Types of Legitimate Online Businesses

This post is a continuation of the previous one from the e-book Cash Build Strategies: How To Earn A Solid Income Online. Like I mentioned, I would break down info from the book and feature them here by topic. I know that most of the time, we would download important information but hardly have the time to stop and read them all. By featuring them in parts, it would be easier to read and digest the information. So here goes...

This is a bullet point of the different types of legitimate online businesses:

• Service Based Businesses
• Affiliate Marketing
• Selling On eBay
• Making Money From Membership Sites
• Making Money From Selling Products
• Make Money The PLR Way
• Make Money From Selling Informational Type Products
• Make Money Blogging
• Make Money Coaching Others
• Make Money In The Genealogy Business
• Make Money With Desktop Publishing
• Creating A Business From Unusual Ideas

Naturally, these are the options you can choose from. You don't need to explore them all. Just choose the one that suits your needs and highlights your skills. I would be breaking down each of these types of online businesses in future posts. Do check back to read more.

Busting The Myths of Making Money Online

At the moment I'm reading through this free e-book I was able to download, Cash Build Strategies: How To Earn A Solid Income Online. It's a 31-page book that enumerates the different legitimate ways to earn money online. It also features a section on how to market your online business. I would go into the details next time around, but would like to highlight a section in the e-book that talked about the myths about online earning.

It is no secret that times are hard and some extra income would indeed come in handy. For someone like me, the possibility of earning online is a welcome news. I have, after all, always wanted to work for myself, in my time and my own turf. It is, however, challenging to weed through all the online money-making opportunities available.

For most people, the word Internet is synonymous to scams and fraud. Indeed, scams abound out there in cyberspace, but there are just as many legitimate opportunities to explore. So let's take a look at some of the myths mentioned in the book. I'm sure you'll recognize them in some of the ads you have already seen.

Myth #1: "Make Money Overnight!"

Wow! Wouldn't you love it, to make money while you're sleeping? After all these programs make it sound so easy. It gives you the impression that little or no work is needed to set it up. 

The truth is... Most online businesses take time to set up and run. Be wary of programs that promise overnight success. Just as it is not easy to win the lottery, it takes more than a button to achieve overnight riches.

Myth #2: "Turn Your Computer Into A Money Making Cash Machine!"

Wouldn't that be totally awesome? I would like to be able to do that too. Again, be wary of programs that start off with this sales pitch. 

The truth is... The statement could be true. Most online businesses sell the business itself. Just be careful of those who would sell money making benefits more than what the program has to offer.

Myth #3: "Start your business absolutely free ~ No money involved!"

Look closely and read the fine lines of the program, 'coz it might be free to sign up but you might be asked to pay a certain amount for information on how to set it up.

The truth is... There will be cost involved in starting up a business, online or offline, but you can set a budget and work within its limit. 

Myth #4: "Start Earning a Living from Typing at Home"

I've seen a few of these programs. They do sound good. However, most of them do charge a fee to be a member or to start getting offers.

The truth is... I don't see the point of paying to get a job or offer. I've also read that you can research and offer these services to clients directly. You don't really need to pay to get the information on how to do it.

I'm sure some of you may know a lot more scams out there. Feel free to share them so that a lot of newbies out there would be well-informed so they won't fall into the trap of scammers.

Tips for Newbies: Do your research for programs that interest you. And when in doubt, don't! I think that works well offline, so why not online too right?

For now, I'm going back to reading the rest of the book. If you want a copy of it, feel free to leave me a comment and I'd be happy to share it with you.

Association, Recall, & Personal Branding

Association (definition) - the process of forming mental connections between sensations, ideas, or memories

Recall (definition) - the process of remembering (especially the process of recovering information by mental effort)

Yes, I did begin this post with two definitions. However, I don't really want to go into lengthy, academic discussions over these concepts. What I do want is to mention them in relation to Personal Branding. If you're new and unsure what the term means, simply put, it is establishing your identity together with the products you are promoting. It could be adding your picture -- I suggest using a nice-looking picture --, your name or nickname -- I like using Rain (short for Raincrystal) as I like it and it's easier to remember and spell LOL --, using a favorite color, or coming up with your own logo.

As a classic example, the image on the left brings to mind a popular fast food chain. Even little children can recognize this famous brand. I'm sure you do too. ^_^

Locally, where I am from, this character on the right is the trademark for the most popular local competitor of the yellow arches above. Having an identity is truly important as it sets you apart from the rest. This isn't any different in Internet marketing. You would want people to see your picture and name on splash pages and associate it with the programs you are promoting. 

Personal branding is a way for people to know you, and hopefully to like and trust you. It takes time to build a good relationship with people -- online or offline, but branding is something you can start doing early on, if you're serious about online marketing.

