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What Percent Are Successful IM'ers

by absolutelee
39 replies
Okay, this is something I've been wondering for quite some time.

Especially with the global recession, there must be millions of people flooding the Internet looking for ways to make money online.

What percentage of people who "try" to make money online ever make any?

Let's define "make any money" as just making $500. Not in one month, either, just at anytime.

Of all those folks who dream about making money online, and who even kind of get started doing so, how many ever make even $500?

You guys have a ton of collective experience, and I would love to get some feedback on this.

One more thing...what keeps people from really making any money? I have my ideas, which I'll be happy to share, but I would love to know yours.
#imers #percent #successful
  • Profile picture of the author Ashley Wright
    What stops people from making money is pure laziness and fear. whether it is fear to fail or in more cases than not fear to succeed! Personally if you put your mind to it money is there to be made in my eyes and you can see this happening.

    What I always teach is people who only "try" usually tend to fail as there not 100% certain. People who say to themselves you know what I am going to make money online and set out an action plan are the ones who get the results.

    Percentage wise am not sure either it would be a very low one in my eyes
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    • Profile picture of the author TheMagicShow
      Originally Posted by Ashley Wright View Post

      What stops people from making money is pure laziness and fear. whether it is fear to fail or in more cases than not fear to succeed! Personally if you put your mind to it money is there to be made in my eyes and you can see this happening.

      What I always teach is people who only "try" usually tend to fail as there not 100% certain. People who say to themselves you know what I am going to make money online and set out an action plan are the ones who get the results.

      Percentage wise am not sure either it would be a very low one in my eyes
      Not everyone is lazy and have fears. 90% or more don't have a solid plan to follow. Some people bust their ass and work very hard, but don't have a plan... to take them to their destination.

      The percentage is very low, most struggle in this business. The ones that stick it out, are the ones that make it and live a nice lifestyle.
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      • Profile picture of the author davidjames42973
        I can't tell you how many of my friends I've spoken to and showed them exactly what I do to make money online and they never apply anything I show them.

        Instead of sitting down and teaching them, I actually created a series of videos, so now anytime one of my friends or family asks to show them how to make $ online, I forward them the videos. If they apply it, awesome! If they don't (which so far 100% of my friends don't) then luckily I saved my breath and time by having it on video.

        It's not that they're lazy, it's just tough to be motivated enough to do it...
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        • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
          Originally Posted by davidjames42973 View Post

          I can't tell you how many of my friends I've spoken to and showed them exactly what I do to make money online and they never apply anything I show them.

          Instead of sitting down and teaching them, I actually created a series of videos, so now anytime one of my friends or family asks to show them how to make $ online, I forward them the videos. If they apply it, awesome! If they don't (which so far 100% of my friends don't) then luckily I saved my breath and time by having it on video.

          It's not that they're lazy, it's just tough to be motivated enough to do it...
          Wow! Love the video idea! I can't tell you how many people I have handed the "keys to the kingdom" to, friends, business owners, etc. Only to have them do absolutely nothing.
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      • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
        Originally Posted by Magic Mel View Post

        Some people bust their ass and work very hard, but don't have a plan
        Right. And I would like to add that they probably don't really believe in their plan.

        Let's look at it this way.

        Suppose I told someone that if they worked for 50 hours per week for a year doing what I tell them to do, that they would create a real live, honest to gosh, six figure income for themselves.

        How many people would do what I told them to? (We'll assume for the moment that I have foolproof steps for this.)

        If someone really believed, 100% that I knew what I was talking about and that my steps worked 100% of the time, I think a lot of people would do this.

        So, that leads me to believe that it's not necessarily laziness, but doubt that prevents people from succeeding.
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        • Profile picture of the author ShaneRQR
          Originally Posted by absolutelee View Post

          Right. And I would like to add that they probably don't really believe in their plan.

          Let's look at it this way.

          Suppose I told someone that if they worked for 50 hours per week for a year doing what I tell them to do, that they would create a real live, honest to gosh, six figure income for themselves.

          How many people would do what I told them to? (We'll assume for the moment that I have foolproof steps for this.)

          If someone really believed, 100% that I knew what I was talking about and that my steps worked 100% of the time, I think a lot of people would do this.

          So, that leads me to believe that it's not necessarily laziness, but doubt that prevents people from succeeding.
          I think you hit the nail partially on the head with this (if such a thing is possible).

