'm trying to keep it focused on tangible skills.

In other words, if someone who has ZERO experience whatsoever was to come up to you and ask the question " What is 1 skill I should get really good at first in order to set myself on the right path of becoming successful online" How would you answer that person?

Would it be copywriting? Writing great blog posts? Driving traffic ? Would you tell them to learn all they can about SEO? Or maybe it would be building a brand?

What is consistently the most important skill of IM?"

There are no simple answers because ultimately your drive and determination will create your future outcome.

However if starting from scratch with zero knowledge, the very first thing to do is to get mentoring from a real super guy who not only is making money but has the ability to break all the essential new skills down into easy to understand and do steps.

Dare we now reveal who we know is far and away the best for all beginners, none other than Mr Chris Farrell and his membership. Not for nothing has his website been independently been voted the #1 for the last 3 years on the IM Report Card website.

Another thing we always would advise beginners is to write down their clear objectives. Why do you want an Internet business? What do you hope to achieve and how? How much time are you going to take to achieve your first set of goals? What will you do differently to the competition to set yourself apart from what's already there?

Goals help to keep you focused and should constantly be updated when targets are met or not in in the time frames expected?

That is the very first thing to do before even thinking about how to make money? Better to think how to serve others and then the money will eventually follow.

Our best regards,

Stephen & Jennifer.

learning how to write great copy. essential. I'm still attempting to improve those skills but if i were to do it all over again and was looking in from the outside knowing what i know now, buy every copywriting book you can and read it...Dan Kennedy is on that comes to mind but there are some brilliant people out there that write amazing copy and have great books...

Hi Madshark,
I see your question as hypothetical. The internet business is like any other business. There is no single skill that can make you successful or that is more important in any business or even a profession. An engineer cannot be successful just because he knows Maths. A doctor cannot be successful just by being were grounded in Biology. In professions there are compulsory courses that must be taken and passed while you have elective courses. I don't know that profession that has only one most important course.
I expect that in internet business, a newbie should aim at knowing the basics. You should know how to use the computer particularly the words. Then you can go on to know about domain names and hosting packages. You then have to think of knowing how to choose your Niche and then how to set up a business. The skills are endless but you can outsource some of them. I am not aware of any guru or super affiliates that became successful without out sourcing or having a team.
So what you should have asked is the best quality an internet marketer should possess and not the skill. There is no answer to your question.
The best quality is what you said you do not want. The best quality is intangible and not tangible as you desire.
odohjc

The essential things are...

1) Focus on ONE project at a time. (If you continually chase after "bright shiny objects" you'll never get anywhere.)

2) Learn to drive traffic (and split-test).

3) Everything else -- including page design and copywriting -- can be outsourced.

John

Burning Desire ... not really a skill, but absolutely neccessary to succeed.

Be a doer, be action oriented, positive, never give up (unless your doing something the wrong way) which comes by advice and trial and error.

Not really skills, but if you do not have the above, no matter what skill you have, you will not succeed.

Without a doubt Traffic Generation is one of the first things Id learn also combined with List Building. What I'm about to say some Warriors may disagree with my, But Ya know this is what has worked for me and has the past year and a half since I've went full time.

I wouldn't just drive traffic to a sales page unless you first have them on your list. The best thing to do is learn to drive targeted traffic and then OWN the traffic with your own list.

So what I'm saying is drive them to a highly optimized/split-tested squeeze page for list building purposes, have a nice strong follow up sequence with relevant free training building rapport and relevant offers and that's all you need my friend.

Well you want to send out broadcasts to but that ties into what I posted above.

Mindset!

Witout it you are loosing valuable time for life as it is you that actually create the results! Learn what it takes to get results and the rest will all into place even in IM which is just on option to make your goal happen.

So how to tune in your mind? You were born rich by Bob Proctor on youtube

With IM you got the basics here:

1: Theme for your business
2: A website for your business
3: Marketing of your business

You see the internet is just the tool to get there. With your mind not in tune in how to get the desired results you are lost!

There are many traits and skills you should try to develop, ranging from helpful to critical, if you want to succeed in IM. But in my view, the most important of these is persistence. The willingness to keep at it, for years if necessary, is the only thing that comes close to guaranteeing eventual success.

Best Regards,
Jon

If am starting afresh some of the skills i will devout my time to learning are:

Web Development
Web Marketing (Niche finding, SEO, Email marketing, Adword, Video e.t.c)

Promote Products you would use yourself.
Stay focused and Never Give up.

