admin | 
11 7th, 2008| 
OK…it’s time for a reality check. All the “gurus” and their angles on “making money online” get really wearying. Don’t you feel that way, too…or are you still one of the “true believers”? Since it’s nearly Thanksgiving, let’s talk a little turkey, shall we?
There are plenty of little things you can do to make money online. We discuss them all the time on this site. But, if you get sucked in to all the agendas of the gurus, you can spend a LOT of money and waste a lot of time chasing down rabbit trails, but really accomplishing nothing at all. For example, how many of you have been blogging for months and not made any money…or have wasted countless hours commenting on the do-follow blogs of others, desperate for a backlink or the occasional visitor to follow it back to your site? What an exhausting way to go thru life!
But, this time…let’s talk about what’s REAL. What you probably CAN do, and why it’s the best approach to begin with. If you can do this successfully, it may give you enough to build on that you want to take another step and try something a little harder (and a little more potentially rewarding). But first…let’s talk about a realistic goal:
A BUCK A DAY
Yes, I know…there are plenty of folks out there (including some good people) who tell you that you can quickly and easily make five bucks, twenty bucks…a hundred bucks day. And, it’s true…people do it. Sometimes… though not all that often. And those that do usually have a heck of a lot of time on their hands…or they’ve sacrificed relationships in their lives to try to reach such a goal. Again, not everyone. But success is the exception here, not the rule.
I’ve spent enough time in this field to let you know that most people never make even a dollar a day. And why is that? Well, there are several reasons.
- First, many people are lazy. They don’t really want to do any work…and they’ve heard stories about people making money online with little-to-no work, and they want to get in on it. If that’s you…stop reading now. I don’t even want to waste my time with you…because that’s a patently dishonest position. You won’t find any help here.
- Second, lots of people lack imagination. Many people feel that they don’t have much value personally. They suffer from poor self-esteem or a pattern of failure. That’s OK. It’s an honest failing…and as long as you’re willing to challenge that preconception, you can work your way around it.
- Third, most folks lack education and experience in this area. My suggestion: Stop listening to so many people…and instead, buckle down and work on one thing at a time. And, get yourself some realistic expectations. Such as…? A buck a day.
What does a buck a day mean? It means that you’re honestly making a little money on the side. It means that you are accomplishing a goal. It means you are making several dollars a week, and enough for a movie and a snack for two each month.
But here’s the BEAUTY of this. If you build it the right way…it means you are making money (pennies though they may be…)
- while you sleep
- while you’re playing in the backyard with the kids
- while you’re working at your full-time job
- while you’re sick in bed
In other words, you’re making money while the rest of your life goes on. AND, you’re learning a valuable lesson…that it’s possible to do such a thing, and that you might want to do it a little more. Notice, I said, a LITTLE more. Nothing cheeses me off like people filling up the internet with crap and pretending they are doing something of value. So I’m taking about adding real value here…not junk that can be multiplied times a thousand you can retire next year. There are plenty of people out there who teach that. If that’s what you seek, this is your stop.
CONTEXT AND PERSPECTIVE
If you’re old enough (40 or more), you’ve watched the nature of business and work change. Employers and employees now no longer seem to have lifetime commitments to each other the way they used to. Companies, for the most part, have abandoned the sense of obligation that they used to have to take care of their employees’ needs while the employees were taking care of the company’s business. That may be right or wrong, but what’s important is that it’s a reality. The economy has had incredible ups and downs, and (especially with the advent and growth of the internet), the nature of how business gets done has been completely transformed. What this probably SHOULD mean to you is that just working 40 hours a week for one company may not be a wise long-term strategy.
BRASS TACKS
So, let’s talk about a couple specifics:
Task 1: Decide on a topic that interests you. Yes, of course…this is counter to all the info online that tells you to focus on teeth whitening, mortage loans and mesothelioma…high-paying keywords. Trouble is, you probably don’t know SQUAT about those topics. And, didn’t it ever occur to the gurus that ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE CAN MAKE MONEY WITH A CERTAIN KEYPHRASE? Yes, I know…long-tail keywords and all that. That’s fine. Go find another blog and follow their advice and spend your life building blog sites you don’t give a damn about and wait until someone with “madder skillz” comes along and puts you under. But certainly you have some interests in your life, right? You don’t need to be an expert on your chosen topic. You simply need to be conversant…i.e., it’s something you enjoy talking about.
Task 2: Consider which might be the most appropriate format for your online presence. Will you choose:
- a discussion forum
- a blog
- a news site
- an informational resource (articles, etc)
- a niche web directory
- or something even more creative?
The smart way to decide is to look first at what’s already out there (try Googling some terms relevant to your topic and visit those web site), taking some notes on what you see, what you lack, what you don’t like, and what might be lacking. Then decide what amount of time you want to invest. You’ll need to put in some time and money up front…but you want to keep your maintenance level appropriate for your lifestyle. A forum may be the most rewarding because of the constant involvement with people…but moderating a forum takes time and energy.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH
This is already a long blog post. So we’ll cap it for now and come back and focus on this topic again. Now that we’ve built the general argument, the next post on this topic will be much less on philosophy and much more on actually DOING something.
Feel free to comment on this post, and even share your personal experiences (successes or failures). But, for now…especially those of you who meet with constant frustration…take a deep breath and lower your expectations. Not everyone can make tens of thousands a year online. I do, but it’s taken me a long time and a lot of money to get there. It’s a road filled with potholes…and very few (especially those who want to conduct themselves in an honorable manner) of those who do get there quickly. For now, focus on something small. Something you can be proud of and an opportunity for which you can be grateful.
