How do you explain IM to friends and family?

12 years ago

You build a site and when it makes your first dollar you explain it to them... You simply state that this is a website that makes you money and leave it at that... Why? Because no one will understand what you are trying to do.....

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Eric S

12 years ago

I gave up trying to explain things long ago. Just pull up in your Lambo and say tell them not to worry about it lol

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Jase1977 12 years ago

I haven't told my family yet But I haven't made a penny yet either, I'll just hold off till I do!
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David Sneen

12 years ago

Your closest friends and family members will try to "protect" you. I just tell them that I am working very hard on my business on the web. This sounds a bit better than the marketing route. If they persist ~ 1/3 of the time, I tell them I have a blog. Then, if they ask more...I offer to show it to them. For some reason, this has usually squelched the conversation!

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jay walters

12 years ago

You earn a living by helping business sell their products or service on the web, and you can do the same for your family's businesses too.

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Orator

12 years ago

I'm with you on this one, I'm a "consultant" it's a good catch all term.

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bguest

12 years ago

It is really hard to explain, especially in your family, they have a doubt that IM is just a scam, I have already experienced this problem.

A piece of advise just do not explain it but give them a proof, action speaks louder than words.

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Miraclem

12 years ago

Show them a youtube video in regards to IM and then introduce them to the warriorforum

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AlwaysAwa

12 years ago

I won't tell them anything just keep it to myself. If ask, I say my new company have work from home scheme but I do need to go for meeting once a week or month. Something like that

I know it sound stupid. But best to keep quiet as 99.99% people don't understand us. And i happy about it.

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JeremiahSay

12 years ago

I used to tell them that I do some "online business", and everytime they ask me, what kind of online business.. I'm lost of words! I can't possibly tell them, SEO, CPA, Adsense.. They'd probably think I'm a retard..

Alien language to them

So now, perhaps i should just tell them "Consultant", if they ask what kind of consultant, I'll reply "......" oh man, I have no idea.. Anyone wanna help me here?

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kschieng

12 years ago

Originally Posted by JeremiahSay

I used to tell them that I do some "online business", and everytime they ask me, what kind of online business.. I'm lost of words! I can't possibly tell them, SEO, CPA, Adsense.. They'd probably think I'm a retard..

Alien language to them

So now, perhaps i should just tell them "Consultant", if they ask what kind of consultant, I'll reply "......" oh man, I have no idea.. Anyone wanna help me here?

Have been into the same situation before...:rolleyes:

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Dimitris Skiadas

12 years ago

I was having the hardest time explain to all my close friends and family what i was actually doing. Especially,when i started with Internet maerketing, at the first 5 months,when i have made 0$, everybodu thought i was just playing around.

Even today, when i try to explain to someone what i do for a living, it's ll Greek to him.

So, i am used to say i am an Internet Marketing consultant..

Dimitris

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Devid Farah

12 years ago

Originally Posted by RySpencer

How do you explain your IM job to friends and family?

I tried but gave up trying to explain the im world to them. Trust me, it is not worth it.

They think you are unemployed and will always tell you to go find a job!

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KarlWarren

12 years ago

Personally, I think telling them you're a bank robber or an international diamond trader is a better option. "Normal" people rarely understand that the internet is more than FarmVille and Hotmail.

Kindest regards,
Karl.

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celente

12 years ago

just tell them I farm mushrooms....the look on their face is priceless and stops the idiotic questions.

Please try it. It will save you alot of hassle and time LOL

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Chris Worner 12 years ago

Originally Posted by celente

just tell them I farm magic mushrooms....the look on their face is priceless and stops the idiotic questions.

Fixed that for you

-Chris
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bluebrain

12 years ago

this is a tough question indeed!

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wizzard74

12 years ago

Don't try to explain.

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Zack Lim

12 years ago

Haha for me personally, I simply just tell them I am a salesman online.

When they ask me what things I sell, I just tell them that I sell any products that solves people's problem. LOL somehow most of my friends can accept it although there are still some who still thinks that I am involved in some illegal scams online

Zack

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JasonParker

12 years ago

If you do a search on this forum, there are like 8,000,000 threads about this. You'll get a bunch of ideas on how to explain what Internet marketing is.

