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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 11 Dec 2008 19:13
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It'd be great to hear how much you make and what systems you use! I'm sure this is a topic of interest to many of you :)
Last month for me:
Affiliate Links: $68 (clickbank)
I'm sure this is modest, but I'm just getting started! I imagine some of you have fantastic success and it'd be useful to see your main sources of income.
Please reply even if it's the only post you make all day :)
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getagrip
Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 1498
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# Posted: 11 Dec 2008 21:10 · Edited by: getagrip
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Between Clickbank, eBay, and some other odds and ends, I'm earning about $1,000 a month. At one point, I was at almost $1,700 in profts, but things have dropped off a bit in recent months...
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mountainmom5
Joined: 30 Aug 2007
Posts: 1108
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2008 00:17
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Same here - between Clickbank, Ebay and a few other odds and ends, I, too average between $800 - $1500 a month.
I have seen months with much more but things had slowed way down for me and now are picking back up again, but I agree... those sales in Clickbank are what keep my juices flowing! 
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2008 04:24
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Neat! That definitely gets me excited to keep pluggin away at it. My day job gets less and less interesting every second.
Do you think the economy slump has left people a little less motivated to buy? causing the slow period for you guys possibly..
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whocares
Member
Joined: 25 Nov 2008
Posts: 19
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2008 15:28
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More people lose their job every day. That means some will look for income elsewhere (online) which will make competition even harder.
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2008 16:32
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whocares: More people lose their job every day. That means some will look for income elsewhere (online) which will make competition even harder.
Hi Whocares,
True, but we all have a nice, juicy head start 
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2008 19:07
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I hope we all jumped on the boat at the right time! Do you think that one day soon there will be too much competition to obtain organic first page Google listing? I would hate to get a great start and then slowly make less and less until it's useless...
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happywife
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 872
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2008 01:21
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larslarson123: I hope we all jumped on the boat at the right time! Do you think that one day soon there will be too much competition to obtain organic first page Google listing? I would hate to get a great start and then slowly make less and less until it's useless...
I seriously doubt it.
Quality + Longevity=Happy Google
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2008 03:25
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That makes a lot of sense. Is it true that you can put in a lot of effort up front and reap the benefits for months or even years? I hear this claim in almost every ebook but it seems like it's probably sales hype...
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happywife
Joined: 14 Aug 2007
Posts: 872
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2008 04:24
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Actually, that IS true, but perhaps not exactly as you are thinking.
You do have to put a LOT of work in up front. The benefits/rewards tend to start very small and gradually build, but the amount of effort needed decreases in many cases to a type of "maintenance" mode.
I think of it like building a house. You put in a lot of work preparing the land and building the house. You get the benefits of living in the house for years to come. BUT, if you never do any maintenance, housekeeping, etc., the house is going to get dirty, infested, leaky, etc., and eventually condemned.
With general upkeep, the house will serve you well indefinitely, but you'll never have to put in all the work that was required in building it in the first place.
Make sense? You still need to put in some work, but the amount is greatly lessened compared to the beginning, but the profits are usually more.
Blessings,
Angie
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Quinn
Anonymous
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# Posted: 14 Dec 2008 01:03
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I average about a thousand dollars at the GPT site I'm a part of. My largest check was over $1700, but I worked my butt off!
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 20 Dec 2008 15:29
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happywife: You put in a lot of work preparing the land and building the house. You get the benefits of living in the house for years to come.
Awesome analogy thank you.
The great thing I'm finding, is that building your house is not a painful process... it's been really exciting! I can't wait to get to the maintenance phase, but I don't anticipate losing interest in new ideas and new opportunities.
So am I correct in saying that google rankings are more or less popularity contests? And are your chances of landing a spot in top search engines and directories 'ever-changing'? Can someone come from nowhere and rise to the top over time if done right? Do outdated articles and the like get bumped down the list to make way for newbies?
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 20 Dec 2008 17:29
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larslarson123: So am I correct in saying that google rankings are more or less popularity contests? And are your chances of landing a spot in top search engines and directories 'ever-changing'? Can someone come from nowhere and rise to the top over time if done right? Do outdated articles and the like get bumped down the list to make way for newbies?
Hi Lars,
Rankings: Yes - popularity, relevancy, number of unique visits combined with duration of stay and page views, on-page SEO, site structure, and a number of other things Google won't share with the public that they use in their ranking algorithms.
Landing a spot: Yes, the SERPs placement is technically "ever-changing", however, see the Rankings reply above to understand how a site can hold a rank for a long period of time. It means that you can overtake spots depending upon how well everything comes together for you and/or improves over time.
