The average marketing agency is, to put it mildly, next to useless when it comes to Internet Marketing.

In fact let me make it very clear.

The average Internet marketing plan being offered by the average ad agency is:

abortive, bootless, counterproductive, disadvantageous, dysfunctional, expendable, feckless, fruitless, futile, good-for-nothing, hopeless, idle, impracticable, impractical, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, inoperative, inutile, meaningless, no good, nonfunctional, pointless, profitless, purposeless, stupid, unavailable, unavailing, unfunctional, unproductive, unprofitable, unproven, unpurposed, unusable, unworkable, vain, valueless, waste, weak and worthless!

In short - they just don't get it.

Why?

Well, I have a simple theory…

I suspect that many of them have grown so accustomed to creating expensive campaigns in the offline world, that win fancy awards 'from their peers' that they seriously think that's all there is to Internet Marketing. (I don't know about you but peer decided awards have always struck me as a joke - I want to see the ads that won awards from grateful customers as a result of making money for the business owners that paid for them!)

And the brutal truth about doing anything on the Internet is that your web stats dont lie.

FACT: Your marketing online either 'Brings Home the Bacon' Or it Doesn't. No exceptions.

Having a creative-looking website might make your expensive web designer happy (as it rapidly depletes your bank balance) but it really won't amount to a hill of beans when it comes to sales.

Interesting Example: Look at this site: www.InstantNichePortals.com (No we are NOT taking anymore members) a few months back, I showed the site to a friend who owns an ad agency on the West Coast and asked his opinion….

He UTTERLY castigated it. Told me it was unprofessional, 'Desperately' needed graphics and probably would make $1,000 all year.

SIDEBAR: You should of seen his face when I opened our 2Checkout account and showed him over $340,000 in sales! in the first 10 months!

HINT: Before you hire someone to do Internet marketing for YOUR business, 'Bottom Line' them. Ask them to show you their own 'Show-me-The-Money' results.

• Look for Dragon-Slayer testimonials (see www.AustralianBusinessWebsites.com for an example)
• Get them to show you first page positions on Google and Yahoo for their own sought-after keyword phrases.
• Look for staggering amounts of quality content on their websites (See www.BizTalkAustralia.com)
• Ask them about opt-in list building. HINT: If they look at you like a goldfish - don't walk - RUN in the opposite direction.

Marketing online doesn't have to be like mastering Chinese Algebra or doing handstands on a tightrope. In reality, it is dead easy.

You just need to know your stuff (Or be man enough to admit it if you don't).
Balding, Ponytailed, Ad Agency CEO's who drive a Porche and wear dark sunglasses (even inside) can now burn me in effigy.