Are You a Biz-Op Junkie?
Once upon a time -- and I'm just a touch embarassed to admit
it -- I threw common-sense out the window and went searching
for an "easy" way to make my fortune on the Internet. I
found what I thought was a perfect opportunity... but in
reality was nothing more than a pack of lies. Fortunately,
I was one of the lucky ones who quickly came to her senses
and successfully fought for and received a full refund.
This isn't always the case. Business opportunities, or
"biz ops" as they're commonly called, often prey on people
who are desperate to start making money from home. The
ridiculous claims of easy money can seem so real, so
achievable -- but let's face facts: there's no such thing
as easy money when it comes to starting a business.
You won't make $5000 every month with 30 minutes of work
a day. You won't receive $100,000 in your mailbox just
by sending $5 to the first address on a list. Your
"automated business-in-a-box" will not magically produce
$1000/day while you sit on the beach sipping a cool drink.
The lure of easy money is hard to resist. There is
certainly no shortage of biz ops, and no shortage of
people who are willing to try them. That's a good
thing in many ways, to be open to trying new things...
but it can also be dangerous: you could end up in the
situation where you jump from one biz op to another,
in an endless quest for something easier, faster, or
potentially more rewarding.
I once "spoke" through email with a very bright guy who
has been operating his own successful offline business for
over 10 years. He wanted a change, and so he came onto
the Internet looking for the perfect opportunity.
Well, he found several that appeared to be perfect. None
of them were -- he found that out the hard way, after
spending several thousands of dollars over the last 3
years. It just goes to show that no one is completely
immune to endless get-rich-quick claims, regardless of
how experienced or educated he is.
There seems to be some sort of belief -- especially with
people who are new to the Internet -- that joining a
business opportunity is the only way to make money online.
It's no wonder, then, that so many biz ops have sprung up
to fill the demand. But whatever happened to creating a
product or service of your own?
Starting a business online is financially very affordable,
when you compare it to the traditional 'brick-and-mortar'
business. What makes people so willing to shell out
several hundreds of dollars for a 'biz op', but equally
unwilling to spend the same money creating and building
a business of their own making?
Remember that 'biz ops', no matter how wonderful they may
seem, aren't a magic bullet. A business is a business,
and they all require time, commitment, hard work, and
plenty of determination. Biz ops are no different: in
amongst the scams there are legitimate opportunities --
but there's no such thing as a "perfect" opportunity
that's going to be right for everyone.
So if you've been doing the 'biz op tango'... consider
sitting down with a pencil and notepad -- and doing some
good, old-fashioned brainstorming. You just might discover
your ideal business!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The Online Business Basics
website offers free marketing tips and articles for beginners to
the 'net. Visit www.onlinebusinessbasics.com
for more tips on how to effectively market your business on a limited
budget.
Originally published June, 2002
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