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| Hi All: I just had to post about this because I'm so disgusted with myself... For MANY years (too many to think about) I've been searching for something to do online that would/could generate a full time income. Unfortunately, I'm also what you might call a biz-opp junkie so I spend most of my time looking in all the wrong places. You name it: MLM, affiliate marketing, doublers, triplers, ecurrency trading... It seems I've tried it all. I realize there are probably some "legitimate" mlm or network marketing companies, but they all seem to have the same stigma attached to them. You have to spend all your time trying to force your opportunity down the throats of family, friends, co-workers and the like, and very few ever experience real success. Most businesses of this type don't really care about selling the product or service, it's just all about "plugging into the system". Lately, I've been letting myself get sucked into these deals where you pay some small price (or monthly membership fee) for a training package that ends up teaching you how to advertise your "business" using traffic exchanges, FFA networks, ad blasters, email blasters, etc. The problem is, all you're advertising is a automatically generated cookie-cutter duplicate of the same web page that sucked you in to begin with. The idea is, they train you to use all these free non-effective marketing tools to recruit other people in to do the same exact thing you are doing. The problem is, each time I read a well written sales pitch, it sounds like it might actually be legit and/or different, so I grab the wallet and shell out some money to find out. I think I spend more time requesting refunds than I do actually working on the so-called business. So, does anybody know of any TRULY legitimate ways to make money online? And please don't start bombarding me with more "opportunity" crap that I've already spoken of above. I've seen it all, and I'm started to get to where I can smell a scheme coming from a mile away! What would be great is to hear from some folks who are actually doing it right now. Maybe you could share your story and talk about what business you are in and why/how it works. By the way, if you're into something good, but you can't share the name of the company/product/service until I visit a website, fill out a form and/or attend a conference call, then it's probably an "opportunity" I don't want to know about. Hmmm, maybe I should post a poll about this subject, but first I have to think up a good question and poll choices. Dave Last edited by dmauder : 12-06-2006 at 08:25 PM. Reason: http://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/general-introductions/1906-hello-toledo-confession.html |
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| Content is king. If you can provide something that people are willing to use, they'll use it. There's a reason why most web sites have ads (and why more and more sites are moving towards Adsense)... they are profitable. It takes a lot of hard work to get content that people want to look at, though. The best way to get rich quickly is to get rich slowly.
__________________ People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves. --Salma Hayek My blog: Adam's Peace |
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| Hi Gemini4x, Real-world example here; I started Life Coaches Blog 13 months ago and it's turned profitable within a few months; by that definition I meant the first 2 Adsense cheques paid for the year's hosting and domain name registration, so anything after that was profit...even if it was a couple of cents That said, it would have made my posts only worth a couple of cents! :P Only after a year of consistent weekly writing has the Adsense started paying off; I'm seeing cheques nearly every month now. It's not enough to quit the job or go off to Hawaii, but it's ok, because I'm willing to put in the next year to keep it growing. The usual advice for pro-blogs sites is you have to put in at least a year's worth of effort to see something back. That said, I'd offer you this formula a millionaire mentor of mine taught me; Income = Value x Time x Scalability Pro-blogging takes up a lot of time, but you can increase your earnings by upping the value of the posts you create or make it more scalable by reaching a larger audience.
