| Millions of you dream of someday starting your own | | | | groups" whereyou can brainstorm and bounce your |
| business andachieving financial success and | | | | ideas off people buildingon-line or home-based |
| independence--it's a universaldream. Many also | | | | businesses. I am a moderator at one ofthese groups |
| discover the internet and are led to believethis is the | | | | and have written many articles exclusively for |
| perfect medium for making that dream a reality. | | | | theother (my articles are often published in The |
| Whichis true, because you can accomplish things on | | | | Affiliates Clubbefore they appear anywhere else). |
| the internet thatyou don't have the resources to | | | | For more information on the Warriors, visit: |
| accomplish off-line. | | | | For more info on The Affiliates Club visit: |
| However, many of you looking to start a business | | | | When considering a business opportunity, one of the |
| on-line alsohave a big fear of being ripped off. And | | | | wisest thingsyou can do is to ask for referrals. If |
| yes, there is very goodreason to fear being ripped | | | | they are as good as theysay they are, they should |
| off! There is a good chance you willbe ripped off by | | | | be able to refer you to lots ofsatisfied customers. If |
| some half-witted money-making scheme. The factis | | | | you were considering getting involved ina franchise or |
| that there's even a chance you will be ripped off by | | | | business venture off-line this is how you wouldcheck |
| someonewho doesn't even know he's ripping you off! | | | | it out. On-line should be no different. If it's a |
| "But how can you be ripped off by someone who | | | | largeinvestment you're thinking of making you'd be |
| doesn't even knowhe's ripping you off?" you ask. | | | | crazy not to. Emailthese references, or better yet, |
| Many people with no real productcreate one by | | | | give them a call. There arethings you can detect in a |
| taking someone's advice -- often extremely | | | | person's voice that you can't "hear"in email. Off-line, if |
| badadvice -- and compiling it into an info product. By | | | | at all possible, I would pay them aface-to-face visit. |
| passing thisalong to you in an e-book or manual, and | | | | Another common sense approach to avoid getting |
| giving you a "clear roadmap" they not only waste | | | | ripped off is tosimply research the site or product |
| your money...they make you worse offthan you | | | | that you are consideringinvesting in. It's fairly easy to |
| were before you started. This is true because you | | | | research an individual orcompany on the internet to |
| willwaste time, money, and energy trying to make | | | | see if their own businessesdemonstrate that they |
| something work thathas absolutely NO chance of | | | | really know what they are talking about. |
| working. | | | | For instance, is the person selling the "How To |
| For example, the business of "making money, | | | | Explode Your |
| teaching others tomake money, by teaching others | | | | Traffic" ebook getting any traffic to his own site? |
| to make money" is one of theeasiest ways to make | | | | This can easily be researched by utilizing the Alexa |
| money. Agreed, there is a large market forthis | | | | Toolbar. |
| product. But, it's also a very dangerous place | | | | The Alexa Toolbar shows how popular a given site is. |
| becausecommon sense is often over-ridden by greed | | | | It isn'tfoolproof but is a good indicator of how |
| and very deep-seateddreams and ambitions. | | | | successful a site reallyis. It shows a sites "ranking." |
| So how do you avoid being ripped off? The BEST | | | | You can learn about and get thefree Alexa Toolbar |
| way IS using yourcommon sense. Ask yourself if | | | | at: |
| something makes sense. Also askyourself, "If the | | | | Along the same lines, research the private site that's |
| person telling you how to do something hasreally | | | | going toteach you "All the secrets of improving your |
| discovered the secret, why isn't he using it to get | | | | SE ranking" bychecking where they are listed in |
| rich!" | | | | Google and AltaVista. If theyare going to teach you |
| There are very few "real secrets" -- information | | | | this, they certainly should have alreadyattained these |
| travels veryfast on the internet. Yes, there are many | | | | results for their sites. Just this little bit ofinvestigating, |
| proven methods andtechniques that do work, but if | | | | using the search engines, can save you frombuying |
| you look hard enough you will seethem in everyday | | | | into some theory offered by someone who has NO |
| application. Go to any famous "guru's" site andmake | | | | CLUE whathe is talking about. |
| sure you see that he is actually using what he | | | | We all know that there are no internet police. |
| teaches. | | | | However, manyparts of the community are |
