In the world of Internet Marketing, we are often individually holed up in our homes or offices, mining the internet for opportunities and creating our empires.

There are many ways you can become successful on the internet, but most involve either the:
1. Hard Way
2. Costly Way
3. Long Way or
4. Mentor Way

The hard way is to do it yourself. The costly way is to do it yourself. The long way is to do it yourself. Then, there is the mentor way. You will hear stories of the pioneers of the industry and how they made it, but they will no doubt tell you that it was hard, costly and long. It is these people who we need to be grateful for, and to ask for help. No matter who I meet, from guru to newbie, they thank some mentor for getting them where they are, or started. Including myself who have had more than fourteen mentors already, and will continue to invest until there is no higher I can reach (which really means forever.)

There is a big barrier that prevents many people from achieving their ultimate internet dreams and I call it the big fat lie.
The Big Fat Lie

"Believing that you should be able to do it all by yourself, or have
to do it all yourself."

Now I'm not saying you CAN'T do it all by yourself, but you will discover that it is a lonely and difficult way to get there. If you can't trust other people, how do you expect others to trust you? If you can't ask for help, how can you expect others to want help from you?

You need to approach internet marketing keeping 4 things in mind:
1. Knowing where you are - and WHY
2. knowing where you are going - and WHY
3. Knowing the best way to get there
4. Getting there quickly and easily

This is an industry where the data and information change so quickly that taking on all of that by yourself will prove to be overwhelming, exhausting, and really frustrating. I don't wish that on anyone. This market is a millionaire maker's dream, and that is why so many chase it. Many however approach it with pessimism, dabble here and there, make a few inquiries, check some stuff out and others may spend a fortune on reference and course materials but never find themselves standing at the top of the mountain. If this is what you have experienced, then you need to get a mentor. The pace of the industry dictates that by getting direct help from a person helps to improve your success exponentially.

Having a mentor is inside access to model a successful person. Why do you think shows such as "The Apprentice" are so enticing? It isn't just the media exposure, but for the winner it is a chance to work closely with a billionaire such as Donald Trump. Guess what that would do for your expectations and mindset? You would be influenced by a person who has mastered their art.

For anyone considering getting a mentor, even though the cost may seem high, if you choose based on the mentor analysis you will more than likely not only get your money's worth, you will get someone who you can depend on to get you to the top, faster, easier, and in the long run, cheaper.

When you are joining a mentor or coaching program, it can range from about $2500 upwards depending on the access and time frame. I do recommend that you pick at least one mentor because if you want to be a part of the game, you need to move from the bench to the field.

Here are the things you need to consider in your mentor analysis:

1. Who will you be working with?
If it isn't directly with the expert themselves in some capacity, whether it is a review cycle, or the training and coaching, or teleseminars - then I would think twice. If you are getting someone who was coached by them, it isn't the same. I made a $5000 error here by getting someone who was coached, but not the one. He could do it for himself but had no idea how to teach others how to make it work. They are 2 very different skills.

2. Do they have access via teleseminar/email/club?
As part of the program, is there a club element (even if paid) where you continue to get access for teleseminars, and is there a teleseminar aspect of the main program for lesson and question and answers. Just as good, is there a private access email to keep the program moving? A question you can ask is: "After our initial time, what happens next?"

3. Do they have support staff?
When you have purchased an e-course or mentoring if they have someone that can help you as well, this is a big plus. If the package includes web hosting, software or an e-course which may require technical help, this is an important factor. Lastly, find out how hard it is to get access to your mentor when it isn't scheduled.

4. What extras do they provide?
I have received everything from free web hosting for the year, to a laptop with everything pre-loaded, to simply what you bought - which in some cases was a program that was just a website with eBooks on it, and 2 more new ones a month. Be sure to know exactly what you are getting for your money, with your main focus on access and time with the mentor.

5. What is their specialty?
The Internet is an enormous field and even the category Internet Marketing encompasses a vast range of skills. Each mentor seems to have something they excel at. For some it is marketing/promotion, some it's joint ventures, books, millionaire makers, corporate strategists, and the list goes on. You need to determine your niche, your core, and then select your first mentor based on where you are, and what they provide. THIS IS THE COSTLY MISTAKE RIGHT HERE - buying beyond where you are, for a niche you aren't involved with.

