And if your first idea is a total flop, so what?!

When starting up any business, there are certain pitfalls you need to steer clear of. That's what this section is all about. So that you can arm yourself with the knowledge of techniques that will lead you down the path to failure. Whether that is time or money losses. Both are important!

I must add here that these things to avoid are things that I have tried myself and haven't brought me any positive results from using them. So you should be cautious before you attempt any of these listed here.

Email Address Buying
I'm sure that you've seen these companies before. Some work, some don't. A majority of them don't. And, unless you can be sure that these email addresses they are giving you are truly double opt in(this is the process of saying "Sure! Send me information" digitally through a doubled process to be certain that those individuals in fact do want the information that's being sent to their email addresses), and not harvested emails(emails that are randomly collected from around the internet with no idea they are being put on lists), it's like taking a shot in the dark.

Anyone can tell a lie. But it takes a great person to tell the truth. Sad to say, there's not a whole lot of those kinds of people doing business on the internet. But, there are still some folks out there you can trust by building a long relationship with them.

I'll tell you this much, the best way to build your mailing list is to do this on your own. This way, you are 100% sure that the email addresses you have and the people behind them really want what you are sending out to them. I would recommend that you think twice, and then think again before purchasing any email addresses from anyone. Especially if the price is cheap.

Safelist Mailing
In a word, NO! Safelists are comprised of others trying to sell their products to each other. It doesn't work. Most of the time, if not all the time, your email ad will go unnoticed and deleted on site. Sure, safelists can be joined for free, but remember, you get what you pay for.

So, if you're paying nothing, expect the same in return. I have personally paid for safelist memberships and have seen an absolute lack of profit return from mailing to them. And the same is true for free safelists. It's a process that's been around for a while, but it simply doesn't work and you'd do well to invest your time in a worthy joint venture give-away instead. At least you'd get something out of it!

SPAMMING
Okay, this one is pretty simple and can be summed up with just one sentence. SPAM is against the law in the U.S. If you're caught doing it, and you will most likely get caught, you will be fined and could have your computer equipment confiscated. There's no reason to SPAM people. It's annoying and doesn't do a thing for you except ruin your reputation.

Time-Wasters
These are a collection of "get rich quick schemes". They are lurking in every corner of the internet. Don't participate in them. Money rotator programs don't work. Pyramid schemes don't work. And the list could go on and on. These are serious time-wasters and will not make you rich. They're crap. Plain and simple. The only real people benefiting from these types of programs are the ones who created the darn things! Think about it. You find this program that sounds pretty good. It only costs you a total of $5.00 to get in. Your member name is put on a list and randomly displayed to get paid for every new member that signs up. But, you only make $2.00. The program creator/operator makes the other $3.00.

And they get paid every single time a new member signs up. You however are put in a pot of countless thousands whos member names get randomly rotated. The owner is sure to get paid, you aren't. Plus, you have to get out there and start recruiting others not even sure that you'll get paid by doing so. See what I'm saying here? It's only quick money for those running the program. Not you.

The "Failure" Factor
This is one of the greatest success crushers there is. And it's all caused by negative thinking and giving up! If you don't have a big following of personal supporters like family and friends, don't worry about it! You won't get anywhere positive if you let the negative comments inside your head. You've got to put those things on the back burner to be successful at selling products online. To heck with the nay-sayers. Are they feeding your family? Are they paying your bills? No. YOU ARE!

Every single person has the mental capacity within themselves to be a success at anything they do in life. That includes you. So what if Aunt Sally thinks you're nuts for trying to make money online. Who cares if your brother or sister can't get a grasp on what you're trying to accomplish. What matters is what your goals are and what you believe you can do.

A wonderful saying to remember is: "If you can believe it, You can achieve it!". You can do this. It's not brain surgery.

And if your first idea is a total flop, so what?! Get back on that horse and try again. This is where many give up. Not everything you do will be the best course of action. But you will gain the necessary experience through failure so that you can succeed the next time. But you have to give "next time" a chance. Remember, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!". If you give yourself enough time to learn and grow your internal knowledge base, you will succeed.

"Too Good To Be True" Products Or Sellers
And finally, always remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Now, not everything will be a "too good to be true" product or service. There are some people and companies out there that have terrific services and products at unbeatable prices.

Never judge a book by it's cover. Read all the details. Make certain you understand everything in a merchant's terms. If you don't, ASK QUESTIONS! Any reliable merchant should be able, and willing, to answer them. If you do ask, and don't hear one single word back, or it takes them an unexplainable amount of time to provide you with the answers you seek, pass that offer over and move on to the next one.

In conclusion, selling products online can be an exciting and profitable business. But you have to be very careful with everything you do. Every transaction you make. Every friendship you strike up. Use your common sense. It will carry you far in your quest for internet riches.