How did YOU get your start in IM, and why?

69 replies
Oftentimes, it appears like there's a bit of a fluid evolution in the particular IM business models that people online engage themselves. While one may decide to immediately create their own product or their own website, there are areas of IM that have absolutely no overhead or startup. For those with little money, I could see how article writing could be very appealing...all one has to do is write and submit to a directory, and throw in a few affiliate links.

With time, however, someone may begin to outsource article writing. They may take those earnings and divert them towards the development of their own website or blog. At least, this is how I see things.....this doesn't mean that YOU had to follow this same sequence.

I'm wondering....where did you begin with IM, and WHY? (little cost or overhead? little competition?)
#start
  • Profile picture of the author 82ana
    <boring> Was a columnist for a local magazine. Lost my job (recession - publication went under). Got sucked into the freelance ebook ghostwriting thingamagee. Been writing for well over a year and only now starting to experiment in IM with my first site. Motivated to make it work but paralyzed by my super power (over analyzing). Lets see ... </boring>
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  • Profile picture of the author russells
    When I first started in IM nearly 3 years ago, I had no choice but to look into low cost methods.

    I had money to spend but nothing considerable.

    I had enough to buy a few domain names and hosting. So I went down the SEO route and began building Wordpress sites with the view of promoting affiliate products.

    I still do this today but I now promote Amazon only products with my sites.

    I've developed a taste for list building so that's my main focus these days but I still have the sites on Google that earn me passive income. I still build more, too, on occasion.

    That's how I got started making money. It was slow growth but I kept battling on.

    Interested to hear others.

    ~Russ
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  • Profile picture of the author Buildingfutures
    Well, after coming across some things on ebay, I found a course in Bum Marketing, if I could remember the site name I would repeat it, I remember it all so vividly. The first place I learned what article writing, clickbank, and how to work it. It intrigued me.

    My big deal that I found was a google domination report from Kabita Kalita, and back then I could get anything I damn well pleased ranked high in google no questions asked.

    But did I know how to properly leverage this? Hell no, I made no money between the two. But I knew it could be done. I just wasn't doing it right and had no one to teach me how to do it right.

    Six years later I'm getting started again after wasting thousands on crap products and lessons that needed to be learned. Finally starting to get that list built, finding ways to flip websites for cash, etc etc.

    Needless to say, if I knew everything I know now, back then, I would not be in the sorry state of affairs that I am in right now.

    But, hindsight is 20/20, right? Keep on movin', keep on groovin'.

    -Sean
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    • Profile picture of the author The Blueprinter
      I started with IM when I first heard about Travis Sagos Bum Marketing Method. I was sooooo thrilled to make money only to write articles! But I soon began to see that article writing was tough. But I wrote articles in 1 year and then when I earned some money with my affiliate products I bought a domain name
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      • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
        Originally Posted by The Blueprinter View Post

        I started with IM when I first heard about Travis Sagos Bum Marketing Method. I was sooooo thrilled to make money only to write articles! But I soon began to see that article writing was tough. But I wrote articles in 1 year and then when I earned some money with my affiliate products I bought a domain name
        This is EXACTLY what I'm interested in! (All the other responses are great, too!) I think other people, those who have 'made it' and those who have 'yet to make it', could greatly benefit from seeing the progression or evolution of an online business. It appears like, for those just starting out, methods or techniques that have a very low barrier to entrance (low cost), are obviously the most appealling. Even though they can present with very high competition, if one can emerge as even relatively successful, they can take those earnings and divert them into a different area.

        TO EVERYONE: Knowing what you know about IM, would you have started where you started? Would you have jumped right in and purchased something instead of erring for a method that had an inexistent cost? (article writing, posting fiverr gigs?)
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        • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
          While its an 'assumption', on my part, that new IM-ers generally might not necessarily have a significant amount of money to invest, what are some FREE models online that they could engage themselves in.

          I see a site like Fiverr, and I see opportunity.

          Article Writing.

          Leveraging design passion as a creative, trying their luck on crowdsourcing sites like CrowdSPRING.

          What kind of FREE methods have you all utilized? Did those help you to acquire the funds to expand your internet business?

