Making money from Internet : Myth or Fact ?

There are many online business opportunities available on the internet and the majority of them are scams. There are some good internet businesses but it can be difficult for somebody looking for an online opportunity to ascertain the ones that work from the myriads of get rich quick schemes.

Do not be fooled by all the schemes that advertise get rich quick schemes with only a few hours of work each week. In reality an online business is just like every other business in that hard work, long hours, determination to succeed and perseverance are required.

Here are typical headlines that one sees when searching for an online business opportunity:

"I made $35,000 last week and I only worked 5 hours!"
"Work Online from Home and make $20K a Month - 100% Proven & Guaranteed!"
"Make $1,000,000 in 6 Months - The Easy Way!"

Do not be taken in by these headlines. If it was possible to make so much money so quickly and in such a short time would they actually reveal the secret to you for "Only $229"?

And why is that they only have limited opportunities available at this price? "BUY NOW" they scream as "THIS SECRET IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A SELECTED FEW!"

So how does one find the real gem from the millions of opportunities currently being advertised?

The following guidelines can help when checking out the business potential of any internet business:

Are real products being sold?

I am amazed at how many businesses purely make money by recruiting more people who recruit more people without any products being sold. Stay well clear of these types of businesses.

What is the market for the products...

and just as important the competition?

If the market is as large as it is claimed to be and if every man and his dog are selling the same products, you can bet your life that it will not work for you!

How many people are making money doing this business?

Is it possible to speak to them? You do not want to speak to somebody a million miles away who possesses lovely pictures of his Lear Jet and his fancy yacht! Is there somebody nearby who is running the business successfully?

Where are the headquarters?

It is a good idea to never buy a business where the headquarters are situated in a country where there are no clear business regulations in place. Better still only talk to businesses that are located in the same country as you! It is far easier to then sue the business for fraud if that is what actually happened.

If the people marketing the online opportunity do have the right answers for each of the above questions then it is now time to get expert advice from an experienced accountant who has knowledge of the internet.

Do not use a rookie who has just qualified from university but has no real business experience! If the (experienced) accountant agrees that it is a viable business opportunity then you have possibly found the right business opportunity.

It also makes sense to speak to other successful business people when evaluating any opportunity. If you do not know anybody, then blog about it on business forums like Ecademy and analyse the responses carefully.

It is possible to make a decent living if the right internet business is chosen followed by some serious effort and determination. Starting a new business is not for the faint hearted but can make more money long term than working for others.