It seems like just yesterday that I started to learn about network marketing,but it was several years ago now

Of course I had heard all the amazing stories of wealth and fame to be garnered from the internet, so I set off in hot pursuit of this dream that seemed to be so up for the taking. What I found as I delved deeper into internet marketing is that there are select groups of people all selling the same thing, and they appear to get in on the first wave of every launch, whether it be a product launch or an affiliate program. Thinking that riches were just around the corner...I bought several programs, ebooks, how-to guides, and affiliate products. For some reason new marketers always feel like they need more stuff to try to sell. This method never did work out for me, it wasn't until I settled down and started learning how to properly market my products and programs that I started to see results. I probably wasted over a thousand hours and at least a thousand dollars before I figured out that network marketing is about doing your homework and at least getting yourself in position to play with the big dogs. Attempting to surf for traffic wasted hundreds of hours that would have been far better spent writing articles. I would still have residuals coming in today from that effort had I done the right thing, but then again...this hub wasn't out at the time!

The truth of the matter is that internet marketers need a way to sell what they already have, not more stuff. "But how do I learn how to sell what I have without buying more stuff?" the answer is quite simple, all the information you need is on the web. In order to entice people, network marketers give away this valuable information, just to get your email address so that they can send you offers on new products or programs. This is where your concentration needs to be, building your own list, not a free viral list builder. Network Marketers are giving this information away for how to start your own profitable online business, it's time to do your homework. Now there are products out there that will help you to start seeing some results as far as sales. But I digress...you need to learn how to market efficiently without wasting your time with methods that just don't make sense(timewise).

The Biggest Time Waster in Internet Marketing:

Traffic exchanges are programs where you surf other sites for credits and whatever credits you earn go toward your site being shown to other surfers. These are my number 1 time wasters. They are kinda fun, because you get to see what else is out there, but what happens is you need a specific number of credits so you just keep on clickin' and never look at anyone else's site. Most traffic exchanges have a timer for how long you have to be at each site, this can vary from 6 seconds to 25 seconds or more.

Almost all surfers are signed up to multiple sites and surf more than one at a time. How much time do you think your site is being paid attention? I guarantee that it won't get many serious looks. I have tried this method with Free programs and products as well as paid, with the same results...nada.

Now I am sure that some of you have surfed and perhaps you have even had a little success with them, but I want you to think about this...are you better off with one customer from a couple hours work? Or the possibility of residual sales from say an article that you could write, publish,and hand submit in the same amount of time?

For those of you that may be die hards about the usefulness of surfing traffic exchanges here are a few tips.

1) Join a surf team and use at least half of your advertising credits to advertise the team. This way you can benefit from other people's surfing habits that have signed up through your promotion.

2) Do Not put your website on the traffic exchange!!! This can lead to you losing your adsense account.

3) Advertise a lead capture page instead, at least you can be building your list this way.

4) For the die hard surfer out there, there are programs that you can download that will allow you to open 5-20 windows at a time, so you can be surfing more sites at the same time. Remember this is all about saving time or at least making the best of our time.

The second biggest time waster in network marketing:

Ahh,we made it to one of the greatest travesties in attempting to market online for free. Free viral list builders easily took number 2 on my list. What are they? they are list builders that you can join for free, but you have to accept email promotions from your upline usually 7-10 levels. When you first look at them or hear about them you might think they are the greatest thing since fried rice, but upon closer examination we can see the flaws. When you join, you agree to receive emails from your sponsor, his sponsor, etc. Usually only 10 people, which sounds enticing, but is it really?

Even though the service is free, most people do not want to receive emails every day from this many people, it's just too time consuming with everything else they have to do each day. Therefore you will have trouble getting a ton of referrals and they will have an even tougher time getting their referrals.

Now for the great travesty,this not only is not YOUR list, but your precious advertising is probably being overlooked because it is mixed in with so much other promotional material.

You must believe me when I tell you that the money is not in a list, it's in YOUR OWN LIST!!! You are far better off taking the time to figure out a free autorespondor and building your own list. This truly is where the money is and its what we all aspire to do as network marketers, build a bigger, more responsive list.

I am only half way through my list of the biggest time wasters in network marketing, but this hub is getting a bit verbose, so I will add part 2 in the upcoming days. I hope this hub helps you to save some time when it comes to your internet marketing business.