If you had no money to start IM, what would you do?

My answer's about the same as Fin's, just above.

I'd need a proper domain-name and hosting (I might even start with reliable free hosting, but not Blogger/Squidoo/HubPages), and I'd start a blog/site in a decent niche (not IM/MMO!) with ClickBank-ish products available, and attract traffic by article syndication. I'd do whatever I have to do (writing articles for others?) to be able to afford to use Aweber or GetResponse, too - fortunately they cost very little indeed. But I wouldn't seriously try to start a business without a domain, hosting (maybe free) and an autoresponder (definitely not a free one). I'd make quite sure I'm not dependent on Google for my traffic: to me, that's not a reliable/dependable/secure business.

In a sense, once you "know a bit" about IM, it's all really about knowing what not to do/use, I think.

The mistakes are all out there, waiting to be made by the unwary.

Well, there you go: we always get a wide range of Warrior opinion in these threads.

You'd honestly advise someone starting off in IM with no money to borrow money to "invest" in backlinks?!

Call me a skepchick, but one really doesn't have to be Einstein to wonder whether the potential agenda suggested by your username might just possibly have influenced your reasoning the tiniest bit, there?!

Either get a job or do something laborious like writing articles or submitting manual backlinks for cash.

I agree with you. I just found out about blogsvertise and they pay pretty decent for just a 200 word post.

Val

Here's the system I'd use to get started:

(1) Using the free OpenOffice word processor, I'd write a short ebook packed with useful information on a popular topic I'm familiar with. I'd use the free google keyword tool to find keywords to help write the title and prepare the sales page. I'd download a free copy of Article Assistant to help with gathering facts and ideas for the ebook.

(2) I'd include some free images from sxc.hu or morgueful.com and use the best one to create a simple ebook cover using one of the many free image programs available like photoscape or irfanview. I'd save the document in .pdf format which is easy with OpenOfice and the main reason I suggest using it.

(3) I'd design an html sales page in a free html program called easyHTML, using all the hints from a brilliant free ebook "Sales Page Success Formula" - search google to find it.

(4) I'd put the ebook for sale on jvzoo.com and put my newly minted sales page onto the free sales page that jvzoo provides. I'd include the ebook in their affiliate system. A free paypal account is also necessary in order to accept payments.

(5) To stimulate traffic to the sales page I've now got on jvzoo, I'd use all the following free services: socialadr.com, facebook, and linkedin where I'd join several groups, participate, and post an ad in their free promotion sections to advertise the ebook and invite affiliates to promote it.

I'd also use stumbleupon, twitter, build a quick and easy free squidoo lens, create a quick and easy free blogger blog, use forum signature links, write related articles and submit to article directories and scribd.

(6) If possible (not available in all US states) I'd also join amazon.com's free affiliate program and include their ads on the blogger.com blog.

(7) If I wanted to make several similar copies of one article to submit to directories or use on blogger or squidoo, I'd use the excellent free online article re-writer (hand-written not machine-written) at Article ReWriter Spin Your Articles Free and download a free copy of article toolchest to spin the articles.

There you have it. A no money system: no domain name, no website, no software or services to buy. Just a computer, access to the internet, and a healthy dose of effort. This is enough to get anyone started and it won't cost a cent.

I'd have them make good use of Y! Answers.

And in the US that it what is called "plagiarism".

-All of the following are considered plagiarism:

• turning in someone else's work as your own
• copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
• failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
• giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
• changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
• copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)

(quoted from Plagiarism.org)

well said Randall - ebay is still the fastest way to generate some quick cash

Christian, interesting comment.

Have you had success yourself in this area? I would be interested to hear if you have or knew anyone who has as I find it hard to believe that most Warriors/IM business are have any real tangible asset value...although they may be creating six and seven figure incomes.

Cheers

Anton

You can start a service on fiverr. There are also other alternatives to fiverr like, Gigbucks, Zeerk, Tenbux, uphype, Dealerr, Justafive, GigMe5, Tenyt, GigWood and GigHour. Hope this helps.

Shane

You tell me. You are the one offering the one on one coaching.

I did have no money when I started.

The first things I did were writing articles for magazines (which didn't really pay all that well at $20 to $100 an article).

The most profitable thing I did early on was writing a report and online press release for a real estate agent to get them to the top of google and to give them a tool that would help convert prospects into clients listing their houses.

For that I think I got paid something like $1,000 to $1,500.

It took me quite some time after that trying other things before I realized that the easiest to get money was in providing services to regular businesses.

They have the money and the business infrastructure and they're quite happy to pay you over and over if you can bring them in real sales.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh