33 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
33 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Can You Start An IM Business On No Budget? Give Me Your Ideas!

by Charlotte Jay
28 replies
If you are without any startup capital whatsoever, how can you be successful in IM? I'm looking for ideas on free methods that can be put into action at the drop of a hat. Also need ideas on traffic generation and SEO also with no budget.

I'm trying to put together a report that shows you can be successful without dropping hundreds of dollars (or any dollars when it comes to that lol) into a budding IM business. Thanks Warriors!
#brains #budget #business #free #give #ideas #lend #start
  • Profile picture of the author BryanShearer
    Start off by doing grunt work first to build up some of your capital and then you can go from there on building sites from there. Write articles or do some data entry and then build your own sites at the same time. Build manual links and do all the hard work yourself and yes, you can do it.

    The only problem that you can run into is that it does take time and how much is your time worth? If you are willing to invest and work for next to nothing at first, then you may be able to gather up some capital to make your business work for you.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3792977].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brit16
    Kole- are you saying he created the site just for the purpose of selling it? I am new to this and have been working hard on my blog for a few months. I am to a point of wanting to start another project and this sounds like a good idea. Any more details to share? Should you have the site ranking before trying to sell?
    Signature

    New to IM, any honest advice appreciated!

    My blog (first IM project!).....IVF Success Stories

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793001].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alan Ashwood
      Hi Charlotte Jay

      I'll try to offer some help here as this has been my 'speciality' on one of my blogs since August 2010.
      Can you build an income with no budget? Theoretically yes, you can - BUT . .
      1. No Funds = A Lot of Time + A Lot of Work
      2. Money = Choices
      3. There's a lot to learn

      Quick Checklist:
      You will need:
      1. A Clickbank Account (and Clickbank nickname)
      2. A Paypal Account (to receive payments)
      3. A dedicated web email box for your business, such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail
      4. An autoresponder. Listwire is free - always, MailChimp is free up to 2000 names (NO AFFILIATE MARKETING with MailChimp)

      The cheapest way to get started with the intention of making some money is probably by blogging. But you must pick your subject/theme/niche first, otherwise you'll have no direction.

      1. No Money.
      • Use a free blogging platform, Blogger or Wordpress.COM (not Wordpress.ORG) This way you don't have to pay for domain names or hosting.
      • Create 3-5 Test/Fake/Nonsense posts - But don't publish!
      • Write 3-4 (or more)real draft articles (posts) about your subject (Don't publish yet).
      • Get a Google account, then an Adsense Account to set up to 3 'Ads by Google' panels (make sure they're related to your subject)
      • Get an Amazon Associates account. This allows you to place Amazon ads on your blog/site, from which you can make commission.
      • DO NOT PLACE ANY AFFILIATE OR CLICKBANK PRODUCTS ON A FREE BLOGGING PLATFORM. YOU WILL BE SHUT DOWN . (If you have your own products or services, you can link directly to those on your own sites only.
      • Learn some SEO tactics from other blogs to help search engines find you
      • Find a good related PLR eBook to pursuade visitors to register with you (List Building)

      Spend some time setting up your new blog so that it is visually appealing for your visitors, and has all the above elements in place (Optin Box, Adsense, Amazon).

      When your satisfied,
      • Publish the Fake posts to the site and visit it yourself. (Don't worry, nobody else will see the nonsense, it's just there to give you a visual reference).
      • Make any adjustments, and check that everything's working OK.
      • Write an About Me Page and publish it. (Many people visit this first).
      Once your happy:
      • Read your real posts again, and make any changes and adjustments
      • Publish your FIRST POST!
      • Delete the fake posts
      • Publish a post at least once a day at first (this will help the search engines notice you)
      • Continue publishing articles/posts to your blog/site, and it will gradually get visitors (Don't forget SEO and Keywords on each and every post).
      • Blog Hopping. Find other blogs similar to yours, or about the same subject, and visit them regularly. If you find an interesting post, leave a decent comment. (this will build back links, which also help search engines improve your blogs status). Encourage visitors to your blog to leave a comment too.
      The Amazon and AdSense ads won't give you much financial return until you get decent traffic to your site.

      Without money, it takes time and perseverance.

      I wanted to expand on this for people with a little more money, but it's 6am and I'm going to bed.

      I may come back to follow this on. I can't leave a link to the blog because I haven't built my reputation at Warrior Forum yet. Sorry.

      Good luck - you can do it.
      Signature
      Now where did I put that pencil?

      Time for a cuppa.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793722].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

    In retrospect, this will work and could result in more profit if you work harder. However, I have seen people able to make $200 in one day (CPA), investing $20 beforehand.
    Ryan, CPA is a great way to get started earning quickly, using very little or no money but lots of ingenuity. It's also versatile in the sense that it can be promoted very easily both online and offline, and there are many offers you can pick from which have mass appeal.