          On the one hand: Yes, a big part of the problem is that you're kind of on your own in IM. While there is lots of good advice and there are many good systems, it's easy to get overwhelmed and confused.
          Basically, there are people shouting different opinions at newbies from every corner. Every single IM sales page states that THIS is the ULTIMATE, true, real secret to making tons of money online. Often, you find directly contradicting advice.

          Duplicate content or not? Spin articles or not? Publish articles to databases or keep the good content on your blog? On-site SEO more important than off-site (see Google Sniper) or vice versa (see Grizzly)? I could go on...

          Whoever wants to make it in this business needs real good self-control, initiative and the ability to shut out distractions once they're on their way down a certain path. Those are fairly rare skills.


          The other problem I see is this, however: Let's take a quick look at weight-loss/fitness, shall we?

          Millions of people want to get in shape. And it's actually very easy to do: Eat less junk, move more.
          But still, millions fail over and over again, in their goal to get in shape.
          Of course, here there's also similar information overwhelm as in IM, but does anyone really doubt that they would get in shape if they ate less junk and took up regular exercise?

          I think doubt is not the issue, here.

          At least to a certain extent, it does come down to lazyness, lack of proper planning, lack of interest etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    I think you're certainly right, but I'm not sure if it's just laziness. I know when I got started in this whole thing, there was a ton of confusion. I basically tried everything and for a while nothing worked. Finally, I got some things to work and built out from there.

    So, I'm probably the exception to the rule, because I'm so pig-headed, but still, I think there's a lot of problems with folks not know exactly what to do, or not trusting in whatever method they're trying to do.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lawyer007
      This would be a good stat to know... not only for those who make money online but for those who have never tried. The hardest part about online business is the time needed to dedicate to a successful campaign. Laziness could be the problem but I also think its a misconception that if someone puts up a website with some products they will get traffic and start selling... unfortunately we all know this is not true and probably had found out the hard way
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      • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
        Originally Posted by Lawyer007 View Post

        The hardest part about online business is the time needed to dedicate to a successful campaign. Laziness could be the problem but I also think its a misconception that if someone puts up a website with some products they will get traffic and start selling... unfortunately we all know this is not true and probably had found out the hard way
        Right. I'm glad I've opened up this discussion. The more I think about it, though, I don't really think laziness is the root cause. I think it's confusion about what will work, and perhaps mistrust about what will work. I know that dogged me for quite.
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  • Profile picture of the author driven247
    you just said it absolutelee. The reason people fail is because they try everything and don't just stick to one thing until they reach success. The people that fail because they are lazy usually never even start.
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  • Profile picture of the author shibbeymon
    I can say I've made about $750 online in one years time...and that includes taking this entire summer off due to work and an illness in the family.

    Not an incredible amount of money ... but enough that when my wife looked at me last week and asked if I was just going to "goof off on the computer or get back into IM" it made me think.

    I have fallen prey to the most common newbie mistake: not taking action on all the information I've read here on the Warrior Forum. I own a few websites and have the basic skillls to promote them. (Which I learned here at the WF.) It just seems like I drove down a side road and haven't made my way back to the main highway to success yet....but I've decided to start driving again and that's a start.

    I'd like to point out that it's not just laziness and fear that makes most people fail; most of the time it's a simple lack of having a plan and working it, day in day out, consistently until you see results.

    Davidjames hit it right on the head. It's just tough to be motivated sometimes to do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    The stat I heard was 3% are still Imers in a year. Keep in mind 97% of all stats are made up on the spot.
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by DogScout View Post

      The stat I heard was 3% are still Imers in a year. Keep in mind 97% of all stats are made up on the spot.

      Okay, that's very funny! I'll try to remember this for the next time I'm at a party.
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  • Profile picture of the author SurviveUnemployment
    That's an interesting question. Of people who apply themselves for one year or more, I would bet it's close to 100 percent.

    98 percent of people will give up after a few months, though. This is a game of endurance in many ways, especially if you're pursuing an organic SEO strategy -- that takes time. You have to have a lot of pages and come up on a lot of terms.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vic Shake
    3 % are only successful
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by Vic Shake View Post

      3 % are only successful
      Sounds about right, but I think that's probably too high. My gut tells me that it's got to be less than 1%.
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      • Profile picture of the author tenaciouscreations
        Well I got started in IM through Google AdSense. I remember when I started out everyone told me I would never get to the point when google would pay me. But you know what Google eventually paid me and a little while later they paid me again. It was only around $100.00 USd each time but it was something.
        Then for some dumb reason I decided to go back to work for someone else. Well google still paid me every now and again. But nothing like I had planned. Now I have a well layed out plan and I am hoping on round two here things will turn out susubstantially better.
        I do believe that sometimes our fear of succeeding does cause us to fail. I am doing my best to keep this fear from surfacing in me.


