If you’ve been working your online marketing business diligently and consistently for a while, you may be wondering when you will actually profit from it. I find this to be a common source of discouragement among online marketing students who have been at the business for a while, and thought the road to profits would be a bit easier than it has been.
You have listened to mentors and gurus, read the books and joined the forums. But now you find yourself at a standstill. Do you feel like your online marketing is turning a profit as big and as fast as you thought it would? Whatever the problem is, you need to realize that just like in nature, things take time.
In nurturing my garden, I cannot get anxious about a tulip blossoming. It will in it’s own time. My roses will sprout leaves that promise me blossoms… in their own time. I simply must do the nurturing, and then have patience.
Like in a garden, we are all in a process of growth… one that will never end. That is one of the great secrets of online marketing success. When anxiety overwhelms us and we feel like our internet business is just stuck in the mud, it is time to sit still, knowing deep inside it will grow as long as we continue our steady, unwavering job of proper nurturing.
In your internet marketing, are you doing the task of nurturing? Are you taking action on building your list? Have you reached the point of developing your own product? Are you developing a steady flow of good and valuable content for your readers, clients and customers? Are you making a profit from your online marketing, yet?
Thanks Donna for the encouraging words. Great lesson!
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Twitter: donna_tribe
December 1, 2012 at 12:13 pm #
Thanks for visiting Alex!
Happy that you found this encouraging.
Donna.Merrill recently posted..Assessing The Past
Twitter: Barbara Charles
July 28, 2012 at 9:23 pm #
Hi Donna. Something I definitely needed to read as I’ve had this problem myself. Thanks for posting. Great info.
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Twitter: donna_tribe
July 29, 2012 at 2:04 am #
Thank you Barbara
I am so happy you liked it!
Donna
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It sure does take time Donna! When I started I was all over the map, lol! I was also easily distracted by all the info in cyber world and no computer skills didn’t help!
Things changed for me when I started focusing on income generating activities and increasing my value and of course keepin my ears to the ground and tapping into mentorship.
It’s definitely a process but if we keep planting and watering those seeds, they will definitely flourish! Especially if we LOVE what we do!
This post is PURE Awesomeness! You have a gift for writing and making things easy to digest!
Hugs,
Ro
Donna,
You’re advice here was right on. I think it’s a matter of focus, your focus should be on building quality material and a loyal following FIRST then making bank, not the other way around.
Twitter: donna_tribe
September 11, 2011 at 11:45 pm #
You said it Dewane! I always focus on who I want to work with and how easy it is when you enjoy those people. The cash will follow.
Blessings, Donna
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Awesome analogy! The best things in life take time!
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 10, 2011 at 3:32 am #
Thanks Andy, Yes, we need to take our time and cultivate our business.
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Great post, Donna! You are so right about what it takes as far as time and patience. This is why I hate it when so many network marketers try to get down on people in their downlines because they aren’t growing fast enough. Sometimes, that one missing piece can be the key one, but we don’t know what that one thing is. This is why I think it’s important to remind people about the importance of sticking with it. One of the most interesting network marketing statistic ever: 97% people are gone within the first year, but 99% who consistently work on their business for ten years make $100,000 or more in a year.
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 10, 2011 at 3:31 am #
It takes time to cultivate a business. I know from experience that the rule of thumb on a brick and mortar business is two years. So you need the money to back that up. My brick and mortar business was up and running with profits sooner than that and is STILL running.
Internet business has so much to it. We need to learn ALWAYS, give to people and take it in our own pace. Once we focus on what we want to do, we are flying!
Donna Merrill recently posted..Personal Growth and Development Tune Up
I couldn’t agree more with you Donna. It does take time especially if someone has been taking action things will eventually fall in place and see results.
Once someone has developed a presence for them self online if that’s what they are after then anything is possible, its crazy to expect to be successful within days or weeks of being online unless of course its some crazy circumstances.
Hi Donna,
Yeah! I love this post and the comparison you drew between gardening and growing an online business. The other point I took from the video is that we get what we plant. If I plant tulips it would be silly for me to expect roses! So if my efforts aren’t bringing forth what I want I have to ask myself what am I really planting? Thanks for making me think! Have a powerful week, Allegra
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 5:20 am #
Thanks Allegra! YOU’VE GOT IT!!!
Hello Donna,
Thank you for these encouraging words that put into perspective the necessity to allow things we have worked on the time to blossom.
That is not to say of course, that we should simply wait and not learn always, but as your video pointedly shows, sometimes growth have a mind of their own. They happen on their own terms. And sometimes they don’t. We then simply had to throw more seeds into the earth!
Keep the Smiles,
Stevie
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 12:18 am #
I do that all the time Stevie. When one thing fails in business, I plant another seed, or take another direction, but I won’t allow myself to give up. There is time for EVERYTHING!
