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My 5 Year Journey From $0 to $3000+ per month w/ Online Marketing

Discussion in 'General Marketing' started by jmjsolutions, Dec 6, 2014.

  1. #1
    For education and inspiration to others, I thought I would share a little about myself and how I became self-employed with online marketing. First, an introduction:

    My name is Janette. I will be 25 years old in about 3 months. 5 years ago, I was trapped in the 8-5 work world. I had dropped out of college because I could not afford to continue and my parents were too poor to pay for my education. I did not want to increase my debts either. I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur and a singer. Neither of these passions require a formal degree. Therefore, I dropped out and got a data entry office job to pay the bills while I began researching ways to make money online. I also should mention that I was living on my own. I moved to another state when I was 19, and had to support myself without my parents.

    Below, I have provided a summary for each year, starting with 2010, the very first year I began looking for ways to make a business online:

    2010 - Every day I would come home from work wanting to make music, but I would feel too mentally drained. I barely had energy to do anything creative. I knew I had to find a way out of this job so that I could have money without having to be there. I decided to research online to find out how I could make money with a website. After all, I knew I could afford $10 for a website. I started Googling "how to make money online". I came across a youtube video of a man who claimed to be making thousands of dollars per month, with just a simple website. I did not know right away, but it was an MLM. I signed up because it was only $10 and I was determined to become as successful as he was. The man I signed up with had a training site that showed me how to make youtube videos just like his and post them and get people to sign up with me so I could make money. There were special $100 bonuses for every 5 people you signed up within a week. I began copying his methods with hope. Within a couple months, my name was on the MLM company's leaderboard for getting the $100 bonuses. This happened more and more frequently. I was so excited the first time I received my first $100 check in the mail from my efforts. Now, I KNEW it was legit.

    2011 - I continued working on the internet-based MLM, in my free time, while still working at the boring job that I hated. Every day, on the job, I would listen to motivational recordings in my earphones (people like Zig Ziglar and Tony Robbins). This kept me from going insane and helped me do the repetitive boring tasks. Meanwhile, I watched my MLM residual income increase very slowly. For me, it was a huge deal when I received a $500 check for one month. Unfortunately, something horrible happened right when I thought things were taking off for me. YouTube suddenly removed all of the videos of anybody posting anything related to this MLM company. All my videos disappeared overnight and so did my chances of making more money. I was devastated. I felt that my dreams had been crushed. This youtube method was the only method the people from my upline were succeeding with. They tried to teach us other methods after this happened, but none of the other methods worked very well.

    I stopped spending time on the MLM and started looking for other ways to make money online. I spent a lot of time reading in the online marketing forums, such as this one, and the Warrior Forum. I bought several WSO's which taught about SEO, niche marketing, and affiliate marketing.

    2012 - In February of 2012, I was laid off from the boring office job (it was a temp position and the time was done). I was given 6 months of unemployment income to live on. I decided I was not going to look for another job. Instead, I wanted to use all my free time in that 6 months to try to increase my online income to be able live on it. At that time, I was still only making $200-$300 per month online. However, I was determined to dramatically increase it before the 6 months of unemployment ran out. Around that time, I had been reading a WSO about Amazon affiliate marketing using a site called Squidoo. The WSO was very detailed and step-by-step. It showed everything from keyword research to building the pages. I began following the steps, using niches I was interested in. Namely, musical instruments and pets. I built up several Squidoo pages that began ranking high in Google and receiving traffic. My Amazon affiliate earnings continued increasing until they reached a peak of about $1000 a month (it jumped to $2000 by Nov 2012). Right when my Amazon earnings reached $1000 per month, Google started making Panda updates which caused me to lose traffic. Also, word started spreading among the Squidoo community that they were going to be making policy changes that could cause our pages to be deleted. I feared the worst, especially after my previous experience with the MLM and YouTube. I decided, I better create my own website at least, so I could control the content. Maybe, even my own product. With knowledge that I had acquired over the time I spent on DP and the WF, I ended up writing my own ebook in the pet niche and creating a corresponding site on my own domain. I launched the ebook via Click Bank on my website and also made it available on Kindle. My site was set up with an optin form that offered people a free course in the related niche. My autoresponder sent the emails and also marketed my ebook to everybody who opted in. Between my Amazon affiliate income, and my new ebook income, I was making enough money to pay all my bills, as a single woman living with a roommate. However, I still didn't feel secure. The shiftiness of Google and Squidoo caused me to feel stressed out, as I monitored my website positions daily. When my unemployment money ran out, I felt the urgent need to find yet another way to make money online. I wanted to find a method that would not depend upon Google for traffic.

