Sometimes you have to take a chance in life. I've decided to take the leap into the wacky, wild world of generating an online income. I'm going to chronicle my quest, and give you a step-by-step, blow-by-blow daily (or at least periodically) progress report.
So, a little background.
This is not my first foray into the internet online income world. About 18 months ago, I was trying to make a go of it with several MLM programs, like SFI, Empowerism, Leisure Audio Books, and Success University. I had sporadic success with SFI, but my downline wouldn't stay around more than 45 days. I was paying $30 a month just to get checks of $12 to $20. It was a total monetary drain. The one program that I did like, however, was Success University. It was also expensive, and I couldn't figure out how to recruit others to it, but the monthly CDs and the online courses within the program are first-rate. I just ran out of money, so I had to stop everything. When I figure out how to really market online and have a steady online income, I will probably re-enroll in Success University.
The problem with these programs was that they all required a monthly outlay. Sure, $30 a month isn't much, except when you multiply it by four, then you're looking at $120 a month. Then, it's the marketing. All of these programs were recommending pay-per-click, or paid solo ads on ezines, or other expenses. In one month, I spent almost $400 for 6 ads on Google that generated $80 in sales. I was also paying for website hosting, and GetResponse autoresponder system. I paid for a quarterly subscription to several article submitter programs, paid to have my website submitted to search engines. The costs went on and on. In total, I spent about $2,800 and made about $300.
I had to stop the bleeding. You know the definition of insanity?
But I didn't give up on the Internet. I knew I needed more knowledge, and that the programs I had chosen were not right for me. I considered creating my own products and programs. That seemed to be where the money was being made. So I started exploring and researching digital products. That led me to Clickbank.
I am attracted to digital products and Clickbank for many reasons. It's cheap, it's product-on-demand so there's no inventory, it can be sold from anywhere, and there's so many niches, that I had to be able to find one that worked.
I read several times that the greatest markets on the Internet right now are programs that focus on Health, Wealth, or Travel. I'm not interested in health-related products, I couldn't really find a travel-related program that appealed to me or had a low-enough initial investment, so I was left with Wealth.
I started purusing forums, learned how to monitor sales on Clickbank, and finally found an online income program that intrigued me, My Online Income System. Developed by Kimberley Hoffman, who went from waitress at a steakhouse to a work-at-home internet entrepreneur, this online income system has everything I think I need.
My Online Income System has a low initial investment, $47 is what I paid, but I've seen it at different price points (as any good marketer would do). It provides a Free Website with embedded Clickbank products through YourFreeWebsite System.com. You can opt to purchase a hosting program where you can host up to five websites for a modest monthly fee, but for now, I'm staying with the Free option. I don't want to get bogged down with writing and developing copy for five websites and then marketing all five products. I believe the secret to success is focus.
So the low cost was attractive. But My Online Income System also sets out a realistic, 60-day action plan. It doesn't promise thousand of dollars in 30 days, it tells you up-front and in a very straightforward manner that it takes time and effort.
So I'm giving it a try. I officially signed up on Saturday, July 18, 2009. So in 6 days, I've managed to get to Day 26 of the Action Plan, I believe, though I have read ahead, so I'm taking it a little bit out of order (I never was one to color exactly inside the lines). The beauty of the program is that you can do it at your own pace.
At last check, I had generated 21 visits to my Free website from 2 Lens at Squidoo (http://www.Squidoo.com/tjmois and http://www.Squidoo.com/Work-at-Home-Moms-and-My-Online-Income-System) and 4 posts on the forums at Squidoo, My Online Income System, and the Work-at-Home-Forum. I have written and submitted 2 articles to ezinearticles.com and 2 articles to Goarticles.com, but I don't think any of those have been distributed anywhere yet. Next on my list is to submit articles to ArticleShed.com, which I should complete tonight, create another lens, and visit at least another forum or two.
That's it for now. I'll let you know how it goes.
If you have any thoughts, please share. I'd love to take you on this journey with me.
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