The first step to making money online is all about how you think because money really is just an idea. And, ideas are thoughts. Money isn't the paper it is printed on or the plastic that we embed our account numbers on. Money is simply an idea; a representation of value. Money is attracted to value, and when you provide value, you attract money. Sometimes people provide only perceived value and attract money. Here is where life can get out of balance. On a personal basis, I could never provide just a perceived value. What I do and market must have more value than what the money represents.

I listen to Bob Proctor every day. Many of you may know of him and his self improvement programs. I subscribe to one of his mentoring programs and I must say that his message on this subject and others helps me in many ways. His ideas give me pause to think in a critical way on how to improve my life, not just in earning money, but in balancing all aspects of my life. The one central point that I have learned from Bob Proctor about money though, is that money allows us to remove many obstacles out of the way to live a fulfilling and balanced life. The key is to understand what money truly represents to you on a personal basis.

When I got this last lesson on money from Bob, I thought about how it is that I am not selling and making as much money as I want. Why is it that even though I have some great value to offer, not many are buying? There is only one answer, Marketing. Success in business or sales starts with effective marketing. The message has to be appealing. The message has to hit the right buying buttons giving the consumer what they want. This is where we have to focus like a laser and hone our skills.

I see how the successful marketers sell their products and services online and some sell information on this very subject "how to make money with marketing." I must say that some of this information is worthless; yet, I bought it! Only perceived value again. They knew how to structure the message to get me to buy. What I have been doing wrong is structuring the message in a way that I like to buy. No hype and just truth. Kind of like some people I have met over the years from Texas - straight forward no hype. I like that and cannot change that personal value. I have to figure out a way to get my message out in a way that I can live with and still appeal to the consumer hitting their buying buttons. It is a fact of marketing life that we have to use buying psychology in order to get people to buy. The trick for me and others like me is to do it in a way that does not compromise our values.

I share this with you because I know there has to be many people just like me that are searching for and working at ways to gain more abundance in their lives and just need a little help to market their products and services in a way that fits their value system. I am making headway and I started making progress by studying ad copy of the great marketers out there like Jay Abraham and also the material that actually gets you to buy. Think about that for a moment. Why not study the sales pages that get you to buy? Look at the hooks that got you to put your credit card information onto the form and click submit. Record them, then use them to fit your own marketing efforts! This is what I am doing and now seeing some good results.

I have many books and courses on marketing and having those helps but what is making a huge difference for me is trying and testing ad copy that uses marketing psychology and my value system. Test, test, test your marketing. This is what makes the difference in your sales. This is the first step to make money online.