If you had $10,000 to invest, which would you do?

by ciajim
19 replies
I've got a few options on the table.

#1 I currently have a site selling resumes to nurses. The sales are not nearly what they should be after 18 months. I can try to improve the site, advertise more, rent qualified email lists, etc. I really believe in this business and want to see it successful. The site is www.nursingresumepros.com

#2 I want to get a second, broader, site that will sell resumes to the entire medical community. I'd be starting this from scratch and would need site design, copy, SEO & PPC management, link building, the whole 9 yards.

#3 Contract with someone to set up as many affiliate sites as possible for that kind of investment.

#4 Hire someone to help me with #1 & #2?

#5 Something else entirely?

Or is 10k too little an investment? There are resume sites selling 50,000+ resumes a month, I'll be happy with 500.
I want to play with the big dogs.I don't mind investing when the return is there.
I recently closed a manufacuring company I owned for 20 years and am looking to replace that income.
#$10 #invest
  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    Is there a big demand for nurses looking to purchase resumes?

    Who are the top competitors in the field, and what would you be offering that makes you a better choice vs. them?
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    • Profile picture of the author ciajim
      There are several million nurses in this country right now. Many are either unsure of their job security or are actively looking. All nurses that I know keep an updated resume onhand. But usually poor resumes. That's why they need me.

      Are far as limiting myself to medical? I started my manufacturing company trying to be all things to all people. The more focused we got the more successful we got. I started this business as focused as possible to learn and work out the bugs. Specialization is a good thing in my mind.
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  • Profile picture of the author seoweb2000
    I can see this working, but why limit yourself to the medical. You can start selling to other sectors if you have proven this to be profitable.

    A few grand here and a few grand there is a lot easier to get to 10k per month than 1 niche going to 10k per month.
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  • Profile picture of the author xInd
    If you approached me with $10k and this information I would put together a few hundred sites for you, and yes I would expand the market a little bit. I would make a few of those sites target other industries, but most of them I would use as feeder sites to generate links and traffic on autopilot.

    I would get you a complete branding package, including logos, headers, banners, video ads, sales copy and the whole nine yards for your sites. A series of videos over time and a youtube channel is essential. From how to use the site, to why, to just plain video ads. Content is king, and video is the new favorite content.

    Extensive keyword and market research would be ongoing.

    I would launch a comprehensive SEM campaign to dominate the related search terms we decide are best to target after initial research phase.

    I would contact the IDHMA (if I remember the acronym correctly) and see about listings on their site. Secure links and posts on all our medical related sites and seek out new ones to purchase or purchase links on.

    Setup affiliate system and invite pages, market and recruit affiliates as well as assign my team to the job. Why focus just on creating your own affiliate sites when you can do that and convince other people to setup their own with your links?

    Network with local and worldwide medical professionals both online and offline. I would have a medical professional from my team with some 20-30 years experience in nursing and other related medical fields. I would interview my family member who's upper management for the Ministry of health for inside information on the industry that would apply to this particular project.

    I would prepare offline advertising materials to be posted on bulletin boards in public medical places and universities' medical departments.

    I would use my current connections with local universities to get the name in the door and lead towards convincing medical professors to encourage their students to use your site.

    Web 2.0 profiles everywhere for the sites. This is important. It's also important to maintain them and promote them. You will get a lot more nurses coming to your site for resumes with a properly advertised group on facebook than you will for the same amount of people sent through the search engines or PPC.

    Yes, I would utilize PPC traffic as well, however I like to use this as filler or backup. Paying for each person to come to the site is not the what I like to focus on. Long term sustainability is important, and the amount of money people spend on PPC advertising is often more than enough to build a proper viral campaign that will grow on itself without spending additional money.

    Having said that, I still recommend a monthly budget after your initial investment which can be used for PPC, continued marketing, link building, custom content, etc.

    Hope that helps.
    Cheers.
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    • Profile picture of the author ciajim
      xInd
      Thanks for that incredible reply. I have a to-do list even longer that.
      Are you telling me those are you would do in my shoes, or that those are things you might be available to do?
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  • Profile picture of the author Karan Goel
    I would buy a good product, follow it and TAKE ACTION.

    Will not cost over $50. Party with the rest!

    Karan
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  • Profile picture of the author Pete Egeler
    Actually, if I had $10,000 I buy a Hot Dog Cart, park it near a local factory, business area or city park, and enjoy the $200-$300 I could make. (The folks that park theirs near Home Depot or a Lowe's knock down $500 or more a day!)

    Pete
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  • Profile picture of the author d0rhk
    Honestly if that site is making you money, why dont you go into more sub-niches and provide the same service?

    Im sure there are hundreds of "jobs" that one can get in the health industry, target some popular ones and expand your portfolio of sites.

    Or, you could go into different industries. What about something huge like a "salesman resume" site or something.. theres millions of salesmen spanning nearly every industry lol.

    If this is working for you just scale it out.. dont get sucked into doing "affiliate marketing" or something way different from what you're doing now.

    Thats my 2 cents.
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    • Profile picture of the author ciajim
      d0rhk
      I am planning on expanding my reach. Are you advocating a new website for each specialty or a master site with specialized pages?
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  • Profile picture of the author proactive1
    @xception-industries - Brilliant and sound advice, thx for posting.

    @Pete Egeler - Sounds appitizing, hot dogs. Yeah especially in this god-awful economy we're gonna be looking at soon--aint gettin' any better; mark my words. Cheap hot dogs are gonna sell like hotcakes, lol.
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    • Profile picture of the author jan roos
      I would use 5K and give it to a senior warrior forum member that knows how to create and sell their own info products in exchange for coaching. Then I would use the other 5K to create 2 or 3 products, build the sites and drive traffic as directed by my mentor.

      That's what I would do anyway,

      Cheers
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    I would hire five telemarketers to sell web sites and seo services to offline busineses and have them each producing 2-4 sales per day within 30 days.

    10k is about a good 8 week run at a virtual online call center with five TSRS.

    10 sales a day is alot of revenue. Should be profiting within 30 days or sooner at a 10k investment.
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    • Profile picture of the author jan roos
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      I would hire five telemarketers to sell web sites and seo services to offline busineses and have them each producing 2-4 sales per day within 30 days.

      10k is about a good 8 week run at a virtual online call center with five TSRS.

      10 sales a day is alot of revenue. Should be profiting within 30 days or sooner at a 10k investment.

      If you make 10 sales a day you better have a team of people ready to do the work because speaking from experience it does take quite a bit of work to do SEO, get the details for the sites, pictures etc etc.

      But then again, if you are making 10 ales a day then you'll have more than enough money to hire full time people to do all of that.

      Cheers
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Some of the offliners I have worked with in the last month, are already doing up 10 sales on some days. Yeah its a balance... you can only make as many sales as you can fullfill... gotta spend the money right. Making it and allocating it for success are two different things.
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  • Profile picture of the author madno
    I would love to outsource all my work on my business.
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  • Profile picture of the author ciajim
    John
    That sounds like an entire new industry to learn in a very short time. Is it easier to learn than I imagine?
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    It's the industry of selling websites and simple seo services to mom and pop business owners...

    Its the most predictable and least 'rocket science", thing I know. Thats why I like it!
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    • Profile picture of the author xInd
      Originally Posted by proactive1 View Post

      @xception-industries - Brilliant and sound advice, thx for posting.

      @Pete Egeler - Sounds appitizing, hot dogs. Yeah especially in this god-awful economy we're gonna be looking at soon--aint gettin' any better; mark my words. Cheap hot dogs are gonna sell like hotcakes, lol.
      You're welcome
      I like cheap hotdogs too! Seems they are never cheap at the stands anymore though. Nice when they have alll the trimmings and everything though. Plus they are so bad for you... I hope they hurry up and make a veggie dog that ACTUALLY tastes just like a hot dog. lol.

      Originally Posted by jan roos View Post

      I would use 5K and give it to a senior warrior forum member that knows how to create and sell their own info products in exchange for coaching. Then I would use the other 5K to create 2 or 3 products, build the sites and drive traffic as directed by my mentor.

      That's what I would do anyway,

      Cheers
      I prefer to encourage all clients to take a proactive approach and am always happy to explain what we're up to and help people learn how to handle all of their own stuff themselves. The less we need to do for you, the more money you'll make to spend more with us on more advanced stuff down the road

      When looking at service providers, I would ask about this. If they are willing to go through it with you and help you to do more yourself, then I would pick them over the other guy. Not everyone will do this, and if they ask to charge you more for that, I would consider it as it does take more time to do that, and reduce the chances of upselling you on more work...

      Originally Posted by ciajim View Post

      John
      That sounds like an entire new industry to learn in a very short time. Is it easier to learn than I imagine?
      We encourage our clients, partners and workers to be private labeled or co branded resellers, or affiliates for all of the services we provide. We'll be releasing a WSO soon that will get you a multi site network setup, and everything you need for any business online, along with our whole team available to help you through every step of the way indefinitely.

      There are a lot of established development firms and freelancers available here that are happy to provide silent fulfillment so you can act as your own company and all you would need to handle would be your billing and payments and client communication... It is really quite easy to do it. Many would be willing to help you get a site up taking sales with little or no work on your part.


      You could maybe combine the two things too... Along with your well written resume you get a beautiful looking CV and complete employee profile website online.... so that potential employers can get the nice short sweet 1 page resume, and a short easy to type URL for more details, references, full employment and education history etc...
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  • Profile picture of the author xInd
    Couple more tips...
    Register with google places & maps and verify your address. They will send you lots of those nice adwords coupons for free advertising.

    Never underestimate the power of word of mouth.

    Always ask for testimonials, references, links, blog posts about you etc as often as you can.
    Set a good signature and use it everywhere, even your personal email accounts.
    Print business cards with your urls on them and leave them with local businesses, bulletin boards etc.

    Focus on enticing affiliates and keeping them organized, and working effectively. Prizes and contests are great when you have the audience.

    A local school or university would be easy to talk into letting you hold an event or seminar like thing with advertising to their students, when it comes to career building tools... Especially if you have some sort of interesting guest speaker.
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