__________________ Who else wants more strategies for an effective life? Visit Life Coaches Blog today. |
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| I've always wanted to sell an ebook entitled "The easiest way to get rich", which would contain a single sentence saying "Sell a book called 'The easiest way to get rich'". Joking aside, there are plenty of business opportunities around, you just have to keep your eyes and ears open. I'm guessing a lot of people here will reccommend blogging (and so will I Llisten to your friends. Lots of people have business ideas that they're not sure what to do with, so give them a hand. Perhaps go in as a 50-50 deal, or act as a consultant to help them get started in developing a web presence. Use your experience with these sales letters and use it to help other people. Best of luck! |
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| I've Placex.BE .::. Free Online Flash Games a game site wich I'm currently improving +-$100 every 4 months & OHawk.com .::. Low Cost Web Hosting Services a hosting reseller bizz maby it makes $10 a month (only profit) but I should review my business model, offering cheap hosting is not a good way to enrich yourself =) & I've disabled the order system on the site because I've no time to give them "support" & answer al the emails. The best way to create money from the internet is to create a unique website or at least unique content & do a little bit promotion, if you website is worth it, you'll earn the money without doing to much. |
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| It could be that you're going about it the wrong way. Instead of looking for things you can join and hoping that they might not be a scam, look at the type of people who DO make money online. These people tend to have thought of something original and implemented it well. Steve and Erin write orignal articles that benefit a lot of people. Some people build communities, some provide great entertainment. That million dollar homepage guy just hit on a new idea. How many people do you know of who have signed up to some scheme and made a living out of it? I don't think I know of anyone. Think about what you're good at, what you can provide that other people might want, instead of being just another pawn in someone else's big idea. |
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| i had the same problem i kept on searching for ideas but i didn't got any good , when i gave strong intentions to get good ideas , suddenly my friends started coming to me with their ideas because they needed technical skills and i am planning to start two offline business with my two friends at 50:50 probably in jan, till then i am working on some of my ideas like I opened a site and working on launching other i bet intention manifestation works either directly or indirectly but it works |
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The short answer to your question is "yes" - there are legitimate businesses. I work as a trainer and Marketing Consultant to the network marketing industry and I daily see people both succeed and fail in the home-based business world. More often than not, it is failure that brings people to my door. Did you know that 97% of all network marketers fail to ever make a profit? That's a HUGE statistic, and no wonder you've been so frustrated with the industry. However, as a trainer, I know that people can build businesses scientifically by design and not by chance. I know this because I did just that, sponsoring 5-10 people a month (both business builders and product users), creating a residual income that allows me to pursue my dreams full-time. Now I train others how to do the same, which is probably why I felt compelled to jump in. Quote:
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I am not connected to any particular "biz opp", although one of my functions as a trainer is to help people find the one best suited for them. If you want to talk further, bounce ideas off of me, or even utilize me as a resource, all you've got to do is get in touch with me. My link below is really geared towards people already in network marketing, but it does have valuable info on it. OR you can just contact me through the forum email system. Hopefully my post has stirred you a bit, however it is 3 am my time so I might not be as effective as I hope to be ;-) God bless and goodnight! |
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Dave Last edited by dmauder : 12-06-2006 at 08:24 PM. |
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NWM is merely a form of product distribution. It is exactly like an affiliate program such as Amazon.com or the thousands of others except that it has multiple levels of compensation. That's it. Everything else stems from the people involved, and there is no law that says you have to emulate what they do. And the curiosity approach? That doesn't even work and only fools tell their downline to do that. If you owned a bike shop, would you ever ever ever use that approach to people walking by? Would you put a blanket over the signs and windows and mysteriously ask random people to enter? No, and if you did, they'd laugh at you! Yet dumb sponsors who are so clueless that the only way the can sign people up is by deception perpetuate the myth that tht's how one builds a business. Rather, I teach people how to effectively market to their target market. If you sell bikes, you wouldn't go stalk people in the malls to tell them about your bikes, you would advertise and market to a bike riding market. So again, it isn't the industry, it is the people, and you don't have to be like them so its a cop out to say, "I vow to never do it because the industry sucks." I sponsor 5+ people a month every month, and I use no deception, hype, lies, bullying, sleazy