          Does anyone here my an entire living online without spending any money? (I know, I'd think this would be very hard to come by, however, it is 'theoretically' possible, if you become a skilled article marketer...even then, I could see the desire/need to begin outsourcing at least somewhat....)
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  • Profile picture of the author theemperor
    I started in IM looking at ways I could make money from having a website. Coming from a programming background, and especially web programming I thought I could create a killer site that many people would visit or subscribe to.

    From this i learned about other aspects of online marketing like SEO and paid ads etc. etc. I learned that if you build it, you need a plan on how to get people to come. Made a lot of mistakes .... and still making them. But that's part of the game :-).
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  • Profile picture of the author Lazy
    I started because I wanted to take a motorcycle trip across the USA. I didn't have a job, or a motorcycle, but boy did I fix that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      I started through moving from offline, academic writing/editing jobs to online article-writing, which I started reading more about, and my analysis of the market for this service prompted the realisation that I ought to be writing them for myself, rather than just for others. And I had to learn how to set up an affiliate marketing business, to do that.
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      • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        I started through moving from offline, academic writing/editing jobs to online article-writing, which I started reading more about, and my analysis of the market for this service prompted the realisation that I ought to be writing them for myself, rather than just for others. And I had to learn how to set up an affiliate marketing business, to do that.
        Alexa,

        Have you incurred great cost in your online endeavors? Based on what I know about you....it appears like everything you do could be done with relatively no cost, if anything at all.

        Have you ever thought about/needed to outsource? If so, what have your experiences been like?
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Hi Howie,

          Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

          Alexa,

          Have you incurred great cost in your online endeavors?
          Noooo ... very little, really.

          I did buy domain-names, when I started (including some bad ones), and subscribed to TypePad Pro for a year (about $80, I think, when I started - nearer $150 now) because after reading "Blogging For Dummies" and "Wordpress For Dummies", I decided that I didn't want to use Wordpress, so I needed some sort of hosting with an easy built-in site-builder or content management system.

          Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

          Have you ever thought about/needed to outsource? If so, what have your experiences been like?
          Yes, I've thought about it a lot. In fact, I was thinking about it a lot, when I made this post (partly) about it, last night - for which part of the (arguably ignoble?) motive, I admit, was that I felt the advice offered in a couple of posts just above it was shockingly dreadful!

          When I started, I wasn't particularly short of money, and made the mistake of outsourcing "everything technical", rather than first learning how to do basic things myself.

          I think outsourcing successfully is a difficult skill to acquire.

          I got very lucky indeed over outsourcing all my SEO. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing at all and didn't know what to outsource, in this department. I found (through a relative of a patient of my mother's) some people who both advised me on what I needed and did it for me, and it all worked out quite well. (I now know that getting advice about which services are needed from the people providing the services is, in principle, a big mistake, and that I was very lucky "my people" turned out to be both honest and reliable).

          It was a long post here from Roger ("ExRat") that brought me to my senses about this issue.

          Since then, I've gradually been rectifying the situation. Not specifically with a view to "doing more myself" (though that has happened a little, too), but in order to become more competent at outsourcing.

          I'm slightly better than I was with "technical stuff", and at least I now know exactly what I need, how to find reliable outsourcees, how to supervise them, and so on.

          If I need anything very technical, like a squeeze page, for example, I design and write it myself and pay someone to make and install it for me (it's hardly "expensive"!). I can cope with domains and hosting, and make sites at TypePad, Weebly and so on, but I can't do "FTP" and have never tried, and I still get palpitations thinking about it. To be blunt, I'm earning so much now that I can't be bothered teaching myself this any more. In other words, I've gone about some things in bad ways but got away with it, and my time writing articles for syndication, for my own business, works out so well paid that I don't really want to learn some of these skills and will continue, having learned "how to outsource", to try to "get away with it". It's certainly not what I'd advise anyone else to do, but most people aren't incompetent technophobes like me, and at least I've thought it all through, now. :rolleyes:

          I still can't use Wordpress.
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  • Profile picture of the author yasmina
    I've tried to outsource a couple of times from the phillipins and though I still believe this is the best option, I didnt have the patience to teach her everything I know.....
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  • Profile picture of the author JHC81
    I got into IM 4 years ago when I lost my job, after finding a part time job I tried affiliate marketing but I didn't know what I was doing, started PPC and failed big time, lost 200 bucks in one day lol. So after that I just started to read books and everything I learned I put it to work, every blog I build is and was with free method no ppc.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Knowing what you all know now, how would you recommend that new IM'er start, assuming that they had $0 to work with.