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ToneyCr

12 years ago

I say that I doing web design. They don't going to die if they don't know what extacly I doing

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KarlWarren 12 years ago

Originally Posted by ToneyCr

I say that I doing web design. They don't going to die if they don't know what extacly I doing

My main business is as a web designer - you'd be surprised how many conversations go:

Them: What do you do
Me: Web design
Them: Oh, cool, who do you do web design for
Me: Internet Marketers
Them: ??? (see above, lol)
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Hessein

12 years ago

Well, i used Timothy Ferriss advice and told them i am a drug dealer

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Ian McConnell

12 years ago

I say I build web sites and don't go into the whole explanation of selling information online... Many of my friends frown on the fact that I sell ebooks at $27 each over and over again. Everyone to their own I guess.

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Deepak Media

12 years ago

Depending on the IQ of the people I say a variety of things...

"Computer Business"

"I design websites for other people"

"I work for Google from Home"

Some still think I am a lazy guy who doesn't go for a job in the real world. Working at home is unbelievable

In my city there are probably not more than 10 IMers in total.

Bottom Line: I do business online for myself, not for others.

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Jack Coxill

12 years ago

lol, this is a funny one. For some reason when I explain it to certain friends and family, it sounds like magic and they think I do nothing all day and make money from hardly working.

And to others, it seems that the money I make I'm not worthy of, as I don't go out in rush hour and spend all day in an office or something.

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Tiffiney Cowan

12 years ago

As a PLR content provider I tell those who ask that I "create products for my online store." Those who are a bit more savvy and have actually downloaded music or other content I explain that I "create digital products." Most people leave with a general sense of what I'm doing and my close friends understand the effort I'm putting in to build my business.

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StunningWarrior

12 years ago

Originally Posted by NMVTEric

I gave up trying to explain things long ago. Just pull up in your Lambo and say tell them not to worry about it lol

But then you have to explain that you're not a pimp.

Originally Posted by RySpencer

Oh I have a laugh whenever I try to explain what a job in internet marketing involves.

So many people seem to think it's all about scams. Thanks to all the spam they get, people still find it hard to trust the internet.

How do you explain your IM job to friends and family? I just tell them I am an internet consultant. Most people find a "consultant" to be more tangible and understandable.

Many years ago I was an MVS systems programmer. Now most people in IT that I worked with didn't understand what I did, so I had no hope with friends and relatives. I need to spend at least 5 minutes explaining how a computer really works before I can even start to explain what MVS systems programming is all about (and no it is not programming except for the odd utility or exit). Compared to this, explaining IM is a breeze.

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moneyroom 12 years ago

In the past I've said that I help business create a better, more profitable presence on the Internet. They pay me to keep them out of harms way and away from the scams.
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Ewan1998

Banned 12 years ago

I just sort of tell them it's making money using websites. No point going into complicated stuff about CPA leads etc...

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surferchris

12 years ago

I say the exact thing to my friends and family lol

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Joseph Robinson

Banned 12 years ago

I have an easy cop out. I just get to tell them I'm a writer. I'll still garner that "are you serious" look from time to time; but since they aren't paying my rent I find it really easy to just shrug off.

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IMHunter

12 years ago

It is very hard to explain it to others what we are doing. No matter what I tell them they tell me to get a real job and stop fooling around with my life. :/

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BIG Mike

Banned 12 years ago

[DELETED]

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Joseph Robinson

Banned 12 years ago

Originally Posted by IMHunter

It is very hard to explain it to others what we are doing. No matter what I tell them they tell me to get a real job and stop fooling around with my life. :/

Don't take it personally. Many just can't wrap their heads around the idea of making a living with a business based mostly (or even solely) online. Prove them wrong and bask in your success.

Originally Posted by BIG Mike

My father-in-law is positive I use the Internet to manage running guns and drugs into Albania. He thinks his son is helping me...we don't try to convince him otherwise

Epic, simply epic.

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theory expert

Banned 12 years ago

What is the reason for the explanation? That's the first question. You tailor what you do based on who is asking, and, for what you want them to know about what you do.

For a title purposes you can call yourself: Business Consultant, Business IT Consultant, Start Up Consultant, Small Business Consultant

As an explanation you could just say, I am a consultant for small businesses with online precense, whether they are using youtube, ebay, twitter, or, some other medium I provide them with the best avenue to increase revenue.(if you want to wet someones appetite use this line)--I also, provide these services for total start ups who never done any business online, or, otherwise.

