There are two basic approaches you can take to making money online. One involves starting an online business based on an idea you have. This would be an idea which you either came up with yourself, or was inspired by something you saw or heard.

The other approach to making money online is based on the copy cat formula. This formula simply consists of watching what other successful online entrepreneurs are doing and copy them.

While this approach does not conjure any heroic ideals, it can definitely provide a short cut to fast Internet profits.

And if you still insist on developing your own business idea, why not at least copy the technical and strategic steps that other successful online entrepreneurs used?

By using the copy cap formula you will save time otherwise spent on research, and you will avoid plenty of trial and error mistakes.

For starters you need to find these highly successful online entrepreneurs before you can start copying their strategies. How do you find them?

Simple, go online and see who the top advertisers in your field are. If they can afford to spend a great deal of money on advertising, it would seem to indicate that they are making money. Even better if they have been advertising for at least a year.

Next, study in detail their advertising strategies. Are they offering free samples? Do they have a free ezine visitors can sign up for?

Check out their pricing structure. What is their minimum purchase? Are they focused on price or quality?

Compile a list of the key words they use in their advertising and sales copy.

Finally, implement what you have discovered. Without implementation your research will not make you money.

Start slowly and see what the response is to your campaign. If you are not receiving positive results you need to go back and reexamine their business strategy.

Once you have a close copy of their business strategy you should start seeing substantial profits.

There are many great online business books. The majority of these books use real life examples of successful online businesses. Apply the strategies being taught in these books in your own business. You can also make inferences from the examples being used in the books.

If an online pet store prospered by giving away a free dog collar, you can apply this strategy by giving your customers something of value for free.