    The only drawback is that newbies will have to wait a while to get paid, seeing that most CPA networks pay net 15 or net 30.
    Signature
    >>> Features Jason Fladlien, John S. Rhodes, Justin Brooke, Sean I. Mitchell, Reed Floren and Brad Gosse! <<<
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793058].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

      Yes, I had to deal with this too.

      I don't think it is that big of a deal, unless you depend on that money. It is probably best to do CPA a little further down the road (i.e. when you are more experienced and have a little amount of capital).
      This is true, or a person could split their time between CPA and offering services such as article writing, graphics, backlinking, etc., which is a great way of making some money quickly if they're not afraid to work.

      Providing services would provide them with a cash buffer and keep them motivated while getting off the ground with CPA.
      Signature
      >>> Features Jason Fladlien, John S. Rhodes, Justin Brooke, Sean I. Mitchell, Reed Floren and Brad Gosse! <<<
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793851].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author mikeroosa
    Of course you can, but just because you can doesn't mean you should.

    I think the best way to go about it would be to start offering web design and seo services to local companies. Start by doing sites for some friends or acquantances and use them as a reference to get bigger and better jobs.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793098].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author shuvo
    There are lots of resources available in google from different successful IM marketers we can read to make a profitable IM business without any budget.I also like to read some successful markets blog to learn more about IM techniques.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793100].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Miriam Higginbotham
    I think you can be successful without any outlay of money. You will definitely have to invest in time!! You can do like others say and offer a service while working on IM. I personally write articles for people to help pay for my IM expenses. But to get started in IM with no money is doable. There are many free resources available on how to go about it. I would start with whatever particular niche I wanted to go into and do some keyword research. Using Google's free keyword tool. Another great tool is google insight and google trends. These free tools allow you to better research your niche to see if people are searching for whatever it is your into. Some niches are seasonal or trendy. Once you pick your niche then create a free blog at blogger.com or a squidoo. Make sure when you name your lense that you SEO it or when you name your blog SEO your blog name and tag. Then just do straight article marketing from there. Pick a product to promote within your niche and you can link your article to your blog or lense. Once you see the money coming in and that niche is working I would suggest creating your own website. Hope this helps!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793101].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author nicolas simpson
    i certainly feel that you can, however it's going to take much effort, your best resort right now is to right some good quality articles and publish them on top article sites such as squidoo etc, that should yet you some free and good quality traffic..
    Signature
    Discover Reggae | Dancehall [Jamaica]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793454].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Andy Kobe
    Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay View Post

    If you are without any startup capital whatsoever, how can you be successful in IM? I'm looking for ideas on free methods that can be put into action at the drop of a hat. Also need ideas on traffic generation and SEO also with no budget.

    I'm trying to put together a report that shows you can be successful without dropping hundreds of dollars (or any dollars when it comes to that lol) into a budding IM business. Thanks Warriors!
    You probably could but why stress like that? Nothing wrong with getting a weekend job to pay for the tools you need.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793921].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Andy Kobe View Post

      You probably could but why stress like that? Nothing wrong with getting a weekend job to pay for the tools you need.
      Exactly, if a person has initiative, gumption and isn't afraid of rolling up his sleeves and getting them dirty, there are many things he can do offline (that aren't even IM related) which could earn them immediate cash.

      With summer approaching, a person could mow lawns, wash windows and cars, do odd jobs such as scooping poop, etc. Oftentimes, you can make money faster and easier by doing this stuff offline than marketing online. Use this quick cash you earn to reinvest in your IM, and just continue doing both until your IM income overtakes your offline endeavors!
      Signature
      >>> Features Jason Fladlien, John S. Rhodes, Justin Brooke, Sean I. Mitchell, Reed Floren and Brad Gosse! <<<
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3793974].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alan Ashwood
      Ignore Andy Kobe.

      What weekend job? With unemployment as it is there ain't many.
      How do you know Charlotte doesn't already have a weekend job?

      She asked, "Can you ...", not "How can I make some extra money".

      One of my students Works 6 days a week in a manual job; 5 evenings a week in a Petrol/Gas Station; 2 evenings in a pub; and all night, almost every night learning IM.
      He still doesn't have any spare cash. He started 7 months ago on a zero budget.
      When he made a little he moved up a step and started affiliate stuff, still no 'spare' cash.
      He's almost finished his first product, due to publish mid May.

      No cash, but he's grafting hard. His tenacity is slowly paying off. I asked him: Total outlay (not including Broadband costs) for 7 months? Answer: £126.00 or about $210.00. Total Gross Income? £485.00 or $800.

      He has made a little online, but still has NO FINANCE to invest.
      But he's winning. Small steps.
      Signature
      Now where did I put that pencil?

      Time for a cuppa.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794643].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wwbux
    there is tons of ways but as Ryan Kole said this way will be very great way will be awesome you should try it and use twitter to send them your offers and product that you get share of the sales of it
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794044].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author magnates
      No money ? No problem .

      Dude , I understand , I have been there .