    2013 - At the start of 2013, I scoured the internet for more ways to make money online...specifically, ways that would not keep me dependent on Google. I wanted to have control and be able to get money at any time when I needed it, without worrying that my business would disappear at the next Google update. I came across several products which taught a business model known as "brokering". This involved, me acting as a middle person, selling services such as advertising or content. First, I'd find a wholesale or very affordable provider of a specific service / product (ex: website design). I would then use the internet to find people interested in the actual product or service. I'd send them an email peaking their interest and offering them the product or service. If they expressed interest, I'd make them a price offer that was double the price I knew my supplier would charge me. This way, I made a 50% profit on every deal I closed. I liked this business model so much, because I didn't have to depend on Google at all. It gave me much more peace of mind. I started focusing a greater proportion of my energy on this business, while letting my residual income from affiliate marketing and my ebook to continue to flow in. With this new business model's income piled on top of my growing affiliate and ebook income, I was living fairly comfortably. There were still ups and downs. I never missed a bill though and I knew my income would only continue to grow as I kept learning and applying new things.

    2014 - At the start of 2014, I began learning about the power of outsourcing. I watched a webinar and read a course that taught how to hire virtual assistants to grow your business faster and have more free time. Within 4 months of watching the webinar, I had hired my first full time virtual assistant. 3 months later, I had to let her go because of performance issues and I hired someone else. The new person has been with me for 6 months now and I am very pleased with his work ethic. I only spend about 4 hours per day on my business during the week now! My business is still growing. Something else I started focusing on in 2014, is selling products / services on a subscription basis. By selling subscriptions, I'm creating income that is consistent month to month. This is solving the biggest problem I have faced in online marketing. Before I started selling subscription based products and services, every month my income was different. Some months were terrible and some were fantastic. Now, I am looking forward to expanding subscription sales in 2015. I can't even believe I have not had a job in nearly 3 years. I hope that my progress is inspiring to some of you :)

    Thanks for reading all this! Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions below.
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2014
    jmjsolutions, Dec 6, 2014 IP
    sweetpea69, abajan, Nusaint and 6 others like this.
  2. Travis Sheppard

    Travis Sheppard Member

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    #2
    Way to go @jmjsolutions. Way to stick in there when things got tough.
     
    Travis Sheppard, Dec 6, 2014 IP
    jmjsolutions likes this.
  3. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #3
    Great story. Congrats.
     
    jrbiz, Dec 6, 2014 IP
  4. qwikad.com

    qwikad.com Illustrious Member Affiliate Manager

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    #4
    Very nice. Setting up an online business can be nerve wrecking. Glad you found the courage to keep going. At the end, it's all very rewarding, isn't it?
     
    qwikad.com, Dec 6, 2014 IP
    jmjsolutions likes this.
  5. Somen

    Somen Active Member

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    #5
    Thanks for sharing your story @jmjsolutions. There are a lot of take-aways for IMers.

    Best wishes. :)
     
    Somen, Dec 7, 2014 IP
    jmjsolutions likes this.
  6. koolphoto

    koolphoto Active Member

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    #6
    I think this is a great story. With persistence and thinking a little differently from the masses a real business was created.
     
    koolphoto, Dec 8, 2014 IP
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  7. gentilly

    gentilly Member

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    #7
    Great read, thanks for posting this. Good to see how others have made income online.
     
