From the time that I first started looking
at internet marketing, I had questions.
– How can I make money on the internet?
– Where can I go to look for ideas?
– When is the best time to start?
– What do I look for in a money-making idea?
– Who can I work with to make money?
All these are important questions (and
there are many more for each of those
words), but I have found you need to start
with the most important of all, Why.
Before you embark on this journey, Why are
you here doing what you do? Discovering
your why is very important. Your why is
what drives you. It’s what keeps you
going when you want to quit. Your why
also shows in how you interact with
people, how you market, what you market,
and honestly, everything you do.
Ask most people who are getting into
internet marketing why they are, and you
will get one answer rather consistently
(not always, but very often). To make
money. But, is that actually why? It may
be a reason, but it is not most peoples’
actual why. Think about it this way: If
you get more money, will you be happy?
Unfortunately, in many cases, it results
in a craving for more money.
Money is a tool. It allows you to do
things, It allows you to get things. I am
not saying money is bad. It is little
green and white rectangular pieces of
paper with dead presidents on it. It is
neither good nor bad. How you think about
it and how you use it is what is good or
bad.
So, if money isn’t really your why, what
is? Well, to find your why, you have to
ask….. Why? Why do you want more
money? What is it that money will do to
make you happy? Below are some
possibilities, but you have to answer the
question yourself. Is it one of these:
– to spend more time with your family?
– to travel
– to help others
– to do more with your church
– to do volunteer work
– to teach others what you know
– to work with youth
– to be a mentor
The possibilities are endless. Your task
is to find your why. Even if you think
you know the answer, ask again: Why do I
want to travel? Narrow your why down to
its lowest level. Once you can’t find
another why, you have either found your
real why, or you have realized you need to
go back and check your answers! If that
last why doesn’t feel right, it probably
isn’t really your why.
Once you know your why, use it! Let’s say
your why is to teach others what you know,
and the why to that is that is makes you
feel good to see others learn and grow.
Let that play into everything you do.
Make it part of your marketing, in what
you choose to create, to promote and to
sell.
If your desire is to help others learn,
are you going to promote any product that
gets thrown your direction? No, you are
going to promote products that help
people. When you answer was to make
money, that answer would be totally
different.
Your why should also show in your story
and in your marketing. Your story should
reflect and explain your why. Your
marketing should be in tune with your
why. If you know your why, it all becomes
easier. When you are in tune with your
why, things just align better. It will
show in your posts.
So, before you start asking Who, what,
where, when and how, just ask yourself
why!