      As long as you are willing to do the work required , the money will come to you


      1. Register on Clickbank

      2. Find You like

      3. Team Up with High Traffic Videos on Youtube and split the profits

      4. Repeat Step 3 everyday until you make money


      Other Ideas

      1.Offer Service (What can you do : You can do it online like do a gig on fiver or you can knock on people doors like I did 3 yrs ago when I was almost homeless as ask to wash their cars for a fiver . Knock on a 100 doors a day . You make money )

      2. Learn SEO and offer SEO services (I ahve a friend who makes 5k a month doing that , Look at invest 6 months of your time to master SEO )

      3. Create a product that addresses people challenges and team up with high traffic sites to sell it
      Signature

      ==>[[FREE WSO]] -These Five Powerful Strategies Will Solve Your List Building Problems For Good !!


      ==>[**£7 WSO**] - 7 Ways To Drive An Extra 100,000 Targeted Visitors To Your Website

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794110].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author paulie888
        Originally Posted by magnates View Post

        1.Offer Service (What can you do : You can do it online like do a gig on fiver or you can knock on people doors like I did 3 yrs ago when I was almost homeless as ask to wash their cars for a fiver . Knock on a 100 doors a day . You make money )
        Thanks for chipping in! There are so many ways you can make money offline that aren't even IM related, and you just have to be able to go out there and market yourself and your services.

        You have absolutely nothing to be afraid of. After all, the worst that could happen is that you get rejected...big deal! Brush that off, and move on to your next prospect. Simple to carry out, but not so easy to do for many people.
        Signature
        >>> Features Jason Fladlien, John S. Rhodes, Justin Brooke, Sean I. Mitchell, Reed Floren and Brad Gosse! <<<
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794470].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Keith Everett
    Hi Charlotte

    Yes you can definitely get started in IM with NO capital. I use traffic generation methods such as Pixelpipe, Onlywire, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook to drive traffic to my sites..

    Cost = Zero. You can use Free blogs such as Blogger or Wordpress to get going, and you can monetize with Adsense and Clickbank products.

    No cost involved.

    All the best

    Keith
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794725].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lucio101
    Banned
    [DELETED]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3794825].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Charlotte, first off, kudos to you for being upfront about the reason for asking the question. Way too many people trying to do the same thing either ask as if the information was for personal use or they pull out the "time to give something back" line out. You get bonus points for transparency...

      On to your question.

      Can you start an IM business on no budget? Yes.

      But you have to be prepared for the inefficiencies of doing things for yourself. You may invest several hours of research to learn a task that someone else could do in minutes for a price.

      And although there are some incredible products in the open source movement, not being able to buy/rent specialized tools can also make things less efficient that they could be.

      You have to be prepared to use resources that you don't control. Most of those resources will take a cut of your labor/results, one way or another.

      That said, bootstrapping is a time-honored way of getting started. Others have posted the main ways of making money out of sweat. Knowing the limitations and challenges, and being prepared to reinvest and grow in stages, it's very possible to get started with no cash outlay.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3795908].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Charlotte Jay
    I should clarify that this is for research purposes only, as I have a content service that keeps me busy enough lol

    But saying that I think I may try out out some of the methods for my report so I can add proof that they actually work with limited or no capital. Some of these methods I'm not totally familiar with, but I will look into them for sure.

    Thanks for all the ideas, you guys and girls are the best!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3797010].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Hi Charlotte,
    Here's an 'old school' method of making money but using the net. There's loads of local businesses requiring products or services that aren't online and may have trouble either finding them without the net or be charged a fortune. Find the product or service for them online and add a bit of profit or agree a finders fee. There's been some good reports about doing the same with seo, webdesign, email marketing etc for offline businesses by finding a reputable online provider that will do the work. Need an email address and maybe a contact phone number as clients may want to call you.
    You can do this the other way round if you find local specialized business that maybe makes bespoke stuff.

    Rich
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3797115].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author celente
    I basically started with no money in the day. Well ok, i had about $10.

    I did not have any help from friends of family they told me to get a job.

    But stuff that. It made me work harder. Now 5 figrues a month love what I do.

    But I am a massive action taker. That is what it comes down to.
    Signature
    Create a $5000 USD a month Business. 1-on-1 Coaching. By 6 figure marketer! - CLICK HERE
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3797883].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author bryemidas
    Yes… But why kid yourself…
    We all spend money every day on consumable crap… stuff we don’t actually need… junk like newspapers, coffees, food bought just for taste… We kid ourselves we don’t have enough to start an online business, when in truth, if you reading this you’re one of the more privileged on this planet… Stop whining, it’s about priorities… Do it or don’t… you have the money…you have the opportunity…
    Signature
    NEWS FLASH...Create a New Life!

    Viral Blogging System: 6 Day FREE Tutorial Bootcamp!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3798039].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author octavyo
      Yes you can start with no capital but if you want a serious business that will make you money you will need at least $10 to buy a domain and hosting and build a niche website. To gather some money just like other members said here I would recommend you to offer some services on fiverr or if you are good at programming bid on freelance projects. At least this way you would have the money to invest in a serious business.
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3798068].message }}

Trending Topics