The Secret is in The List . . . Just not the one you think!

By Linda Offenheiser
Posted Wednesday, September 1, 2004

Internet marketing is about more than running a business and earning money. It's about the people you meet and the friends you make along the way. It's about the sense of community and the sharing of ideas, challenges and solutions. It's about belonging.

Sometimes we get so caught up with the little daily irritations that we fail to see the bigger picture. Yeah, there's way too much junk mail. Yes, it's frustrating when someone refuses to answer a desperate plea for help. Sometimes the autoresponder either goes on strike or works overtime sending out duplicate messages.

All those things are part of doing business on the net. It can be very trying and sometimes you just want to tear your hair out. And, on really bad days, you even consider walking away from all the frustration and stress, the long hours in front of the monitor, the specter of spam complaints. You're ready to quit!

What usually happens when you're about as low as you think you can go? You get a hilarious joke from another publisher or one of your subscribers tells you what a good job you're doing. One of your Internet friends reminds you of your successes. Maybe another friend happens to send you an inspiring article just when you need it most.

Then you finally understand; the Internet, with all of its annoying little habits, has given you a new family. These are people you would never have met if not for Internet marketing. Many of them have no faces or voices but they reach out from your screen and touch you with their kindness, their help and support, and, most of all, their friendship.

These people come in all shapes and sizes and from all parts of the country and the world. Some of them are colleagues, some of them are clients and some of them are service providers. All of them are people who add a very special dimension to your life. Their value can't be measured in dollars and cents but they add untold riches to your life experience.

Much better than software, free reports or ebooks, these people are the true bonuses you receive from Internet marketing. Some of them give you the courage to reach for your dream. Others inspire you with their unique perspectives. Still others add their special touch of fun and camaraderie. Each of their gifts enriches your life many times over.

So the next time all those petty irritations threaten to undo you, remember that the true secret of Internet marketing really is in "the list". But it isn't the number of people on your email list ~ it's the list of people who have become your friends and allies; those people who help you keep everything else in perspective, the people who make the Internet feel like home.

When you count your blessings, don't forget them.

About the Author
Linda Offenheiser is the owner of Stress-Free Copy, a budget-friendly copywriting and editing service. Visit her at (http://www.stress-freecopy.com/) She also publishes "All the Write Stuff!", a weekly ezine that's Friendly, Informative, Fun and Free! To subscribe: (http://www.stress-freecopy.com/Subscribe.htm)