      All they have is passion, moderate skills, and a strong desire to succeed.

      What is the best, most logical, investment of their time and energy? Before the money is there, it all boils down to sweat equity....developing channels, forming relationships, and leveraging talents and skills.

      Where do THOSE Warriors start?

      What if they want to start out in IM and won't (or can't) pay for anything: Domain, hosting, etc. What do they do?
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        how would you recommend that new IM'er start, assuming that they had $0 to work with.
        Briefly ...

        Can they write, at all?

        If so, start with a free domain from co.cc, or a .tk one and use the excellent free hosting at byethost.com (planning to upgrade to paid hosting when they've made some money) to install a Wordpress blog.

        They should spend their first $1 on their own .info domain-name, though. (Or their first $10 on a .com one.) That $1 makes a huge difference!

        I'd suggest Weebly as a free hosting alternative (intending to upgrade to Weebly Pro, or whatever it's called, when they've earned something. Weebly is quite a good host).

        I'd urge them to avoid using Blogger/Blogspot.

        Learn whom to trust for advice, read plenty of "free advice" online, and set up an affiliate site for Clickbank products, selecting the product(s) very carefully indeed, learning some basic keyword research skills and using article directories as a way of getting traffic to their site.

        My impression is that out of the people who try this and fail, the two common reasons for failure are:-

        (i) Taking bad advice from the wrong people, and ...

        (ii) Promoting the wrong Clickbank products.

        Writing bad articles is perhaps a distant third reason for failure.

        I'd also advise them not to use a free autoresponder to build a list, but to start without building a list (shock horror!!!) and wait until they can afford Aweber (which won't take long), and then make that an urgent priority, because they'll typically earn 5 times as much by building a list as they can without one.

        If they really can't write at all, and/or their English isn't good enough to write articles, then none of the above is really of any use, is it?
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        • Profile picture of the author ed22
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post


          Learn whom to trust for advice, read plenty of "free advice" online, and set up an affiliate site for Clickbank products, selecting the product(s) very carefully indeed, learning some basic keyword research skills and using article directories as a way of getting traffic to their site.
          Always good to read your prose - you're a talented writer.

          With regard to inducing well targeted traffic...

          ... reading between the lines here do you suggest that you can (to some extent) subvert the SEO process via article mktg as a proxy?? I'm wondering if this might work for high demand keywords where the SEO space would be crushingly hard to rise in.

          I've seen a couple of fiverr jobs that offer to manually submit to a number of arty directories - have you found these work well?

          just made my first IM money this week - yay! - As for me, I started this IM project due to an abject terror of going back into corporate life.

          Polite conversation. Yukkkk.
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
            Banned
            Originally Posted by ed22 View Post

            ... reading between the lines here do you suggest that you can (to some extent) subvert the SEO process via article mktg as a proxy??
            To some extent, yes. Because if you write for (and achieve) syndication, instead of "writing for clicks", you can effortlessly get high-PR, context-relevant backlinks (and in front of already targeted traffic) which really makes mass-submission article-directory backlinks so worthless by comparison that they're not even worth bothering with, when they account for time/effort/money you could more profitably use for other things.

            Originally Posted by ed22 View Post

            I've seen a couple of fiverr jobs that offer to manually submit to a number of arty directories - have you found these work well?
            I haven't, but they can't do any harm. I'm always interested in being in any context-relevant directory, so if I can find a specialised oceanography article directory, I'll eagerly dump there a copy of every article already published and indexed on my plankton-lifestyle website (for example), and make sure any more I write end up there, too, because those are good backlinks, even if the article-copies get no traffic at all ... but otherwise I'm not too interested, to be honest.

            Originally Posted by ed22 View Post

            I started this IM project due to an abject terror of going back into corporate life.
            This is not unrelated to my own reasons for starting it (except without the "back", in my case).

