Can You Really "Strike Gold" Online?

I guess human nature leads us to this about every 30 - 50 years.
 As a history major, I studied the gold rush of 1849, the 19th century oil booms, the stock market hustles of the late 1920's, the get rich-quick mail order schemes of the 1950's and 60's and now
 the "Internet" gold rush of the late 1990's and early 21st century.

 When people perceive someone else getting rich with little or no effort, they jump on the band wagon seeking fame and fortune.
 In reality, in any "gold rush," the ones who really get rich represent the exception.
 Unfortunately, people perceive those "exceptions" as the rule, rather than the special cases they actually represent.

But, if you're bound and determined that you can be one of the "chosen few" who get rich online, the following tips will save you years of frustration.

** Little Oil Wells **
Don't try to get rich online with one gold or oil "strike!"
 Most people I know who do very well online operate multiple websites targeting multiple niche markets.
They sell many products and make their money by creating multiple streams of income rather
 than depending on a single website to stake their claim for online riches.

** Solve Problems **
People go online to solve problems.
 Whether they need to improve their job interview skills or find a winter coat and hat for their Chihuahua, they want to find products or knowledge they don't currently possess.
 The more pressing the problem, the easier and faster these people will buy.
 The easiest way to make a fortune online involves finding the most severe problems you can and charging for the solutions.

** Sweat, Not Money **
Most people want to throw money at a problem and hope that will get them what they desire.
 This fact keeps the "get-rich-quick" schemers in business.
However, the best way to make money online involves getting your hands dirty, learning a market inside and out, discovering what they want to buy and why, and then selling it to them.
 Contrary to popular belief, throwing money at a problem often won't solve it.

** Don't Compete **
The fastest way to make a fortune online involves persuading other people to sell your product or service for you as an affiliate.
 However, nobody sells a product or service for someone they perceive as "competition."
 You must position your product or service in such a way that others will eagerly promote it for you because they see you as someone who complements what they already offer.

 ** Wants vs. Needs **
Circus and publicity guru, P.T. Barnum, expressed it best, "People will spend their last nickel to
 have fun!"
 People always find a way to buy what they want, but often avoid spending on what they need.

 ** The Underwear Myth **
The "make money in your underwear at the kitchen table working only 1 or 2 hours a day" represents the biggest crock of !@#$% ever foisted on the public.
 Anyone I know who makes a lot of money at anything, busts their buns to get their projects off the ground.
 Once they get a business up and running, it might only take a couple of hours a day or week to keep it running, but they worked their fingers to the bone to get things rolling.
 And the real secret to their success: they repeat the process over and over again!