Rise to the top: Yes, see both Rankings and Landing a spot above. Other things are taken into account as well such as domain age.
Outdated articles bumped down: Yes, they can and do. However, see all of the above to understand how and why.
In other words, understand online marketing well and do your best. There is a chance for everyone if you just do your proper footwork first and remain committed. Take care not to enter saturated markets in a generic fashion.
If you must compete in a saturated market, find a good side door (phrases with reasonable demand but relatively little competition). You can't take take on the big boys head-to-head right out of the gate.
You need high page rank (authority) on your home page, so keep that in mind when picking a name and url for your site.
Do use SEO basics and a little back link action, but don't waste too much time gaming the system. Your time is better spent creating new content and improving your site.
~Newbie Shield~
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molyda
Member
Joined: 5 Oct 2008
Posts: 38
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2008 12:25
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I think so too. And I also hope that they know that it is possible to make money online legitimately!
A lot of people out there would rather do work offline than spending time on the computer.
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jschuman
Member
Joined: 21 Jul 2007
Posts: 152
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# Posted: 21 Dec 2008 22:23
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Between $8K-$10K a month with multiple streams of income including affiliate products, article writing, email marketing, blogging, and a couple of joint ventures in personal mentoring. It is a nice life and the money is getting better.
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2008 03:41
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Thank you for taking the time to put out such detailed answers Newbie Shield :) So at some point, wouldn't every market be completely saturated with competition? It seems like all the good spots are filling up fast, and great keyword phrases are harder and harder to determine. It seems like it'll be very difficult in the near future; maybe I misunderstand the concept as of now...
jschuman: Between $8K-$10K a month with multiple streams of income
That's amazing lol. That shows exemplary effort! Would you mind telling how long you've been at it? Sounds like you're living the dream
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2008 11:11
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larslarson123: Thank you for taking the time to put out such detailed answers Newbie Shield :) So at some point, wouldn't every market be completely saturated with competition? It seems like all the good spots are filling up fast, and great keyword phrases are harder and harder to determine. It seems like it'll be very difficult in the near future; maybe I misunderstand the concept as of now...
Hi Lars,
You're welcome.
Sure, competition is tough in many markets. Some are relatively over-saturated but don't let that stop you or demoralize you if it's what you really want to do.
Those that know their online marketing and topics will stand the test of time. The rest will fall by the wayside.
I can see where your observations are coming from and why.
Learn everything you can upfront and learn it well. Then just pick a topic and step into it.
Be one of the best and don't worry too much about how you'll stack up against others or how well you will do. Forget about the money. Just focus on providing value.
Asking questions is fine but make sure you're learning quite a bit every day - starting today ;)
~Newbie Shield~
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2008 13:57
Reply
Thank you for the inspiration! Sounds like a solid plan. Ill start by reading through your HTML Squidoo Tips :)
I'd just like to say, that I'm getting really excited. Why's that? Because I know I'm gonna stick with it and watch the others fail right and left around me.
Thanks to everyone in this forum, :) without people like you the internet seems to be a cold, dead place with nothing but sales pitches shoved down your throat right and left.
It's been kind of like going to college for me... except I actually do the assignments haha! Never before would I have imagined putting out 1200 word articles without being required to.
Are there any college courses that would be worth taking to learn a bit more about the basics of marketing and web design? Or are the necessary relevant tools already in front of me? I wanna take every step to ensure I go all the way with this.
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2008 16:36
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Hi Lars,
I'm glad you're inspired and passionately committed to making it work.
First thing to do is to identify each aspect of online marketing fundamentals. Then you learn about each.
One of the best ways to do that is to read and interact on this forum as you have been. You should read from some other sites as well.
The next step is to take the free 30 Day Challenge:
www.thirtydaychallenge.com/
After that you should learn a little more about the concepts introduced in the 30 Day Challenge by purchasing another program such as Honest Riches 3.
It just came out and I liked Honest Riches 2, especially for the low price (one time payment of $37). I wish I had the time to evaluate Honest Riches 3, but that'll have to wait. I'm confident that it's better than version 2 was.
Then learn some more on your own with free sites for a few months.
At this point you can go one of three ways:
1. If you like to learn things step-by-step while you implement and you want the complete package (aside from HTML and CSS), you can talk to HappyWife about SBI. You could learn HTML and CSS at a later date. Nice thing about SBI is the active forum and everything you need is in one place.
or
2. Figure out your own keyword research, competition research, writing style, and give Host Gator or Blue Host a try. They have site builders and wizards too.
or
3. Do the same as number 2 but learn HTML and CSS well first to create a unique site either by hacking apart templates, customizing a WordPress blog, or creating a site from scratch.
