| There was a man called Mr. Hare. He went on the | | | | you may think they're worth. This is why home movies |
| internet one day and found a website promising that | | | | tend to be pretty boring. |
| he could make $100,000 in one day if he bought the | | | | While you should have fun blogging, if you're not |
| products on the website for just $45.49. "That's | | | | creating something of value to other people -- you |
| amazing!" Mr. Hare thought to himself. "I can make | | | | may be wasting your time. There are plenty of blogs |
| $100,000 in one day just by following these simple | | | | with personal confessions on them -- and that's fine if |
| instructions. I'm going to be freakin' rich!" | | | | you just want to blog because it's cheaper than hiring |
| He rushed over to find his credit card details and | | | | a therapist- but don't expect to make a lot of money |
| bought the shiny-looking product as quick as he could. | | | | without considering the needs of other people. |
| He spent the next few hours reading over all the | | | | In the case of blogging there are two things you can |
| information, bright-eyed as he tried to take it all in. | | | | offer of value -- information and entertainment. If |
| Next door lived a man called Mr. Tortoise. He had | | | | you're doing it right, you should incorporate both of |
| learned over the course of his life that nothing of value | | | | them, but that's really the essence of blogging. You |
| comes that easy. He chuckled to himself whenever he | | | | write about things to inform your readers, and to |
| saw an offer for a crazy new system that would | | | | entertain them to fill their lives with a bit of joy. |
| guarantee you to be soaking in a giant money bath | | | | You should understand that things of value take effort |
| within days of buying the product. | | | | and time. To begin with you may find the process a |
| Mr. Tortoise was a peaceful man. He understood that | | | | little hard. |
| things take time. He spent a week researching | | | | How do I find new information? How do I keep writing |
| something before he committed any money to it. He | | | | it up in a style that my readers will love? How do I find |
| spent an hour a day working on his blog. He didn't | | | | out how to make my blog as profitable as it can be? |
| spend that long on it, but he did it every day. Mr. Hare | | | | There's a saying -- 'No Pain, No Gain' and I think it has |
| walked into Mr. Tortoise at the grocery store. | | | | a lot of truth. |
| "Hey, I found this amazing new product called | | | | The frustration you may encounter is actually your |
| 'Make-A-Million-In-A-Day' by Generic Hype. It's going to | | | | brain learning how to deal with new concepts. You will |
| make me completely loaded with cash!" | | | | have a lot of questions once you commit to blogging, |
| "Really? That sounds great," Mr. Tortoise replied as he | | | | and it may seem overwhelming trying to find the |
| smiled on the inside. | | | | answers to all of them. But rest assured, if you put in |
| "Yeah, I'm going to buy a yacht and a car and a house | | | | the work, things get easier. You'll learn how to find new |
| and probably a llama or something." | | | | information easily. You'll get used to writing up posts in |
| "That sounds really great," said Mr. Tortoise. | | | | a style that your readers will love. You'll grow to |
| "Yeah, I've always wanted some kind of exotic pet, | | | | understand what you need to do to make some |
| and now with all this money I'll be making I might as | | | | money off your blog. |
| well buy a llama." | | | | Then there will be new questions -- what do I do with |
| "Yeah I think a llama would be an interesting choice." | | | | this money? Do I invest it in advertising the blog? Do I |
| A few months later Mr. Tortoise ran into Mr. Hare | | | | give it to charity? Do I buy some audio equipment? |
| again. | | | | And so the journey continues... |
| Mr. Hare looked a little down. He tried to avoid Mr. | | | | The important thing is to manage your expectations. |
| Tortoise, but at the check-out line they bumped into | | | | The internet is not free money. It may be the best and |
| each other. | | | | easiest way to make money, but you still have to |
| "How's things?" asked Mr. Tortoise, trying to make | | | | work for it. Making money will take some time. |
| conversation with the grumpy man. | | | | You are unlikely to have anything resembling a regular |
| "Not too great, the 'Make-A-Million-In-A-Day' thing didn't | | | | income for the first few months, no matter how |
| work out too well. How about you?" | | | | committed you are. The problem with the |
| "Well, my blog is starting to pick up, we've got some | | | | 'Make-A-Million' products that come in big shiny boxes |
| regular subscribers and soon I'll be putting some | | | | is that although they may have valid information, they |
| adverts up to see make a little revenue," replied | | | | raise their customers expectations too high. |
| Mr.Tortoise as he unloaded his shopping. | | | | Although this means they sell more products, their |
| "Oh, that sounds like fun. It was nice talking to you, but | | | | customers lose motivation faster because they look at |
| I've got to get home quick. I've just found this even | | | | the big shiny box saying 'You will make $300,000 within |
| better product called 'Billionaire-While-You-Sleep' and it's | | | | the first week' and then they look at what is actually |
| going to make me rich, I know it!" exclaimed Mr. Hare | | | | happening, and they get depressed. Well, I don't want |
| as his eyes lit up again. He bounced on home just as | | | | you to get sad, so I'm telling you how it is. This may not |
| excited as before. | | | | mean this ebook will sell like hot-cakes immediately, but |
| "Goodbye then," said Mr. Tortoise as he chuckled and | | | | it means that you will get more value out of it, because |
| paid for his food. | | | | I'm not playing with your expectations to open up your |
| What can we learn from this amazing story? | | | | wallet. It isn't uncommon to have no significant income |
| There are a number of things that relate to blogging on | | | | within the first 6 months even if you are totally |
| the internet and even life in general. | | | | committed to your blog. |
| First up -- wealth comes from creating something of | | | | There are reasons beyond your control which I'll |
| value. You have to make something that other people | | | | address later, but the good news is that after 6 |
| will want. If you create something that only you value | | | | months, there is very little reason why you can't have |
| and nobody else does -- that isn't going to make you | | | | a sustainable nice pocket of income from the blog |
| any more wealthy. This explains why your family | | | | your love so much. |
| photo albums don't sell for the millions of dollars that | | | | |