How to Start an Online Business Without Complexity and Confusion

No Prior Experience Required

No Prior Experience Required

Gregory Pearce

No Prior Experience Required

Welcome!

There’s a load of information published about doing business online.

Some good, some not so good.

In my nearly two decades online I’ve had heartfelt conversations with folks who have burst forth with ambition and enthusiasm into this profession, and who later had their momentum crushed by ‘reality’.

Why?

Because Digital Marketing is somehow flawed?

No. Because they were misinformed about what it really takes to succeed.

Expectations were way out of whack.

Let me explain.

For example, let's take a deeper dive into Affiliate Marketing.

It's one of the most lucrative categories of digital marketing and most suited for folks who are starting out in business online.

Several skills that are common to all marketing categories, and to be successful in one category like Affiliate Marketing, you'll need to learn those skills.

Two biggest are: Copywriting and Human Psychology.

80% of your success online rests on mastering these two skills.

Then comes a few technical skills and tools needed to launch your offers into the marketplace. These are much easier to learn.

Still, it's a process... it takes time... there's a lot to learn and implement. (like in any other profession)

The beauty of affiliate marketing is that you do not need to create your own products, process credit cards, hold inventory, provide customer service, rent premises, or even do the 'selling' part.

As an affiliate, most of the grunt work that traditional businesses face is eliminated.

This leaves you to focus on one thing...

Marketing.

No sugar coating it.

The problem is that most peddlers of basic online courses won't tell you the full story.

They will gladly sell you the 'easy parts', like the online tools you need... page builders, autoresponder, tracking, etc. which means you're into monthly recurring fees for software and services before you even know what you're doing.

Leaving you angry, frustrated, and out of pocket!

The tools alone will not cause you to succeed.

Having the best product won't bring you success.

Spamming links all over social media won't bring you success.

Choosing the 'right' traffic source isn't the sole answer either.

To succeed, you must learn full-scale marketing.

The whole enchilada.

And that's the reason why most people struggle to make any money online.

It's the 'ready, fire, aim' syndrome.

Guess what you hit with that approach?

Nothing.

At this point you might be thinking...

I rather book myself in for a root canal at the dentist than become a "Marketer". 

After all... isn't marketing sleazy anyway?

Like in any profession, there are bad actors, that doesn't make the whole profession bad.

Good marketing is not sleazy; it's a great service to everyone when done ethically.

Think about it...

Most of the brands you buy and use today, that make your life easier, came to you through marketing.

The house you live in, the car you drive, the food you eat, the clothes you wear, your choice of smart phone, your toothpaste, even the dish soap you use.

These good and useful things came to you through marketing.

Ethical marketing is something to be proud of because it serves people... makes their lives better.

Not so fast.

Anything seems overwhelming at first, if you've never done it - the level of difficulty is less than you might think.

If... if... if...

You learn from someone who has already blazed the trail and can show you the ropes in a simple, structured way. It can be the difference between a shorter path to positive results and a long, frustrating path to failure.

I can't emphasize this enough.

What you don't need is the basic stuff you see rehashed all over the internet.

That's the hard way to learn.

Here's what I mean.

The common path people take to learn about Affiliate Marketing is trolling YouTube.

It's a wonderful resource. I use it all the time.

And you can find a gazillion videos on Affiliate Marketing, from thousands of creators.

But... it's up to you to collate 'the good stuff', flush 'the bad stuff', know the difference between the two, and move forward with a plan.

Good luck with that.

Especially if you don't know what you don't know.

If you're a beginner, you won't know the right questions to ask or what 'the good stuff' really is.

'The bad stuff' will quickly reveal itself in lost time and money.

It's like trying to assemble a 1,000,000 piece jigsaw puzzle... without the picture on the box.

That's a recipe for frustration and overwhelm and a precursor to throwing in the towel.

Don't waste your time, money, and energy learning from people who are just cutting and pasting crap from cheap courses they bought and calling it 'training'. Or making videos of other peoples' videos in the hope they will miraculously go viral and make you rich.

Learn to discern the difference between helpful, authentic content and the echo chamber of doom.

Better still...

Be the difference!

When you learn from seasoned marketers, you get all the best (and proven) stuff up front. If you learn this way, results usually come quicker because there is minimal trial and error. You'll avoid feeling like a lab rat in someone else's experiment.

You'll need to level-up in these three specific areas of personal development...

Mindset
Skillset
Toolset

Entrepreneurship requires that you think differently, that you level up your skills, and that you use the right tools, in the right way, to get the job done.

The greatest investment you can make is in yourself.

Personal transformation is accumulative and permanent.

YOU become your best asset, which almost guarantees your success in whatever path you choose to take in the future.

More personal development means you bring more value to the marketplace, and the more value you bring to the marketplace, the more money you make.

That's how it works.

Don't be cheap here.

Invest in yourself.

Develop real skills.

There are no free lunches.

Strategies change, tactics change, technology changes, social media platforms come and go, but human psychology remains timeless.

Become a master of understanding what drives human behavior.

Speak to their wants and needs in your marketing.

Don't be fooled into thinking that bright shiny objects, hacks, loopholes, countdown timers, fake scarcity, or any other manipulative tactics will serve you in the long game. All that will do is get you a poor reputation.

Be genuine. Be authentic. Be honest.