Another nice thing about the last two options is that you can host a WordPress blog at HostGator or BlueHost.
To learn HTML and CSS, I suggest that you buy an Amazon best seller. If you'd like to take a peak at web coding to see what it's like and goof around a bit, take a look at w3schools:
http://www.w3schools.com/
First thing to do there is to take the free HTML and CSS tutorials listed on the left nav. You might also take a peak at the PHP and Web Building tutorials a ways down on the left nav.
That'll give you a small taste if you are curious. They also let you practice in a browser window.
~Newbie Shield~
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 344
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# Posted: 22 Dec 2008 18:13
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Hello Lars,
larslarson123: Are there any college courses that would be worth taking to learn a bit more about the basics of marketing and web design? Or are the necessary relevant tools already in front of me?
You can take college courses, or visit your local book store to learn about these subjects, but many of the necessary relevant tools are already in front of you. This thread is a great example. Just look at the depth of information being shared and the people sharing it.
Plus, in mere seconds using the right keyword search, you can have comprehensive tutorials, ebooks and pertinent sites right at your fingertips.
There is a quotation I like that is attributed to the famed Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. He said: "You can observe a lot by just watching." That's so true! The clues are always lurking in plain site, often overlooked because of their naked simplicity.
It's impossible for any marketer to put a product in the marketplace without leaving clues about marketing and web design strategies. You first have to LOOK (recognize) and then SEE (understand) them before they can have any impact.
When you received an email solicitation about a promotional sales page, you can examine the email to see how it was writen. Notice the subject line.
- Did it grab your interest?
- Why?
- Was the email salutation personalized?
- Was the opening statement an attention-getter?
- How did you respond to it emotionally?
- What were your impressions?
- What made you click through to the site?
These are some of the clues I'm referring to.
Pay close attention to the sales page, layout, colors, fonts, the words and phrases used, and so on. What emotions or thoughts are you feeling when you see and read the copy? These live examples are the best lessons to study and they cost no money.
Later, when you read an article about the importance of site navigation and ease of use for the visitor, and you can spot the different approaches designers use to accomplish the same things, the scene starts to make sense.
You get those "Ah-ha" moments. The lightbulb goes off in your head and you're never quite the same again.
Hermas
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2008 23:23
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Awesome advice guys! Thank you very much for taking so much time, I'm glad to be surrounded by such extensive information :)
I actually took a web design class senior year in high school and we used the w3schools.com site, which I loved because of the practice window. I really like the idea of spending a lotttttt of time building a unique website with as much relevant information as I can provide, with my own layout and everything; it seems like most people spend a tad too much time marketing their stuff and trying everything possible to pull in traffic when they don't have that much quality material to begin with. Is this true? In my personal research experience, I don't trust sites very much that are cluttered up with ads and that don't provide much written content.
I'm definitely gonna check out the 30 day challenge when I find time :) and I hope to follow your steps as best as I can, considering I work 40-50 hours a week for a commercial carpet cleaning business.
A8ch: "You can observe a lot by just watching."
I love this quote by the way. And I'm noticing it's a lot easier than I thought to pick apart sales sites and find their obvious techniques. You could almost basically copy others and be successful haha.
So are emails a good tool to use? Are they too annoying or do they really generate sales? If they're worth checking out, what are some good listbuilding sites or whatever to get started?
thanks again for the advice, I take it all to heart :)
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2008 11:36
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Hi Lars,
You're welcome.
If you already took a web design class then you might break out the materials and repeat it to brush up. I'm sure it would be a quick, enjoyable study for you.
larslarson123: ...it seems like most people spend a tad too much time marketing their stuff and trying everything possible to pull in traffic when they don't have that much quality material to begin with. Is this true?...
It's a tremendous help if you can learn quite a bit up front and tend well to everything once you get your site up.
larslarson123: ...In my personal research experience, I don't trust sites very much that are cluttered up with ads and that don't provide much written content...
Few things make me hit the browser back button so quickly.
larslarson123: So are emails a good tool to use? Are they too annoying or do they really generate sales? If they're worth checking out, what are some good listbuilding sites or whatever to get started?
Listbuilding can be effective and worthwhile if you have good writing skills. AWeber has a double opt-in system aka permission marketing - a countermeasure to spam issues. To learn about each, just do what you do when curious about anything - Google it.
I'm glad to see that you have a keen interest in doing it "right". That will serve you well.
