The Challenges of developing IM in China
I just changed my profile information and this is what it says......
Hi,
I am an Australian and currently I am now living and working in Shenzhen, China (just over the border from Hong Kong which is now my quick Western 'getaway' location when I go a bit crazy here)
I recently moved from Chengdu in South Western China where I was teaching.
It is an intense experience changing jobs and moving in China and this requires a 100% focus. It is expensive and time consuming and starting a new day job here in teaching meant I had to stop my IM work for three months to just get through the process and become familiar with the demands of the new job.
My vision and goal is to cease teaching and possibly move from China in 12 months working full-time in internet marketing. I am not sure about leaving China as there is are massive and lucrative internet marketing opportunities here that are not being properly tapped from the West using Western services ( if you know how unlock them). Sites like Paypal and Clickbank are not blocked and can be accessed. If you want to understand how China dwarfs Western internet marketing activities you can Google the history and information about Alibaba and Taobao as an example of what is happening here.
I had to stop all of my IM activities for three months to get through the move here, but this forced me to take a harsh and cold look at what I had been doing and how I was setting myself up for failure and paying large sums of money to IM 'Gurus' for the privilege. It was like hitting a wall and forcing myself over it to start again. Awful!! I shut most stuff I was doing down, stopped programs (saved money pouring out of my account on useless subscriptions) and decided to get real and focussed. I chose two programs to work on only, Wealthy Affiliate and Eric Holmlund's 'Eric's Tips' lesson blog program. That's it!! I have realised that the key is to get the whole integrated picture and set up a core program for successful work starting with a clear vision and well defined goals. All the other tips and tricks and additional opportunities can be added like baubles on the main tree later...when the tree has had a chance to grow!!
So that is where I am now. It has been hard having to make this adjustment but it may well be the best thing that I have had to do and I suspect will have saved me from large loss, frustration and failure in internet marketing if I had kept doing what I had been doing previously.
Thank you for you support. It's appreciated!
Eric Bray (Currently Shenzhen, China)
Recent Comments
3
Hi Eric
Welcome back so to speak!
I have only lived and worked in 2 western countries albeit with different languages and know the amount of extra effort and concentration that takes. But with a TOTALLY different culture into the mix as well, you have my admiration and surely have the determination to succeed in this business.
Interesting to hear what is accessible from China as we tend to believe that a lot of western stuff is restricted or blocked.
Wishing you the greatest of success whichever direction you take.
Dave
Hi Dave, There is huge opportunity here. Not everything is blocked. There are also Chinese versions of search engines, social networks etc. Paypal operates in China so it is possible to get payment via Paypal here and credit cards. The Chinese middle class is incredibly wealthy and educated Chinese people usually have a VPN to access Western sites and information they want to see. A key factor overlooked by website marketers is that they do not cater for Chinese culture and language. Most Chinese (40 years and younger) have learnt English and can read it and write it (but have trouble speaking) so if Chinese is also strategically added to a site which is of interest to a niche market here, this will trigger sales. (image is very important to up and coming Chinese and expensive imported Western items that boost image are in high demand) Looking at Taobao will help to give ideas. There is phenomenal money to made here in the right niches if Chinese problems, culture, desires and language issues are understood and addressed.
Hi Eric
Thank you for the insight. Obviously something to research and a market that definitely needs some understanding but could well be worth the time and effort. You have got my brain thinking on overtime now ;)