Sunday, February 28, 2010

Beginners' Internet Marketing Tips - Defeating Internet Marketing Information Overload

Beginners in internet marketing face a steep learning curve. There can be numerous ways to perform any single task. Mentors and coaches all have their own favourite methods, and the beginner is faced with having to make many choices.

On top of choosing tools, beginners at internet marketing have to find their way around various teaching programs. They will be bombarded with recommendations from internet marketing coaches and gurus. The list of choices to be made seems endless. Beginners in internet marketing will have to overcome all kinds of obstacles when they want to start learning how to make money online. Most internet marketing beginners eventually come up against the same problem.

The problem is commonly called "information overload". Nobody thinks of taking precautions against information overload until it's too late. Fortunately it is easy to diagnose the condition.

To learn how to defeat information overload, just read the following tips.

The way to diagnose information overload

Diagnosing the condition is easy. The tell-tale symptom is being plagued by a feeling of certainty that you brain is melting down. You might argue that nobody actually knows how that feels. There has never been anyone who survived brain meltdown.

That is perfectly correct. However, when the feeling strikes, you will recognise it. You will be working as hard as you can to get to the top of the curve but will have the sensation of sliding downhill. The amount of new things you need to learn becomes overwhelming.

Information overload is one of the top reasons why beginners at internet marketing give up without giving the business a proper try.

Causes of information overload

When you begin learning about the subject of internet marketing, everything you come across is completely new to you. Of course, internet marketing has things in common with other businesses. For example, think of a retail store. The online marketer and the store owner both need to find stock, they both have to advertise and they both need customers if they are to make any money. The ways in which they are similar can easily be seen. It is the ways in which they differ that cause the problems for beginners. The problems stem from learning how to do things.

Continuing with the retail store example, how do you display your merchandise online where there is no shop window? Beginners at internet marketing will have to solve many questions like this. The fundamental cause of information overload is not that there are too many questions. The root cause is that there are way too many answers. The precise difficulty is that solutions are being offered by so many people. A lot of confusion falls on beginners because people will be giving them the answers to problems they haven't had yet.

On top of all that, the people offering the answers will all be trying to convince you that they hold the best solution to any question the internet might be hiding.

How to deal with information overload

The most effective way of defeating information overload is not to let it take hold in the first place.

Your first step is to make a plan. If you have already detected signs that information overload is starting to affect you, take at least two whole days off. Don't be tempted to check your email; don't even look at your computer.

My own experience tells me that you will not want to take time off. You won't want to stop working because you still have an unbelievable amount to learn. You will be afraid that taking time off will mean you will be left behind in the internet marketing race.

You won't get left behind at all. Taking a short break will refresh you; you will work so efficiently you will soon be ahead in the race.

Planning to succeed

When you are a beginner at internet marketing, your first attempt to devise a plan will be sketchy, but you can improve it as you get experience. You will be aware that you know very little and need to learn a great deal about internet marketing. You want to sort out a timetable for your working day, so that you know what you need to do at any given hour. Make sure you don't waste any time. Perform routine daily tasks at set times.

Set aside some time each day for "unforeseen issues". Don't be in a hurry to bend the rules imposed by your schedule. Keep to your schedule; don't let anything sidetrack you. Keep focused on the job in hand. If you see something potentially of interest, put a link to it in your bookmarks to look at later on. These are the "unforeseen issues"; you have a set time for dealing with them. When you have shaken off the title "beginner", you will have fewer "unforeseen issues". You can then reallocate that time.

When you are a beginner you will need the extra spare time built into your schedule.

Choosing an internet marketing coach

Rule 1 of internet marketing is to be in control of your business. That means you don't want to get involved with any program that promises you a ready built marketing website. Don't be misled by the phrase "turn key business"; you won't be in control of the website.

The membership fee for these programs is usually rather high when you consider how little the program provides. You won't be able to customise the website. It is, in fact, nothing more than an affilite link. Affiliate links are available for no charge online.

The main value of this type of program lies in the training they offer. The quality of training is variable, and you would be better off joining a dedicated training program where you can learn how to develop your website.

The best way for beginners to learn internet marketing is to enrol in a step by step course. Don't be fooled by "gurus" who promise overnight wealth. Internet marketing requires work. The key to making money online is to work consistently.

No comments:

Post a Comment