            Originally Posted by ed22 View Post

            Polite conversation. Yukkkk.
            Well, better than "police conversation", I suppose ... :confused:
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  • Profile picture of the author nssp
    I am interested in blogging and making more blogs.. I am from India.. I was not aware that blogging can fetch some extra income through adwords, articles, links, advertisements.. etc.. i saw my friend earning good amount of extra income (he was earning more than his regular pay for doing 8hrs work a day).. So i started looking deep in to it.. Now I am learning and learning more in IM and one day I am sure that I will be success..
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
      Hi Alexa,

      I made this point to Bill earlier today or yesterday and the more I read your informative posts the more I think it applies to you too.

      How about, for a WSO, you just get a collection of all your best posts, Just like Allens Private Posts book and call it "Alexa Smiths Ruddy good public posts."

      I'd buy it and so would others, it'd take forever to find some of your posts that are specific to peoples needs. How excellent it would be to have them all in a nice book.
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      • Profile picture of the author 82ana
        Originally Posted by Richard Van View Post

        Hi Alexa,

        I made this point to Bill earlier today or yesterday and the more I read your informative posts the more I think it applies to you too.

        How about, for a WSO, you just get a collection of all your best posts, Just like Allens Private Posts book and call it "Alexa Smiths Ruddy good public posts."

        I'd buy it and so would others, it'd take forever to find some of your posts that are specific to peoples needs. How excellent it would be to have them all in a nice book.
        I'd buy it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
          Originally Posted by 82ana View Post

          I'd buy it.
          Exactly. My post sounds a bit tongue in cheek but I was serious too. I think a lot of people would buy it.

          I'd want a free review copy though for having the idea in the first place!
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          • Profile picture of the author ago
            Originally Posted by Richard Van View Post

            Exactly. My post sounds a bit tongue in cheek but I was serious too. I think a lot of people would buy it.

            I'd want a free review copy though for having the idea in the first place!
            you're hilarious......I may buy it too
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        • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
          Back in 2000 I had been putting together training programs and courses for companies when I found out about Corey Rudl's IM Secrets - saw what he did with Car Secrets Revealed and was hooked from there.

          First, I built a mailing list and marketed IM secrets - sharing what worked and what didn't as I built my first online business...made several hundred dollars a month just in referrals of that one program back then using very simple techniques.

          Then, I identified an unmet desire - created my first ebook (that one took me about 2-months) - it was 40-pages and had rave reviews. Sold a ton right out of the gate, signed some private licensing deals for content, recorded a bunch of interviews...then quit my job.

          Since then - about two dozen info products later, 12 still on the market, private membership sites, consulting (offline and online businesses) - would never have dreamed it would have led to all of this.

          But I have to say - I was determined back in 2000 to stop putting my effort entirely into making someone else rich or, more often than not, effort to TRY to make them rich - they typically mucked it up somehow or another.

          Anyone can do this...just a matter of having a strong enough WHY, an attitude that looks at setbacks as stepping stones to success rather than failure, a willingness to always learn and APPLY what you learn...and patience!

          Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author James Foster
    My start in IM was the opposite of most people's.

    I had a good steady job at a bank... a bank that was actually growing instead of collapsing.

    But I wanted to take a week off for my 25th birthday to go to Vegas... and they told me I couldn't have the time off (my birthday is right at the beginning of the holiday season)

    So I flat out quit.

    Went to Vegas, came back, figured I needed to do something to make some money and my Mom wouldn't like it if I became a drug dealer.... so here I am
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesW
    I started out reading about affiliate marketing several years ago as a way of making some stable income to compliment my more unpredictable trading profits.

    After starting out surfing the traffic exchanges for about 2 hours every evening, my interest really started once I sold a Clickbank product doing this.
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  • Profile picture of the author GeorgR.
    Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

    I'm wondering....where did you begin with IM, and WHY? (little cost or overhead? little competition?)
    I was already a software developer, worked for other people. Never even realized that i could combine the two (my programming/internet) to make money.

    The kicker was when i came across a "Rich Jerk" ebook - where i read about things i didn't even know existed, eg. Affiliate marketing, Clickbank etc.

    So i started to make my "own" web sites - HOWEVER i need to add it took more than a couple of years (at least) until i actually understood things and when money started coming in. Forums (Warriors etc.) helped big time.
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  • Profile picture of the author LetsGoViral
    I think I started with Wealthy Affiliate. And the reason was because I couldn't find a job or start any business here where I live.
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  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    Just coming home from training, and it's great to see all these replies!

