It seems that virtually everyone has the same story. The story of trying and trying only to get deeper into debt, the story of hiding what they were doing from their friends and family for fear of ridicule, and the story of thinking “YES this is the one” with every new opportunity they undertake.

So why is there so much failure in the Internet Home Business industry?

Well, whether you’re trying to be an internet marketer, involved in a network marketing company, learning to invest in real estate, affiliate marketing or you’re involved any of the dozen other “home business” type opportunities out there; I’ve found that there are 2 primary reasons that most home startups dont succeed.

Reason #1 – Personal Responsibility

I am a huge believer in personal responsibility. The truth of the matter is that I didn’t make any REAL money until I stopped blaming others and started taking personal responsibility for my life. The thing you have to remember is that taking responsibility is a “get to” and not a “have to”. Here’s what I mean…

Do you HAVE to be a home business entrepreneur? No, of course you don’t. You made a conscious decision to pursue this endeavor because you decided that you wanted more out of your life than the daily 9-5 grind. But, when it comes to making results happen, most home business entrepreneurs generally don’t want the responsibility. We end up saying to ourselves, “Ah… you mean I have to do this?” or saying, “What!!, you mean I have to do that!?!?”

My response to both of those previous statements is… “NO” – you don’t have to do anything. But… you GET to do those things and you also GET to reap the rewards of doing those things. You see, because you chose to be a home business entrepreneur you GET to have more control over creating your life. In order to be successful you’ve got to get to the point where you enjoy taking actions not because they are inherently fun, but instead because taking those actions will result in you having the type of life you desire…and that’s the fun part!

I don’t HAVE to write this article… I want to! And it’s so much more fun when you GET to do what you WANT to do. The trick is to associate massive pleasure with the actions that will get you the desired result. As I write this article, I’m thinking about all of the amazing things I’ll be able to do with the freedom I have created in my life!

Too often we blame our failures on the programs we join rather than taking responsibility for our own results. The REAL truth is that the #1 Reason most people fail in home businesses is because they don’t stay committed long enough to make success happen!

Reason #2-Not Having Your Expectations Set Correctly

Now that you’ve been reminded of the fact that YOUR success is ultimately YOUR responsibility AND that the achievement of your goals comes down to taking action and being persistent; let’s shift gears for a minute.

If the purpose of this article is to define the reasons that most people fail in home based businesses, then we must realize that a good portion of the large failure rate is due to the fact that…

Most home business opportunities do a horrible job of setting proper expectations for those who choose to get involved.

As I am writing this, there is a copy of a popular “Home Business Opportunity” Magazine sitting on my desk. While reading through this magazine, I came across dozens of opportunities that seem very simple; at least at first glance. One opportunity in particular claims the following: “Make $30,000 Per Month By Simply Returning Phone Calls!” WOW – What a seemingly great opportunity! But the trained entrepreneur knows better than to believe something like this at first glance.

Before I tell you why this opportunity is not as simple as it appears to be, let’s understand the fact that the only reason I know this stuff is because I’ve learned things the hard way. If I hadn’t responded to a gazillion ads like this in the past, I’d be foaming at the mouth for the chance to be part of such an amazing opportunity.

First I can pretty much guarantee you that the amount it costs to join something like this is at LEAST $1,000 - $3000 dollars (way out of the price range of many home business entrepreneurs).

Second (assuming you have the money to join) you’ll have to have a way for people to know that they have to call you. This means having your own voicemail, and knowing effective ways of getting quality people to the voicemail.

Assuming that someone calls your new voicemail system, you’ll now have to call them back and “sell” them on the opportunity. But wait a second!!! The ad didn’t say anything about being a sales person or figuring out how to get qualified prospects to call you.

Now, let me be fair and say that this company MIGHT have some solutions to these challenges; but the fact still remains that you’re going to have to talk to someone to find out… AND… doing business like this is certainly not the image that popped into your head when you first read the advertisement.

Incidentally, many of the other ads in this particular magazine claim to have “Automated Systems” in place that will do all of the work for you. But, I can tell you that it is certainly not the case!

The bottom line is simply this…

Your chances of failure are increased exponentially if I tell you that all you have to do is ABC, and then (once you’ve paid your money to get involved) I share with you the fact that you’ll also have to do D through Z.

Remember, D through Z is NOT what you signed up for, and therefore, you will be internally opposed to actually doing the work that is necessary to see the kind of results that were promised to you!

A major key to success is understanding exactly WHAT you’ll have to do and HOW to do it BEFORE you join an opportunity.

Ask yourself these questions before you join any opportunity…

1. Do I have a solid understanding of WHAT needs to be done in order for me to start seeing results?

2. Do I have a solid understanding of HOW I am supposed to accomplish the thing(s) that need to be done?

3. How was I introduced to (and sold on) the opportunity? The reason this is important is because there is a solid chance that the way you found out about the opportunity is the way that others will find out about the opportunity from you!

4. Assuming you understand what needs to be done and how you’re going to do it, ask yourself this… Are you comfortable and confident in your abilities to immediately and consistently take the appropriate actions?

So make sure you think things through before you decide on committing yourself and then once you do just keep taking consistent action until you see the results you want.

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You Work For It…

Everyone wants to know how to make money, whether  rich or poor. Well, there are as many ways to make money as there are people or  sand on the beach. Stop and take a look around you. Go to the supermarket and see how many different products are being sold. Then log onto your computer and go online and see how many products or services being sold there too. Then go on a vacation and see how much money you end up spending on souvenirs. Then check your bank account and see where all your hard-earned money is going: rent, groceries, mortgage, tuition, loans, that new shiny car, you name it. People are selling all sorts of things in this world and people are buying them, and then they’re making money. People are charging rent and they’re making money. They’re offering education and getting money. They’re offering hotel suites and making money. They’re selling shiny cars and making money.

