"What do you do?" Hell, I don't know!

No ... never had a problem. I just tell people I have online businesses. I don't care about "weird faces" or what people think. That's their problem. Ask them what they do and when they tell you they flip burgers or whatever for a living, make a weird face.

Been there, Vishal. Depending on the context, I either tell people I'm a writer (entirely true: copywriting is essential to my business) or a marketing consultant. Granted, "consultant" is often a polite way of saying "unemployed," but in some social circles the term carries prestige, especially once you quote them your hourly rate. The other thing you can tell people is that you're a millionaire in training. Then smile and enjoy their reaction.

Hope this helps.

Jon

I get asked similar questions along those lines. I just say 'internet marketing'. Some leave it at that whereas others tend to go further and ask 'Well, what does that involve?'. My answer is ' i get paid by promoting/advertising other companies products/services like Google for example. When i say 'Google', they think i'm some smart guy who knows what he is doing with all the technical jargon online lol. Instead, as we all know it's just an average Joe's kind of work really.

I say i sell things online and that normally answers them.

People pretty much have figured out this "online marketing' thingy where i am at.

.. or thats the impression i get out of them.. But they never ask after that, so i guess, its cool then

If you don't know what you're doing, how the hell you do it?

See? Now you got me confused!!

I tell people I do internet porn...that shuts them up quickly...or intrigues them (actually a good pickup strategy haha)


Most often I just tell people I own an internet advertising business. Not exactly what I do, but its a lot easier to comprehend then explaining what I really do!

I would just tell them that I made a good living doing internet marketing. People are so routine and predictable it's pathetic. Anytime you display different interests than someone else or come from a background unfamiliar with them people have an issue. Don't let someones issue with you become your issue with yourself. You're free to be who you are.

I tell people that I am an online Al Bundy... because I have many-a-site that are geared towards women's high heel shoes. Some people get the reference, others don't.

If its a woman asking she's usually interested in what the hell that means. If its a guy they usually want to know how much money I make. It's all how you sell it I guess.

I make it sound like I do little work (well... because I do). I've never come across someone who's given me an odd look--other than being confused. Thank goodness Directv runs those commercials for "referring a friend get a $100 bill credit." Because I reference it every time I explain how affiliate marketing works.

BloggingPro has the right idea. Connect something that everyone knows about with what you do. most people still think of the internet as a "series of interconnected tubes"! LOL...

If I know someone doesn't know what internet marketing is I tell people I'm the 'Tony Robbins' of the internet.

Pretty simple. I just tell people that I run a few different businesses online. I usually get "what does that mean?"

So I'll tell them that I operate a number of different sites that help sell products for large companies, like Amazon.com. And that I get paid each month for doing so.

Just tell them that you help heart centered entrepreneurs get the results that they need on their business.

For me, they used to ask me how I am earning some extra money despite the busy schedule we had in the university, and I always tell them that I have some online business and at the same time, an online writer. People who asked these kinds of questions and making weird faces doesn't really have to be a distraction and a problem to our activity. We shouldn't think about how people would say and would think about what we do.
When I tell them about what I do online, I really wouldn't mind their reactions and responses since they don't have anything that I have in my online work. In fact, I could say that I am earning some extra money to be saved than them who mostly would make the same "Weird faces".
It's not our responsibility to really explain to them about our online business/activity. If they wouldn't believe in what we say, then that is their problem. If they would believe what we say, then it is better for them. We don't have to explain to them and persuade them that doing IM is real and could earn some money. It's up to them.

I face the same problem here too, but I just tell them that am an internet consultant, and also a web designer, some might be curious to know more about what internet consultant is all about so I just explain it to them.

I just tell people I work with Mr G.

Thanks a lot guys. Today I shut up two guys by saying "I get paid for promoting or advertising other companies products or services like Google, Microsoft, Bing, Amazon and Clickbank."

I really agree with you all that we should not care about other people, if they don't understand anything it is their problem not ours.