Can You Really Make Money Online?

By Denise Hall (C) 2003

The internet is a vast world of information, products
and services for everything imaginable. Can the
average person truly become financially successful?
How do you even begin?

First, find a service or product that interests YOU.
If you believe in what you are doing it will be
reflected in your business promotions. Never try to
sell something that you wouldn't buy for yourself.

If you don't have a product of your own there are
plenty available for you to purchase online with
resale rights. Be careful here, though. There are
plenty of scams available, too! Always do your
homework and check out any program before making a
purchase. When in doubt, use your instincts to guide
you. If it seems like it's too good to be true, it
probably is.

But doesn't it cost money to operate a business?
That's the advantage of the internet. It costs much
less to run a home based business on your computer
than it would to open up shop in a "real" store or
office. It's also much more convenient because you can
work around your other activities.

I recently surveyed many people who operate internet
businesses and asked how much they've spent on their
programs and advertising. Most have spent less than
$50 to start their businesses and between $20 and $50
monthly for advertising. That's certainly very low
cost! Some do everything for FREE!

After choosing your products or services, how on earth
do you promote it? The internet has millions of
websites. It's easy to get lost. Research is the key
to answering this question. There are many places to
advertise for free or very low cost. All you need to
do is look around the internet.

Join safelists and newsgroups, such as Yahoo and MSN
groups. They are completely free of charge and
normally allow daily advertising. Keep in mind that
you must join groups whose purpose is advertising
business opportunities or products. Don't join a craft
or cooking group and try to advertise your business.
That's considered SPAM.

Subscribe to every ezine and newsletter you can find.
Many offer free weekly ads to subscribers, as well as
low cost paid ads. According to those who answered my
survey, the best results come from ezine advertising.
Why? Because they have targeted audiences. This has
also been my own experience. However, most of us also
use safelists and/or newsgroups.

Tip: Don't use ezines just for the free advertising.
They contain a wealth of information to help you start
and build your business. After all, that is their
purpose! And I've found the publishers to be wonderful
people. Very helpful! Don't be afraid to e-mail them
with questions.

OK, now you have your products and you've found places
to advertise. How often do you advertise? How do you
write your ads? Once again, research is the key. See
what others are doing by reading ezines and messages
posted in groups and safelists. If you find it
difficult to write your own ads that produce sales,
you may want to invest a small amount of money in an
ad-writing service. Many business websites and
ezine publishers offer these services.

Persistance is of the utmost importance when promoting
any business. Advertise, advertise, advertise! People
are skeptical about purchasing a product or service
from an unknown person or company. You must get your
name out there for the world to see! Daily advertising
to as many places as possible provides the best
results. So grab a cup of coffee after dinner, sit
down at the computer and ADVERTISE!

Take advantage of all the free publicity you can find.
Many ezines will publish your profile or biography
just because you subscribed. At the end of your
profile you can add a signature file. Readers feel
they know a little bit about you and they are likely
to visit your website to see what you are offering.

Now to answer the question which is the subject of
this article. Can you really make money online? The
answer is YES! If you want to get rich quick, rob a
bank! But if you want a true business be prepared to
work for it. Internet marketing is no different than
any other business. If you want to earn a living
you'll need to work.

In the grand scheme of things, putting in some time
and effort to build your business can be very
rewarding. It's a great way to earn a second income
and possibly replace your current job. Just ask the
numerous people I surveyed who have done just
that!

Thanks to all who helped with my research for this
article. Good luck to all of you, as well as the
readers, in your business ventures!

About the Author
Denise Hall is the owner of Home Business on a Budget which
specializes in tools and resources for your home business
needs. Visit http://www.home-business-on-a-budget.com today.
Get weekly articles, tips, information and resources here:
http://tinyurl.com/4f9k8

------------------------------------------------------------
This article may be reprinted in its entirety with this
resource box included.