The secret to making money online is... your own determination. This determination, coupled with the knowledge that very few people make money online trying to promote more programs and products then they have the time and money to promote, will set you apart from the unsuccessful.

The key to making money online is advertising - over and over and over again.

The old saying, "It takes money to make money!" does apply online. It doesnt have to be a lot of money, but being able to set aside a comfortable amount each week or month - a reserve for your online advertising needs - is important.

Initially, free methods of advertising start the ball rolling and then become sort of the "backbone" to your advertising. But, at some point, you are going to need at least a small amount of capital for advertising.

Why?

Well, simply put, paying gets you better ad placement. Since online businesses are so abundant, ensuring your website or ad sticks out is vital. If you can swing solo ads, run them! If top sponsor ads in ezines falls into your budget, use them. Many ezines run top, middle, and bottom sponsor ads in descending price categories, test them. If a paid ezine classified is all you can afford, do those.

And those free ad opportunities? Are you using them? If not, why not?! No other form of online advertising offers you continuous free methods of advertising like your ezine or newsletter subscriptions!

If you read your ezines and their ads, you'll recognize the urls and/or style of some of the submitters of these programs. They are doing what they know will work - working their chosen program to its fullest potential.

Does this sound like you? I had a woman call me several times a while back, all the way from Puerto Rico an international phone call. She'd joined an MLM program about 3 weeks prior and was so frustrated and angry at the lack of her success. She felt duped, cheated, conned. Even though, of her own admission, the website assured her that OVER TIME she could attain her goals.

Three weeks over time Hmmmm

What she wanted to see and tell herself when she was signing up, versus what was presented at the website, was her undoing. To believe you can, overnight, become that wealthy or retired individual is lunacy. Has it worked that way for you working offline? If so, congratulations! But, reality check(!), most of us know that even the real world doesn't work that way. And neither does this wonderful "virtual" world.

Become picky - very, very, very picky!

Two plus years ago, I'd personally joined over 300 different programs, all types. I was so busy JOINING programs that I didn't have time to work many of them. Unfortunately, Id joined so many I also did not have the time to really investigate what they were - I was just a joining machine!

When I did stop for a moment and try to promote, I didnt know what to choose. So Id try promoting ALL of them in some way, shape, or form.

Now, you can see what an idiot I was, right?

Thank goodness for exhaustion and disgust! Reason prevailed! I looked everything over, realized I had nothing concrete only tons of usernames and passwords and ditched everything.

I now have my own business website, and ezine, and never more than 2 or 3 programs I tell others about I dont even actively pursue advertising these additional programs. Im concentrating my full attention on what I love doing, helping others.

Ask yourself right now, Is my plate too full? Then, pat yourself on the back, realize youve reached the apex and it is decision time! Fish out one or two programs, or start fresh, and begin working an earnest, time-committed schedule to promote that program.

You can, and will, succeed by being picky!