Someone, convince me this whole "Making money online" thing isn't a massive scam!

49 replies
Hi!

A few disclaimers about myself. I've been scammed repeatedly over the years. It seems that every 'fly-by-night' huckster has my email.

Everything I read on here seems like more of the same.

I'm in a dead-end job slinging groceries on Wal-mart's graveyard shift, and I'm sick of it. I'm not stupid, and am able to use a computer successfully, most days.

Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.

Help, please....
#convince #making money online #massive #scam #thing
  • Profile picture of the author JeremyHendo
    SuperSaint .... Making money online is as simple and hard as having something that a lot of people want (a Market) at a price they are willing to pay, that can generate you a profit (Margins) after ad spend and overhead...

    Just a few things... If something seems too good to be true and over hyped, it probably is.

    Most of my failures have come from lack of action and my biggest successes have come from very hard work and massive action...

    Hope that helps,
    Jeremy

    P.S. Start Unsubscribing to anyone who hasn't brought you anything of value in the past 3 weeks !
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    • Profile picture of the author datingworld
      Originally Posted by JeremyHendo View Post

      Most of my failures have come from lack of action and my biggest successes have come from very hard work and massive action...
      Very True Jeremy,

      Buying stuff and keeping them on deskptop won't make anyone any money unless one take massive action on it.
      Without taking action, nothing will work. Hardwork is the key point.
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  • Profile picture of the author l0gic
    I agree with what Jeremy said above, it really is as simple as you make it. You've gotta first find yourself something you enjoy online or are knowledgeable about, and then you can monetize that. You can write a blog and get adsense money by driving traffic to it, or you can start an email subscriber list and promote products to them.

    No matter what you choose to do, you have to be vigilant about buying the next shiny object. There are all too many folks out there looking to separate you from your wallet, and the only thing stopping them is your sense of caution. If someone is offering something that sounds incredibly good, think to yourself why the rest of the world hasn't bought into it yet.

    Good luck out there and be safe! You can make your own footprint, just gotta take action!
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  • Profile picture of the author webmarke
    Of course you can make money online. Millions of people do it everyday. The quickest way to find a way to make money online is to do what other people are doing, not what they tell you to do.

    If people are advertising over and over on a website...It;s making them money.

    If people are selling their own products...Then people make money by sellling their own products online.

    If people are sending you tons of email promoting products...Then people are making money doing email marketing.

    Don't look for a magic bullet...Just do what successful online money makers do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Christopher Fox
    Ask Allen, the dude who just sold WF how much money he has made online, just from this forum.

    I think the biggest thing you have to watch out for is that a LARGE percentage of the make money online 'gurus' are faking it until they make it - and most won't make it.

    It is monkey see, monkey do.

    There is no plug and play system, where absolutely anybody can follow steps 1,2 & 3 and then be making $xx,xxx per month, IMO. There are certain methods, systems, that everyone uses, but there is more to the puzzle.

    Let me quote from a thread in the War Room (hopefully this is okay? - pretty basic stuff I'm quoting that is stated, many times, in the free section):

    What people really buy is the dream, the idea - never the work that goes along with it. I am probably one of the worst victims of this. I bought the BowFlex because of the dream body the commercial presented. It's still sits in a barn where it was put a week after we bought it.

    Sounds like you bought some dreams (got scammed)?

    People are doing it, and it is possible, but remember that some of these gurus pumping out 'How to make $1,000 in two weeks with no money down' are working at the other Wal-Mart across town, 'cause they are just monkey seeing, monkey doing and trying to fake it until they make it.

    I believe you can repeat others methods with similar success, just know that it isn't always easy or overnight. I am sure there are plenty of warriors that are making a full time living after several years of trying and plugging away at it. And realize that of all of the people that have ever registered or posted on this site, the majority of them are NOT making a full time living, or even trying to anymore.

    This internet thingy, I think, is about the easiest and cheapest way for somebody to start a business that we knucklehead humans have ever had at our disposal. But it still takes work, time, and sometimes pure luck.