    Has anyone here been very successful with little to no cost associated? Let's say less than $100/month in costs...
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  • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
    One of the reasons I began this thread was, in part, because of a series of pillar blog post that I've been 'planning' on do for some time now. Just from the IM 'experience', and living it, and continually experimenting and testing new things, I already have a substantial amount of material in my brain to draw from, however, there's no substitute for asking these questions of the very people who have been through the ups and downs...the ebbs and flows...that IM offers.

    I would like for the blog post to be called "a Logical Evolution of an Internet Business". Now, I know there are a millions different ways people could 'enter' IM, dependent upon their skills, abilities and desires, however, do think certain areas of IM may be particularly more appealing than others simply because of the little to no cost or barrier to entry.

    Has anyone else here managed to do something in IM that required little to no investment/cost? Did you figure it out yourself? Did you buy a course/book about it?
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

      Has anyone else here managed to do something in IM that required little to no investment/cost? Did you figure it out yourself? Did you buy a course/book about it?
      I started with Jenn Dize's free ghostwriting course, then upgraded to her paid course once I brought in some clients. I picked up the first client through a thread in the main forum, then used a WSO to pick up more.

      I've really had next to no luck bringing in clients from outside the Warrior Forum. I have, however, managed to increase the number of product customers I have from outside the forum - and I'm continuing to push forward on that front.

      The best thing about writing (and web design, and SEO) is that pretty much everyone needs it. So you get to take an insider look at your clients' businesses, and you learn a lot about them; it's from those looks at client businesses that I figured out I didn't want to do affiliate blogs, or review sites, or CPA, or even authority sites.

      Providing services is an excellent way to figure out what you don't want to do, and that rapidly converges on just a few business models that you want to pursue - which for me is currently product creation and copywriting, and will expand this year into some coaching and personality blogging.

      Building those guru credentials, you know, so I can drop my $2k product.

      Syndicate, fool.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

        Providing services is an excellent way to figure out what you don't want to do
        Yes indeed ... "quoted for truth", as they say ...
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        • Profile picture of the author Fred Young
          I just started in November of 2010 and as you can see, this is my first post on these forums. I'm an underground construction contractor for a major cable company, but I'm 41 and I'm tired of breaking my back everyday and I figure there's got to be a better way to make money. Any expenses are run through my corporation, but I try to keep spending at a minimum. I have a hosting service and bought a domain and I'm promoting Amazon products on my site.

          I have a lot to learn and it's been interesting. I'm basically using this first site to see what does and doesn't work. So far, no sales, but I'm hoping that by becoming a member of these forums that will change soon. I see a lot of helpful people and no trolls, which is awesome. I look forward to learning and sharing ideas with you all.
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          • Profile picture of the author chambmw
            my 9-5 is getting old and boring. IM never gets old! still a newb but I plan to make it big in the near future.
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  • Profile picture of the author JulianKane
    I was broke, needed money and was too lazy to go out and get a job, much easier to stay home and work on my computer- figured out what works and I haven't looked back.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Originally Posted by dlackner View Post

      I was broke, needed money and was too lazy to go out and get a job, much easier to stay home and work on my computer- figured out what works and I haven't looked back.
      lol...would you be able to expound upon the "figured out what works" part of your comment? I don't need to know specifics about analysis and your target market(s), but HOW did you actually get your start? Did you begin with your own blog? Writing articles?
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      • Profile picture of the author JulianKane
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        lol...would you be able to expound upon the "figured out what works" part of your comment? I don't need to know specifics about analysis and your target market(s), but HOW did you actually get your start? Did you begin with your own blog? Writing articles?
        Yes, in a nutshell... blog / articles/content creation for a target market, add affiliate products of said target market- profit.

        Later came fine tuning seo practices, Adsense, Adwords, yadda, yadda, yadda...
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  • Profile picture of the author rcritchett
    Awesome thread. I'm not a full time internet marketer, I'm more like a life hacker that wrote an E-book.

