I've been involved in internet marketing for the past six months and I'm amazed at what I've learned. In that short time, I've learned enough to add real value for people and be able to confidently coach and guide them. In this hub, I'm going to share my key learnings with you so that you can accelerate your own learning curve.

Some quick background. I got started in network marketing over 5 years ago and I honestly thought that sharing my business (the best thing since sliced bread, right?) was going to help people.

Now I did pretty well, with around 200 people on my team. But something never felt right. I was passionate about the company and the products but not about the business. What I didn’t understand at the time, was that it wasn’t the network marketing industry I had a problem with, it was the way the industry conducts itself.

I knew that calling cold leads was not a targeted marketing strategy. And I absolutely hated approaching family and friends. And there was no way I was going to approach people in the grocery store or at the gas station.

So in the summer of 2008, I took to the computer to do some research. I wanted to see if there was a smarter way to do this business. I spent months searching around, and had all kinds of people pitch me, court me and spam me.

I finally came across Ann Sieg’s 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing. You might have heard of it. You might have even read it. The first time I read it, I was turned off. I thought it was some kind of scam to get me to sell something. Then I read it a second time and I decided to take a different perspective. There was so much valuable information in it, that I chose to take it at face value and open my mind to learning from it.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am that I made that decision.Ann Sieg opened up the door for me, and thousands of other network marketers and entrepreneurs, to stop chasing after people, but rather use the Internet to attract qualified people. It is called attraction marketing, and it involves providing valuable information and resources that help your target market solve their needs.

For internet network marketing success, your role is to become a solutions provider and attract people to you by providing value. You can then develop business relationships with the people you attract, and as we all know, relationships are an essential part of the marketing process. Another thing that got me excited was that I found there were many opportunities to monetize throughout this process so that you can fund your business growth. You do this through affiliate marketing, providing people with business tools they need to build their own business, rather  than trying to pitch them on buying into your business.

Attraction marketing made a lot of sense to me, but I knew I couldn't figure it all out alone. I invested in some excellent internet marketing training programs that really accelerated my progress. Again I did my research to make sure I was finding programs that were truly beneficial and good value.

Here are five key things I’ve learned in the past few months:

1. Attraction marketing is a legitimate way to build a business online. The key to attraction marketing success is to come from an honest place of wanting to help people by offering valuable information and support. No hidden agendas. Just open yourself up to meeting people, sharing what you can, and offering genuine support. The rest will come.
2. Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize. The people you will meet online are trying to build a successful business, and to do that, they need certain business tools. If you can genuinely refer them to programs, products and services that offer good value, then it is a win-win.
3. Education is key to success. People are going to be attracted to you because they see you as someone who can help them achieve their goals. You don't have to have all the answers, but if you try to fake it 'till you make it, it will show. Invest the time to educate yourself and get some internet marketing training (and to learn how to further shorten your learning curve, see below).
   
4. Although it seems like there are a ton of people doing business online, you can distinguish yourself. There are many ways to do this, but the bottom line is that there is only one you. Share your perspective on things, use your unique talents, be true to who you are. Your integrity and credibility will shine through.
5. You don’t have to do this alone. You can create a community of support with people you meet online. Start by connecting with someone you meet online and have a conversation. You can exchange emails or DMs, but at some point, take it to the phone. There is something about hearing a person’s voice that makes the relationship more tangible.

I’ve made some good money in the past few months, but more importantly I’ve made some great connections, met some amazing people, learned a tremendous amount and am having a lot of fun.

If you think I can be of help to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can reach me via email (cindy@homebusinesswins.com), skype (cindyschulson) or phone (619 318 8688).

And if you would like the opportunity to shorten your learning curve, then I’d encourage you to get a free copy of Ann Sieg’s new ebook that is going to be released next week. It is called The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto and it will completely demystify the entire online marketing process for you. I wish this had been around when I first got started! Here is a sneak peek for you.

Cindy Schulson is a coach for those who work from home or want to have a home business. Her focus is on working smart by helping you leverage the power of the Internet and attract qualified people to you. Visit Home Business Wins to book a free consultation and to receive a FREE copy of her ebook. You can contact her directly at cindy@homebusinesswins.com or call her at (619) 318-8688.