IF you don't have some money to invest then the above is even more true. Without the cash to buy automated tools to make your promotional chores a little easier then you are going to have to put in a lot more work than those who pay for internet software and marketing services.

Take article marketing for example - I pay a monthly fee for subscriptions to two of the most popular online article submission sites. It literally takes me around 5 minutes to copy and paste my article into the online submission form and click send.

Every site the submission services submit to can be done by hand, EVERY one. So shouldn't I save myself a little cash per month and do them myself? No way, that would be plain stupid. To achieve the same results I get by paying for a service, I would spend days, not hours, submitting to different article databases.

This is true right across the internet marketing arena whether it is article submissions, search engine optimization or building niche websites.

Many people have an unrealistic view about making money online. They are either taken in by the hype or they are living in cloud cuckoo land. Wake up! Business is business whether it is offline or online. You wouldn't even contemplate going into business for yourself offline unless you had a few thousand dollars to get started and to cover any unforseen circumstances.

You can get a web business up and running at a tiny fraction of the cost that you would pay the 'real world'. Still, once your website is live, it won't earn you a cent unless it gets some visitors. You must work to get your site seen if you are ever going to succeed online.

Another point, paying for services will lessen your workload but once the work is done you still have to make an effort. Think about it - Who in their right mind would take your money to do ALL the work for you? If there is any chance at all that the work they do will bring in the bucks immediately then of course they will do it for themselves. Why would anyone take a one off payment if, they can do the work, and get paid forever?

What you don't pay out of your pocket you will pay in time, IF you are going the free route. Any money made at the beginning should be invested in internet marketing resources or paying for the services that are going to leave your hands free to continue to build your business.

The good news is that every minute I have spent building my web business has been worth it. I can now take days off and generally take things easy but it is ONLY because of the work I have contributed in the past, from I began delving into online business back in 1998.

Some internet marketers could retire now and they would continue to make money from their sites for the rest of their lives, provided they paid their web hosting bills. I haven't reached those heights yet but I know it is possible because of what I have achieved up 'til now.

Do you believe you can put in the work and time to achieve what many have achieved?

If you are truly committed to working towards your goals, making a positive contribution to the building of your internet business everyday then I have no doubt you will reach the heights in internet marketing. If you believe that there are riches to be made without time and effort, at least in the beginning, then please stay in your dayjob.