Online Tradewinds

By Nicholas Dixon
Posted Friday, November 19, 2004

A few bends ago on the online marketing road, I registered and got paid hosting for a website I have been marketing for years. Now some people may say that is minor step, but for someone who lives on a rock in the Caribbean Sea that is a privilege.

I happen to live in a society that is still grappling with technology but is slowly catching on. The average man on the street feels that you are a geek once you are into computers when in fact you were in the same mindset as him before you first started out.

Being on online marketer sets you up for a roller coaster ride which if you are not prepared for, can leave you throwing up before the ride ends. Online marketing is not a go-kart race but is more akin to the Dayonta 500, so you better dig in for a long ride.

I built and ran my first website on someone else’s computer for years because I could not afford one. I did this using free hosting services until I could pay for hosting and upgrade my website. That made me feel so vulnerable at times of placing my best interests in the hand of another, but business is a gamble and I took my chances.

Instead of feeling disheartened, I used this as a catalyst for my growth. Here I was hearing complaints from others about the lack of opportunities, yet there was a goldmine right on the playground of the young- the internet.

Online marketing is a great teacher for all. It forces you to forget about me and start thinking about us. It is not a game where you hide behind a computer screen and shoot off emails to thousands hoping that you will get rich. It is all about building relationships which will determine if you sink or float.

Personality is a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. It is an under used strategy that much has not been written about. Mark you though, just because you have a Brad Pitt personality that means you are already successful, instead it should compliment your other strengths.

The internet is a very powerful communicating and marketing tool that has changed several aspects of our lives. You can shoot off an email to someone halfway around the globe and it arrives quicker than an elevator ride to the first floor.

It pains me daily that persons who want a cheap business tool don’t know about it and some who have access to the net use it only to read emails and play Yahoo games. I happen to work at a computer lab and many of the persons who I have recommend the internet to as a business tool never even tried it once. Nothing baffling about that though.

Online marketing moreso the Net are fairly young when compared to most offline businesses and there is still plenty of time and space to hop on board. It will take you some amount of time, strength, courage and persistence to achieve your set goals. But at the end of the day you have something you can call your own.

Though I have not earned my first five figure check, these thoughts are what inspire me daily to help further the growth of the net. Strange huh, the net grows, my business grows, my bank balance grows, your business grows……..

About the Author
Nicholas Dixon is the creator of Jamaica’s first article directory. Free content and information about a cool island town. Visit (http://WWW.Oceanroc.com) to learn more…