Wonderful video Donna! some flowers take much longer to blossom than others, just like people! If only we all had more patience with ourselves. Thanks so much, this is a great reminder. Have a terrific day! Julieanne
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 12:15 am #
I must admit Julieanne, that I need that reminder all the time also. No one is perfect. But when I sit and meditate on my garden each day, I learn so much about business growth. Tiny shoots, blossoms, times when perennials come and go. These are the many aspects of Internet Marketing.
Donna
It is so important to build a strong foundation for you business. And you mention all the touchstones… List building; Product creation and content management. As long as we are focused on those things, the success will come.
Debbie Lattuga
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 12:14 am #
You bet Debbie, all we need is that virtue of Patience. Some people get to impatient and give up right when they are about to “make it” happen. Hmmm makes me wonder sometimes lol.
Aw Donna, so true, patience is a virtue but so often when feeling in the lack of having money we tend to get frustrated quicker. Everything comes as it should and building a business with a solid foundation that will withstand the storms of time will be worth the wait. Consistency and loving what you do are key factors for success. I love your analogy of gardening and for any readers do remember to stop and smell the roses when they bloom.
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 12:13 am #
I hope they do stop and smell the roses Wendy. I’m the kinda gal that doesn’t take my cell phone for walks, out to dinner, etc. I find people are always impatient. That’s why I did this post to relate it to a seed. It takes so much care to make it grow. It is the same with business.
Donna,
I love the “garden” concept of growing your business. So many times I feel, people plant the seeds and expect the plant to produce fruit tomorrow. Then after several days of waiting, they get discouraged and start to blame the soil, water, sun, time, and hunger.
Then they stop watering the garden and all the hard work they did starting it fades away to dust.
People need to grasp that continual stimulation results in gratification and leverage in the long term. That is the true seed of success.
Thanks for the posting.
-Dereck
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 7, 2011 at 12:03 am #
Yes, that’s why I did this analogy. Planting seeds takes nourishment, care, and well balance. Planting a seed as a business takes the same. If you look at it naturally, you won’t get discouraged.
Donna
Hello Donna:
Thanks for this thought provoking post. How does one measure success is a question I have often asked in my 20+ year entrepreneurial journey…in my younger days ‘Success—$$’ could never happen fast enough or seem ‘to be enough’. Speaking from the perspective of a guy who has been thru the ‘Network Marketing Wars’…LOL & at times did not have 2 nickels to rub together for my efforts or earned enough for an avg. FT living…it is all about the long haul & creating consistency & something to pass on to the Grandkids…It is all about Passion & helping others FIRST…It has taken me many years & trial & errors to learn this,,,& I am STILL learning today..:-)
Be Blessed
Matt Geib
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 4, 2011 at 7:21 pm #
I know what you mean Matt. When we view success as money, it isn’t success at all. It is giving, being greatful for what we have and attaining enough to satisfy our needs. I’m still learning too, and that what makes life wonderful.
God Bless,
Donna
Twitter: marquitaherald
June 4, 2011 at 5:04 pm #
Hi Donna, You’ve made some excellent points here. There are always basic steps and strategies to follow in any business that have been developed over time, weeding out what does and does not work. Taking advantage of that knowledge and developing the patience to allow the seeds you’ve planted to grow are very important keys to success in business.
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 4, 2011 at 7:19 pm #
Couldn’t have said it better myself Marquita! The weeding out is so important to attain your goals.
Donna
Thanks for this post, Donna,
We achieve what we achieve all in good time. First, we must concentrate on building a strong foundation. It’s like to old expression, “A watched pot never boils.”
Just do the things you need to do to grow a strong and thriving business, and it will all happen for us.
Take care, and have a great weekend.
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 4, 2011 at 7:18 pm #
Thanks Angela I love the phrase “A watched pot never boils.” Something to live by.
Donna
Donna,
One of the hardest things to remember is that the Universe operates on it’s time, not ours. In a results oriented world we want action now, fast, not tomorrow. Just as Mother Nature works in her mysterious way, the Universe is a close cousin. Our persistence is the only answer.
Your garden will be beautiful!
RICK
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 3, 2011 at 9:14 pm #
Thanks Rick. I find that in our society people expect things NOW! We are part of the Universe and it’s energies. If one understands that, peace and harmony will be part of your life.
As the old saying goes “Patience is a virtue.”
Thanks,
Donna
Hey Donna,
Your post was right on target for me. I am the tortoise who thinks I should be going faster than my little legs can carry me. Will your great insight I will be more patience with my progress.
Joyce
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 2, 2011 at 7:19 pm #
Thanks Joyce. I think we all have that problem. We look at our peers and start getting anxious. But we all have our own starting point and goals. We need to focus on that. Otherwise we will be one of those 97% people who just give up.
Blessings,
Donna
Hi Donna. I love the fact you incorporated a video of flowers into your post. Hammered home the point, building your business takes time. Excellent way to explain it.
Twitter: donna_tribe
June 2, 2011 at 7:02 pm #
Thanks Joyce! If more people understood that, they would stick to their goals and be successful!