#1 - Copywriting.. ( by far )
#2 - Conversions.. ( subs into buyers )

-Theo-

The most important skill to have as an internet marketing is to master the art of marketing online. Copywriting comes in at #2.

Not looking for silver-bullet "most important" answers, and realizing that such answers will always be intangible skills that come from lots of work and failure.

Alternatively, not getting down on yourself for seeking silver bullets, but going after them until you realize that SEO/IM requires multiple skills!

Effective communication skills, and the ability to manage your state of mind during tough times

I believe the most important skill to have as an Internet Marketer is the ability to establish relationships with people.

In 2013, people literally do not even know how to communicate face to face anymore! Its all texting, IM, e-mail and skype chats.

As an internet marketing professional you need to be able to talk to people about what they really care about. Provide value to them without them having to pull out their credit card.

I truly believe that people do not buy into an opportunity, they buy into a person. Trust needs to be there. People need to believe that they are not being led astray or being ripped off.

No one is going to follow you or buy anything you are promoting if they think you are an idiot. You always have to conduct yourself professionally, and truly treat people how you would want to be treated.

I get friend requests from people everyday and the first thing they say to me is "hey, check out this link, you can make $10,000 in a week and you will only have to spend $7", or something along those lines. Come on, are you kidding me?

I wish people would focus more on getting to know people instead of constantly pitching people all day. I could never imagine pitching all day because my day would be pretty depressing.

I believe those people who do not have the ability to communicate properly will always fail until they learn this essential skill of just being able to TALK to people. Talk about their interests, find something you have in common.

You really have to remember that these people you are trying to "pitch" are people, and not a walking wallet on the end of an internet cord.

Alright I am finished with my rant.

I think the the greatest skill an internet marketer should have is
the power of persuasion. This is why the top internet marketing gurus
are so successful. They know just how to get persons on there list
to buy almost anything they pitch to them. I think this is the hardest skill
to master.

There is no one most important skill. If you are going to make this work you need a total package of skills that complement one another.

I believe the most important skill is list building.

When i say list building, I dont mean just driving traffic to your list and build it into mega size.

I mean the ability to nurture the list after they subscribe as well so they stay on your list long enough to see your offers.

I believe list building is the most important skill for an IMer.

Be the person doing and learning at the same time instead just learning

oh oh oh! I was just thinking about this to myself lol earlier today, I was saying hm If I had to tell anyone on a daily basis that approached me, what should i learn? I would give them two of the following:

1. Learn To Market
2. Learn Copywriting

Boom Done!

.....Ignoring people who are overly negative and try to bring you down just to make themselves feel better.

Well your only as strong as your weakest link. You need many skills. If all other things are equal then being an expert at getting leads would be pretty darn important.

You never really end up back at square one. I think your knowledge is worth more than your momentum. Eventually you will want to kick back and take it easy.

Sure does have all the earmarks of going the same way as all the other wannabees who ignore the truth and jump on what they want to hear.

Do you remember any of them...don't see them around any more...HMMM?

for me is "think one step further" ... in addition, patience, persistency

Be consistent and patient. Because once you lose your consistency , you lose it all. Stay focused and dont aim for quick results. You got this mate!

Writing.

Copywriting presupposes you can write.

Article marketing presupposes you can write.

Blogging presupposes you can write.

Email marketing presupposes you can write.

Forum marketing presupposes you can write.

Writing, of course, carries the presupposition that you can think clearly, in a way other people will easily understand, and not just make sense to you.

You have to work on your business every day and always be innovating. You cannot just operate in a vacuum. Always be looking at others who are following the same model/system as you. Look at how others innovate in their web layouts...or in their niches....or in their monetization.

Spending 30 minutes every day and brainstorming ideas about how to improve your business will really do wonders. I know many people who go through the motions of their daily tasks on their website and yet aren't willing to step away from the work and see if other things need to be implemented to accelerate their progress.

Patience and mental well being.

Great post MadShark, awesome It's always great to hear others looking and willing to hear information. Honestly brother I would say Self Commitment. You must learn how to be able to fight through the rough obstacles In this Online Industry. You will run across times where you feel you will never make no money, but committing to your self and always moving forward you will get there.

Avoid BSO (bright shiny objects)