    Yes, possible. No, not as easy as all of the sales copy, squeeze pages and emails make it - they sell the dream, as does pretty much every other industry (e.g., drink [insert beer mfg here] and you'll have ten hot, scantly clad ladies hanging all over you, etc. - drink our beer and get laid by hot chicks in bikinis, like in our commercials. Selling a dream.)
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  • Profile picture of the author st0nec0ld
    Totally agree with Jeremy.

    It depends on how you work on things. You create a plan, set a goal and work on it.
    Be different and unique. I know it is easier said than done but that's just the way it is.
    Sometimes it is better to help yourself than seek for other people's help.
    If you've failed many times then learn from it. Everything starts from small beginnings.
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  • Profile picture of the author NK
    Can you make money online? Of course you can.

    Can everyone be a millionaire? Probably not. But many people do make a decent living off the Internet and some just uses it to make a bit of extra cash. A LOT won't even see a single a cent due to lack of focus and willingness to follow through to the end.

    Should I try to convince you? Not really. I don't really have to convince you of anything, it's up to you to decide how you want to go about it.

    A common mistake is trying to follow the trend, going for whatever that is hot. For someone who is just starting out, you should just pick one method and go with it. Don't expect to see any actual results until you've built up a foundation - this can take weeks, months even years.

    Is it possible to hit a gold mine within hours? Sure you can, but very unlikely.

    Seeing the first dollar will be exciting. Seeing that first $50 would be even better. But keep working on it and eventually you'll be seeing a nice amount coming in consistently.

    No one can say how much you'll be able to make - $50 a month, maybe $300, perhaps $5,000. It could also be $0, but it's actually rather hard to get nothing if you do your research and follow through with the steps and strategies you pick up here in the forum.

    Consider signing up to the War Room here. It's a treasure trove of information that will easily cost you 10x more anywhere else. Just find something that piques your interest and study up on it and don't jump around like a lost rabbit.
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  • Profile picture of the author DURABLEOILCOM
    You can definitely make money online with the correct setup. You can learn how to promote and increase your sales with warriorforum.
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  • Profile picture of the author bigfoot12
    Ok to the OP, you buy on Amazon and Ebay right?

    Well, millions of people buy on these sites everyday, and for every buyer, there is a seller.


    So who is making the money? - The seller of course, for each item that he profits on.


    There are thousands of sellers(merchants) that will sell hundreds of items to buyers.


    The thing is, YOU could be one of those sellers, who is profiting and making money from hundreds of items.


    Seriously.... It's BIG money to be made.
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    • Profile picture of the author wentzco
      Originally Posted by bigfoot12 View Post

      Ok to the OP, you buy on Amazon and Ebay right?

      Well, millions of people buy on these sites everyday, and for every buyer, there is a seller.

      So who is making the money? - The seller of course, for each item that he profits on.

      There are thousands of sellers(merchants) that will sell hundreds of items to buyers.

      The thing is, YOU could be one of those sellers, who is profiting and making money from hundreds of items.

      Seriously.... It's BIG money to be made.

      Actually I make money via the Amazon & eBay affiliate programs so I don't need to be a seller. To the OP who works at Wal-Mart... they have an affiliate program too - https://affiliates.walmart.com/#!/

      I'm not gonna say you can make money setting up a website that sells pink flamingos & related items by pointing affiliate links at merchants who carry such products... oh wait a minute - yes you can!
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  • Profile picture of the author bwh1
    Total scam, don't care about it.

    There is only arounf 1,5 Trillion in sales this year (prediction, source Global B2C Ecommerce Sales to Hit $1.5 Trillion This Year Driven by Growth in Emerging Markets - eMarketer )

    Donald Trump would say that this is pocket change for him.

    G.

    P.S. Sorry, are you talking about "push button riches" programs? Those are not part of the 1.5 Trillion.
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  • Profile picture of the author Nightengale
    No. I WILL NOT try to convince you of anything. Nobody can "convince" you of anything against your will, no matter how compelling their argument, story or statistics are.

    To ask someone to "convince me" is idiotic at best. YOU choose your beliefs, no one else.

    Your own experience and discouragement will automatically argue with or reject whatever response you get. However, your very presence here and your question suggests that deep down you 1) believe it can be done (even if not by you personally) or 2) you at least HOPE it can be done.

