If you've ever wondered why some people make lots of money online, and some are struggling, then you are in for a surprise. They do one thing the rest of us are afraid to do. They plan their business up front so that they have measurable results. Don't fool yourself into believing than an online business is different, because it's not. If you're so caught up in making an income you can forget the big picture. This is why most new online marketers don't put together a plan.

Don't fall into this trap. A concrete goal beats a fuzzy goal every day of the week. Putting together a business plan isn't that complicated. Only a few steps are required, and I'll outline them here.

An overall goal is where you need to begin. Start at the very top and work your way down. Do you have a yearly goal in mind? Write it down. If you don't then decide now on what it should be. The next thing to do is to get more specific and decide how you are going to earn the money. You most probably already know what you want to do anyway, but take the extra step and put it into words.

Now you need to break down your goal into a set of weekly tasks. Getting your weekly tasks down on paper is essential. Break down your earnings into a weekly figure as well. Now assess what you need to do. Is it too much or too little? If you are trying to do too much at once you could find yourself feeling overwhelmed.

Now you need to take it a step further and assign yourself daily tasks. Seeing progress every day will really motivate you in the long term.

This all seems like a lot of work, and you may feel it takes the fun out of marketing online. In the long run, though, having a plan like this is what keeps the gurus in their spots Making money online can be rewarding, as long as you have a plan and stick to it.