How_To_Get_Your_Online_Education_--_Part_Two

How To Get Your Online Education -- Part Two SOURCES FOR EDUCATION The Internet is loaded with information. It literally is the reason for its existence. Therefore, it is completely possible for anyone to find the education they are looking for on any topic. However, sometimes the Internet can seem so big that it's hard to locate what you want. Below are a few direct methods for finding what you are looking for. SEARCH ENGINES Not my favorite, but often the obvious place to start. However, they are best used to locate topics in general, get to a related web site, and then work forward from there. EZINES There's an ezine on everything. Plus, unlike web sites that often stay the same for months, ezines contain new information in each issue as well as refer you to relevant sites and other related ezines. If you subscribe to several ezines covering the same topic, you'll get a range of opinions and views that can help you develop your own ideas over time. It's ok to subscribe to quite a few ezines and let them compete. Determine the ones that continually bring you what you want and stay with them. Root out a few of the best on your chosen topic and let the rest go. After you read an ezine, and you like the information presented, visit the ezine's web site and look at their archived issues as well. This can be a quick way to surmise what kind of information and interests the ezine will cover. A great place to start your search for ezines is an ezine directory. You can search by category and read brief descriptions of what the ezines contain. My favorite directory is the Ezine Locator run by Jeff Wilson. http://www.ezinelocater.com To me it's more easily navigable and makes better sense than many others. WRITER'S SITES Another worthwhile endeavor is visiting the sites of the people who actually author the articles that you enjoy. Some ezines run original articles, but many just pick up articles from freelance writers. Determine the actual author of good articles and see what their site has to offer or watch for more of their works. Most articles contain a resource box at the end identifying the author and providing a link to his or her site. ESTABLISH CONTACT You can read articles and sites all you want, and you can learn a great deal. However, sometimes you just plain need personal contact from someone who can answer your specific questions. Not everyone on the Internet is easily approachable, but those in the business of selling information usually are happy to make personal contact. When you do write to someone with questions there are certain steps you can take that will increase your odds of getting a response. 1. Call them by name. 2. Name the article or site where you read their words. 3. Be courteous. 4. Be specific. Addressing people by name tells them you know who they are and that you are not just sending out bulk emails to anyone who would respond. Letting them know where you heard of them gives you more credibility as well. Being polite is, of course, expected by anyone, and being specific will get you better answers. Asking general questions that require volumes to answer will not get results. This is the Internet where working marketers can literally get hundreds of emails every day. If you show specific interest, you'll be more likely to get a legitimate response. You can try contacting anyone you respect that offers an email address, but you won't always get a response depending on the person, how busy they are, and their way of doing business. However, there are people who are willing to answer questions and in fact list themselves as being available to do just that. SwapSmarts.com http://www.swapsmarts.com is one site that lists experts in many categories that have signed up as being willing to take questions. This can be one way that makes finding people to contact much easier. CHOOSING A MENTOR At times, you may find one or two people that you can form a good relationship with and contact repeatedly. If you are willing to give something back in that relationship, whether it be your own knowledge in a different area, other items of value, money, or at least friendship, you can end up with a mentor. You can have one to several mentors, and often the relationship can be profitable for you both. I define a mentor simply as someone willing to work along with you by answering questions or relating their own experience while you make your way through a learning process. Mentors deserve your respect, and they deserve to be paid back in some way for what they do for you. However, there's no one that knows everything. You still need to think things through for yourself, seek other opinions, and relate others experience and knowledge to your own goals and obstacles. You can learn from any or all of these resources. However, it's how you start to put your new knowledge into action that counts. We'll start to discuss that in the next article in this series. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Talk DIRECTLY with EXPERTS! -- Direct, PERSONAL Contact, Expert Advice -- Ask Unlimited Questions on Many Subjects --100s of Experts Available for Private, Confidential Consultations Get the Information You NEED Today: http://www.swapsmarts.com -------------- Written by Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters Publish Your Own Quality Ezine with Little Work and a Lot of Help http://www.netplaynewsletters.com/publisher.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----- About the author: Joe Bingham is the editor of the NetPlay Newsletters.