Official June 2011 Monthly Guest Blogging Contest Post #7
Contest Article
Some people like to read or take naps in their spare time. I like to think about ways to make money. Sketching out new inventions, writing songs & children’s books, learning how to make wine and scotch, figuring out how to get a small business loan… these are things I do when there is nothing good on TV.
… with is almost always.
My start in online money making was completely unintentional. I was messing around on Facebook one day when a friend of mine posted a link to his home-based business. I had never heard of MLM before, so when I clicked on the link and started to watch the presentation, the concept really hit home.
My entrepreneurial gears were turning, and I could really see myself succeeding in the opportunity. Here comes a slightly shameless plug…
The company was Worldventures. For those of you who don’t know, Worldventures is a travel club that offers ridiculously low prices on dream vacations while rewarding customers with incentives for sharing the idea with other people…. blah blah blah…
I’m not here to pitch Worldventures, but the compensation program is pretty sweet. As I watched the presentation, I could definitely see myself cashing a nice check every month from the residual income that I could generate if I recruited enough prospects…
… so within 48 hours I was onboard with the company.
Something I thought would be easy turned out to be a bit of a challenge. My friend had ZERO experience in MLM, as did the guys that recruited him. I had no real leadership to lean on as I was trying to grow my business, and I was forced to do things the hard way: All by myself.
The next few months after I joined the company were fueled by my desire to learn the tricks of the trade when it came to building a downline. Of course I read Mike Dillard’s courses and everything else I could get my hands on that even mentioned MLM recruiting tactics. As I researched, I began to become even more fascinated with the idea of making money online and leveraging the power of the internet to achieve success with my travel business…
… but more excited about learning how to make money online using internet marketing.
Next thing I knew I was reading about list building and traffic generation and SEO and lead capture pages and advertising and forums and blogging and affiliate marketing and article marketing and video marketing and MY HEAD NEARLY EXPLODED!!!
I had joined practically every list that I could so that I could observe and study what the “gurus” were all doing. It was pretty amusing, actually. The gurus were making money off the people who had no idea what they were doing (like me), and the less famous marketers were making money off the people who were fed up with the gurus by pitching products and secrets “that the gurus didn’t want you to know.”
Then it hit me: these guys are making tons of money with products, services, and information that are designed to help demystify and simplify the online money making process!
…something else that occurred to me was that no matter what you read – no matter what software you have – no matter how great your website is — it all comes down to hard work. There is no such thing as easy.
You have to be dedicated. You have to have a good attitude and work ethic. There is always something new that you can learn to improve your chances of gaining new prospects and making more sales.
So yeah – when it comes to learning how to make money online, it is very easy to drown in a sea of information. The best way to stay afloat is to stick to the basics. There really isn’t an “easy way” or “fast money.”
However if you find some good leadership and a good business opportunity – if you commit yourself to success and hard work, you will be less likely to drown in information overload.
Andreas Pazer (152)
abhibalani (136)
Jafar Dhada (128)
Holly Jahangiri (101)
bbrian017 (62)
Justin Germino (51)
Kris Edison (47)
James Pruitt (46)
Rahul Kuntala (31)
Hajra (26)
Twitter: aynilists
Great read, very recognizable! I know that rush of the “perfect idea” or a “brilliant find” of an online marketing project and dove right in a couple of times. I never found any fast way of making money either though, but really did learn to find the proper sites to read up on good information.
There are so many blogs out there that talk about making money that it’s easy to get swamped in information, just like you said. It’s a matter of taking time (weeks, months, years) to find those proper sources and actively follow them and engage in conversation.
Dedication is the word
Awesome article mate, good luck with the contest!
Sietse recently posted..5 Things To Know About The Blog Engage Guest Blogging Contest
Glad your head is still above water. But are you rich yet?
Twitter: saadiakomal
Leadership is also important in ensuring the smooth running of the organization as a whole.
leadership helps groups and organisations build consensus around common goals, improve collaboration between team members and colleagues and ultimately achieve greater success.