        Ben
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        • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
          Originally Posted by tenaciouscreations View Post

          Well I got started in IM through Google AdSense. I remember when I started out everyone told me I would never get to the point when google would pay me. But you know what Google eventually paid me and a little while later they paid me again. It was only around $100.00 USd each time but it was something.
          Then for some dumb reason I decided to go back to work for someone else. Well google still paid me every now and again. But nothing like I had planned. Now I have a well layed out plan and I am hoping on round two here things will turn out susubstantially better.
          I do believe that sometimes our fear of succeeding does cause us to fail. I am doing my best to keep this fear from surfacing in me.
          Hi Ben!

          This is very similar to what happened to me. I hit my first success basically building niche affiliate blogs. Then for some reason (ignorance, I suspect ), I started trying all kinds of other stuff. Fast forward to today. Guess what I mainly do? Build niche affiliate blogs, which I either keep or sell.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by absolutelee View Post

    What percentage of people who "try" to make money online ever make any?
    All of them, if you meet my personal definition of "try."

    The people who don't make money online aren't trying. They don't do what will make them money, for one of three reasons:

    1. They're afraid they won't actually make money doing it, and then feel stupid for trying.

    2. They're afraid they WILL make money doing it, and then feel stupid for not doing it sooner.

    3. They just plain don't feel like doing it.

    You can stomp on a lot of that by simply deciding you don't care if you feel stupid.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
    I alway wondered this question. I am guessing and only guessing 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 3,000.

    Why They Do not succeed.
    - They do not stick one thing
    - They cannot handle failing (I fail 90% of the time, but still make a good living online)
    - Lack of understanding what it takes or work involved (it is a lot of work to get started)
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by Mukul Verma View Post

      I alway wondered this question. I am guessing and only guessing 1 in 2,000 to 1 in 3,000.

      Why They Do not succeed.
      - They do not stick one thing
      - They cannot handle failing (I fail 90% of the time, but still make a good living online)
      - Lack of understanding what it takes or work involved (it is a lot of work to get started)
      Although I said 1% earlier, I bet you're closer to right. I think most folks probably "try" then give up fairly quickly. I can personally attest to the "stick to one thing" issue. I had that.

      I agree with the inability to fail. Interestingly, we're taught that failure is bad all through school. That's actually the opposite of what you need to teach someone. People need to understand that failure is just part of getting to success. Yes, I would guess 80 to 90% of what I do fails, too.

      I think there are probably two groups of people who come online. Those who are never going to make it, and those who could actually make it. Of the latter group, I think the lack of understanding of both the amount of work and actually what to work on, is a big reason why people from this second group fails.

      Unless you're really lucky, in my own experience, it takes a lot of tenacity to get to the point where you're making decent money online. From that point forward, things get a lot easier.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mukul Verma
        Originally Posted by absolutelee View Post

        Although I said 1% earlier, I bet you're closer to right. I think most folks probably "try" then give up fairly quickly. I can personally attest to the "stick to one thing" issue. I had that.

        I agree with the inability to fail. Interestingly, we're taught that failure is bad all through school. That's actually the opposite of what you need to teach someone. People need to understand that failure is just part of getting to success. Yes, I would guess 80 to 90% of what I do fails, too.

        I think there are probably two groups of people who come online. Those who are never going to make it, and those who could actually make it. Of the latter group, I think the lack of understanding of both the amount of work and actually what to work on, is a big reason why people from this second group fails.

        Unless you're really lucky, in my own experience, it takes a lot of tenacity to get to the point where you're making decent money online. From that point forward, things get a lot easier.
        Now I am quoting Kiyosaki and Trump here. It is a entrepreneur job to get use to failure (IM are entrepreneurial) and it is a employee job to not fail. Our school system teach us not to fail Thanks Robert and Donald!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author sweetfranky
    Well considering the failure rate of B&M business it's got to be really small. What is it, 9 out of 10 businesses go broke in 5 years?
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  • Profile picture of the author TelegramSam
    Most people who make a poor income are trying to sell something (product, service, affiliate, etc.) that either, not enough people want, or they haven't figured out how to present it to enough people in a way they will buy.

    Sam
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel E Taylor
    I find the biggest thing is no Self Development.