So it’s not really how to make money that people want to know. They want to know, how to make money easily? How to make money fast? Yes, there are ways to make money quickly and easily but it’s not that simple, or there wouldn’t be many people wondering how. You can win the lottery. You can make a youtube video that becomes famous and make money off Google ads or products. These things are possible, but you might not want to count on it. Most things in this world aren’t free. You don’t get things without giving something first. You want to make a lot of profit? You’re going to have to lose some money first, whether it’s through investing or spending on the means you’re going to use to increase the funds coming your way.

You need money to make money. So many people come online and look for the perfect software that automates wealth or push button technology and are willing to believe the lies being told that without thinking will spend 47 dollars on a useless E-book or 97 dollars on some software that really isn’t going to be used. The people taht make money off of people’s greed are the shysters.

Then there are those who make money by informing themselves, investing in products and services that work, promote products or services that provide real value to the market place and put in the sweat and hard work, day in and day out.

It’s not the answer you might want to hear, but making money is probably going to take hard work and time. Success isn’t something that people just fall into. (That would be an inheritance.) People succeed through their hard work and efforts. Don’t depend on those ads that ask for 10 dollars and lead you to believe that you’ll earn 10,000 by the end of the month. Take it into your own hands to make it happen. And use your God given brain too. A good idea can go a long way and manifest itself in millions. Or maybe the solution is right in your midst. Those electronics you don’t use anymore? Sell it. That empty space you have out back? Rent it out. Youtube on your computer? Make a video.

Or join my course in affiliate marketing, where I take you by the hand (not literally) and teach you great tips and strategies on affiliate marketing,

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Why Join An Affiliate Network

Affiliate marketing can be a lucrative business if you promote quality products. Instead of wasting your valuable time and effort searching for these quality affiliate programs, take advantage of affiliate networks instead.

An affiliate network is a website that acts as an intermediary between the producer of the product and the promoter of that product.  It allows advertisers, or producers to have access to thousands of publishers, or affiliates. Essentially, affiliate networks are a one stop shop that allow users to search for the ideal product to promote.

As an affiliate, once you find the product you are interested in promoting, you can apply to the program, right from the network site itself. Each product owner has its own set of standards for approving affiliates, and the terms will vary depending on the program.

After you are approved, you can start promoting the product.  All of your transactions are handled by the affiliate network. When you make a sale through your affiliate link, your money will be deposited directly into your account.

If you are an affiliate marketer, you may be promoting multiple programs and products.  After awhile, it may be difficult to keep track of all the transactions. An affiliate network is simply more efficient by having your links, stats, promotional tools, and sales located in one central account instead of being spread throughout the multiple affiliate programs.

An affiliate marketing campaign requires promotional tools such as a variety of banner ads and links. You may also want to have access to statistical tracking, including conversion and click rates, to see how successful the product is with other affiliates.  Many times, programs that are promoted through affiliate networks provide these tools as well as the analytics on a company or product.

Once you start promoting the product, you will also be able to track the stats on your own campaign. These tools are valuable for an effective marketing campaign.

As you research affiliate programs, familiarize yourself with the various terms of service for the advertiser and also for the affilate network. Some programs will have very strict rules, especially when it comes to PPC (Pay Per Click)marketing.  It is essential that you understand these terms.

Properly using affiliate networks will save your time and effort, which in the end will be beneficial for your affiliate marketing business.

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For an affiliate marketer, customers are the backbone of any successful marketing campaign because without them, there simply will be no profits.  As an affiliate marketer, reaching out to your subscribers and providing them with valuable information and product updates is a crucial part of your success.

Affiliate marketing can be very profitable and one of the most powerful tools that contribute to that success is your opt-in mailing list. The popular saying, “the money is in the list,” is part of any successful Internet marketer’s mantra.  Including mine I should say but not every list or subscriber is created equal.

A mailing list can have hundreds or thousands of subscribers who have opted-in because they wanted information about your niche or product.  By giving you their email address, they grant you permission to send them emails periodically.

This list is valuable for your business and should be handled in a responsible manner. With the ever-changing spam laws, it is important to use your mailing list wisely. Since the subscribers on your list submitted their email address, it is not technically defined as spam mail, but they can just as easily unsubscribe if provoked. Send out promotional emails in an appropriate manner without flirting with the spam line.

Using an autoresponder, like AWeber, is the most effective way to manage your list.  Your subscriber list is a cornerstone for future business and extends an excellent marketing tool.  When you obtain a new subscriber, they should be looked at as a potential customer. Even though you can easily reach all of your subscribers with the click of a button, treat each prospect with respect.  This is even more important when prospects turn into customers.

Don’t just send repeat sales pitches without ever offering any valuable information for free. You will only lose subscribers that way. You must continually build relationships with the people on your list and constantly sending worthless products, cheesy sales pitches and hoping for money is not the way to do it. When you do send a promotional sales pitch, after all that’s why you have a list, be sure it is for a product you believe in and is relevant to your subscribers.

One of the reasons why my subscribers trust me is that I treat every single one with respect. I always try my best to steer them in the right direction in affiliate marketing by providing information that they will find valuable and applicable and I never, ever promote a product or service that haven’t experienced myself.

Giving away valuable information relevant to your niche is the easiest way to gain trust with your subscribers. There are many ways to accomplish this including product news, market updates, free reports, and special offers. These marketing materials are also a good way to get more initial opt-ins.

Your auto-responder program can be loaded up with a series of  helpful information that your subscribers will receive automatically.

With a little work up front, and consistent marketing, you can gain a very large list in no time. If used wisely, your list can end up being a passive income for your affiliate marketing business.

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