Confessions of a Six Figure Professional Blogger

#1 “Secret” To Making Money Online

December 15, 2009 | Making Money

I get a little tired of this stuff. I really do.

I’m almost hesitant to even use this as a headline because it just furthers my point. But, this is the very subject line I got in a recent email from an internet marketer.

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My readers know that I am always a straight-shooter. So, let’s just deal with this.

THERE IS NO SECRET.

If there is anybody who hasn’t made any money yet, but yet keep surfing the net, reading blogs and buying products, well guess what? THAT’S the reason you’re not making any money.

The “secret” is taking action. The people who are out there searching for a secret are the people who are trying to make it without taking any action. It won’t work. You might as well believe in the Easter bunny because it is about as workable.

Every single tactic you could possibly think of when it comes to making money online comes down to this simple 2-step process:

  1. Build up traffic.
  2. Sell them something.

See, it is simple. However, it obviously entails strategy, tactics, and ACTION to bring it to fruition.

Those of us who do make money online already know this. But, some marketers continue to appeal to the bottom feeders who don’t want to do anything yet want to have money just show up at the door.

This marketing will always work, I guess. But, you, as an enlightened reader of my blog (yes, I’m kissing ass a little), you know better.

There is no secret. Only tactics. And none of those tactics will work if you don’t take action on them.

Know and apply this and you’re already a huge step ahead.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like...

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  2. Talking About Making Money Online In Order To Make Money Online
  3. What Are Your Biggest Challenges To Making Money Online?
  4. How Long Does It Take To Start Making Money Online?
  5. Quick Start Guide To Making Money Online

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  • Motivation is a big key to that "success". Sometimes what sparks motivation is money.

    Invest some of your hard earned money in your business and that can help with motivation.

    Do what you love, but do it in a way that gets you to your goal.
  • This subject line always works for people who are new to internet marketing.

    When I say 'works' means, it makes them open the email and click on whatever links it contains. Its an attention grabber and its only through experience can one accept the fact that in the end there is no great magical secret. Its really about working hard on what works for you and yes of course taking action in the right direction.
  • David, what a refreshing post. When I think it's going to be so complicated, what a blessing it is to read that we merely need to take action -- build traffic and sell them something. It's so simple. Of course it's not easy, however -- it's hard work! But it's nice to know that there is not some secret we must go looking for, with hundreds of schemes and gimmicks to wade through until we find the answer. We just need to take action on building up traffic to our blog, then create and sell our product(s). What a refreshing idea! That helps me keep it simple and real, and lowers the anxiety level in this whole blogging thing... :)
  • Love it. The secret isn't too secret, is it? Put eyeballs on good copy. Collect money. It's true whether you own the product or if you're an affiliate.
  • Great post david and you got a good point Sarge!
  • I enjoy all the advice David. Always look forward to receiving your emails.
  • This sounds like it means that I'm going to have to do work!

    But yeah, totally agree. I follow a lot of people where the hype is just a little too much for me right now.
  • Hit the nail on the head there, David. The secret is taking action. I think those looking for the 'secret' are the ones looking how to get rich quick. It doesn't happen. Getting rich requires some hard yakka!

    How many hours a day do you REALLY work?
    Note: Spending time staring at the computer screen does not count as WORK. Did you actually make something happen, are your goals getting reached? Is your task list complete? Or are you going to put it off until tomorrow, and repeat?
  • Sarge, excellent points. Paying attention to your task list and making sure you complete it is a good thing. Spending hours on the computer doing activities other than those tasks you wrote for yourself, even if they be important activities, is a big time waster, bc it doesn't help you to succeed. I have to keep an eye on this. Thanks for sharing this helpful info.
  • kensummerlin
    I appreciate your honesty and straightforward answer to the "making money on-line" question. Do people who blog just for the sake of blogging ever make money doing it? I'm one of those. I have a blog and write for just the pure joy of blogging. I don't have a product to sell but rather a perspective to share. I'd like to actually make a little money from it but I want to know if that's realistic.
  • If you build up a lot of traffic, then perhaps you can make a little money with ads. But, a real income comes from treating this like a business. The key (and what I do) is to make it a business that I enjoy. Best of both worlds. :)
  • Unfortunately, there are many people waiting for someone to tell them the secret to make money online. That will never change.
  • Yes, it only gets to those 2 things. Currently I am working my butt of to get more and more traffic to my very first and very noobish blog (click my name to see it), and I've learned more from my 3-4 months efforts trying out dozens of tactics to get traffic to it than I have learned from all those expensive ebooks I have bought so far.

    That is why I even started it, I grew tired of "get rich quick/overnight" schemes, but they didn't make me quit, they gave me more motivation, so I made a 180% rollover and now I am working for my first 100$ adsense check!
  • So true. I'm just writing a case study of how my wife took her blog from zero to a (just) full time income in one year.

    It's a long document, but it boils down to this:

    She built a big audience (by working like an absolute dog at first)
    Then sold them stuff
  • Mike, I'm 6 months in, long ways from full time income, so I'll be really interested in reading this case study. I'll get on your list if I'm not already.
  • Thanks Dave - should be ready in a couple of weeks at the most. It will be a free report - it's been fun documenting it and should be a good read.
  • Mike CJ, I'd like to read the report also. Oh yes, I'm already on your newsletter list. Perhaps you'll mention the report in there. At any rate, it does come down to what David said -- build traffic, sell them something. I can do this...
  • When I read the title I thought "not again!", but I completely agree with you. I'm on stage one, as you already know. I'm working my face off to build traffic. I have other income from my niche websites so I'm not in a huge hurry to monetize, which I think works to my advantage. So many people are money-hungry these days and it is rather offputting ;)
  • Making money on line is not for everyone.
  • lol you tell them David.. this topic has been covered soooo many times in the last few weeks, yet people don't get it.

    I can tell people there is no secret, that hard work each and everyday is the secret yet thay wont listen

    I can then tell the same poeple that hey "I got this super secret tips and tricks to build your blog traffic and make money online",, and they will believe that faster and easier then the honest truth,, it's silly.

    The reality is people are lazy and want the quick fix at everything in life. They will believe a lie over the truth as long as the lie fits what they feel and want in there heads.
  • jeanjp
    100% agreed. I started out blogging recently and only came to the realisation that it is hard work making any sort of money. I think at one stage my adsense and affiliates were standing at a couple cents.
    Hard work and dedication, and of course action as you say
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