I am now going to speak frankly and directly about what it takes to make money in an Internet business. Traditionally, that is not done, but I've pretty much had it with some of the 'traditions' of online business.

Many times during my first months on the Internet, I started to doubt whether I would ever make any money at it.

Every time I felt I was doing something that should get results, I'd learn another hard lesson about why what I was doing was NOT working.

It took about 4 months before I saw my first dollars, and even then they came few and far between. It took until my 7th month online before I actually turned a profit for the month. Since, I've maintained a profitable business.

Still, I have further goals to achieve before reaching the kind of money we all dream of making.

However, looking back now I can see just how much I have grown and learned. I was so stupid in my early days. It's no wonder I got little sales. Looking back at what I was offering, I wouldn't buy from me either!

I don't claim to be a 'guru' yet by any means, but I do now know a definite truth about the way the Internet works.

To make money, especially consistent money with repeat buyers, you must have a UNIQUE WORTH.

You have to offer what no one else offers or offer a similar but BETTER product or service than what others offer.

That sounds oversimplified perhaps, but think about it. When you make a purchase, you want to KNOW you are getting the best available, or at least the best available for the price.

That's how you treat other businesses because that's how you have always treated other businesses. You DEMAND a good product or service for a good price, AND you like to get it from where you know you can REGULARLY find the best product or service for a good price.

That's the way you are as a consumer. That's the way ALL consumers are. So, just because you got on the Internet and heard promises of huge, instant riches, do you really think your business is going to be treated any differently?

No! You are just another business in an over crowded setting where regular consumers will blow right by you in search of something familiar with a good product at a good price.

UNLESS, you take hold of your business, PERSONALIZE it to stand out among the crowd, add extra features, group other opportunities to make your business unique, offer a better price on a known product, or create a better product.

Hey, this is what we all expect. That is the way businesses in competitive markets run. The Internet is an EXTREMELY Competitive Market.

You've seen all the claims about how many people are marketing online. You've seen them used as an example of how big your market can be. Well, guess what? That's also how big your COMPETITION will be!

What makes you think you can simply click your way into an affiliate program, slap out one ad, and wind up with a six figure residual income you can go play on for the rest of your life?

Oh yeah, all the ads that said you could, huh? Well, guess what? People LIE on the Internet. Yes, I'd dare say 95% of the ads you see claiming you can make a six figure income are posted by people NOT making a six figure income.

Does this mean it's impossible? No! The Internet is a place of great opportunity. There are huge numbers willing to buy from you WHEN you offer whatever it is those huge numbers believe will be beneficial to them.

That is THE KEY to sales. You MUST offer something of unique worth that will benefit your buyers. From there you can learn how to get traffic to your site. From there you can learn how to write effective sales copy. From there you can learn how to retain customers and get repeat sales.

Until you have that desirable, beneficial, UNIQUE product, service, group of products, or presentation of products, however, sales will not happen.

That's not to say you can't make any money with affiliate programs, but what is it about using the basic affiliate classifieds leading to the basic affiliate web site that is going to make you unique among everyone else?

Nothing.

However, there are ways. Mostly in my articles I talk about running your own business. Next week, though, I'll go into specifics about working affiliate programs and different streams of income to gain profit.

The overall lesson here is a simple one, however. Seek to provide the same kind of quality, unique, worthwhile products or service that YOU demand.

Take a lesson from your own buying habits and apply it to what you are offering.

More related to affiliate program promotion next in this series.

Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters. Publish Your OWN Ezine -- The EASY and Enjoyable Way! *Receive Original, Pre-Written Ezine Issues -- You Publish! *Get Access to Extensive Promotional Resources *Initiate and Keep Contacts, Expand Your Online Presence See it! http://www.netplaynewsletters.com/publisher.html