| Avoiding getting ripped off involves, to an extent, | | | | self-policing. These are the parts ofthe internet |
| learning whoyou can trust. A trusted friend who really | | | | community that agree to adhere to certain standards. |
| cares about you simplywon't give you bad advice. A | | | | Members who fail to live up to those standards are |
| trusted advisor won't recommend badproducts or | | | | investigated,and if they are not adhering to |
| services to you. | | | | community standards they are notallowed to retain |
| Here is a very big challenge I am faced with weekly: | | | | membership. Two such communities that I belongto |
| I get lotsof people sending me trial versions of their | | | | are The Better Business Bureau Online, and The |
| products or reviewcopies of their books. They want | | | | International |
| my "thumbs up"...myrecommendation. I know that if I | | | | Council Of Online Professionals. You have to invest in |
| give this recommendation...thistestimonial...and the | | | | an annualmembership in both of these organizations |
| product is not extremely good -- I willcause harm to | | | | once you qualify. |
| a lot of people. I also know that I will destroyone of | | | | Both of the above organizations require applications, |
| my most valuable assets...my goodwill, AND the | | | | and youhave to demonstrate that you are ethical |
| reputation | | | | and meet theorganization's standards. They actually |
| I have spent six years building with my potential | | | | investigate your websiteand look at the products or |
| on-linecustomers. So, I'm COMMITTED to closely | | | | services you offer. The Better |
| guarding that trust, andputting my clients' best | | | | Business Bureau actually sends someone to your |
| interest FIRST. You need to make asimilar | | | | place of businessso that they can better understand |
| commitment BEFORE you even open your business. | | | | your whole business operation. |
| Until you develop a few trusted friends whom you | | | | If you survive the application process, you are given |
| can call oremail for recommendations, learn to ask a | | | | an emblemto place on your website that is |
| lot of questions. Ifyou are thinking of buying a | | | | hyper-linked to their sites. Avisitor can click on the |
| product or getting involved in acertain business -- ask | | | | emblem to continue investigating youbefore doing |
| around. Discussion boards are a goodplace to ask | | | | business with you. For more information on |
| what people think about a given product or service. | | | | I-Copmembership visit: |
| Ask in a way that you won't be perceived as trying | | | | Membership in BBB Online requires that you be a |
| to promote theproduct yourself, because that type | | | | member of yourlocal Better Business Bureau. That |
| of post will simply bedeleted. Also ask in a way that | | | | often requires that you havebeen in business for at |
| you aren't bashing a product orindividual. Discussion | | | | least a year, and the application processcan take |
| board operators don't want the legalhassles from a | | | | several months. In the Northwest Florida Division, |
| post on their board unjustly harming | | | | acommittee reviews each membership application. If |
| someone'sbusiness. | | | | you'reinterested in BBB membership, look in your local |
| Also, just spend a lot of time surfing relevant | | | | phone book. |
| discussionboards. Read the hundreds, if not thousands | | | | Better Business Bureau membership is only available in |
| of posts alreadythere. There are boards set up just | | | | the US and Canada. |
| to warn you about rip-offs. | | | | Millions of you migrate to the internet looking for |
| My favorite is the Friends In Business board. This | | | | anopportunity to supplement your income. Far too |
| board wasstarted by a lady who got ripped off, and | | | | many spend a lotof time and other resources trying |
| years later it's theperfect place to go to find out | | | | to build a business -- only tobe very disappointed. If |
| about hundreds of scams. That'sthe sole purpose of | | | | you apply the common sense adviceoffered above, |
| the board. In fact, you should add this boardto your | | | | you GREATLY reduce your chances of becoming |
| bookmarks. It's: | | | | one ofthem. |
| Some of the best discussion boards are closed | | | | Reread this article several times, then start applying |
| communities. Theseare member's-only sites; some | | | | what itteaches. Reading and knowing something |
| with tens of thousand of membersall banned | | | | without using it isactually worse than not knowing, |
| together for a common purpose. Two of | | | | since you have no excuse. Manyof you already |
| themember's-only sites I belong to are The Internet | | | | intuitively knew everything in this article. Yetby failing |
| Marketing | | | | to apply that knowledge, you were still susceptible |
| Warriors and The Affiliates Club. Both are "support | | | | tobeing ripped off. |