Hi Adam,

I agree with you.... Actually, since we started Sowpub last year, it's like my eyes have been opened....

As you may know, I was involved with the online marketing community in a smaller way before that, through my Entrepreneur-Web site, which I was doing part time as I was also working in physics....

With Sowpub, however, and working with Gordon, I've had a much higher profile. Anyhow, I've had some great discussions with other online marketers.... And this is the kind of thing I've discovered too.

There are those who claim to be making lots of money, who aren't. And, the flip side of that, is that there are those who are making a lot of money, but who are relatively low-key about it -- probably because they don't want imitators.

It's also been a revelation for me too, in the different types of information.... In the world of science, for example, people are generally quite open with information. The whole goal is to be the first to *publish* a result, since if you publish a scientific result first, you get the credit. However, of course, in business the goal is to make a profit. If you are completely open with HOW you are making money, you'll find many people imitating you which could cut into your profits.

So information doesn't flow as freely in the business world.... Good "how-to" information is often harder to come by.

The BEST approach to learn, in my opinion, is to get a mentor. You can pay for one, for example. Another approach is to offer to work with someone for free for a time -- they might take up your offer, and it's "win/win". How you will win is you'll see how they work and what they do, which can be priceless knowledge.

I've never tried this, but for general business know-how in the USA there's also SCORE -- www.score.org . These are retired executives and entrepreneurs, who are happy to give those just starting out a hand.

I've found most of the information online is quite basic stuff.... But there are some exceptions.

I've bought several of Jim Straw's reports, and I think they're excellent -- real "nuts and bolts" stuff, though they're for "real world" based businesses, rather than internet businesses.

Gordon Alexander's "Chattel Report" really works -- I trade chattel based on Gordon's system -- but again, it is real-world based, though it is adaptable to the internet and especially online auctions. See www.sowpub.com/chattelreport.shtml to find out where to get it.

Michael Ross has some of the best business writings I've seen, packed with great information, though these are (again) more real-world based. http://members.ozemail.com.au/~miros/

I recently got a LOT of back issues of the Gary Halbert Letter, which I'm enjoying reading through. You can read a lot of them for free at www.thegaryhalbertletter.com , but it's not a complete collection of them.

You can get Jay Abraham's "Stealth Marketing" for free at www.freemarketingbook.com .

I still need to get more of Bill Myers' materials, but I know a lot of people think very highly of him.

(I don't profit by mentioning any of the above materials....)

But I agree with you, Adam.... You can't necessarily believe what people say about themselves (some people exaggerate the truth). I tend to go by the recommendations of people I trust....

In summary, are people making money online? YES. Are these necessarily the people who make a big deal about making money online? NO. Many of those who (to my knowledge) are doing the BEST online are quite low-key about it....

I see the internet as the ultimate direct-response medium. However, every new direct-response medium has its own specific techniques. The BASIC technique is the same, but the specifics may be different.... For example, with the advent of direct-response TV, they developed the specific technique of the "infomercial". The internet also has its specific techniques too.... But I think that the essential principles are probably the same as any other type of direct-response marketing....

Any comments on this? I think this could be an interesting topic.... :)

- Dien Rice