#1 “Affiliate marketing is easy! You’ll be making money within 15 minutes”.

Secret: It is NOT easy, and it could take you a hell of a lot longer than 15 minutes to make any money. You’ll read a lot of stuff from people telling you that making money on the internet is very easy, so that you’ll buy whatever it is that they’re selling. Many internet gurus will tell you that it’s real easy, and it’s just not. It takes a ton of work, and many, many hours on the computer. I make decent money, I’m not in the six figures, but I stuck to it, and it’s worked out so far, but it’s taken a lot longer than 15 minutes…

When was the last time that you read that the money that you make (if you make any at all) on the internet will be piddly at it’s absolute best in the beginning? My first check was for $6.48, but that $6.48 told me that there was more to be made. So like I said before, I stuck with it.

#2 “Discover the secrets of…”

Secret: There are so many ebooks out there that promise to “give you the secrets” of everything from how to make money blogging to how to get Google to make money for you. Here’s the scoop; If Internet Guru dude gave all of us his “secrets”, what would be left for him? I’m not saying that he should give us his secrets, I am saying that he shouldn’t say that he’s giving away those secrets, only to water them down with regurgitated, inflated nonsense.

#3 “Drive tons of free traffic…”

Secret: Where to start with this one?

Anytime someone offers to “drive free traffic to your site”, run far, and run fast in the opposite direction. Generally, that “free traffic” is highly untargeted traffic. It’s not the kind of traffic that you’re looking for if you’re going to make any money doing this at all. There’s no such thing as “free targeted traffic”. Nothing is free. Everything costs something. Remember that.

#4: “Subscribe to our newsletter for inside information…”

Secret:..."and we’ll harass you via email ‘til you want to slit your wrists".

I recently signed up for a particular internet guru’s newsletter. Should I tell you how many emails I got from him (or his system) in the 7 days following my sign up? Eleven. I got 11 emails from this person (or his damned system) in the seven days following my signing up for his newsletter. And all 11 emails had one subject; one goal in mind; to sell me his latest program.

Now, if I signed up for his newsletter in the first place, wouldn’t common sense say that I already know about his program? I have since un-subscribed from his newsletter. No more emails. (I should say that they’re not ALL that way, but there are a few...)

There used to be newsletter sign up boxes on my sites. They’re gone now. Those blasted things are all over the internet, and I’ve grown tired of them. If you want to read my rantings on a semi-regular basis, you can read them in my blog. I’m not going to come after you for your contact info, and I’m not putting those damned sign up boxes back up.

#5: “Gigantic red lettering...

Secret:...at the top of a web page means that I’m about to witness something wonderful!”

It is actually the sign that you’re about to be “pitched” and in great, painfully predictable detail. When I see the giant red lettering at the top of a web page, I click away as quickly as I got there. I’m sure that many of you do too. There’s got to be a better way than that blasted enormous red hey-stay-there-while-we-pitch-you-with-our-60-page-“big-top”-program-monologue lettering.

It is entirely possible to make a very good living on the internet. I’m living proof (and there are others) that it can and does happen. There are a few great programs out there, but you have to be very careful when choosing which you want to represent. In my opinion, there are only a handful (maybe 4 or 5) of truly ingenious people out there when it comes to internet marketing. I’m sure that they know who they are…

Carl Manice.

Copyright 2006 Carl Manice All Rights Reserved.

Carl Manice is an ex dry Waller, who began internet marketing when he found himself out of work. He has since been researching the various internet marketing techniques for the past 18 months. He is currently implementing in his own business, the ones that he found actually work. Find out what the biggest internet marketing secrets are at http://www.trytheultimatewealthpackage.blogspot.com/.