Former U.S. president, George Bush Senior told the following story during a broadcast back in 1989...
A young boy and an old man were walking along a beach. As they walked, the boy picked up each starfish he passed and threw them back into the sea. Confused, the old man asked him why.
"If I left them here," the boy said, "they would dry up and die. I am saving their lives."
"But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish," the old man said. "How can what you're doing make any difference?"
The boy looked at the starfish in his hand, threw it into the ocean, and answered, "It makes a difference to this one."
How does that relate to Internet marketing?
Our quest into the world of making money online can often be like that walk along the beach. The starfish lying on the sand are the tens of thousands of people who, wanting to start their own business, have bought into some hype, and joined schemes and scams that have absolutely no chance of working for most of them.
These starfish... these people who have bet their lives' dreams, and often life's savings, on a poorly conceived, over-hyped "business opportunity" strike me as starfish stranded on that beach. They are so close to the ocean, - to proven online businesses they can own, and yet they need a little help.
As a consultant, and someone many people come to for solutions, I see too many who have bought into a "packaged deal" that includes everything from a complete turnkey website to guaranteed traffic. In theory, all they need to do is turn it on, and it will spit out dollar bills.
The dream of an instant, foolproof business is simply very, very appealing to some. We all know that if it were THAT easy, everybody would be doing it. Still, we like to believe that it is... just maybe... possible. It's sort of like playing the lottery. We know our chances are one in one hundred million of winning, but maybe... just maybe...
Back to that walk along the beach... You can actually earn a decent living online being that boy walking along the beach. You save these starfish, one at a time by showing them what really does work online. You see people wasting time and money on some business concept that is failing them, and you do the kind-hearted thing. You gently show them the errors of their ways.
Many will still stubbornly hold on to the scam they have bought into, and continue trying to make that work. Their chances of ever making a dime are less than average. They are still looking for the easy, no-effort way, that doesn't exist!
Some will notice that YOU are earning a living online and want to know how you do it. That's your invitation to show them what has actually proven to work for you. That's your green light to throw them back into the "Internet marketing ocean" and give them another chance at success... a much better than average chance because you teach them how not to wash up on the shore again.
One term we see used online frequently is six-figure income. That threshold has a magical effect with many because they have difficulty achieving it. You can easily achieve a six or even seven-figure income online. All you have to do is help others the do the same. They will happily pay you for your help. Help someone to earn $200,000 a year and they won't mind paying you handsomely for that. Teach them the proper way to do it and they will be forever grateful to you.
Now that you know the key, there's only one thing for you to do. That is to get started. If you don't know how, that's simple too... let those already doing what you want to do teach you. One way to do this is to join me at the Internet Marketing How To Workshop for a tremendous start. The workshop is taught by 11 people who "save starfish" all day long. It's April 30th - May 2nd, 2004. Sign up now at: http://InternetMarketingHowToWorkshop.com
Copyright 2004 Willie Crawford
About The Author
Willie Crawford has been teaching others how to build an on-line business since late 1996. Frequently featured in radio, magazine and newspaper articles and interviews, Willie teaches the average guy what the top marketers are doing but seldom talking about. Willie provides detailed how to information in his newsletter, through his personal coaching, and at his annual how to workshop. Learn more at: http://InternetMarketingHowToWorkshop.com