Section One: Developing the Right Mindset of a Successful Internet Marketer

While there are ways to self-teach yourself about how to be an effective Internet marketer, it is important to realize that you must get yourself in the right frame of mind if anything you learn is going to be of any help to your new career choice.

As is true with so many things in life, attitude can be the difference between a happy and successful Internet marketer and someone who adds one more example of failure to a long and growing list.

To that end, one of the first things you should do is develop a mindset that is positive. You will want to apply this approach from the moment you choose to begin learning about the concept of marketing on the Internet.

Telling yourself that there is nothing that you can't learn to do and do well is the first step in creating the right approach. You will find this level of confidence to be tested from the very start of the process, so the sooner you develop this sort of "can-do" attitude, the better off you will be.

Unless you already have a marketing background, chances are that as you begin your studies, you will come across terminology that you are unfamiliar with.

For people who already doubt their basic ability to learn new things, this can be the obstacle that derails them before they ever get started. However, if you simply remind yourself that there is nothing you can't learn, this will be nothing more than a small speed bump on your way to success.

Instead of despairing because you don't understand a word, stop for a moment and use your access to the Internet to look up the meaning. Many search engines allow you to enter a command of "define" followed by a keyword or key phrase. This will allow you to find quick definitions for the word, and also provide you with links that go into more detail about the concepts and applications that are connected to that word.

Remember that you are not engaged in a competitive race. If you need to spend an hour or so researching marketing terms, then take the time and do it.

Getting comfortable with the lingo will only make it that much easier for you to read and assimilate the information that you use as part of your self-training process. You will thank yourself as you resume your studies and find that technical terms are no longer slowing you down.

Along with learning about Internet marketing, it is a good idea to get acquainted with basic Internet tools as well. There is a world of electronic marketing tools that are available today. Some of them are free, while others cost very little. There are some basic things that any Internet marketer will need to know and learn about using these tools.

Learning before you go out and start assembling the tools will help you keep the right attitude for two reasons. First, you will be able to side step grabbing the first tools you see and holding on to them as if they were the Holy Grail of marketing. While there are a lot of great support tools and software on the market today, there is also a lot of junk. Take a deep breath and step back for a moment.

Remind yourself that you are in an investigative mode. Make note of tools that pique your interest, but don't leap on them until you have learned more about Internet marketing and how to apply the tools. Then you will be in a better position to evaluate what value, if any, a particular tool has to your marketing model and plan.

Second, you do not set yourself up to fail before you even begin. Like the old saying goes, "too many cooks spoil the broth." Engulfing yourself with a bunch of tools in a random fashion will only serve to confuse you and scatter your attention from your goals. Keep focused, keep moving forward. This will prevent you from getting bogged down in details that are not yet essential for you.

Above all, it is absolutely necessary that you meet every challenge with questions about how to turn the situation around and make it into an opportunity. Remember every challenge or problem is nothing more than an opportunity in disguise.

There will always be challenges, but an individual who is dedicated to the concept of becoming a top notch Internet marketer will see these situations as stepping stones to success, rather than a brick wall that cannot be climbed.

One thing to realize is that no matter how positive you try to be, there will be days when it seems like nothing you study is making sense. Recognize that you will have those days, but also remind yourself that every successful person from the beginning of time has also had them.

When you feel the frustration level rising to the point that it threatens to undermine your positive mindset to your marketing studies, it is time to take a short break. Push back the chair, turn off the computer, and get out of the house. Go to a movie, take a walk, have coffee with friends. The point is to change your location, the view around you, and the focus of your attention for a short period of time.

Giving yourself this short break will do wonders for your cognitive abilities. Chances are very good that when you return to your computer and pull up your study documents, things will make a great deal more sense.

Remember that you can be whatever you want to be. All you have to do is take the time to equip yourself with the knowledge and skills you need to reach your goals. This may not happen overnight, but if you keep your chin up, work hard, and assimilate what you need, your confidence in your ability will grow and you will get where you want to go.