Thousands of people are being allured by the benefits of running an Internet business. For most, the main attractions are the ability to work from home and the potential to become a millionaire in a relatively short period of time. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people who try to make money on the Internet fail miserably. One reason for this is that they never really wanted an Internet business in the first place -- they just wanted more money without having to work for it. No wonder they fail. No Effort = No Results.

So, before I explain how to start an Internet business, I would like you to be absolutely certain that a home Internet business is exactly what you want. Please ask yourself the following questions:

1) Am I willing to learn new things?

2) Am I willing to apply what I learn?

3) Am I willing to make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward?

4) Am I willing to step outside of my "comfort zone" and do things that I've never done before?

If you answered "no" to any of the above questions, then you may as well quit while you're ahead. You have no "business" starting an Internet business. Sounds harsh, I know, but I'm actually saving you a lot time and money by telling you that. If you quit now, you won't waste all of your hard-earned money on books and home-study courses that you'll just end up throwing in a closet anyway because you couldn't bring yourself to do anything with the information.

Now, if you answered "yes" to all of the above questions, then you probably have what it takes to succeed in the Internet business world. You may have noticed that all of the above questions have something to do with learning and taking action. In a nutshell, those are the ingredients that can make you a success. The wealthiest online business owners are always learning and always implementing -- and they're not afraid to make mistakes in the process.

Still reading? Good. Let's talk about how to start an Internet business . . .

There are many Internet business models, and you'll need to decide on one to start with. I don't recommend dabbling in all different kinds of things at once -- that's a recipe for failure, especially if you're brand new to the process of making money online. Here are the three most common Internet business models:

Affiliate Marketing

This is where most people start. Affiliate marketing is the promotion of other people's products in exchange for a commission when a sale is made. Thousands of merchants offer affiliate programs, and most are free to join. You don't even need your own website to do affiliate marketing (although it's recommended that you do have one).

Blogging

"Blog" is an abbreviated version of "weblog," which is a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information. A blog is a frequently updated, personal website featuring diary-type commentary and links to articles on other Web sites. Blogs range from the personal to the political, and can focus on one narrow subject or a whole range of subjects.

Many blogs focus on a particular topic, such as web design, home staging, sports, or mobile technology. Some are more eclectic, presenting links to all types of other sites. And others are more like personal journals, presenting the author's daily life and thoughts.

You can make money blogging by writing about a topic that many people are interested in, which will in turn attract many visitors to your site. Once you have a sizeable audience, you can earn money by selling advertising on your blog, selling your own products, or promoting other people's products as an affiliate.

E-Commerce

Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. While it can include the sale of downloadable products such as e-books, software, and audio files, it typically refers to the sale of tangible goods that must be physically shipped to the customers. You can set up an e-commerce web store and sell goods that you purchase at wholesale prices, or you can build a store using affiliate data feeds.

No matter which business model you choose, you'll need to first make sure that you select a market that has "rabid buyers". That is, people who desperately want what you have to sell and will gladly pay for it. All successful Internet businesses begin by doing the appropriate market research to ensure that their new ventures will be profitable.

In addition, successful Internet businesses tend to follow the same 5-step process:

Step 1 - We've already covered that...It's to find a profitable market.

Step 2 - Find or create an irresistible offer.

Step 3 - Drive targeted traffic to your offer (e.g., a page on your website)

Step 4 - ???

Step 5 - Rinse and repeat.

Sorry, I can't give Step 4 away in a publicly viewable website like this. What I can say, however, is that Step 4 can mean the difference between making hundreds of dollars per month and making tens of thousands of dollars per month.

Want to get the complete 5-step system for free? Just head over to 5StepsToMoney.com right now if you want to know how to start an Internet business that will actually make money for you.