    They think that they can build a successful business
    with the same mentality they worked a 9-5 with.

    Daniel
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by Daniel E Taylor View Post

      I find the biggest thing is no Self Development.

      They think that they can build a successful business
      with the same mentality they worked a 9-5 with.

      Daniel
      Hi Daniel!

      This is actually an angle I hadn't thought of yet. I think you're right. Being an entrepreneur and being an employee are in some sense completely opposite tendencies.

      Lee
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Ryan
    Do, or do not. There is no 'try.' by Jedi Master Yoda
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  • Profile picture of the author Darth Executor
    I doubt it's laziness in most cases. I think that entrepreneurship simply isn't for everybody. Most people (myself included) just don't have the discipline to work unsupervised and get easily distracted by stupid crap that interferes decisively with their efforts. I suspect this is why so many successful people recommend a mentor: you get a "boss" to tell you what to do.

    Another thing I've been trying is to get someone else to work with me, but so far I haven't had much success, as most think I'm wasting my time anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author claytons
    Biggest issue by far...that I see every single day with our customers...is paralysis by analysis.

    If I could just get one thing across to people it would be "ready fire aim" is just fine with Internet marketing.

    It WON'T be perfect at the start...and by the time you've spent all your efforts trying to know/learn everything and get everything just so...the market and effective tactics have changed.

    Just do something...
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by claytons View Post

      Biggest issue by far...that I see every single day with our customers...is paralysis by analysis.

      If I could just get one thing across to people it would be "ready fire aim" is just fine with Internet marketing.

      It WON'T be perfect at the start...and by the time you've spent all your efforts trying to know/learn everything and get everything just so...the market and effective tactics have changed.

      Just do something...
      I used to think that "ready fire aim" was a fault in myself. Then I actually realized it was a good thing. What's so cool about the Internet is the process of "ready fire aim" doesn't cost that much money or time, unlike a sticks and bricks business. So, maybe that mentality is actually a good approach online.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ernie Mitchell
    There is an old story about a cowboy that got on is horse and took off in every direction. This is the way of the newbie IMer. It happens for two reasons. First, most of us don't know which direction to move in and second, with our options open we tend to gravitate to the course of lease resistance. By this I mean we tend to do what we are familiar with and therefore comfortable doing. Instead veering outside of our comfort zones and tackling unfamiliar tasks and awkwardly learning new skills we stay with the mundane, confusing progress with organizing and reorganizing our priorities and prejudices.

    I had a very expensive false start about six years ago. I spent a fortune buying marketing licenses and months building large intricate websites and totally ignored the fine art of list building. When I finally got my new all singing all dancing behemoth IM company ready to go live I had no customers. Well Duhhh.

    A few months ago I folded up everything and decided to completely reboot with my own products. I'm now building a list and creating my own products on a more realistic level. I came away from round-one with many thousands of dollars worth of ways that won't work. I'm now entering into round-two a lot wiser and still convinced there is revenue to be made in IM.

    If entry was easy there would be too many competitors. Be thankful it isn't.
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  • Profile picture of the author AaronSnider
    I think its probably much more than 1%.

    I personally have made more than $500 online, so it has to be more than 1%
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  • Profile picture of the author JackPowers
    1) Choose a business model and stick with it
    2) Take consistent and massive action

    That's the two main lessons I've learned from here and it took me a long time to realize how true it was.

    I think the biggest problem with IM for many is the sheer amount of options. Sort of not being able to see the woods for trees.

    Adsense, Clickbank, Affiliate Networks, CPA.. As a newb you begin doing a little of everything and getting little in return.

    In addition to that, you have all the gurus 'preying' on the new and you must filter out all the crap advice you get from other newbs.

    So, it's pretty cutthroat business for newbies, but then again so are most low entry barrier business opps.
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    • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
      Originally Posted by JackPowers View Post

      1) I think the biggest problem with IM for many is the sheer amount of options. Sort of not being able to see the woods for trees.
      You're right. That definitely was a stumbling block for me for quite a while.
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  • Profile picture of the author carlo_sim
    Well, the best way to succeed in this game is to take action. Try what works best with your lifestyle and your personality and try what makes you money. With all the methods listed in this forum i doubt you can't make money with any of them. Research then take action. Always be consistent and never give up!
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    • Profile picture of the author pwnzor
      I'm going to guess and say 5% of IM'ers could earn a living with the internet alone. I'm proud to say I am part of that 5%
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