sales tactics, guilt or ridicule to make a sale. I find out what people want, what they've got to work with, and then IF there is a fit (and I will tell people if there isn't and hang up because they are lazy or they're already consistently successful and don't need me) I will present my service as a fit for them. I then teach that same, logical throught process to my clients. Find out if there is a need, see if you have a fit for the need, and if so, learn how to effectively show the fit so that the prospect can make an informed decision. That's business with integrity. I'm sorry that I made you make a mad face and that you feel that I have no credibility, but consider: you cried out for help, got a successful professional to write back to you at 3 in the morning truly because he felt you really were frustrated and wanted guidance, and then you slapped his hand. Why? Last edited by justingiddings : 12-02-2006 at 06:35 PM. |
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| I have come across a "Real Business Opportunity" that I would like to share: A quick bit about me before we get to the meat of the topic: When I was young I felt like I didn't belong in school, I was always going home and doing research on the internet on other topics like quantum physics and business, and my group of friends wasn't particularly 'positive'. I never had a lot of fun in highschool and couldn't really find a reason for getting an education. When I turned 18 I made several decisions, I removed myself from the group of friends I felt was holding me back, I decided that I did not want to have a job, that I wanted to have personal freedom (financially and spiritually). I got started in a Network Marketing business (that I am no longer a part of) and I in no way regret it. It propelled me into personal development and home based business research, I began educating myself in all areas of personal development from communicating with people, self-confidence, accelerated learning, spirituality etc... basically removing all of my fears and putting myself back in control of my life. I went through many courses from people like Bob Proctor, Tim Sales, T. Harv Eker, I read Napoleon Hill's: Think and Grow Rich, I watched 'The Secret' (weekly) as well as many other things. I came across Steve's site a few months ago and have nearly read every blog post. I recently experienced a huge spiritual shift and have grounded myself back in the physical, I am no longer afraid to walk up to someone and start a conversation (be it a stranger on the street or that girl at the bar), I feel confident in everything I do, I have improved my physical appearance and now work out and meditate daily. I have recently decided that it is time to take charge of my financial future so that I can continue growing spiritually. I plan to move somewhere warmer (it is -30C outside right now) and travel monthly by the middle of next year. So now here I am, I have been researching tonnes of home based businesses over the past months looking for that one that I truly believe in. And have finally found something that I believe is for everyone. I believe it is that one because it was designed for that single mom with 3 jobs who has children at home. What this means is that even though I have the knowledge necessary to promote the opportunity and talk to people on the phone. Many people that I 'get into business with' will not have those skills. But in what I have found... no one needs them to be succesful, all of the telling/selling/explaining/closing is done for you! Read on to learn what I mean. I recommend you 'go through the system'.. yes, even if you say you've seen it all, but so have I, and this is the first one that is... truly 'unique' in so many ways.. I'll spill a bit of the beans but I recommend you go through the website just to see 'why' it is different: Platinum Travel Club If you don't want to read the whole post, then just go to the website first, you might want to read the rest of it after. I know it is a little long, but from my experience on this forum, the people around here like to know the facts. (the whole system should take no more than 30 minutes in total, 90% of the information is explained on the site) The 2 main ways to make money are as follows: 1. Sales to other people, whether they want to do the business or just enjoy the vacation: Now there is something really interesting with this company, when you sign up you actually get a vacation! The vacation packages are valued at roughly 50% (or more) less than they would be if you were to purchase it from somewhere else. (and yes I have done comparison's on other vacation travel sites to check the prices). They are a 7 day/8 night vacation (some of them are all inclusive and some are cruises, others are resorts etc.) This is important because the person actually has something that is 'real' that they can experience. (and besides, who doesn't go on a vacation at least once a year?). AND you don't have to sell just the 'opportunity' because of this. Instead you can simply sell the vacation packages. (Hey.. you don't have to sell to your family, but why not save them money on their next vacation instead? I have found it is much easier to approach the 'warm market' because of this, vacations are something that doesn't require a lot of explaining... you mostly just share the amazing experience you had in Hawaii.. or Spain... or Greece.. or on that Caribbean cruise... I mean come on, seriously, how difficult is it to explain to your family why they should buy those vitamins from you or purchase their cell phones or long distance from you... how fun is that?) 2. B2B:Their new product is one of a kind in the industry.... It is a B2B (business to business) system that they are just rolling out. The way it works is this: There