    So let's start there: you DO believe money can be made online, but you just haven't figured it out yet. As someone else mentioned, you've likely bought from places like Amazon or eBay. You paid money. Someone else is making money on the other end of that transaction.

    Conclusion: money CAN be (and IS) made online. So much for the argument that making money online is a scam.

    Next: You've likely seen people and companies online making money that, when you think about it objectively, you KNOW are legit. After all, statistically, not EVERYTHING is a scam. Which means some are legit. And if you've spent any time online at all, you've likely seen these people.

    Clarity is a HUGE part of IM success. I hope this post brings some clarity. It's so simple when you know it -- and darn difficult when you don't! I owe my mentors a world of thanks for bringing this clarity.

    IM is actually pretty simple: you can sell only one of two things:

    1. Products
    2. Services

    That's it!

    And selling products or services online happens in the same basic way for everyone, no matter what they're selling:

    Traffic > Opt-in page > Autoresponder series (or e-zine) > Sales page

    That's it! It's just that simple. (We IMers tend to overcomplicate things.)

    But no matter what your niche is, or whether you're selling a product or a service, do you know what your business model is?

    A business model is the framework or skeleton of your business. Essentially there are three types of online business models:

    1. Membership-based model

    A membership-based business model allows you to build a community of people (your members) who are as passionate about your subject as you are. Your membership fees can be monthly or annual, but either way, you're building recurring, passive income.

    There are a lot of resources and information out there to help you build a membership-based business if you're interested in doing this.

    2. Product-based model

    Selling products allows you to maximize your time and effort by selling items over and over again. This can be hard goods or it can be information products. Information marketing is it's own business model under the product-based model. Information marketing allows you to take your brain to the bank by creating a product ONCE based on what you know and selling it over and over again.

    Affiliate marketing falls under both models. You can choose to market either products or services as an affiliate.

    3. Service-based model

    Selling services can be great for 1) generating quick cash (as in the case of article writing or video producing) and 2) establishing your expertise and getting testimonials.

    However, in the long run, your goal should be to offer services at a PREMIUM. The biggest advantage of IM is LEVERAGE. You're able to leverage your time, money and expertise exponentially online. We all have just 24 hours each day. Time to get ruthless about what you expect for those hours you spend in IM each day. Expect more of yourself and more from your business friends, clients, partners, etc.

    What results are you getting for those hours you spend online each day? Ultimately, your services should be at the bottom of your funnel and cost the most since they involve your time and personal attention. (We all have a limited amount of time each day.)

    The fun (and confusion) comes in with all of the endless mix-and-match possibilities of the above models. If you're just starting or still struggling to make money, keep it simple:

    Pick just ONE!

    1. Pick ONE niche. (Something you're interested in and know something about.)

    2. Pick ONE target market for your product or service. (Who will buy what you're offering? The more specific you are, the more you narrow it down, the more successful you'll be.)

    3. Pick ONE business model.

    Now that you're clear about what business you're in, FOCUS! (And stop buying any info not related to your niche and target market, period!)

    F -- Follow
    O -- One
    C -- Course
    U -- Until
    S -- Successful

    And remember: build a list, Build a List, BUILD A LIST!

    In IM, it's easy to put the cart before the horse. Take a deep breath, step back and consider what type of business you REALLY want. Don't worry about getting traffic or buying that expensive traffic product until you know 1) what your business model is, 2) what niche you're in and 3) WHO your target market is!

    Successful business people will tell you that MARKETING is more than half the effort that's needed for success anyway. So pick a niche, target market and business model. Then spend most of your time and effort marketing it.

    If you DON'T have a solid plan or system, THAT'S when it's hard. A good system will shave YEARS (and save you big $$$) off of your learning curve

    That's why I recommend investing in at least one good, comprehensive IM course (or mentor who will give you such a system) instead of jumping from one $37 e-book to the next. A lot of people here complain about not being able to make any money. But neither are they willing to invest in their business. (Buying a random bunch of $37 e-books doesn't count.)

    The best thing I ever did was invest in a comprehensive IM course aimed at REAL business owners, not just other IM wannabes. Yes it was $1500. (It's no longer available.) But it was truly some of the best A-Z IM info I ever bought. Everything else I've learned (from the $37 e-books) since has simply been plugged into this system.

