So, you got online, heard about all the millions of people online and how you can make money in your sleep and thought, "Cool, I'll quit my job and make a bundle and I can retire early." Now you've been faithfully working at it for 6 months and somehow you haven't seen those mega checks going in your bank account. Did you make a huge mistake? Should you have stayed at your 9 to 5 job? Was it just the mega scam of all time or a bunch of hype when they told you you could get rich?

Don't panic! No, it was not a scam. You really can get rich working online. You really can make money in your sleep.

So, why am I not rich, you ask. I work hard every day, you say. Yep, we all do. But you see, the fallacy in what you were told was that it was EASY to make money online. Listen, work is work. Building a business is hard work. A business doesn't take off and build itself without someone actively promoting and continually working on it. It is especially hard to do online because of the fact that you are not "there" to personally shake your potential customer's hand and let him/her get to know you and see that there is a real person behind this business and because it's easy for your customer to forget all about you. Now, since there is nothing you can do to change those facts, what are the answers?

Work harder! Here are some facts:

1. It will take more traffic to make that sale than it would if they walked into your non-virtual store.

2. It will take more advertising to get out the word that you exist, because you are NOT going to have drive-by/drop-in traffic!

3. It will take longer to build your business than you thought it would. It will take a shorter time than it would in the non-virtual world, but it will still take longer than you thought it would.

4. Most people quit just before they are about to attain that success they were looking for.

5. You are continually led to believe that it's easy to build that business. This is the way advertising works. Believe that it's possible, but not easy.

6. You hear about how this person got over 200 signups to his downline in less than 24 hours and all he had to do was send out a few advertisements. Maybe true, maybe not; but if it is true, did he say how many of his signups are working and actually making a difference? Did he say how much money he is getting from his signups? In other words, you only hear the good, not the bad - of course, that is the way of advertising too.

7. You hear you can build a business with NO SELLING. Untrue! Don't believe it! You HAVE to sell to build your business, whether it's a product or signup or anything. If you sit and do nothing, your business will sit and do nothing. Even if they are helping you build your downline, you HAVE to work at it too if you want it to build into a business that really will support you! And you have to work to be supportive of your downline if you want them to become a profitable downline for them and you.

8. You hear, "Put your business on automatic." It's true that there are certain things you can use online to automate certain parts of your business. For example, when a customer goes to make a purchase, he clicks to buy and the buying part is automated. You can automate the thank you that goes to him after he buys. But if you never give your customers a way to truly reach you, how many do you think will buy from you? YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE SELLING THAT PRODUCT ONLINE. You have competition! Who would YOU buy from? The one who gives you a phone number, physical address, email that gets personally answered, or the one who sends you an automated reply every time you try to ask a question?

9. You see people signing up for this and that and the other and never truly expanding and working on any of those great opportunities. Don't take on more than you can handle well!

10. Don't copy the word for word the advertising businesses give you as examples. Why? Because your ad sounds just like the others. Learn all about that business you are promoting. How can you promote it if you don't really know what it's about? Once you learn about it, you'll have enough knowledge to do your own ads!

11. Stop taking the easy way out all the time.

12. Don't think "in a box". Think out of the box. For example, if you see something you'd really like to sell, see if it will work with the businesses you are already involved in. If it will, you can not only use it to help you with your own businesses, but you can also promote it in that way too. When you promote something, think of what would appeal to you about the product if you were the one looking for that product or business. If it appeals to you, chances are it will appeal to others in the same way.

13. Don't expect miracles - not from your traffic, from your advertising or from your signups or downline. YOU are the one who has to work. You can motivate and teach, but you can't MAKE anyone else have the drive that is necessary to make a booming business. Do the best you can to help, but in the end, it's YOU who has to work to build your own business. If YOU make enough sales, it won't matter what your downline does or doesn't do!

14. And this is probably the most important one of all: THINK FOR YOURSELF. Don't fall for everything you see and read. Use your intuition - we all have it. If it "feels" wrong, don't do it - maybe it just isn't the right thing for you.

Now, get out there and get to work and make that successful business dream a reality!
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Pamela Geiss is the owner of LotsaPerks.com. She specializes in providing ways for businesses to advertise online and offline. Sign up for her free newsletter and get tips on what works online. http://www.lotsaperks.com