I got this question yesterday and asked Adrian if he was ok with me posting to my blog. I love getting questions like this because it makes me reflect on what I’ve accomplished and it also helps me understand what my subscribers and readers are feeling challenged by.
Here’s my answer to the question: Do People Really Make Money Online?
Hey Angela:
I guess i am a bit skeptical. Do people really
make money online.
I was reading an article about CPA networks and was wondering if you have ever come accross CPA network. I am thinking of starting an online business but not sure where to start and if it can replace my income eventually.Thanks,
adrian
Hi Adrian,
Thanks so much for your email and for trusting me with that question.
I answered your question below and it turned into quite the article. Do you mind if I post your question along with your first name on my site? I plan on posting my answer but it would be great to post the question too – then when you start your business come back and remind me so I can update the page with your website link 
Please let me know.
Here’s my answer:
I know it is hard to believe for some. Actually my parents still don’t really believe it even though I’ve worked from home full time myself now for over three years.
Here’s what I can tell you:
My first year I made $18,000 while working full time at a job the first half the year.
My second year I made about $35,000
In my third year I made some major changes to my business and basicly took half the year off and still made about $16,000.
Now these aren’t million dollar or even six figure quotes of fame and fortune. Could I have made more? Absolutely. I flip-flopped from business model to business model, basically trying out a lot of different things – I had no focus!
But I was also learning how to run a business while I earned, which isn’t something that everyone has a natural talent to do. I consider my first three years my ‘paid schooling’. Not bad considering I got paid over $60,000 to go to school.
I can also tell you there are many, many ways to make money online. In those first three years I would say I flip flopped from idea to idea, making a bit here and there. Here are just some of the things I did to make money:
- Virtual Assistant business: This involved building websites, doing site updates, writing articles, editing content, submitting to website directories and just about anything an online business owner asked me to do.
- Article Services: I bought a website for $500 that served clients who needed original articles written. That site made me a profit of about $1000 per month. I kept it for about a year and then decided to sell it for $3000 which was actually way under value and still made six times what I originally paid. I actually consider selling that site one of my biggest mistakes and I’m thinking of starting one up again.
- Information Products: I’ve written a number of information products on topics ranging from how I started my virtual assistant business, how to start an affiliate program, how to set up and run teleseminars and my latest is about how to set up and run virtual events.
- Affiliate Sales: As an affiliate for other people’s products I have made thousands of dollars, won an ipod and a cash bonus. What I do is make recommendations for quality products and then when someone takes that recommendation I make a referral fee. There’s more information on how that works here:
http://www.marketersmojo.com/freebies/beginners-guides/affiliate-marketing/
- Coaching Programs: I’ve set up programs where I’ve coached clients on various topics including how to be an affiliate manager, how to set up teleseminars and my latest is on how to create your own website. You might be interested in checking that out as it covers so much more than just putting up websites, it’s also about the research, the content, the marketing and the metrics:
http://www.websitedesignmojo.com
- Website Design: I currently have a website design business where I also create sites for clients. I charge $300 upwards of $3000 for various services and get new clients on a regular basis. If you want to peek that’s here:
http://www.blogsitemojo.com
So as you can see there are quite a few ways to make money online. Of course there are even more than I’ve listed, including CPA which you mentioned. I haven’t any experience with CPA but from what I understand of it, it’s very legitimate. CPA stands for cost per acquisition and from what I’ve seen it’s something a lot of the larger companies offer as an ‘affiliate program’. Basically you are getting paid to get someone to sign up for a free offer, of a free product, etc.
For example – I know of a very successful affiliate marketer in the ‘online dating’ niche. She has ads on her site that get people to sign up for a free compatibility test. It costs nothing and she gets paid for the sign up, the acquisition. Companies do this because they know how much each sign up is worth. They figure this out by realizing that for every 100 customers, X number of customers will buy. So, if they get 5 sales out of every 100 sign ups they can afford to pay out a percentage of that so they have access to more leads then they can get themselves.
I hope that helps!
p.s.At the time this post goes out there will be just 5 1/2 hours until the ‘fast movers’ discount of $100 is valid for Website Design Mojo. If you are ready to build an online business and learn a skill that will never go out of style then check out the coaching program that teaches you website design from the inside out:
http://www.websitedesignmojo.com
You know I kinda feel like I live in a safe secure online bubble.
Lately I am getting the question “Angela, What do you do?” on a fairly regular basis. So, I thought I should write a post on it.
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