Copyright © 2008 Willie Crawford
Thousands of aspiring Internet marketers come online every year, filled with hopes of earning a full-time living from the Internet. They learn HOW to actually accomplish that, yet they never reach their dreams.
Many get so close, and yet they are stopped by ONE thing.
They are stopped by an insidious poison that is so subtle that it kills all chances that they have of success in a way that leaves them with a smile on their faces.
That success killer is a "class of poisons" called "The Value Vampires."
Value vampires are people and things that allow you to gradually master a valuable skill, and then act as if that skill has no value. It's people and thoughts that cause you to undervalue things that you create.
Symptoms of value vampires operating in your universe include:
STOP for a moment and examine what you're doing!
You're undervaluing your unique knowledge, experience, and skills. You're concluding that because what you're sharing is actually easy for you now, it can't have any real value.
After acknowledging what's keeping your from actually earning a living from sharing your knowledge and skills, you need to ask WHY you behave that way.
If you are like many Internet marketers with a wealth of valuable information, but aren't earning a decent living from it, the problem is very likely caused by value vampires that you can readily "identify."
These are people that you interact with everyday who tell you "point blank" that you should give away your hard work.
They imply that it can't possibly have any real value.
They subtly hint that you should feel guilty having the audacity to charge someone for your ebooks, audios, videos, teleseminars, and even LIVE events.
At the same time, these value vampire consume virtually EVERYTHING that you produce. They value what you produce enough to ask for a steady supply of it, yet lead you to believe that it has no value.
Do you see the inconsistency?
I'm not implying that you need to charge for everything that you produce and share.
I AM pointing out that if you've been in business online for years, know how to do lots of things, and teach others how to do lots of things, and you're still struggling, you MAY be a victim of the value vampires.
I AM pointing out that if people are constantly asking you for files that you create, then they're confirming that your "output" has real value, and that you should probably be charging for some of it.
Step back and examine your online activities today. Ask yourself if you are falling prey to "the value vampires." The first step to protecting yourself from them is learning to recognize them.
After recognizing the problem, the next logical step to finally building a profitable online business, is treating it like a business. Ask yourself if you'd behave the same way if your products were meals in a brick and mortar restaurant.
Now that you've become aware of the Internet marketing value vampires, the only reason you need be victimized by them is that you enjoy it :-)
About the Author:
Willie Crawford is an internationally-acclaimed speaker, author, seminar and radio show host, and leading Internet marketing expert. When not out fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, Willie can be found sharing his 11 1/2 years of online marketing experience with members of The Internet Marketing Inner Circle. Join them today at: http://TheInternetMarketingInnerCircle.com