    My two best recommendations for phenomenal IM training programs are Ali Brown's Elevate program (ElevateBizTraining.com) and Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula (ProductLaunchFormula.com)

    Get a solid plan or system and then work the plan!

    Hope this helps!

    Michelle
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Martel
    Pick one thing and get good at it.

    Treat it like a business because it is. Set a time to work it just like you go to work at Walmart.

    Don't get discouraged. It will take time.

    Don't go into network marketing. I know, I know some do well at this, but the most are not cut out for it. Stick with Internet Marketing. As I said at the beginning, learn a skill and get good at it.
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  • Profile picture of the author JWImarketing
    Well I look at it like the ring toss at the Fair. If you throw enough rings eventually one of them will ring the bottle.

    Sometimes we have to bounce around a bit before we find our groove. The trick is staying in the groove when you finally hit it, making it deeper, and never giving up. Just my 2 cents, you can keep the change :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author SuperSaint
    Thanks for the responses, guys! It's appreciated, lots to think about.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Great Gordino
      Are there 'scams' in the MMo niche? Yes.
      Are there good products/courses/coaches? Yes.

      Internet marketing is a tool for selling in the same way that direct mail is, or TV ads - you find a market, find out what they want, offer it to them.

      The 'scams' tend to arise in the selling of IM products to the IM crowd, and that results in a lot of rehashed, out of date material being dressed up with hypey sales techniques.

      You are right to ask questions like yours on a forum like this, and my 2 ways of making sure you don't get scammed -

      1. Contact the seller first, or find out about them. if they get back in contact with you then you are on the way to establishing their motives.
      2. Never buy anything without a full 100% money back guarantee, so if it turns out to indeed be rehashed out of date PLRm you can just get your money back.

      Hope that helps,
      cheers,
      Gordon
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    • Profile picture of the author Matthew Payne
      The best advice I would give you would be to learn a real skill such as website design or anything programming related and fly with it. If that is not up your creek, then learn to write kindle books.

      Affiliate marketing can be very profitable, but for most people it is a never ending money hole.

      You got to find out what you love also....everyone will tell you to build a list, write a kindle book and all that stuff....but if you don't love it you won't stick with it and it will become a never ending money hole.

      Find something you love that you can make money with and then stick with it till you are doing very well.
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  • Profile picture of the author carlo_sim
    Nope not a scam. As long as you work hard, know the process of I.M. then you can make money online.

    Keyword: "Work Hard"
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Hi SS,

    No need for a disclaimer; I could tell you hadn't LET GO of the past by your title lol!

    Here's the deal; you failed. You bought into scam systems, or legit systems, that you didn't work effectively. Own your failure.

    Take full responsibility for your failure.

    Doesn't that feel better? Awesome.

    Now, create a ton of value, meet a ton of people through social and blogging, do this daily, and yes, you'll make money online.

    I've published over 3300 posts to my blog because I desired to live a life few live. And here I am in Phuket

    Create, connect, prosper.

    All the best!
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  • Profile picture of the author Ord Allenbea
    Stay away from the get rich quick schemes and start learning for yourself how to build a business. It takes work and effort to build a business, there is no push button solutions and certainly no sitting on your arse drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas on some tropical beach.


    Originally Posted by SuperSaint View Post

    Hi!

    A few disclaimers about myself. I've been scammed repeatedly over the years. It seems that every 'fly-by-night' huckster has my email.

    Everything I read on here seems like more of the same.

    I'm in a dead-end job slinging groceries on Wal-mart's graveyard shift, and I'm sick of it. I'm not stupid, and am able to use a computer successfully, most days.

    Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.

    Help, please....
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  • Profile picture of the author bostjan33
    Banned
    Originally Posted by SuperSaint View Post

    Hi!

    A few disclaimers about myself. I've been scammed repeatedly over the years. It seems that every 'fly-by-night' huckster has my email.

    Everything I read on here seems like more of the same.

    I'm in a dead-end job slinging groceries on Wal-mart's graveyard shift, and I'm sick of it. I'm not stupid, and am able to use a computer successfully, most days.

    Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.

