There are many approaches people take to marketing on the internet, some work but most don’t and probably never will. There are strategies taught for this and that, but how do you know what works and what doesn’t unless you make a full-hearted go at making it work. That takes time, effort and a hardened dedication which most people don’t have, or won’t give, and therefore fail.

That is where real-world experience, known by some as street smarts comes into play. According to answers.com “street smart” is defined as a “shrewd awareness of how to survive in an often hostile urban environment.

Why “street smart?” Because street smart entails that someone has real world experience and knows how something will play out in real life when put into action. Not how it might work or should work, but how it does actually work. Call if a gut feeling, or an educated guess if you want, but a street smart player will outplay a book smart one every time when it comes to business.

There’s only one way to become “street smart” – you must have real world experience doing, trying, testing, tracking, measuring and learning. And you just can’t become experienced overnight… it takes time, and time takes time.

Even if you went to Yale, Harvard or even the Wharton School of Business and have learned all about building businesses, marketing strategies, negotiating, management, and so on, if you jump into starting your own business without any experience, there’s a good chance you’ll get eaten alive.

This is the same approach many people take to internet marketing. I’ve seen tons of stories of people who have quit their jobs to live the IM dream of making good money from home when they know little about it. Don’t believe me, take a look at any online forum and you’ll see countless posts with a title that looks something like “I need to make $5,000 in the next 30 days!” And what’s worse, most people who post these ridiculous expectations have very little if no money to invest. Some even quip that they don’t have a lot of free time.

Others buy the expensive “how to” courses, download ebooks and eat up any info they can buy online that promises the moon and the stars overnight, then fail and wonder why. That’s why 95% of so called online marketer wannabe’s are destined to fail and ultimately they will. They don’t have a choice because they know no better.

That’s why you need a guide, a mentor or someone who’s been there and can tell you how the real world actually works, based upon their successes and failures, not how it’s supposed to or should - in theory. Since it’s unrealistic for everyone to go out and find a mentor with the necessary experience, simply because most people are busy and have things they’d rather do, you need to seek alternative sources of education.

You might opt to attend a seminar or conference, but with tuition, airfare, hotel, meals etc. it could cost anywhere from $2,000 - $10,000 or more – and that’s not exactly in everyone’s budget.

Sure you could also buy an expensive home study course complete with video, audio CDs, workbooks, study guides, checklists and everything else under the sun, but they’re hit and miss and priced at $500 - $2,500 that’s a risk you might not want to afford to take.

There are a million other options and routes you can take, but the ultimate combination of price and prized information comes in the form of a book. Why a book? Simple:

• Books are relatively inexpensive at under $20 or $30 when compared to other forms of high quality information.
• In order for a non fiction book to be published, it must contain highly valuable and accurate information from a reputable author who is an expert in his/her field.
• A lot of time goes into researching, writing, verifying and perfecting the information contained within a book and it’s not something that just thrown together to make money as are many other information products. Books are also usually edited and reviewed by at least one professional prior to being published.
• A book is small and therefore very portable, so it can be taken with you anywhere: on a plane, to the beach, read in bed etc.
• Buying a book is very low risk. It costs very little money in comparison to other methods and almost all books come with some kind of money back guarantee or return policy.
• Books are also lots of fun and interesting to read.

Most non fiction business authors don’t make a ton of money from book sales unless they have a name like Donald Trump. Instead the motivation for many, including myself, is to help people by sharing information about their experiences with them so they can succeed and avoid many of the common and costly mistakes that the author has made. So take from their street smart experiences and learn what works and what doesn’t. They’ve spent the money, taken the time and are offering you a huge shortcut – so take it now before it’s too take.

When you’re looking for an above average education at a below average price, head to your local book store or click on over to Amazon and buy a good book – it might not make you street smart overnight, but you’ll be a heck of a lot closer.

If you’re interested in making money on the internet the street smart way. grab a copy of my newest internet marketing book at http://www.InternetMarketingBook.com.