When beginners start out wanting to learn how to make money online, they often think that making money online means they have to be in the "make money online" niche. So they buy tons of reports, success blueprints and "secret" formulas from Internet Marketing "Gurus" and then try to apply the principles to teach others how to make money online.

I can't build a house. I am lousy with tools, unlike my father who was a carpenter. So why would I start offering myself as an expert on building houses when I KNOW I don't have the skills? Similar, if someone is just starting out in Internet marketing, how could they possibly think they are qualified to teach others how to make money online?

Beginners are confusing learning how to make money online with the niche of selling products to people wanting to learn how to do the same thing. This creates a flood of "clone" newbies all trying to make money by selling affiliate products. This niche is incredibly hard for newbies to be successful at and is the worst possible choice for their first niche market.

You don't make money by doing what everyone else is doing. So what should you do instead?

One woman I coach was trying to get started in the Internet marketing field with a private label rights product. During our session, I found out she was a nurse with 20 years in the health field. Health was her passion and she had a ton of medical knowledge.

With the rising age of baby boomers, health is a trillion dollar industry! And she had mistakenly thought her nursing skills were useless online and went into the Internet marketing field...

I helped her realize that the health market had MUCH higher potential for her if she could learn to apply Internet marketing principles to the health field.

So what is YOUR niche? Start by looking at what your own gifts are. What are you good at? What are you passionate about? What skills do you have that others need? Exploring your own gifts, hobbies and passions will likely find you your profitable niche. Then you can identify their needs and start developing or finding products to help people in this community.

Here are some ideas of how to turn a skill, hobby or passion into an online business.

- If you are good at writing, you could be an author, copywriter, blogger or content developer for the web.
- Amazing with animals? Offer training videos, DVDs, books, ebooks and online training sessions.
- Love making music? Offer your songs online, teach music students by Skype, license your music to TV shows, movies or web sites.
- Social butterfly? Create an online community. Make money by advertising, product reviews, or membership fees.
- Best bargain shopper ever? Write an ebook. Provide a "thrifty tip of the day." Become a speaker teaching others your tricks.
- Fast typer? Offer data entry or transcription services online.
- Good at marketing? Become a marketing consultant, speaker, or trainer. Create books, ebooks, DVDs.

As you can see, there are many possibilities for you. So don't make the mistake so many others make of getting into the "make money" niche. Once you are successful online in your niche, you can still create "how-to" products teaching others how to market in your niche. For example you could have products like "Starting Your Own Health Business Online" or "Turn Your Love Of Pets Into An Amazing Online Business."

You will have the credibility because you are already successful and you will have unique products instead of doing the same thing as everyone else.

So learn to be "uniquely you" instead of joining the "clone" wars. :)