Personal branding is just the start. You will need to go out there and interact with people, perhaps chat a little on traffic exchanges, read and comment on blogs and forums of interest. Just a little note or pointer though, it would really help if you be yourself and be genuinely interested in people. And since you would be promoting yourself, I believe it would be to your advantage to be tactful and mindful of your comments and conduct. After all, you wouldn't want to establish a negative association with your name or brand. I've seen some people getting a lot of attention by being nasty in their comments. I personally don't think it helps.

Another tip is to find a really good program and stick with it. Start small but be consistent and persistent. If you are to sign-up with different programs, try to choose ones that you would personally recommend even to family and friends. Remember, you're promoting with your brand so you wouldn't want to be associated with bogus programs and tarnish your name and reputation.

On a final note, I would like to credit Diane Merriam for inspiring me to write today's post. I've read and re-read her book, Branding For Dollar$ and I find it helpful and informative.

In upcoming posts, I plan to share information from e-books that I've read or been reading. Often times a number of us download these free resources but hardly read them at all. LOL! I intend to share bits and pieces as well as give my own inputs. So watch out for that..

The Marketing in Internet Marketing

I got the idea for this blog from one of the "Internet gurus" I subscribed to early on. Along with the irritating emails that I still get regularly, I have received some nice tips, pointers, and lessons.

I thought of this topic 'coz I know that a lot of folks out there are still confused as to what the term "Marketing" truly entails. After all, we do hear the term a lot from Email Marketing, Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Network Marketing, and many more.

Often enough we see ads promoting certain "marketing systems" and how successful certain individuals have become from using these techniques or approaches. Just as often, however, is the fact that there is hardly any explanation as to how the "marketing" in these systems really work.

Let's start from our concept of what "marketing" is. Perhaps a good point to note is that most newbies would probably be confused with the difference between "Sales" and "Marketing." Indeed, what comes to your mind when you think of these two terms?

You may think of "marketing" as research or those annoying people who approach you at the mall or call you on the phone or even knock on your door selling the latest product or service.

Well, "sales" and "marketing" actually go together. Think of them as team members that work together with a common goal or purpose of closing a deal or making the sale, bottom line of which is to get people to give you their money. And oh boy, we know that's not easy.

The function of "sales" and "marketing" is clearly to persuade and/or convince people that what you're offering is worth the price tag or value, that people are getting value for their money.

"Sales" is the transactional process of getting paid for a product or service delivered. Simple right? The slightly complicated part would then fall under "marketing" -- that of persuading people that your product or service is worth paying for or buying. "Marketing" then makes the sales process easier.

So then if "marketing" is the persuading part, then we should know that spamming, pitching, or selling your stuff to just about anyone wouldn't work. Instead, it might be more effective if you get to know people, find out what their needs are, then help them solve their problems and recommend only what you think would suit their needs. In order to do all these, marketing would indeed require a marketer to get in touch and interact with his/her prospects. How to do that is another story, perhaps a good topic to look into next time around.

Well, I hope this little post today has somehow helped clear out some confusion. I'll share more from my readings in the posts to come. 

Recommended Resource:  Darren Olander and Jared Silver have arranged exclusive deals with top owners of advertising sites and other related Internet marketing owners to provide Internet marketers with TRUE value. Claim Your 10 Free Exclusive Bonuses from Viral Bonuses. I find this helpful as I got bonuses and credits from it. Don't delay, claim your bonuses today! ^_^

I Want to Earn More Online... (Part 3)

This is the third and last part - for now - of the PTC series. I will be adding two more links here that I would recommend. There are lots of new and paying sites out there. But one of these two sites have paid me. I joined the second one because it was launched in relation to one of my paid programs from the QUIK family. I intend to save up from there to upgrade further in my SuccessQUIK program. I will go into more details about this later on.

ClixSense
=======

I've read a lot of good reviews about this site. I'm glad I joined it. I've already received payment from it.

What I like about it: Upgrade cost me $10 a year. It's worth it as I've earned it back within a few weeks. Install the toolbar and you'll be updated when new ads are posted so you don't miss out on any. $0.01 per click. There's an affiliate program where you'll earn more from referring others. That's what I'm working on right now. There's the ClixGrid too where you have 50 tries to find the cash prizes hidden around the ads. I haven't been totally lucky but have won $3.60 to date.

What I don't like about it: Ads are gone too fast!!! Installing the toolbar helps a lot though. Latest improvements now include guaranteed 4 ads a day. More can be added throughout the day.

To join me in ClixSense:

ClixZing
======
This program was launched recently. I joined it because it was endorsed by the owners of the QUIK programs. Accordingly, this will help members earn enough to afford upgrades in the QUIK family of programs (SuccessQUIK, ListQUIK, ResidualQUIK, RevenueMagic, etc.) 

What I like about it: The site now has more than 38K members. I get to click 6 ads a day @$0.015. In addition to PTC ads, PTR ads are sometimes available too.

What I don't like about it: Minimum cashout is $20. It will take some time before I could reach the cashout level, but I will consistently work towards that.