And above all, keep it simple. Don't over-complicate things. You only need a few marketing tools to market effectively.

Read books written by greats like John Caples, John Carlton, Joe Sugarman, Robert Cialdini, and similar authors on the subjects of influence, copywriting, and offer creation. Using timeless principles taught these giants in your marketing will move the needle, guaranteed.

People are way more sophisticated than you think. Pushy sales gimmicks might get you a few sales, but it won't build you a long term, sustainable business.

It takes about as much time and effort to promote a $20 offer as a $2,000 offer. An an example... if your goal is to earn $10,000 per month, then you'd need to sell 500 x $20 products per month (not likely) versus just 5 x $2,000 products per month to hit that goal. (totally doable)

Is your time worth $20 per hour, or $2,000 per hour? Think about that. Most people undervalue themselves and settle for scraps.

Look for high-value, high-ticket products that have mass appeal and 'buzz' in the marketplace, that make peoples' lives better.

Only sell what people want to buy.

Sounds basic, but you'll be surprised how much time and effort folks waste peddling stuff nobody wants.

Look for a vendor/product that provides recurring commissions.

This means working with vendors that sell multiple products, and when someone you've already referred to them buys additional products in the future - you get paid a commission on those as well.

In the industry, this is called 'lifetime commissions'. Most vendors do not offer this.

There's no marketing hack, sales funnel magic, or clever software that can make you successful if you're not going to do the work.

Tools in the bottom of a toolbox are worthless until they are utilized.

The market doesn't pay you for having the best products, it rewards you for solving problems and serving your customers.

Reading email, pushing paper around on your desk, watching cat pics on Facebook, or bingeing YouTube videos won't make you a dime.

It's going to take hard work and dedication to succeed.

Learn something.

Do it yourself.

Teach others what worked and how to avoid what didn't work.

Repeat.

It's not about being 'busy' and calling that work - it's about being 'productive' and getting results.

You must believe in what you are doing too... this provides the mental rocket fuel you need to push through challenges.

There'll be plenty of those.

4% of your customers will generate 64% of your revenues.

We can thank Vilfredo Pareto for his 80/20 principle of outcomes for those numbers.

It applies to affiliate marketers too.

All aspects of life really.

Remember, most people you offer your product to... will NOT buy. That's normal.

That's why you can't expect to start affiliate marketing today, or any business for that matter, and get rich by the following Friday.

You must persist until you succeed (get the reward)... no matter how long the cycle.

Combine excellent service with dogged persistence and endurance. That's how you reach the finish line.

One savvy Entrepreneur put it this way:

"Don't rush the washing machine. In order to get the clothes clean, it must go through all the cycles".

🙂

When you know the numbers and manage your expectations, you'll be less likely to sabotage your efforts by quitting too soon, only to start all over again with another bright shiny object.

And enjoy the bliss of 'Ground Hog Day'.

Don't do that to yourself.

Don't become the 'master of the restart'... chasing bright shiny objects.

Stop the madness.

Don't believe the 'fast', 'quick', 'easy' marketing hype.

Play the long game.

That's how you win.

If you structure your marketing system correctly, you'll attract the right customers - you won't need to chase them. Think about it... if you're chasing someone, in which direction are they moving?

Away from you, right?

Not what you want.

Don't chase people, learn how to attract and serve them.

Provide value.

Much better.

You will need to predictably and consistently attract new prospects and buyers. Without new prospects and buyers every day, you don't have a business. This is your number one priority.

And... speak only to qualified prospects.

But how?

You filter your prospects through the copy you use your marketing, causing them to self-select. The folks that remain will raise their hands for more information and move deeper into your sales funnel; the looky-loos will withdraw and go back to whatever they were doing before.

Perfect.

Develop an automated system that does most of the sifting and sorting for you.

Take the decision to become a creator instead of only a consumer. Thumbing through endless hours of junk on social media on your smart phone will do nothing for you.

Your choice.

Why not turn what is normally a "thief of time" into a tool to transform your future!

Make the change. 

Create content for others to comsume and build a business.

Start now.

Get laser focused on learning one thing only.

Marketing.

Use it everywhere.

Your dreams are waiting... don't butcher them on the altar of entertainment.

Watching entertainment channels won't pay your mortgage, your bills, or for your vacations... or anything else that matters to you.

If you've read this far, then you're probably a candidate for Entrepreneurship.

Why?

Because most people have long bailed from reading this page by now.

Why? Because there's too much work required.

Yes... work.

It's sounds too hard.

I think it's only fair to paint a clear picture for folks about what's involved in running a real online business... the kind of business that will help fund the outcomes you desire.

Not a hobby.

Is this really a lucrative and rewarding career?

Absolutely!

IF, IF you take it seriously and do the work.

Don't waste valuable time tinkering around the edges.

Don't squander your future.

My goal is to serve you and help you on your journey should you choose to launch your own online business.

I truly hope this short post has given some clarity on what it takes to do online marketing successfully.

If you can commit to launching an online business after reading this page - know that you are part of a small group of go-getters who have already chosen to blaze their own trails too.

I'm ready to help... if that's what you want.

Click the button below...

Disclosure: I am an independent Legendary Marketer Affiliate, not an employee. I receive referral payments from Legendary Marketer. The opinions expressed here are my own and are not official statements of Legendary Marketer or its subsidiary Legendary Marketer Consulting.