    I started IMing to get the message out and promote this global phenomenon I'm creating!
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  • Profile picture of the author dallus
    I have only just started a proper affiliate programme a few days ago, i had built my website for my off line work then found out about affiliate programmes which i was just using to promote my site and earn a little extra just to pay for my website which google adsense has. I am going to stick to one programme for now as i can't see the point of swapping and changing as if i swap i will feel like i have failed.
    Anyway its great to hear how everyone else got started and hopefully in a few years i will be able to tell my story.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Does anyone here ever feel utterly overwhelmed by the amount of methods and 'information' that is available to make money online?
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      • Profile picture of the author Lazy
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        Does anyone here ever feel utterly overwhelmed by the amount of methods and 'information' that is available to make money online?
        Yes! But that's a good thing. if so many people can make money in so many ways, we must be doing something right.
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      • Profile picture of the author paulie888
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        Does anyone here ever feel utterly overwhelmed by the amount of methods and 'information' that is available to make money online?
        Well, for the newbie, I imagine it'd be equal parts terrifying and wonder-inducing! This of course leads to the quintessential problem of information overload and attendant lack of focus, and paradoxically this surfeit of information may actually work to the newbie's disadvantage.
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        Does anyone here ever feel utterly overwhelmed by the amount of methods and 'information' that is available to make money online?
        Oh, hell yes.

        Sometimes I sit down to make a product, and there are twelve products I can make, but I've got little to no experience in any of those methods.

        Which is when I go looking for JV partners.
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        "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author tjm2788
    I started because I saw evidence of so many "normal" people making decent passive income online so this was enough proof that it was possible!
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  • Profile picture of the author smartdoctor
    Passion and the hope there is in IM
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  • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz
    I got into IM because its something that I believe I can do well and chose as my "ONLY OPTION" to do.

    My dad died and I have no choice but to go back to the province and stay with my family. All my life, I was not home, and because of the incident, I made a promise that I will stay with my family as much as I can.

    From then on, I searched for ways how make money from home and then here I am struggling but faithfully doing IM.
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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Originally Posted by chrisbiz View Post

      I got into IM because its something that I believe I can do well and chose as my "ONLY OPTION" to do.

      My dad died and I have no choice but to go back to the province and stay with my family. All my life, I was not home, and because of the incident, I made a promise that I will stay with my family as much as I can.

      From then on, I searched for ways how make money from home and then here I am struggling but faithfully doing IM.
      Could I give you the one tip that has helped me out the MOST online? (And, no...it won't cost you anything...lol)
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      • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz
        Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

        Could I give you the one tip that has helped me out the MOST online? (And, no...it won't cost you anything...lol)
        What is it?
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        • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
          Originally Posted by chrisbiz View Post

          What is it? :rolleyes:
          Not sure why you chose the "rolls eyes (sarcastic)" icon...

          but...

          The one thing that I did that helped the most was I purchased a dry erase board, I hung it up, and I listed about 30-50 blogger's blogs that I considered hot right now. I went further, and looked at what free products they offered through their blogs. People are typically hesitant to offer up their email address to any email list, however I did....I subscribed to every single one of them.

          I downloaded their books/courses. I printed them out. Each one represents some different form or method online. From product creation, to affiliate marketing, etc, each one represented a different area of internet marketing, with pros- and cons- behind entrance. Those bloggers have a vested interest in giving away the best information...something very valuable to help foster a relationship with their audience. They use it to build their email lists, and they NEED it to be good.

          Of course, it's commonplace to monetize through affiliate links on the back end. That's not really the point so much as learning and understanding all the methods and where you fit in in IM. I don't know if you've chosen your course yet...but, just letting you know what worked for me.

          Do what they do, work hard at it, and you'll be successful.
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          • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz
            Originally Posted by x3xsolxdierx3x View Post

            Not sure why you chose the "rolls eyes (sarcastic)" icon...

            but...

            The one thing that I did that helped the most was I purchased a dry erase board, I hung it up, and I listed about 30-50 blogger's blogs that I considered hot right now. I went further, and looked at what free products they offered through their blogs. People are typically hesitant to offer up their email address to any email list, however I did....I subscribed to every single one of them.

            I downloaded their books/courses. I printed them out. Each one represents some different form or method online. From product creation, to affiliate marketing, etc, each one represented a different area of internet marketing, with pros- and cons- behind entrance. Those bloggers have a vested interest in giving away the best information...something very valuable to help foster a relationship with their audience. They use it to build their email lists, and they NEED it to be good.

