Four myths of Internet business
After some really hi-fi philosophical thoughts on various online subjects, I thought it wise to land softly on mother earth rather than falling with a thud with a gross reality check. So, what do I have to say about an internet business? Much too much has been said and written on the subject and there is a sneaking suspicion that something is drastically wrong with what many internet gurus have to say.
Myth no 1: You can make millions just by becoming an affiliate
It is stuff like this which makes people wary of the internet. Frankly, such tall claims would be called frauds if they were played out in the real world rather than the virtual. But to my great surprise many of us fall prey to such claims and shell out our hard earned money in the hope that we would become millionaires. Let’s face it. There is no way one can earn millions by investing a couple of hundred bucks. That too in a month! I am not suggesting that you can’t make big money on the internet, In fact , I feel that there is serious money to be made out there . But the ground reality is that you have to work towards it. You must plan and then invest your time, effort and money (in that order) to reap the benefits. Faster you get rid of the ‘get rich quick’ phobia, better it will be for you. Don’t look to make millions – be modest and practical.
Myth no 2: You will start earning fabulous money within a couple of months
Another one of those false promises – one month or even two are simply not enough to create a business, either conventional or online. I know that many of us are desperate to earn and earn fast. Those of us who have lost their jobs and are running out of time for making mortgage payments start clinging to hopeless hopes. When there is nothing happening after that promised month, we get more desperate. This has happened to so many of my friends and business colleagues that I consider it to be the biggest menace- that of a one month time table. It is a pity that rationality totally deserts many of us at a time when we need to be practical. Internet business is like any other business. It has to be nurtured with patience. I would recommend a time frame of six months to even a year before you start getting reasonable returns. But one thing is for sure. The internet can turn out to be a gold mine, if you dig deep enough and for long enough time.
Myth no 3: Internet marketing means easy money
Once again a serious flaw in our thinking. But who can be blamed if we start believing that passive money will flow into our bank account once we shell out a few hundred dollars from our kitty. I am incredulous when I see such bogus claims being made on the internet. The passive money thing is a big fraud. These so called internet gurus have twisted and contorted the meaning of passive money altogether, to the extent that the phrase has lost its mooring. If you want to become an affiliate please do so. If you want to sell your services on the internet, you are welcome. But don’t think you can put it on auto pilot. You have to keep working on your internet business every day – day after day. There is no easy money to be made here.
Myth no 4: Internet means you must be tech savvy
This one is the worst of all myths. I know some brilliant guys who have excelled in their field but are so scared of the internet that they keep away from it all. There is a popular belief that only the geeky types can make it on the internet. But that is not true. Internet is like any other medium. You don’t have to be a Bill gate to use the internet. In fact, if you concentrate on your product or service and leave the tech stuff to others, you are likely to be more successful. It is like building a house. You need not be a civil engineer to construct your house. The same goes for your website. You can hire excellent developers and designers to create your website. It is what you do with the website or what you sell on it, which is important.
People who know how to leverage technology and use it to promote their products and services will eventually succeed in an internet business. Planning and perseverance are factors which will determine how much money you make from an internet business.
Internet retailing involves so much more than offering items for sale and optimizing each page. In many ways, a successful retail eCommerce business requires the same attention to retail fundamentals as any other retail business. It’s a business, after all!
Internet Business will grow in the years to come as more and more people get online. I also invested in an online store.:`~