Does that sound familiar? Once in a while I like to highlight some of the great discussions that go on in our forums. The question was asked by work2befree, a relatively new, but very active and insightful member of our site.

She had first started out online in 2003 with an affiliate website, but couldn’t get it noticed so she gave up. She tried again in 2006. This time she was going to use a blog to market the affiliate links (which most are doing these days). On top of this, she was also taking a course from a guy who was offering to teach others how to become successful like he was with affiliate marketing.

Again she abandoned this initiative due to a lack of success and started with something new. This time it was working.

What is the Secret?

What was she doing differently that made it work? As many of our members suggested, it is a combination of factors. I’ve plucked out a few key points that I think all internet marketers would benefit from. If you’re interested in making money online or operating a successful blog, these will apply to you.

1. Build a Marketing Plan

Without laying too much corporate jargon and MBA fluff, here’s the essential pieces of any marketing plan for a business:

• define your objectives – What are you ultimately hoping to achieve? List your goals that any marketing activity might support.
• identify supporting activities – Exactly as it says, line up essential activities that will support achieving your objectives
• measure-analyze-measure – Set out some key performance indicators for what ‘good looks like’ for each of your supporting activities and measure them separately. Analyze performance and make necessary tweaks, and finally measure again – this time against your initial objectives

2. Dont’ Expect Too Much Too Soon

Those new to Internet Marketing are usually drawn in by pictures and promises of fancy cars, big houses, tropical villas, and big money. Developing a customer base, website traffic, and a solid business doesn’t happen overnight, and it can be easy to overlook that fact when you’re taken in by a clever sales pitch. Go into each and every opportunity with the idea that you will succeed. Just get it out of your head that you’ll be in your first Ferrari by the end of the month.

3. Don’t Give Up

When the going gets tough, the tough get going (i think that’s how it goes). It has been documented that most abandoned online businesses and blogs often occur when the owner is on the cusp of achieving a success. If you want to be good at something you need to practice. Unless you’ve exhausted all possible resources (including asking for help in forums like ours) I’d say you’re giving up without giving yourself a chance. If you legitimately followed #2., you won’t end up in this predicament anyways!

What are your keys to success?

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