6. What is their guarantee?
Don't go into a mentor program looking at the guarantee, and thinking you have that time frame to get your money back. That is a surefire way of not achieving what you want, except maybe your money back, and a year gone by. You can find out what it is to appease your element of fear of spending the money, but then throw it away and don't think about it. Because if you work towards your goal as if you have to make it, even if to just recoup your investment, the results will be much greater. Then at the end of the time period you won't need to worry about the guarantee because you won't need it.

7. Focus on the time access to the mentor
The golden nugget of a mentor program is the actual time you will get to speak or be taught by the mentor. Don't get swayed by all of those pages of lovely bonuses. They are fantastic, and great, but the differentiating factor to compare programs is the 'time with the coach.' Is it a week-end, almost 20 hours of time, plus calls afterwards. Is it 1 call a month, or a one-hour consult after you have done the program on your own. This is a key, because all of the bonus prizes are gravy, so ignore those completely until you have plucked that nugget and are comparing apples to apples.

8. Pick One Mentor To Start and Stay Focused
Once you enter the game of Internet Marketing and sign up for the various e-zines to keep on top of what is going on, you will be bombarded with so much information it is easy to get overwhelmed. Then, confused. Then be driven into a feeling that you know so little it will be impossible to learn it all and get it going. This is why the goal planning of chapter one is so important. Look at your goal, and do one thing at a time. This is why putting together a list of what you want to accomplish for that day, is a necessity. It is so easy to get moved from tree to tree like a homeless monkey. You need to hold your position in space, keep your focus, know your goal, do one thing at a time, and you will get there.

9. How long have they been around?
I would examine how long a person has been in the industry, or what experience they have in being a coach/mentor from another field. I have been to a few seminars where the 'new guys' who have just broken in are now offering mentoring services. If their success has been just last year, you need to look for the other field skills that are going to support this activity. The reason is, now that they have achieved success, they need to stabilize it. This doesn't mean prove it, they have done that. This means they need to get the business foundation and structure secure before they start pulling in people to support. The build-up to breaking through is intense and then the next year is primarily delivery and growth. During these two Phase I stages they have to get their business model in place and move from the one-man-band I can do it all myself, to a true business entity. Then they are ready, and jump aboard with glee. They, and you, will be better off.

10. Success Stories
Watch for the inbreeding of success stories. This is where the experts each give each other a testimonial. It's great to have the support of a guru for the product and it does speak to its value, but we know the gurus can get stuff to work. You need to look for whether the average Joe off the street with a dream and desire can pull it off. These are the ones I look for.

11. Personality
This goes to the fact that you like the person. You want to be with them, you think they are great, you can relate well, and their training style fits your life style. If this is someone you are going to trust, put your faith in, and listen to intently, you have to like them or at least respect them.

12. Price
Now you may have been looking for this further up the list, but this is really where it belongs. You have to consider all of the above and then look at this. If you are at the beginning stages of your journey, you will usually discover once you have evaluated all of the above, there are certain mentors you're not ready for, regardless of price. Their focus might be business strategy or wealth building, and you are just starting and need a landing page. It's great to want the guru at the top of the mountain but in the beginning you need access to the person, and learning from just CDs can be overwhelming. So get the mentor for the exact focus you need right now, for the top price you can afford to pay, with the most amount of direct access, with someone you really like - and price won't matter.

13. Next Level
You will soon discover as you complete a portion of your business or project or product, you are ready for the next person. You will have many mentors throughout your journey that will serve different purposes for different stages. As you become more experienced, wealthier, and more in demand, you will need the guidance and structure of people like Jay Abraham, Rich Schefren, and Dan Kennedy. You will also discover the mentors you use, also use these guys. It is a tiered system of education and graduation, and it is a fun and exciting game to play, when you play it right. Take your baby steps, or your giant leaps if that is the stage you are at, with always your goal and focus in mind, because the path has already been paved, you just need to walk it.

Book is available from Amazon.com - Let me know you bought a copy, and as a Squidoo supporter, I'll send you over $625 worth of free gifts!