To join me in ClixZing:




From here on I will be sharing quality programs that are free to join at the onset. Planning for upgrades in these said programs would be recommended to maximize your earning potentials. After all, any types of business, online or offline, would require some form of capital investment. It is for this reason that I started out by sharing sites where you can possibly start earning for your capital. Later on, I may also share paid programs that I signed up for and give my own reviews about them. I'm still on a budget so worry not about the costs of these programs as they are affordable even if you're just starting out.

Recommended Resource: I'm sharing here a video that I made for the Click Track Profit program. For those who are still unfamiliar with it, the video would definitely help. I also have a squeeze page out there in the different TEs that have this video. I'll share more about CTP next time around. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the video...

I Want to Earn More Online... (Part 2)

This is the second part in the series on PTCs. I featured three of my trusted sites in the first part. There are truly lots of PTCs out there. It seems a new program comes out almost every week. However, most of these don't last very long. I understand the frustration of spending time clicking for some months only to find your site gone so suddenly! Heck, I've lost some potential earnings to some of these sites.

Incentria
=======
This is the sister site of Clicksia -- featured in Part 1.

What I like about it: Same reasons I like Clicksia. Plus, I've been paid 2x already.

What I don't like about it: Only pays $0.001 per site visited, but ads would range from 6 to 21.

To join me in Incentria:

OnBux
=====
Despite being a 'bux' site, this site pays! In the past, it has paid me instantly. But I suggest you read more about it as my PTC reference site has put it on their watch list. It seems to have something to do with payments being double checked prior to release due to lots of scammers. I haven't requested payment in awhile but I'm actively maintaining rented referrals on this site as part of my experiment.

What I like about it: Nice site. Easy to navigate. 4 ads regularly per day - $0.04 guaranteed daily. Instant payment (have yet to experience delays). Rented referrals are mostly active.

What I don't like about it: Can't think of any, but I need direct referrals!!!

To join me in OnBux:

NeoBux
======
Highly popular site indeed. You can 'google' strategies on how to earn more from it. I've been paid as well.

What I like about it: Similar to OnBux, except rented referrals aren't as active; Price per click has significantly dropped to $0.001

What I don't like about it: Unreliable rented referrals. I need more direct referrals!!!

To join me in NeoBux:




InfinityBux
========
I joined this site back in Sept. 2010. I must admit I was skeptical that it would last. Surprise! Not only is it going strong, but I've been paid twice already!

What I like about it: Similar to OnBux. You actually can rent referrals and they become your direct referrals. I got paid for a video I submitted for one of its contests. Instant payment.

What I don't like about it: Higher payout than OnBux or NeoBux.

To join me in InfinityBux: 




Do watch out for the Part 3.. 

NOTE for newbies: PTCs are a good way to grow your cash balance in order for you to invest in more serious marketing ventures. Unlike paid programs, you can start earning from PTCs even as a FREE member. You just need to be consistent in your efforts if you're determined to get quality results.

Spoiler Alert: Where is this blog headed? Definitely headed towards serious online marketing ventures. Take note of the blog title. Not everyone starts up with lots of capital on hand. Some of us do need to work towards it. If you have an offline work, well and good for you. On my part, I only have freelance tutorial that at this time adds help so that I could somehow finance the online marketing business I want. 

Useful Tip: Read and do look up programs before investing in anything. Recommended resource at this time: The Pizza Plan by Jon Olson. I wish I've read the book early on when I was starting out. Still I'm glad I have it now. It is truly a good read. ^_^

The Curious Case of the Missing Comment

I was truly glad to have made my previous post and even more excited that it received a comment. Well, the commenter didn't exactly agree with my post, but I still appreciated it that he even bothered to leave a comment at all. I also drafted a reply to the comment. Then, checking it a day later, I wondered where the comment and the reply went?!?! I remember cursing when I didn't find it. LOL! Well, it's a good thing that I still have the email that was sent when the comment was posted. 

I still want to share the comment and my reply so I'm posting it here. Of course, I won't name the commenter anymore. Perhaps the person concerned didn't want it shown. Comment and reply as follows...

"Rain~

After being burned so bad in the autosurfing craze, I don't really like the idea of Paid To Click. I still think the best way to create an income online is to brand yourself and have people follow you into subscription products of value that they can use to build their presence on the web and offline.

I wish you good luck in the PTC's, but it seems that you are just working another "job", trading time for money.

Anyways, these are just my 2 cents!"

My two cents...

Hello and thank you for your comment. I've seen your posts and ads around and I do value your expertise. However, I would say that not everyone is born to be an Internet marketer right away. Neither did I have the automatic capital to start up on my online ventures. These PTCs, undervalued and undermined, have paid me and in the process, have set the pace for me to get into more serious marketing ventures. I haven't arrived at my goals, but I'm optimistic that I will be headed that way soon.

Thank you for your time and comment.  

I truly haven't figured out the case of the missing comment. But for now, I have better things to attend to.