Sadia Komal recently posted..Brands Promotional Gift Item Ideas
When you’re trying to make money online, information overload is a far too common experience. Like you say, though, there’s no such thing as ‘getting rich quick’ online, so the best think you can do is to pace yourself. If you ever want to become successful and make money (and hopefully lots of it) online, then you need to give yourself time to digest a lot of information. Don’t rush yourself and try to be patient. Yes, I know, things easier said than done, but in the long run it will pay off.
I read a great post last week regarding three things that can never all be in a make money endeavor. I wish I could remember the title but basically it said that no project worth chasing can be both ‘Easy’, ‘Stustainable’, and ‘Profitable’. If anyone knows the article, please post it because it’s extremely informative.
Steene recently posted..Rechargeable Batteries Will Save You Money
Twitter: DrRus
This is a great post and a super reminder that nothing comes free in this world. I believe a lot of people look at the Internet as a way of “getting rich quick”. While there is money to be made, there’s also a lot of sweat-equity needed too. This is a great reminder and it’s a great post highlighting the importance of networking too.
Thanks for the reminder!
Dr. Rus Jeffrey recently posted..Day 129: Stanley Cup Playoff Time
you’ve got to be selective in listening in making money online tips and weigh if it’s the right thing to do using your business experience or by reading more from reliable sources.
jkar recently posted..Product Photography – First Step to A Good Advertising Campaign
Twitter: WillCarissa
Very welcome, Dr. Russ! Thank you for your comment, and thank you to the everyone else for their comments too.
WillCarissa recently posted..All You Need is Lists – My New Favorite Site
Twitter: Ileane
Great story and it kept my interest. It’s all about timing too. If you started your online vacation package business just as the economy went south there wasn’t much chance of you making money. Right now, I think everyone is facing information overload with all of the gurus and social networking sites pulling us in different directions.
I have a question for you – did you quit your day job?
Thanks for the post.
Ileane recently posted..Spend Time with The Bad Blogger
Twitter: WillCarissa
Here is the honest truth:
I am a self-proclaimed engineering GEEK, and I love to work. I doubt I will ever quit my day job, although the Mrs. and I would love to start a non-profit.
Right now we’re in the process of opening a coffee shop / wine bar . . . once that picks up, I MIGHT consider a break from engineering, but I’d miss the numbers and forces and vectors.
:p
WillCarissa recently posted..Create a Blog and ENGAGE!
Twitter: dragonblogger
Quit day job, that is very interesting one. I recently saw a few articles about people who were downsized and decided to use their time on unemployment to start online ventures. In less than 4 months they were able to earn more from online ventures than they were being paid from unemployment though still not enough as their former jobs but this is very encouraging. I think if you are handed a lemon then why not turn it into lemonade, sometimes people need a push to start a venture and if you are already at the bottom then you can’t do anything else but try and climb back up. I would love to be able to do blogging full time, but I realize this is a nigh impossibility for me unless I become as famous as Chris Brogan. You are very much spot on with the dizzying amount of information that can assault a newbie to trying to figure out how to make money online. There are so many different methods to attempt, it is hard to know where to begin.
I did the trial and error method and it has taken 2 years to reach my levels know which certainly isn’t enough to live off of. Always share your experiences and be open with your readers, this will be one of the best ways to build trust and reputation. Be sure to share your mistakes as much as your successes as your failures will teach others and you will be more appreciated for it.
Justin Germino recently posted..Lulzsec: Now Hacking a Website Near You
Twitter: WillCarissa
Justin!
Thank you for your comment. Figuratively speaking, you are right on the money!
I think the goal when people start an online venture is to become financially independent and work full time on their business. Statistically, this doesn’t happen for everyone – but like you said, there are a lot of people making more than they would in unemployment and a lot of people have doubled their salaries or at least supplemented their income nicely.
In my opinion, there are far more productive ways to spend time than vegging out in front of the television or being a barfly. Why not do something that can pay for the next vacation or retirement fund?
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