The world of Internet marketing isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, it can be a brutally cold one. Believe me, I learned the hard way.

I started trying to make money online when I was 14. Like today, there were a lot of scams out there, and being so young I was especially vulnerable. I wasted hundreds of dollars.

The weird thing was I was a pretty smart kid. I knew the value of a buck. But when I came online I didn't think that "real world" rules applied.

All too often people come online and lose all sense of reality like I did. I see two types of people who fail online.

The first type of person thinks EVERYTHING online is a big scam. They don't think they should have to pay for information in e-books or for tools they will need.

If you have to put money into your Internet business, it's a definite scam. They also may be freebie seekers and try to suck all your time and knowledge away for free.

Don't get me wrong. You should always have your "Scam Radar" up when you're online. But let's think about this logically. Can you startup an offline business without investing any money into it? Even a small family owned business requires some startup capital.

So why would an online business be any different? Starting up an online business is a lot cheaper than starting an offline one, but the same principles apply. This is what economics is all about. People make money by providing a product or service to their customers. It works the same way online.

The second type of person thinks the total opposite. They throw all judgment and common sense out the window and usually dive headfirst into a whirlpool of scams.

They join downline clubs, gifting clubs, "Send $5 to everyone on this list" programs; they usually spam people and end up wasting a whole lot of money. I should know. I used to be a Type 2 when I first started out! I don't know why, but I just figured the Internet was a magical wonderland where money fell from skies of gold. Then I woke up.

Type 2 people give legitimate online businesses a very bad name. In fact, they are usually the ones who turn people into a Type 1! After seeing all these scams, it's no wonder some people look at the Internet as one big con.

Type 2 people usually give up eventually and walk away with a bad taste in their mouth. They also end up looking at the Internet as one big scam.

Then there is a third type of person, and hopefully you fall into this category. They see the wonderful potential of the Internet and online business, but also realize that the same universal laws of business apply. They are willing to learn what works, invest time and money in their business, and be patient and persistent.

I realized after awhile that you shouldn't try to "make money" online. That's too vague. You should start a legitimate business and treat it as a real one. And that's what type 3 people do.

Don't these people make the most sense? They also make the most dollars (Get the pun?! ;)

Copyright 2005 Michael Murray

Michael Murray is a 22-year old full-time Internet marketer and college student with Cerebral Palsy who lives in sunny Orlando Florida. He recommends CBmall for both newbies and advanced marketers as a way to earn some autopilot income. Get your free CBmall Report, "15 Ways this automated system puts cash into your pocket!", by clicking the link below. You don't even need a web site: http://marketlikeapro.com/FreeReport.html