One Man’s Internet Marketing Adventure

I began this venture eight years ago. I bought five websites at a seminar. I was in over my head financially and desperately searching for a source to supplement my income. I am an emotional person so I really was, caught up in the hype. Give it all to me was my response. I bought everything they would sell me, after all, I am a hard worker, and I would do it. I really swallowed it “hook line and sinker”. I spent $5,000.00 for these sites. My first Internet Marketing experience.

I worked hard as I could. I began making birdhouses, and they sold like hotcakes, on eBay. It became a real full time job. In the two-years that I maintained that website, I sold two birdhouses from there. I never did develop the other sites, a total loss. I did not understand the time that was involved in the effort. The birdhouses really did well though, thanks to eBay’s Internet marketing. Divorce ended that experience, four hurricanes and financial stress taking their toll on my wife. That is another story.

I took almost three years off the Internet. I settled back with my now ex-wife and did well in a sales manager position, until the economy dropped out from underneath me. I found myself back in a strangely familiar position. The ex-wife and I are sitting there one day talking and she suggests that I do something like I did before. That was all it took. I searched and found my next “guru”. This time the cost was only $29.95 for one email; then, declined to spend anything more, the last “sting” still fresh in my mind. However, I am thankful for that experience, the catalyst that has led me to this day, eventually.

I developed a website. I taught myself to write code (html) and then entered college, learning much more to bolster my computer abilities. Internet Marketing is different from face-to-face interactions and I worked and worked making very little money. I took every free thing that I could; seminars, webinars, tutorials, and 7-day trials became my daily existence, determined to succeed in spite of those that did not believe. I saw success but not near my financial necessity.

Finally, after two years and a renewed ex-wife status I burned out. Enter “guru” number three. I was desperate to increase results. I borrowed $100.00 that I could not repay, trusting what I was led to believe. I found myself with a promise of success with their Internet marketing tools if I continued to pay $100.00 every month. This is when I decided half-truths are complete lies. Back on the free “bandwagon”, but with increased knowledge.

Well, I may be gullible at times but I am not stupid and I am a vicious worker. I found the missing pieces to the puzzle and things started going well. The hundred dollars were chalked up to a cheap education and I began seeing things change, with no assistance from any “guru” autopilot software but my own Internet marketing methods. The fact is, it was the decision at the start; since, I have no money to invest I need to invest my time. I have thousands upon thousands of hours invested. Today, I maintain six websites that contain over 500+ pages for a total cost of $3.88 per month, and it can be a hundred sites if I wish. Free is king!

I tell this story because it left a “bad taste in my mouth”. My sales experience had a familiar taste as I was told; if I was honest, I would never be successful, before I assumed the manager position proving that wrong. I believe that honest people should be given an honest opportunity. Why do these dishonest people survive? I really do not understand. To prey upon those chasing a dream in the hard financial times in which, we are living I find unconscionable. If I were told from the start that it would take the effort that it has, I would have pursued the Internet marketing adventure, for I want the dream. Nothing has or will stop my progress. However, I am angry with those that “have”, preying upon those that have not. Honesty, truly is the best policy, and half-truths are complete lies.