    Help, please....
    Well, it depends on how you approach the whole thing. If you believe all those "get rich quick" BS, then you won't make any money at all. Only those scammers do.
    Making money online isn't a scam, but it does require a lot of work, dedication and a pinch of luck. But as long as you stick with it on a long term basis, you should be able to generate a nice income.
    P.S. Just don't take shortcuts, if possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author barbling
    Yes you can. I've been doing so now for years.

    For ME (who loves product creation) the easiest way to do this is to

    1.) Create quick front end reports about topics people want to learn/solve/didn't know about. Scan Google News to see upcoming developments for FB, Twitter etc., and you'll be the first to market with said product.

    2.) Offer 100% commission to attract other affiliates to promote. Offer a GOLD version at 50% as well. Make sure to refer to your GOLD version in your Front End PDF so folks who miss it during the buying process will be reminded of it when they go thu the product. Add a complimentary bonus class that happens 2 weeks later so you can give more value and pitch a higher-ticket item.

    3.) Build your buyers list. Send out a customer-care email sequences for 2-3 weeks or that that is helpful, provides additional resources, and weav e in affiliate links for your goodies as well.

    4.) Network with bigname affiliate marketers on FB, here, etc. Comment on their posts. Buy their products and compliment them. Get to be known as more than just a another name in the industry.

    5.) If you're disciplined, announcing your products in Launch Calendars. Try to do this every 2 weeks.

    And rinse and repeat.

    It might be slow going.... but it definitely is possible and it can work grand.

    But you have to start it off. Hope that helps!

    Everytime you launch, you'll increase your buyers list.
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  • Profile picture of the author MarketingBees
    Of course it's NOT a scam!

    The problem is that in the industry there are far too many scams which then puts off newbies into believing the whole industry is a scam.

    STOP buying get rich quick products
    STOP believing you'll make money over night
    STOP spending money on products claiming to make you a huge amount in a short time

    Internet marketing is a business. It's not an easy way out. It's not something you can do for a few hours. It's not something that's a hobby.

    It's bloody hard work like any business and there's ore failures online than successes but that doesn't mean you can't succeed.

    One of the key lessons you need to learn is focus. Start something and work at it not for a day, a week or a few months but for the long term foreseeable future.

    Good luck and apologies if that was a little too on the rant side.
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    • Profile picture of the author Riyaz Ansaari
      Whilst there are scams and scammers, we cant say that the whole IM thing is a scam and simply doesn't work.

      The very fact that there are people making money on this forum disproves this claim.

      The problem is people have unrealistic expectations. They expect to make millions by doing very little work, and when that doesn't happen they get disillusioned with the whole thing.

      Another big problem is that people just don't implement and see things through to completion.They keep moving onto the next course, looking for that magic idea that will mean they don't need to put in any effort.

      To give yourself any chance of success you simply have to get over these 2 hurdles.

      Find one strategy that you feel you are suited to and focus on mastering it. Don't even think about purchasing another course until you have implemented what you have learnt. If it doesn't work then move onto another strategy and do the same, until you are successful.
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  • Profile picture of the author onpointinfo
    Hi...

    You are still going to have problems here with what ever anyone tells, it could even be some one is earning 50,000 a month and you will blow him buy, because your guard is up and pretty negative about this make money online thing.

    You do not need anyone to convince you, you need highly reputable print sources that have done write ups on successful people making money online.

    The best advice I can give you, is to go to reputable magazines, newspapers ( wall street journal, ny times, business opportunity magazines and dig up stories, interviews of people who are making money on the internet from starbucks or at home.

    Here is one I dug up for you, and you need to do the same:

    Who Wants To Be A (Kindle) Millionaire? - Forbes

    There are stories like this published by reputable print sources who will not write a story on someone that will damage their public image and reputation, so therefore will go at lengths to confirm they are not full of BS before they print a story on someone just based on here say and not factual.

    Ask for help from other members here, what have they read, what guru has been featured in CNN, NY TIMES, OPRAH, etccc reputable media sources PERIOD ! This is all you need to help you believe in the opportunity that exist online.

    You will have to change your negative attitude, and I would work on buying books like the magic of believing , think and grow rich, success begins and ends with your belief in your self and the tenacity to see it through no matter how many failures you encounter.

