How Would You Answer This Question...Seriously

This isn't directed towards anybody in particular, but I think those who are
in the "make money online" niche will probably have the most answers since
the question directly relates to that niche.

I can't speak for everybody else, but a question I get asked a ton, and I'll
post a snippet from a recent email I got, is this one.

Any notion about what sort of earnings anticipated/possible from this?

I actually like the way the person worded this as it wasn't the usual, "How
much money can I make if I get your product?"

Yes, that's the question. I don't know how often you get it asked of you
but because my market is new home business people, I get it asked a lot
and it's usually accompanied by something like this.

"I have tried lots of <products, programs, whatever> and have never
made any money. So how much can I make with this?"

If you get this kind of question asked of you, what do you tell these
people?

Here is the reason I am asking, and I will be totally honest about this.

I feel we have a moral obligation, because of the bad rap that so many
in this industry give us. Yes, we do have all those disclaimer links on our
sales pages saying "We guarantee no income, etc." but how many people
read them? If they did, they wouldn't be writing to us asking how much
they can make.

So what do you tell them?

Do you give some kind of estimate?

Do you tell them you can't guarantee any earnings?

Or do you do something else like write back and try to make them think
about, oh I don't know, how if they're serious about their business they'll
realize that...and then give them whatever psychological spiel you want
to give them without actually answering the question?

Or do you do something else?

Do you maybe tell them how much you earn and through that, show them
that a good income is possible?

I have personally done all of the above and quite honestly, don't know
what the best approach is. The estimates I've given have always been
based on what I earned using xyz. But I've stopped doing that because
I have begun to feel that my experience makes those estimates unfair. So
now I either say, "no guarantees" or try to make them see the bigger
picture. And it kind of depends on my mood for that day.

Anyway, I'd like to know how others handle this so I can see if there is a
norm here that maybe I should be following. If everybody comes back
and replies "I tell them no guarantees" then that will probably be the
new policy I adapt, especially if those replies come from the more
established marketers. So yes, in a sense I am asking for help with this
problem. And yes, it is a problem for me. I don't want to discourage
people and yet at the same time, I don't want to give them false hope.

Is there a really excellent way to handle this question. I guess that's what
I am looking for.

Any assistance with this problem will be greatly appreciated.