The US economy is slowing down, and Social Security is a big question mark for the future. These factors are prompting many Americans (and others) to start a Home Based Business in order to augment their salaries and retirement. Other people are unhappy in their jobs and want to replace their income. No matter what your motivation, you don't want to just jump on the first thing that leaps out of your Inbox! You need a proven home based business to start with.

Many people have tried to reinvent the wheel. They read a few ebooks, and think that they can do something unheard of and make a fortune. You may pull this off after many years of experience and a full understanding of Internet Marketing. But if you're just starting out, it's best to follow the basic proven home based business principles that have worked for many years.

I have seen ads by Internet Marketers that encourage you to "see what the guru's are doing, and do the opposite", or "think outside of the box". Think about it. Why is a "guru" a guru? Because he knows what he's doing! He has built his empire on proven home based business practices. You can think outside of the box, but only within certain parameters. The people that tell you differently know this, and if they cared about anything other than your money, they would tell you that.

You will see ads and websites telling you how "so and so" made $50,000.00 in one day, or $347,000.00 last year. If you are new to the Internet Marketing world, you naturally want to know how this person accomplished this. And they are quite willing to sell you a book telling you all about it! It won't be what you expected. You will find that this "so and so" studied, read books and reports, and struggled for at least five years before gaining the expertise to set up that BIG DAY!

If you're looking for a big pay day in your new business next month, you're living in a fantasy world. (Unless you're "up tight" with an established Internet Marketer who will give you a personal crash course!) Businesses have to be built from the ground up, fed and nurtured, peppered with the experiences encountered along the way. It takes time, money, and hard work. Steer away from the offers that promise you heaven next week. Those are for experienced marketers that know how to build a proven home based business. I'm not trying to discourage anyone, quite the opposite, I just want you to spend your investment dollars effectively. Buying "pie in the sky" systems is not how you do that. Be patient. Learn, read. Build a solid foundation. Grow and prosper. And, most of all, enjoy the journey!

Learn the names of the people who have been successful internet marketers for years, and read their materials. You'll find that their methods are pretty much identical. Finding products to sell is no problem, they are everywhere. Then begin cheaply by posting to forums and blogs, writing articles, running free classifieds. As you see some success, start your own blog, develop your own website, buy ezine solo ads. Join a select few network marketing companies, and eventually create your own products and even a membership site. That's a simplified version, and will take a lot of time to master! But it will be well worth the trouble when you find that you have built a proven home based business!

If you are an expert, or have a lot of experience, in a certain "niche", you have a head start. You can join forums on that subject and find out what people are needing. If you find that a lot of people have needs in this area, find a way to give them what they want! Write a book or find a product that will satisfy this need. If you don't have enough marketing knowledge, or need a big prospect list, consider a joint venture with an experienced marketer. That would probably be the fastest way to gain success in the internet business world. The rest of us just have to "pay our dues" and build a proven home based business by the scenic route!

In a nutshell, just be careful who you learn from and buy from. Make sure your mentors want to help you build a proven home based business. If their promises seem "to good to be true", trust me, they are.