are 'savings cards' that are unique to the individual (you), in which employers can give to their employees, OR to customers!! (like at a travel store and they hand them out with every purchase). These cards have a # and a website that you can go to and book a vacation at a very discounted price. (see Platinum Travel Club -Search. Find, Book, Worldwide and click on "public access" at the bottom) So what do YOU do? You take the presentation portfolio (provided to you free) to any business, sit down with the manager/owner/CEO and see if they are interested, and give them as many cards as they think they will use up (and have them call you back when they need more) for FREE! You make commissions each time someone uses a card to book a vacation, you also make 1/3 of what every one of your sponsors make. Best part of this is that it isn't ready until January 1st 2007, so you can be the first one to go out (wherever you may live) and get thousands and thousands of these savings cards out there! (When someone goes to book a vacation, are they gonna do a random search on the internet? or go to the website that they PHYSICALLY have in their hand?) Keep in mind you don't have to do the B2B part if you don't feel like it is for you! Other people that come into your organization may be more experienced here and go out and deliver thousands of them, earning you commission. 3. 4. 5. 6. Other ways to make money (see the website: Platinum Travel club) So why is the system so unique? You truly do not have to do any of the telling/selling/explaining! (if you want to due to your recent experience you are totally free to do so) Why is this you might ask? Is this just one of those automated website things like "The Profit Masters" etc. that has no human interaction to it? Or makes false claims? No! There are tour guides working for you 24/7... once someone views your website, and says they are interested and fills out their contact information. A tour guide will contact them on the phone for you within 24 hours!!! These are NOT salespeople, they DO NOT pressure you into buying, they simply answer any questions and help the person get started if they are ready! You can also call them back anytime if you have any questions. It is truly a revolutionary system. There is training materials provided to you, and bi-weekly training calls that even I get something new from (I say that because I have done tonnes of research on home based business opportunitys and other trainings, but I still get something new from Tim Roland). Also the owners of the business actually come onto some of the calls and answer questions from members/guests! And share their vision... Something I have never seen from any other business... So what do YOU do? You advertise by linking people to your unique website and allowing the system to do the work, or purchase leads (there are pre-approved lead stores in the 'backoffice'), the tour guides also contact all of your leads for you! I'll give you some ideas on places to advertise, online/offline classifieds (either as selling vacations, or as a business opportunity, or as a sales position) or on job postings (as a sales position: the B2B part makes this really stand out to experienced sales people, but I can even see novices being interested by it, since you don't exactly have to SELL anything right then and there, but it is the potential to make 5000 sales from one transaction over the course of a year). You can also do this in person, when going throughout your day and someone asks "What do you do?" or if someone is talking about planning a vacation, mention it to them, or leave a stack of flyer's at the local spa or gym or wherever you want to. There are also many many more ways to market pro-actively depending on how far You want to go. There are no boundaries (except when it becomes unethical). The founders of the company actually recommend NOT to go to family and friends right away with this business, for the simple fact that they are seasoned networkers and know all of the problems that occur with this practice. They also push honesty and integrity. There is a 6 month money back guarantee in place. I guess I should also add that this is an international business, that is only one year old, and this should really excite you. The vacations industry is a 7 trillion $ industry (and if you know anything about the baby boomer trends, this is only going to grow even higher over the next 20 years) and many people are starting to book their vacations online to save money instead of going to a travel agent. And here is the link one more time: Platinum Travel Club |
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| How about AGLOCO? Most prof Bloggers are very busy right now recruiting people as they know this re-incarnation of AllAdvantage will pay BIG money for its member. FREE sign up too. The link is on my signature. |
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| Tropicality: While I appreciate your contribution to this thread, you seem to post this same story all over the place. At least it seems like I've already read it several times, and maybe not just on this forum. It's somewhat of a drive-by ad, cleverly disguised as helpful information. Thanks, but even I didn't feel like it was just a sales pitch, the travel industry just doesn't interest me. Dave Last edited by dmauder : 12-06-2006 at 08:24 PM. |
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You'd think if it was really true that 96% of everyone who tries mlm/nwm fails, that someone would eventually start to change the industry, business model, or whatever it is that is responsible for so much failure. Dave Last edited by dmauder : 12-06-2006 at 08:23 PM. |
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Dave Last edited by dmauder : 12-06-2006 at 08:23 PM. |

