It has been said that God feeds the birds of the air, but He doesn’t drop it into their nests. The food is out there in amazing and unfathomable abundance, but they have to go out and get it. They have to go look for it, recognize it as food when they see it, capture it, and eat it. They have to be able to know what is good to eat and what isn’t. Bugs and seeds are nutritious and good to eat. Dryer lint and broken glass are not. Some of that knowledge is pre-programmed instinct. Some of it is learned. The bird works long and hard for its food, often spending most of its day doing little or nothing else. If the bird is a parent, usually a mom, then it must also bring food back to the nest for the children. Even though it might appear that the children just sit and wait for the food to be dropped into their mouths, closer investigation reveals the intense competition for the food. The baby with the biggest mouth and the loudest chirp gets mom’s attention and therefore the food. In some species, the oldest and biggest literally shoves the younger and smaller out of the nest, thereby removing that source of competition forever. Those who work the hardest survive; those who kick back don’t.

So it is in the world of internet marketing. The opportunities are out there in amazing and unfathomable abundance, but you have to go out and get them. No one is going to drop riches into your lap (or laptop!). No matter how much you might want to believe it, you cannot sign up for some “join free” program and then just sit back, do nothing, and watch the money pile up in your bank account! Think about it for a minute. If everyone joined for free and then did nothing, where is the money going to come from?

There are many legitimate programs and opportunities out there, and many of them invite you to join up for free. That’s good, because it would not be ethical to take your money in order for you to find out what they are about. So don’t be put off by the “join free” offer; just don’t expect miracles if that’s all you do! In the world of internet marketing, you need to be able to recognize hype and worthless fuzz from legitimate solid opportunities. Some of this will require common sense on your part. Some knowledge will have to be acquired by reading and reading and more reading. Birds need to avoid predators such as poisonous snakes, bigger birds, “foxes in the henhouse,” etc. You need to learn to avoid internet predators whose only goal is to move money from your bank account to theirs without giving you anything useful in exchange.

When anyone starts up a business, there are costs involved. These might include such things as rent, utilities, inventory, personnel, etc. With traditional “brick and mortar” business, the cost can be overwhelmingly prohibitive. Some of these can be reduced or eliminated if you are the only person involved and you work out of your garage, off your kitchen table, or whatever. However you still are investing time, effort, and if you are making and/or selling something, you invest in inventory. If your business involves a service rather than a product, there may still be inventory and personnel involved. Think maid service or day care, for example. No matter what, there is always your time and effort. It takes that four letter word, W-O-R-K.

When you start up an internet business, you usually work from your own home on your own computer. So far, so good; no additional costs here. However, you still must advertise and/or market whatever business you are in. Amazingly enough, even though nearly every “brick and mortar” business has a website, there are people who sign up to join an internet business opportunity who balk when it comes to having their own website to market their business. Perhaps they think the cost is prohibitive, or they think they have to understand html or something. But registering a domain name (you know, www.whatever.com or .net or .b)