Reasoning Theorems of Success

Remember the days when HTML was the craze and the race to online fame was reduced to a game of who could come up with the coolest scripts? Back then, we used to meet girls via telnet or MiRC, and we’d entertain amorous possibilities with them, though we knew not what they looked like. Online transactions were also avoided like the plague in those times, what with the rampant cases of credit card information theft. We likewise built sites like crazy, on geocities and similar services, and jumped for joy when we were able to integrate midi files to our welcome page.

It’s hard to believe that those memories are just five years old.

And where are we now? A new age of internet marketing has dawned upon us all, making the phrase “instant millionaires” more than just a byline. The web has become a large network of multi-level systems for business. It has never experienced this stage of acceptance and general enthusiasm before, at least, not in the post-bubble burst era.

From a glorious past to a revival of technological splendor, this has been the story of the internet so far. So what’s in store for us in the future? Or more particularly, what’s in store for our passion, online trading?

Universal Online Currency

It is spoken in hushed tones, and there is no conclusive way of distinguishing facts from rumors at this point. But the grapevine is ablaze with stories of the next big thing: a universal online currency that shall be used for all manners of online trade. There is news that Microsoft is behind the idea. Others claim that it’s the natural extension of Googles’ aggressive campaign as of late. Regardless of whichever party will come up with a viable way to implement such a novel idea, changes would be forthcoming, for good or for bad.

It would be good because such would help facilitate more convenient online transactions. It would also greatly diminish, if not totally eliminate, online fraud. Well, at least not until some whiz kid would be able to find wickedly clever means to exploit the system.

It would be bad because it would pave the way for a monopoly of payment systems. They would be able to implement unfavorable rules, and we will have no choice but to comply.

Deeper Integration with the Physical World

In a study conducted by the Pew Internet Project, 56% of the respondents believed that the internet would further blur the line between business and leisure in the next 5 years. This is already becoming manifest these days, with the proliferation of telecommuting ventures and home based businesses. A great number of mothers don’t have to spend time away from their kids anymore just to make a living. It is happening now. And it will continue to evolve.

There are a large number of entrepreneurs who are afraid of joining the internet bandwagon. This is more a result of poor perception rather than wrong attitude. But with the expected elevation of broadband connection as the new standard, and the development of more secure networks for delicate transactions, the next few years would herald the migration of more businesses to the online playing field.

The Great Earthquake

Not really in the literal sense, but a catastrophe of equal magnitude is anticipated within the next 10 years. In the same Pew Internet Project report, 66% of the respondents believed that there will be at least one major attack that would cripple the online world. The internet has become a lucrative target for small time hackers, and methods are being devised everyday to maim the system. At least one of them is bound to succeed.

It is predicted that a great depression of sorts would be felt in the aftermath of such disaster. But the online market would rebound, eventually. It has proven its resilience in the past. It will do so again.

Conclusion

Change is the only thing constant in this world. As prudent businessmen, we should anticipate it and adapt correspondingly. Most, if not some, of these changes can be used to better our enterprises, if cultivated properly. Let us welcome the challenge with open arms then, armed with lessons learned, with our convictions fortified, and with our game faces on.

Cheers for the future!

Gunnar Berglund has been a “internet-hardworker” for the last six years
He runs http://www.meonit.com and http://www.liveofftheweb.com

Recently a discussion broke out about authors on a very popular online article directory website, some in the industry call it a “category killer,” as it has over 13,000 authors and some 85,000 articles in it’s directories now. The discussion surrounded around the topic of the “Expert Author Status” and about the quality of information in an article. An author who was irked that another author had written so many articles on so many unique topics made the first comment on the subject. In fact the author had written at least one article in every single category in the website directory. The complaintant had chosen to write on only two topics.

The author the comment was geared towards is me and after much thought on this subject and 2736 articles in 7 months and 670,000 article views and an average click thru rate approaching 3%, I think it is appropriate to respond to the gentleman. First, I understand his frustration having written so very few articles. Yet, I had written over 750 articles on the two-subjects, which were geared toward my profession. Until retiring at age 40 last year; I was involved in the franchising and cleaning industries. The gentleman who complained has only written 10% of that number of articles. Thus if his average click throughs are the same as mine or slightly higher a 4% and if he has an average article view of 177 per article then I believe that my tact is in fact the better model. What I am trying to say is “I win” and any comments negative towards such facts are ludicrous.

Furthermore I sincerely believe that a person who can only write 75 articles on a subject or two that he or she is a so-called expert in over a 2-year period is unbecoming of the word expert. Secondly it is not fair for someone to comment or call into question my integrity who has only mastered two-skills in their lives that they know enough about to write on because they would have a skewed view of the world and be very limited in their abilities and thinking. Thirdly, since all things in the human endeavor relate to all other things, such a limited view of the world is dangerous, one would have to call into question the complaining author’s articles in their entirety and wonder if in fact they should be giving anyone advice on anything at all. I therefore challenge the commenter on my integrity to answer my reciprocal response and ask for him to put up his credentials and stand toe to toe.

The fact is that writing articles on subjects you have an intimate knowledge of is smart, the more things you know and the more things you feel comfortable in writing about the better. The more subjects, topics, industries and knowledge you have all adds to your over all abilities to write articles. Why would anyone limit themselves, their article subjects or their minds? May as well live in a box. Think on it. (article # 2737).

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/