This is how many people get their first glimpse into the world of Internet Marketing. But are they being presented with the real deal?

No way.

Claims of easy and fast income online are false and mislead people who want to believe the hype is true. The internet is a great place to find and share valuable information of all kinds. It's not, however, a magic gateway to easy wealth. Those pushing these types of money making systems are themselves looking to make easy bucks off of gullible people.

Now that I've spilled the beans on this type of scam, I want you to know that you can really make good money online – if you are realistic in your goals.

Forget about making thousands and focus on making just $1.

Why $1?

Because once you start digging into all the ins and outs of internet marketing, you'll quickly realize that there's a sharp learning curve you need to go through first before you can even THINK about earning thousands from your online efforts.

On the other hand, it's real easy to see yourself earning your first $1 within a reasonable period of time. Also, this takes the pressure off of you since you don't have to pull your hair out frantically trying to make “big money” from something that just isn't designed to produce those kinds of returns.

Lots of people, like me, who've been doing the internet marketing thing for a few years, have tried and failed at many projects before we finally got our sea legs and began making real money. Trust me, when you get around to making your first dollar or two you'll be very happy.

So, what do you need to do, realistically, to make some money online?

Here's a few tips:

Get an Education – The world of the internet is vast and there are many ways to earn extra cash from it, BUT not by following fly-by-night get rich quick schemes. Just like any serious job you would have in the offline world, you need to be seriously trained to know how to go about it. People who are successful at this have absorbed lots of information. Get online and start doing your research.

Business or Hobby? Decide right now how you want to approach your online venture. Is it going to be something you put a lot of effort and hours into, or, is it something you want to do once in a while, more like a hobby?

There's no right or wrong in whichever one you choose, just be aware that your results online will match your attitude towards what you're doing. Some people enjoy it as purely a hobby – just for fun, and are happy to make a few dollars here and there. Others want to make serious part-time or full-time money. Know which category you fall in.

Work on Small Goals – Set small goals for yourself and work to achieve them. Yes, I know you'd love to be making great money from doing something online, but going for a huge target in the beginning is not the best way. Many beginners have quickly grown frustrated because their initial goal is way too big for them to possibly achieve in a short time.

Step back and set up small goals for yourself. It's a lot easier for you to find success achieving smaller goals. This way you'll stay motivated and avoid the frustration that leads many others to quit in frustration. The $1 is an example of a small goal. Write down this goal: “I want to make $1 doing X in 60 days.”

Now you may or may not make your first $1 in 60 days, but regardless, you will have picked up a whole lot of knowledge on learning how to accomplish this first goal.

I know that if you take these tips into consideration, you'll be able to make your first $1 online – and more!