~Newbie Shield~
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2008 14:50
Reply
Absolutely. There are very few people and organizations out there that gain my trust, and I know I'm not alone. I'm sure I could maintain reasonable success by shoving my products down everyone's throats using all the latest techniques. Obviously there must be a lot of people (far TOO many people) that use this strategy, and I doubt their efforts are fruitless if they're so persistent.
However, if there's anything I've taken from your advice it's that quality, longevity, and honesty pay off in the long run -- not some new 'secret' method or marketing tool that resembles spamming more than anything else. I'm fully committed to maintaining patience, and to take the time to build a truly useful resource for honest, current information. I imagine that's probably a fundamental business model, yet it seems a lot of marketers don't ever catch on.
It's tough to be patient lol, and it's hard to keep my head up without getting any results. But it's surprisingly addicting and fulfilling to keep cramming new ideas in my head wherever I can :)
Glad to be part of a great community!
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Newbie Shield
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 1457
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# Posted: 3 Jan 2009 15:54
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larslarson123: However, if there's anything I've taken from your advice it's that quality, longevity, and honesty pay off in the long run -- not some new 'secret' method or marketing tool that resembles spamming more than anything else. I'm fully committed to maintaining patience, and to take the time to build a truly useful resource for honest, current information.
Hi Lars,
Those are my sentiments and I'm glad that you feel the same way.
~Newbie Shield~
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A8ch
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 344
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# Posted: 3 Jan 2009 16:48
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larslarson123: It's tough to be patient lol, and it's hard to keep my head up without getting any results.
Understandable, and that's exactly how it can be from time to time. It calls for developing the discipline to stick to a plan and understand the fundamentals first, which runs contrary to our human conditioning to want immediate results.
It's about spending time sharpening your axe before you start cutting down the tree. Prepare for a marathon, not a sprint! If you learn how to do that correctly, you'll find yourself sprinting to the finish with lots of energy in reserve.
larslarson123: But it's surprisingly addicting and fulfilling to keep cramming new ideas in my head wherever I can
I agree. There is something intoxicating about learning, discovery and relevation. We are curious beings constantly yearning for knowledge in an effort to better understand ourselves.
But that's a topic for a different forum.
Hermas
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Kerri F
Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 12
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# Posted: 16 Jan 2009 02:20
Reply
Hi,
I just started 4 days ago and I've made a little over $100 just in the last 2 days. I know it's not a lot, but i'm determined to learn and work hard to get the snowball rolling.
The quote that always comes to mind is "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!"
You've got to start somewhere.
I know there is money out there for all of us, especially if we help each other grow.
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tomegan
Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2009
Posts: 4
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# Posted: 16 Jan 2009 08:00
Reply
Hi,
The majority of my income comes from paid online surveys and clickbank.
Around $950.00 from top surveys per month
And about $300.00 from clickbank.
Thanks
Tom
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cshakesby
Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2009
Posts: 18
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# Posted: 26 Jan 2009 10:43
Reply
tomegan
What are some good sites to do paid surveys on? Ive done a few, but havent been paid for them and it was about a month ago, trying to find some that are actually legit.
Thanks
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AsaDG
Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Posts: 7
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# Posted: 26 Jan 2009 11:38
Reply
Hi,
I just started a week ago because I'm loosing my job (and live in Iceland where there is not a chance to get an other job soon). I didn't expect to earn a lot of money but I've already made $300 through Clickbank. I know that's not much but I'm only just getting started.
My interest in marketing is what keeps me going and I also find this forum very good to keep me motivated because of all the people like you that share their stories.
Thanks
Asa
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larslarson123
Member
Joined: 4 Dec 2008
Posts: 87
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# Posted: 26 Jan 2009 18:14
Reply
A8ch: It's about spending time sharpening your axe before you start cutting down the tree. Prepare for a marathon, not a sprint! If you learn how to do that correctly, you'll find yourself sprinting to the finish with lots of energy in reserve.
Thanks Hermas, you always have a way of painting perfect metaphors that actually really stick with me once my computer is shut down at the end of the day. We are very curious beings, aren't we? I don't mind getting a little side-traced haha.
Kerri F: I just started 4 days ago and I've made a little over $100 just in the last 2 days. I know it's not a lot, but i'm determined to learn and work hard to get the snowball rolling.
I actually find that amazing! It took me over a month to make my first 100 dollars, congrats.
tomegan: Around $950.00 from top surveys per month
How the hell do you find enough time to do that many surveys??!?? And what sites are you using? 'cause my earnings are usually about two cents per 15 minute survey from the supposed 'top survey companies' lol, so I just gave up.
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