    You see I embrace FAILURE, I do not run from it ask me why I do this or tell me what you think I mean by this. For every thing negative there is something positive to learn from it. I could be wrong but sounds like you need some self help positive thinking books to help you reprogram your mind for success, it all starts with your mind, hope you do not take this personally, but I have been around for a few 24/7 I am 59 and have seen a lot in my life and experience a lot in business and sales, and one thing I do know, it is not always the person who has the most education that hits the million mark but the person who does not see his lack of education as a obstacle on the contrary, he sees success as a journey of failures , disappointments and with each one he gets closer to where he/she is going.

    GOOD LUCK - SUCCESS BEGINS WITH YOUR MIND AND SOUL - START HERE !
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    • Profile picture of the author unclederek
      The forum were on recently got bought out for circa $4million.
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  • Profile picture of the author gcbmark20
    Hi,

    There are 2 SIDES of the argument we can look here.

    1. Sellers who "Over Promise" & "Over Hype" their products and services
    and that simply don't deliver.

    2. BUYERS who fall into the TRAP of believing the HYPE they've been fed
    and end up BUYING pieces of the jigsaw that DON'T deliver the EXACT steps
    they need as a WHOLE to making a system work for them!

    Buyers MUST NOT expect over night riches from every product they BUY.

    This can become a very EXPENSIVE habit indeed for the consumer.
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  • Profile picture of the author dustinthigpen
    There are a lot of good points made above. The truth is, you need to be willing to work your tail off for a good while and not be afraid to make mistakes.

    Some of the most successful marketers have had some pretty big failures in their past. But they learn from those mistakes and correct their course along the way.

    You have to really be committed to what you're doing. This is YOUR business, not just a hobby.

    I think the best place to start is learning some free traffic strategies and build your e-mail list with that traffic. That list can be your most valuable asset if you treat it right.
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  • Profile picture of the author tomako
    I am making money online.

    I never bought anything to learn IM, or making money online methods, so in three years I have not even subscribe to a single mailing list.

    I only spend money for hosting and domain, now I am using free blogs only. What I am trying to say is you don't necessarily need to spend money for making money online.

    It takes more than reading some pdfs. Believe me, nobody shares his/her magic secrets for $27 or even $250.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    Is working the graveyard shift at Walmart working out well for you? No? Is it a scam?

    You're helping the Waltons make billions while you're making peanuts. Sounds like a scam to me.

    Look, everything is a scam and everything is not a scam. It's how you look at it and what you do about it.

    There are people buying all of the info products about making money online and they're raking in the money.... Then, there are the people buying all of the info products about making money online and they aren't taking any action, so they're not see any results, so in turn... believe it's all a scam.
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    nope sorry its all a scam, for sure. 103%

    quick get out of here, before you find out.

    *wipes brow and forehead relizing another competitor is gone...PHEW*
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  • Profile picture of the author tj
    Originally Posted by SuperSaint View Post

    Hi!

    A few disclaimers about myself. I've been scammed repeatedly over the years. It seems that every 'fly-by-night' huckster has my email.

    Everything I read on here seems like more of the same.

    I'm in a dead-end job slinging groceries on Wal-mart's graveyard shift, and I'm sick of it. I'm not stupid, and am able to use a computer successfully, most days.

    Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.

    Help, please....
    Why? You are obviously already convinced that it is Scam.

    Timo
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    You mentioned working graveyard at Wal Mart.
    You work a week and get paid X dollars.
    Once you accept that you may have to put in those exact same hours, maybe for 5 weeks to make one weeks pay you will be on the right track when choosing products/systems to follow.

    The real problem with make money online stuff is that it promises push button systems for making money without putting in the hours. The other big issue is only you can decide what is the best fit for your skills.

    It is fair to say that there are many people making great money with a few hours of work BUT to get there they initially had to pretty much work for free for a very long time to learn their strengths, weaknesses and what works.

    As an example tomorrow if I lost everything could make a few thousand per week working part time because I already know what I am good at. I know how to find and sell to premium clients via email/video that are interested in my message and I know how to leverage outsourcing. This so called easy money though comes at the expense of 15 years of sales experience in the corporate and small business world. It comes at the expense of learning for years how to craft messages that people care about and how to deliver a service that actually makes the client so happy he will share his results with others.