            Of course, it's commonplace to monetize through affiliate links on the back end. That's not really the point so much as learning and understanding all the methods and where you fit in in IM. I don't know if you've chosen your course yet...but, just letting you know what worked for me.

            Do what they do, work hard at it, and you'll be successful.
            I'm sorry about that. It was a mistake, my bad.

            Thanks for the info. I will surely do what you said.

            This is something I love about this forum. There are still people who offers genuine help to other members that keep my hopes high and motivates me to persevere.

            I will keep you posted about my journey.

            Thank you very much.

            Appreciate your advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author jerrywilhelm
    After being an unemployed professional for about a year I came across the 30 day challenge, learned about SEO, how to put up a site and get some backlinks. Went through a couple other training programs along the way. Took me a hell of a long time to master wordpress, probably my biggest stumbling block. I've got a pretty good handle on it now. I started making money promoting Amazon products after taking Dan Brocks "DeadBeat Superaffilate course", things are looking up...
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    My story is very different from most people's stories online. I only wanted to finally publish my ebooks about my scientific discoveries, after two decades of research and cures. The internet was exactly what I needed! However, I knew nothing about internet marketing when my adventures begun.

    In 2007 I published my first ebook and created my first website without having any idea about IM. I bought many ebooks that didn't teach me anything substantial. I very soon realized that there is no safety online. I was victim of many crazy people, especially a schizophrenic who provoked many damages to my first website (I lead with mental health. I am used with facing problems with patients, and other people).

    I spent and lost a lot of money. However, now I became an expert on internet marketing (to a certain degree, of course).

    I'm selling my ebooks, but my field is really difficult online because most people ignore the value of my work. When you try to sell something totally different, you have to face the lack of credibility of the public. I have already written many articles with explanations and lessons, and only now I can say that 'I have a business'.

    I'm very easily selling articles about internet marketing as a ghostwriter when I have the time to write about IM. Most people like my articles because I state the truth exactly as it is.

    I believe that in a few years I'm going to sell my ebooks about mental health much easier than I'm selling my articles about IM, but I still need to promote my ebooks a lot; I face a huge competition. Besides that, mental health is a field quite complicated. IM is very simple, and very demanded. This is a huge advantage. If I only wanted to make money online I would only care about internet marketing.

    There is a huge competition online in all fields, but other fields are not as demanded as internet marketing. And internet marketers easily accept a JV partnership, everyone is happy when selling their affiliates' products, without insisting on promoting their own products. This is a fantastic simplicity that I don't have on mental health.

    Only when my work will become famous, will mental health give me more money than internet marketing, because I will beat all the competition. Until then, I'm going to keep writing articles about IM because I sell them so easily, and I'm helping many people with my sincerity.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew Rodney
    There is no get rich quick secret it is all hard work and persistence. And the best way to start in my opinion is article marketing and worst thing is to jump from one system to the next.
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  • I got into IM by sheer chance: I had a hobbyist blog that kinda grew in traffic and popularity, I saw the monetization opportunities so I implemented some IM-orientated changes (created my own ebook, tossed a few affiliate links, embedded an Aweber form, etc) and the first few dollars started to roll in.

    Back then I was unemployed so I needed the money desperately. When I saw those first few dollars coming in I decided to give it a full-time attempt... and it worked! The rest is history.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Sorrell
    I started out just looking for ways to make money from home then gradually went into online marketing. Now I'm gonna get into product creation.
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  • Profile picture of the author dtommy79
    I've started IM because I need/ed money while I'm studying so hopefully I'll soon be able to make enough money to get by.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesRiley
    I stopped everything I was "doing" and decided to focus on one thing. I decided on membership site, because I knew it would be the most profitable. I created some content for the first month and only charged $1, then $9.99 a month. Most are so thrilled with the content I have a 4 month stick rate and over 500 average subscribers. I'm making $5,000 a month just off the memberships alone and close to 2k off the backend. Its incredible. I don't do much else. I got into IM so that I could have free time to do what I want. I'm thinking of building more membership sites but man I HATE working.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sylvia Meier
    Fresh out of high school as a single mom I tried IM. Didn't make it too far.