    gentilly, Dec 8, 2014 IP
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  8. jmjsolutions

    jmjsolutions Greenhorn

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    #8
    Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and comment. There were so many moments, over the years, where I felt so discouraged that I almost quit. When I started, I did not think it would take as long as it did. I am very glad now that I did not quit. When one door closed, I looked for another. When all the doors closed, I looked for a window. ;) So, this is my advice to anyone who is on a similar journey: When a method or business fails, just know that the method failed, but you did not fail. As long as you keep moving forward, you will eventually succeed. Always continue learning....watching videos, reading books, and talking to other people who can inspire you. Then, apply what you've learned one step at a time.
     
    jmjsolutions, Dec 9, 2014 IP
  9. Naina S

    Naina S Active Member

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    #9
    really good story. I loved it to read and could apply someday. Thank you Jm
     
    Naina S, Dec 9, 2014 IP
  10. PartnerwithJackie

    PartnerwithJackie Greenhorn

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    #10
    I love that story! It sounds more like mine, but this is only the beginning. Yes, your story is inspiring. Hope I can get as great results.
     
    PartnerwithJackie, Dec 9, 2014 IP
  11. KylieSweet

    KylieSweet Well-Known Member

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    #11
    The story of your online marketing journey is very inspirational and this proves that investment is an effective way to established your reputation as a marketer in your respected industry. I'm not surprised that your content has the similar experience with the other successful site owners and webmasters.
     
    KylieSweet, Dec 9, 2014 IP
  12. peoplesguide

    peoplesguide Member

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    #12
    This is a very interesting and inspirational online marketing success story. Two thumbs up. You make me encourage to do the same thing. May you become rich fast and achieve financial freedom.
     
    peoplesguide, Dec 11, 2014 IP
  13. tbtoyl

    tbtoyl Active Member

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    #13
    Hey there what a good story! :) I made $400,000++ on the internet and this year (2014) was ONE OF THE BEST. If you really focus on the right steps, no one can stop you to get success ;-)
     
    tbtoyl, Dec 12, 2014 IP
  14. de7erv

    de7erv Active Member

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    #14
    Can't find the like button but great journey and much earned income :)
     
    de7erv, Dec 12, 2014 IP
  15. CYCchips

    CYCchips Active Member

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    #15
    inspired me love it make me motivated thanks
    [​IMG]
     
    CYCchips, Dec 12, 2014 IP
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  16. tbtoyl

    tbtoyl Active Member

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    #16
    Hey guys...
    Your mind can be your best or bad friend, believe me. For example our Italian Group is selling High Ticket services in Italy (every person buys at $5,000+ per 1 service) because we are focusing on it and do every action for it.

    Attract what you really want and... BELIEVE IT because you can!!! ;-)
     
    tbtoyl, Dec 13, 2014 IP
  17. Zenoth

    Zenoth Greenhorn

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    #17
    That's a very inspirational story. Thanks for sharing it.
     
    Zenoth, Dec 14, 2014 IP
  18. alfa_375

    alfa_375 Active Member

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    #18
    Hi,
    I think this is really great story, which is so real.
    I will distributes your marks to
    1. failure: on each failure you had changed the strategy and came-up with something else.
    2. persistence: your desire to earn online
    3. willingness: to not lose your focus by the failures and achieve success

    For your success.
    Amer
     
    alfa_375, Dec 14, 2014 IP
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  19. jmjsolutions

    jmjsolutions Greenhorn

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    #19
    Amer, I believe that ^ is a great summary of the takeaways from my story. #1 was very crucial to my success. I never gave up on my overall goal of making a living online, but I did move on to different strategies when I determined that 1 strategy just was not working for me. Rather than continue trying to force a closed door to open, I instead looked for new doors. Sometimes people think that if they give up on a certain method, they are giving up their dream. No, you are not giving up your dream. You are just finding a different way to make it come true. Here is a quote:
    “When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.” ― Zig Ziglar.
     
    jmjsolutions, Dec 17, 2014 IP
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  20. alfa_375

    alfa_375 Active Member

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    #20
    Thanks a lot, for liking my four liner. I never thought you will like my post. I think you have great talent of story telling, that is I think your no. 1 Technical skill. You had define your story in a very beautiful way. Summarize your each business idea and failure in short summarize way and organize them according it like flow less list, which force users to read from to to bottom. I think for the new comers this should be and an excellent writing lesson to learn.
     
    alfa_375, Dec 17, 2014 IP