    Good luck to you!
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    • Profile picture of the author Nuno
      If anything sounds too easy (no investment and almost no work), then it's unlikely to be true OR last for long.
      MMO is far from a scam, but finding something steady to replace offline monthly earnings isn't easy.
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      NunoAlex.com explains how I can help.
      I'm looking for a limited number of serious partners.
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  • Profile picture of the author Franchise19
    I'm fairly new to the IM world as well SuperSaint but by looking at all the responses you've got so far, I can relate with all of them since the underlining meaning is the same in all of them. FOCUS and CONSISTENCY is the key. It's just how you perceive things and what lesson you can take out from the failures. There is no blue print to get rich quick, you have to work hard at it and keep learning and keep applying what you have learned and then you will start seeing a difference in your business or whatever you're trying to market!
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
      I just checked my bank account and there is still money in it. I have not had a paycheck from a job in over 8 years. The money comes from legitimate Internet marketing selling real products and real services to real customers. No scamming needed to do that.
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  • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
    Banned
    Originally Posted by SuperSaint View Post

    Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.
    What Jeff said...

    Of course it works! I can vouch for the fact that you can create a product that affiliates can sell for you. Avoid the pie in the sky stuff and either create or grab hold of something of real value.



    Regards,

    -don
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  • Profile picture of the author ErinWalsh
    To SuperSaint: Listen to these people who already posted. They know what they're taking about. Our company also has first-hand experience in marketing all kinds of products. We sell comfort registry cleaning and performance improvement software. I suggest signing up with a network that provides information about current quarterly earnings and find out what methods of marketing have worked in the past. For instance, our Boost Affiliates often use Bing instead of Google for pay per click marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author tristatemedia
    i tis not a scam but watch out for the scammers....is all i have to say.
    i heard this great quote today:
    in god we trust: everyone else show me proof.....lol
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  • Profile picture of the author honestt1234
    The internet works on the same principles as any regular business. It requires the exact same planning. It is called a business plan.

    You will ABSOLUTELY fail if you do not have it. GET one and prosper!
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  • Profile picture of the author McKattry
    Just a thought, if you buy something and it doesn't work or breaks, have you been scammed? If you take it back and they say all sales final, have you been scammed? What if you buy it, and never use it, or you buy it and find out that your neighbor was giving it away free? Have you been scammed?

    There is a lot of information available on making money online, and perhaps you could say that 98% of it is a scam. On the other hand you could dig a little deeper and read what there is to read. This forum alone has plethora of knowledge available, and while alot of it is fluff, if you sift through it you'll find your gold.

    Did you know that something like 3 out of 4 brick and mortar business's fail in their first three years? Is it a scam to be an entrepreneur?

    I think the answer is no. But unfortunately, the hype that's placed around most online ventures makes the unwary heart race, and tactics are used to get you to buy now. Buying now is almost always a mistake. Until you're experienced enough to recognize the true gems, you could lose a lot by buying now. It's almost always better to learn what you can without paying first. The next have to have offer will hit you in the face tomorrow, and let's face it, even a rich man can't buy them all.

    Remember, knowledge is free in this time of internet marketing, people like to talk, and marketers use it to draw people in. If you have the time and energy, you can pull it all together and make a the picture whole with very little money. That is when you should start investing money.
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  • Profile picture of the author daddykool
    Originally Posted by SuperSaint View Post

    Hi!

    A few disclaimers about myself. I've been scammed repeatedly over the years. It seems that every 'fly-by-night' huckster has my email.

    Everything I read on here seems like more of the same.

    I'm in a dead-end job slinging groceries on Wal-mart's graveyard shift, and I'm sick of it. I'm not stupid, and am able to use a computer successfully, most days.

    Someone, please convince me that any of this stuff actually works, because maybe I'm far more dense than I think I am, but this stuff just sails over my head.

    Help, please....
    |||||

    Have you just simply tried to take a step back and start afresh Saint?

    Do you have the skill set to just "make a gig" and "sell it on fiverr" to get you going?