    Decided to go the traditional route of University. Realized I would never have the finances to finish my degree, plus I missed my little girl way too much (full time school plus a full time amount of homework equalled very little extra time for her.)

    Was forced to move out of my parents place under really bad circumstances, moved in with my now husband. Got really sick (like deathly ill) lost my high paying job I had lucked myself into, and we were left with one income. To top it off, I found out I was pregnant with our eldest son. Hoped to get back to work but ended up in a very high risk pregnancy (was at risk of not only losing him, but my own life) and was put on bed rest. Was nothing really I could do except lay there doing nothing. So I went back to the internet determined to make it online. And I did. Back then I was in the HYIP world, made a damn good dollar till morality kicked in and I finally realized exactly how it works, and that the money I was taking home was coming directly out of other people's pockets (by pure luck and no skill of my own). Turned to the adult webmistress scene. Made some decent money and one day someone mentioned the WF, I came over to check it out and never looked back.

    That's the condensed version of how I got my start LOL.

    Best wishes,
    Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author nelaffiliate
    To make a long story short.... It started with my interest in learning about computer science many years back. I wanted to know more about good ways of earning money through the Internet.

    I wanted something which could provide an income and freedom for me. I started by building simple personal websites and years later moved into article marketing and later creation of my own product. It's been over 10 years now and I thank God for my success.
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    "King of Fast Video Keyword Research"... Get Easy to rank, Zero competition keywords today. Rank your video on Youtube first page in minutes! Visit: https://www.fiverr.com/nel11111/do-v...yword-research

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    • Profile picture of the author x3xsolxdierx3x
      Does here feel like there is some sort of natural, logical, progression in IM? What would YOUR logical progression be through IM?

      Because of the little to no initial monetary investment required, I see article writing/marketing, on free directories, as perhaps the first place that many people would be interested in starting. Then, I see the next logical step as moving on into outsourcing written content. That would incur some cost, but, depending, not alot.

      As one becomes more comfortable progressing in IM, I see them essentially beginning to start their own website/blog. And...then, going from there.

      Of course, my "logical progression" makes several assumptions right off the bat.

      1) That one has little to no $ to invest in IM.
      2) That one doesn't necessarily know or understand exactly what they are doing and are attempting to "enter" IM somehow....
      3) That they don't have many, if any, connections or relationships or strategic partnerships established.
      4) The value of their "skills" is essentially all they have to bring to the table.

      Does this make sense? In what I see as a logical progression in IM, I see those with little experience being drawn to websites like Fiverr, or Article Marketing or attempted to be a creative in crowdsourcing. These things are all essentially free with little to no barriers to entry.

      What are other FREE things that people can do to get a start in IM?
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  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    Here's my own story how I started.
    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...eres-mine.html
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      • Profile picture of the author jgant
        I owned (still do) a small offline business. When I started in my offline business I needed a website. I learned how to build one and in the process discovered IM. Talk about an eye-opener. Before then, I naively thought the only way websites made money was by selling products or ad space. Then I discovered affiliate marketing and list building.

        I spent about a year learning SEO and building my offline business site. But IM stuck in my mind. In my offline business I offer services for which I'm paid. There's no residual component. In a short time I realized the residual power of an affiliate website.

        So, I decided to build some affiliate sites. The first couple were duds, but I continued until a few I built started making money. I focus on those money-makers (which turn out to be in niches I know and like). I love the fact my sites earn while I don't work. I earn in IM about a 1/3 of my business income hoping to equal my business income within 12 to 18 months. Then I can focus 100% on IM, because frankly it's a ton of fun.

        I also like IM because there's much less management and overhead - two aspects of owning a brick and mortar business I dislike. When it comes down to it, IM offers all the elements of a business model that works for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author alcymart
    Like most successful netpreneurs, my success wasn't overnight. Bit by bit little by little, year after year, I learned and eventually gained tremendous knowledge. So much that I started teaching folks how to earn a living online with a home based business. Where to start, where to go, what to download etc...

    I love teaching. Not everyone would want to teach for free and have everyone strip them of their knowledge, but heck, why not? I consider myself successful because my main goal was to become an Internet Marketing teacher.
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