money to cover their costs. And when some of those 95% stop trying, more folks show up to take their place. Why?
- Probably one reason is that people think "anyone can do it". They might know of someone who's making money regularly on eBay, and they figure "if she can do it, so can I".

- Another reason is that there are no apparent barriers to entry. The Internet levels the playing field between the budding entrepreneur and larger, established companies. There seem to be no startup costs, as there would be for bricks and mortar businesses.

- Since everyone starts by thinking they can run their Internet business out of their home, and they already have a computer and an Internet connection, then there are no overhead costs. There really aren't any obvious reasons not to give Internet marketing a try.

But these are all aspects of Internet business that make it appear to be extremely do-able. What motivates people to look for a new source of income?

- I think many people see the Internet as a way to get rich quick. These are some of the same people who have dabbled in MLM. They are just looking for a way to make a quick buck, that doesn't require them to learn to do anything they don't already know how to do.

- Other people are motivated by a strong desire, or even a need, to improve their financial situation. They may be unemployed or underemployed, and they need additional income either to make ends meet, or just to provide some extra spending money every month.

- Still others are motivated by a desire for freedom. They may have a job they hate, or a boss they hate, and they just want more control over the kind of work they do, and when and where they get to do it. It's not so much about the money as it is about the nature of their work.

- Finally, and sadly I think, people are bombarded with marketing messages that make it SOUND easy to make money online. You know, just purchase the latest, hottest $97 infoproduct complete with its own sales page and keyword list, and the Internet cash floodgates will open up for you.

Unfortunately, many people get discouraged before they ever make money online. And that's because making money online ISN'T easy -- it's SIMPLE, but it isn't easy. If you don't understand the difference, think of ditch-digging. Now THAT's simple -- but it sure ain't easy!
Alan Finger is the webmaster at the Starving Marketer web site, and the editor of the Starving Marketer Newsletter. He has been working at making money online for more than 3 years now, and intends to continue working at it for many years to come.