    Tell us more and we can help you, that is what the non wso forums are for
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    LAUNCHING VERY SOON > PRE-REGISTER NOW FOR A WSO THAT EVERY WARRIOR NEW & OLD CAN MAKE $$$ FROM! LIMITED PRE-LAUNCH SPACES - PM or email: JVSuperstars@gmx.com TO RESERVE A PLACE & LOCK IN A SUPER LOW LIFETIME PRICE! *** NEVER TO BE REPEATED PRICE ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE WARRIOR FORUM & OUR VERIFIED JV AFFILIATE PROVIDERS! ***
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  • Profile picture of the author Caden
    You can make money online. I've been scammed before too but I never gave up. What has helped me is choosing what I liked to do, instead of being overwhelmed by a lot of opportunities and not being able to tell which is legit, or which is a scam. Pick one thing and build from there. What also helped is finding books at my local library. Reading a current book which directs you to the right websites makes it a whole lot easier and saves time instead of searching for information on Google.
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  • Profile picture of the author busineversity
    The problem (it seems to me) with a lot of these schemes is that people aren't upfront about the total cost of the enterprise.

    For example, if someone advertises something for free, you can bet that it's not free at all (there's no such thing as a free lunch, except if your a cat); after all, they have to make their money too. So you go for this "free" offer, then discover it's only free to get in - then you have to spend £100 for this, £900 for that and, oh, if you want to make it work properly you need to spend £2000 on the other. It's a bit like getting a car for free, only to discover you need to spend £25,000 for an engine!

    It would be much better if the peddlers of these schemes were honest brokers - telling you that you can buy into the business for this much, but then you have to factor in this amount for books, that amount for tapes, the other amount for seminars if you want to make it work properly. Obviously, this will put a lot of people off, but in my book it's better to be honest about it right from the off. That way, people know what they are getting into - of course, if you want to sweeten the pill you include a work-around which will take a bit more time, but will get most people to get where they want to be without too many tears.

    This, I suppose, would be the advantage of a good sponsor or mentor, someone who will understand the circumstances a person faces and help them through that, as long as the person being helped shows willingness to actually do something. Of course, it should be understood that a sponsor/mentor isn't someone who you can expect to do the work for you - remember the ancient Greek philosophy whereby "I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I DO AND I UNDERSTAND". See, everything is a learning curve, and the essence of learning is the development of understanding.

    And so it is with these schemes. Yes, a fair proportion of them are scams - but a little bit of understanding will weed out the genuine from the thoroughgoing wrong'uns. Of course, you can do research - but remember also that the "unbiased reviews" you find on Youtube and the like are usually trying to sell you something else - and as any professional salesperson knows, you trash the competition at your extreme peril.
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  • Profile picture of the author PBScott
    Of course you can make money online, but you can not "Get Rich Quick".
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    If you don't look at this => Really Funny Shirts <= you missed something in life

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  • Profile picture of the author Vickcarty
    Hey!

    Let me put it straight..

    If you really wanna make money online then follow these steps -

    1. Do not look for shortcuts.

    2. Its all about providing solution to a problem nothing more - So be it.

    3. Before testing someone just submit a request tixket and wait for teh reply, if the reply is timely and appropriate tehn go for it after ofcourse testing the features of the product.

    4. Last and the most important do not waste money on so called IM gurus.

    Take Care!
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  • Profile picture of the author bostjan33
    Banned
    To Vickarty - your point No. 4 is cool, lol.
    This is the first big mistake most n00bs do.

    IM/MMO by itself isn't a scam, but most "gurus" out there are scammers, plain and simple.
    Nowadays, any n00b calls himself a guru and tries to sell the same old BS.
    I hope that less and less good people fall for those "get rich" schemes.

    Good luck to you all
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Mathis
    When I was an account executive at Hostgator . Our job was to call new accounts after 24 hrs to see if they need help setting up their website or up sell services.

    Out of 65 calls made daily. I would say 30 of them were people looking to get rich with affiliate marketing, squeeze pages, etc.

    Of the 30 calls 20 would be older guys 50+that saw a video on how to get rich making money not realizing the promo code they used for HG was paying the author.

    Those accounts had the highest cancellation months later. Once they realize they didn't get rich overnight or as fast as they thought.

    My point is people are actively trying to get money online but it does take time and shouldn't be your main source of income. Good luck.
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