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.

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Written by Joe Bingham, Editor of the NetPlay Newsletters
Publish Your Own Quality Ezine with Little Work and a Lot of Help
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