Of course you can dumb it down even further based on who you are pitching.

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Ashley C

12 years ago

Think about the specific areas of IM that you do.. does it mostly involve product creation? Building sites? Content writing? Just explain those things instead

My main things are writing, web design, and affiliate marketing. I think to sum it up I say that I'm a web designer and writer, unless it's someone who can relate with the more specific and accurate descriptions.

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overseer

12 years ago

I'm planning to tell them when I'm already making good money online

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Legit SEO

12 years ago

Online Marketing Engineer

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Exel

12 years ago

I usually say that I'm into marketing. Don't mention the "internet" bit.

To family and close friends, who pretty much see what I do all the time, I say it's on the
internet and explain it in a simple language that they can understand and not think that
it is some scam or that it doesn't work.

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MrLeaVelle

12 years ago

I usually just tell me that I'm into online advertising.

If I have to really explain it, I tell people to pay attention when they're surfing and they'll notice ads everywhere. And that someone, somewhere is making money every time those ads are clicked.

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enterscope

12 years ago

Making websites and selling products online

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gautam42

12 years ago

Helping people build a real business revenue stream online.

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gasman

12 years ago

I used to go through the whole spill of what I do, but you realize quick that most people have no idea what you are talking about. Sometimes I tell them I design websites. This they understand and if they ever need one they come to me and I just make them one or outsource it and it ends up being extra cash. Sometimes I also just claim I'm a marketing consultant. That one usually works.

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Fernando Veloso

12 years ago

That's an easy one! :p Just send them this image:

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thedog 12 years ago

I've tried to explain it to some people, and they just think that it means I spam people... So, I just say, "I make websites that make money"
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Onora Oz 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Fernando Veloso

That's an easy one! :p Just send them this image:

Great one I especially loved the "what I think I do" part. So true for many search marketers I know and I work with lol

For me, it's not so difficult to explain my business model to others I guess. I just tell them I publish information in the form of ebooks, websites, newsletters. My background in traditional media and publishing makes it easier to understand for them. "I just changed the mediums I use. I don't publish mags anymore, instead I publish websites"... Conversations like that.

"I also help other people sell their goods online -digital or physical- because I know how to put any offer in front of buyer crowds" (e.g. affiliate marketing and reselling). Sounds like a sales pitch, right? It is. You can't know where a profitable partnership may come from. Until I've discovered this, I was like "whatever, if they don't understand what I do they don't".

Well that's for friends, friends of friends, relatives, everyday people I may meet somewhere...

For my family... I never had any problem explaining it to family members (they're more open-minded and knowledgeable than I've expected).
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Gerald Arno

Banned 12 years ago

The reason why many people think it's all about scam is because they cannot picture the work.

Most people can only believe what they really see. The online work is just not as physical as a restaurant job.

The best thing you can do is to slowly introduce them to you area of interest. Tell them more about what you do and that you love what you do. If they see that you have a strong interest in it and their is potential, they might get accustomed to it.

It's best to show results to your family as soon as they arrive. If you don't have success yet, tell them about people who are already successful in internet marketing.

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atrbiz

12 years ago

I tell them I'm do consulting work (website building and marketing).

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NoviIM

12 years ago

It was extremely hard to explain it to my parents, They are so old school, it took me 4 hours to break it all down, and afterwards it was still tough for them to comprehend

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Adrian Int

12 years ago

The worst thing you can say is "I'm in internet marketing" because - for whatever reason - no one has the slightest idea what that means.. haha.

I blame the fact that people don't go to school for it yet. ;-)

It's a bit like telling someone you're an entrepreneur - they'll just assume you're really unemployed and in some sort of get rich scheme at best, for the most part.

What I usually say is that I'm a web developer who focuses on developing websites related to (niche). The benefits are that I don't have a boss... and the drawbacks are that I only get paid if I do a good job. Haha..

Sadly, that last part scares most people. Oh well. :-)

Cheers,
-Adrian

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weeharp

12 years ago

My partner and I are now finally making money online. My family is shocked, at first they were like "yeah yeah... this will pass" and now they are pretty intrigued as they keep hearing about our latest success... Pretty cool, let the money speak for itself.

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How do you explain IM to friends and family?

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