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About to Graduate from Grad School... Need an Opinion

by JCWHong
9 replies
Hey everyone,

I'm a little less than a month away from graduating from business school, and I just wanted to see if you guys could provide me with some opinions an internet marketing vs. offline marketing dilemma that I'm thinking about.

I recently launched an offline marketing business for small business owners, and I recently picked up my first client and have a couple of others in the works. I'm really committed to this business and am aiming to build it into a big-time company; however, I'm not sure that the revenue that I'm generating from it will be able to pay the bills for at least a few months.

Here's what I need an opinion on... should I:

1) Shift my focus to try and make money from internet marketing (I have experience with affiliate marketing) for the next month to generate some sort of residual income and then go back to my offline business after that month (I would still work on my offline business but it wouldn't be my main priority)

OR

2) Continue to go all out on my offline business?

What would you do?

Thanks for your help!
#grad #graduate #opinion #school
  • Profile picture of the author dejoliet31
    Hi JC,

    I don't know enough about your total situation to give any real advice. For example, I don't know how effective you are at affiliate marketing, i.e., whether you have experienced making enough to fufill your obligations in the past.

    I have been involved in both of the arenas you are considering and I have found it easier to make money offline than as an IMer. At least in my area, there is less competition approaching offline businesses and I have more options for making money. So I can sell lead capture, website development, SEO, blog development, and/or website rentals.

    Okay! That's my 2 cents. Hope it helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author Daisuke
      with an offline business google doesnt control u, u do. my mom has a business offline & she makes around $50k a month or more. an online business will take more time & google pretty much owns u since 90% of ppl find a website that way wen they need to find something
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  • Profile picture of the author JCWHong
    Great -- thanks for your opinion.

    My affiliate product experience has been mostly with Clickbank products; however, due to all of the threads that were going on here about Clickbank, I stopped promoting their products (for the time being) because I didn't want to waste my effort.

    Anyone else?
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    Justin


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  • Profile picture of the author haohaowan2
    JC, if you are committed as you say you are to doing 2), i would encourage you to go all out and make it happen and i know the short-term bills are something to worry about but i think thats just fear talking. if 2) is worth doing long term just grit your teeth and bear down to get past the short term.

    good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author JCWHong
    Thanks, haohaowan2.

    Even if I decide to pursue some IM during the next month, I won't let my offline business slide... it'll just become a 2nd priority to IM.
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    Justin


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  • Profile picture of the author adpablo
    If you are good at online affiliate sales; I mean, you have a good system. I think you should give some hours to your online business model but work parallel with the offline business....don't put all your eggs in one basket...
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  • Profile picture of the author Craig Fenton
    Hi JCW Hong:

    Great work on finishing your education. I hope you make a million.

    Have you considered keeping the off-line business and working with the clients you have, gaining new ones butt also having some internet related activities to see if you could make a profit from both approaches?

    As long as one doesn't hurt the other and you are not working around the clock. Maybe you could set up a blog and a website and use it to promote your own products and or others? You may in fact be able to build credibility with good content and increase your off-line business.

    Write a few articles to not only see if they can gain people to your sites but if you enjoy it or not. Once you determine if it is something you like and doesn't take too long, the articles can provide information for the reader but in the author resource box you can promote your blog/website.

    Keep an open mind to both and I hope it is a tremendous summer for you!
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  • Profile picture of the author rhj12345
    JC,

    Good for you for sticking it out in school and now your about to enter into a new chapter in your life. Be really excited for the fun is not in the end, but in the journey.

    I have had a business for over 15 years and I can tell you , for sure you can do whatever you want. If you want an offline business do it. If you want to make it as an online guru, do it, or better yet do both! Time can be managed, make it work for you.

    Do the things everyday that gain you the most benefits, leave the rest to someone else you can outsource. And with that said, let me know if you have talents in any of these areas. Article writing, blog submission, website development, You Tube and Audio. I just picked up a startup as there Affiliate manager, and I will be presenting to them several strategies to market their company. I would like to outsource most of the daily projects.

    Let me know if your interested in some work.

    I hope you succeed in everything you do.
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  • Profile picture of the author JCWHong
    Hey guys,

    Thanks for all of the great feedback -- some really good ideas in here. And thank you all for the kind words as well.

    I actually am planning on combining both online/offline marketing to market my business (in my signature). While my customers will be offline, people can still find my business online.

    Craig, marketing products in my own blog is a great idea -- I will have to work on that.

    rhj, I'm going to send you a PM about what type of work you have in mind.

    Justin
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    Justin


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