Internet marketing seems to be the in thing these days. Everywhere I go (online and off) people are fantasising about working less (ideally from the comfort of their homes) and earning money even while they're fast asleep. Everyday thousands of hopefuls spend their hard earned cash on information products, tantalising work from home opportunities (or the so called 'business in a box') and swanky website design. But internet marketing isn't right for everyone. If you're in doubt, read on to find out the qualities every candidate must have.

1. Quick Learner - Internet marketing is for those who are eager to learn new things on a regular basis. Although setting up an online business may look like the easiest thing in the world, it's actually a steep learning curve. Many IM newbies spend years learning how to design a website, search engine optimise, publish newsletters, syndicate articles, manage auto responders, build double opt in lists, create joint venture partnerships and so on! Even those who decide to hire experts to do many of these back-breaking tasks find that they have to work closely with said experts in order to create desirable end products. So before you decide that internet marketing is the next step for you, be sure that you are a tireless and practical learner.

2. Amenable to Change - Internet marketing is not your thing if you're the kind of person who resists change. That's because the online world is so dynamic! Text only websites were pardonable once; today photos, music and video feature on most websites thus enhancing user experience. Static websites could get by once upon a time; today blogs and social networking groups are the preferred choice. In fact some traffic building strategies that worked like a charm in the past are redundant as we speak e.g two way link exchange and web directory submission. Successful internet marketers keep their fingers on the pulse and go with the flow. They don't waste time crying over spilled milk or complaining about the inevitable.

3. Business Minded - At the end of the day, internet marketing is a business, not a hobby. Business minded people don't spend more time on leisure activities (checking emails, browsing aimlessly and chatting with friends...) than they do conducting market research, creating products people want 'now' and building mutually beneficial partnerships. Business minded people are also creative people - they know it's not wise to get involved in 'done to death' internet marketing opportunities (e.g. sale of private label ebooks!), rather they look for recurrent problems and solve them ASAP.

Internet marketing can be hugely rewarding but it's not all fun and games. Many people invest thousands of dollars in online ventures yet never make enough money to pay for the cost of their domain hosting let alone the tons of info products purchased during moments of quiet desperation. Before you join the queue of internet marketing hopefuls, be sure you've got exactly what it takes to cut the cake.