Working full-time on the internet - how do you get taken seriously

1. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

   Way to go, Lissie!!

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2. 69

   Hope Alexanderposted 16 years ago

   I'm probably chiming in a bit late on this one, but it's an interesting topic, and an issue I've 'struggled' with myself. I'm in my mid twenties, and I've been working as a writer on the Internet and for print publications since I graduated from college. (Pardon me if my syntax and/or spelling gets a little murky here and there, it is 2 am, and I should probably be asleep, but here I am none the less   )
   
   How do you get taken seriously? You be serious about your work, I guess. Then again, who cares if you're taken seriously or not. At the end of the day, it is how you think and feel about what you do that counts. I'm going to sound really cynical here, but what the heck, a great deal of people are idiots anyway, and if you spend your life worrying about what they think, then you'll never be content. (Also I try not to take myself seriously * mumbles some inspirational quote about angels being able to fly because they take themselves so lightly*)
   
   The Internet has bought with it a great deal of income opportunities, and I think in the coming years people will start to accept online business as a valid form of business, if they haven't already. Of course there are also very few safeguards online, so people who are lazy and don't want to do the research won't get very far, and people who are gullible and greedy stand to lose a lot.
   
   What I do like about the Internet, and doing business online, is that it is very much a 'make what you will of it' sort of place. You don't have to wait for your boss to give you a raise, instead you can learn up about a subject and then implement it for more earnings. Obviously some things will work better than others, and in many cases, hours of work won't amount to much at all. There is a very 'Wild West' sort of feeling to working online, and it's an aspect I certainly enjoy.
   
   I've been fortunate enough to be able to make quite a good income through my various endeavors, though I have to admit that as a writer, the better rates are to be found off line, generally speaking. However, those off line rates, which may be 200% + more than anything you might get for an article you write for a website come at the cost of having to query and editor, wait weeks for a response, write the article, and then wait weeks or sometimes months for the check. Doing both strikes a happy medium, I've found.
   
   I could blather on for quite some time, and I'm tempted to do so, but I'll spare you all that. Instead I'll summarize with this, it's a world of opportunity out there, but there's also a world of competition, and a world of work to be done if you want to reap the rewards.
   
   Myself, I think I'm hooked for life, if not to the Internet, then to working on a freelance basis for sure.

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      Lissieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Its become an amazing thread - and I guess what I really meant when I titled it was "how to get my partner to take it seriously" ! I am with you that I really doint give a s..t what others think and never have.  But as a partnership we've always earned about the same, good, salaries - so from going the top 20% of earns to peanuts was a bit hard to take.
      However all is good I have gone back to a semi-professional job back in the industry I left over 12 years ago, not IT, and am really enjoying it.  Its still a part time so I still have time to develop my writing skills which I think might be my long-term exit strategy from "real" jobs

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3. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

   Personally, I'm questioning whether I really need an exit strategy from "real" jobs.
   
   It's all too easy to get discouraged when you have one job after another which is really sh*t.  You start to think there are no good jobs out there.  Then you luck into a good one that you really enjoy.  The secret is not to settle for the rubbish jobs, but keep looking till you get a good one. 
   
   I'm asking myself, which would I rather do?  Work at the job I'm doing now, which I rather like, for two years - then put my feet up and write purely for fun.  Or give up work now, congratulate myself on my "independence", and face writing for ten years to make the same amount of money. 
   
   Perhaps it's different for me because I'm approaching the end of my working career so my timeframe is shorter than a lot of the other people here.

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   1. 75

      Lissieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      
      I think its all in the timeframe - 2 years I can handle - 20 years is a little long!  And not everyone make it to that "retirement" age anyway
      
      One of the things that started us off traveling last year was burying one friend who was just 60 and another ex-work colleague of mine who was 57.  The 60-year old had retired at 55 so had at least had some time having a ball retired - he also had a career he enjoyed.  The 57 was one of life' lovely gentle people who got completely screwed by our common ex-employer and still tried to support those around her.  She was still working but had at least got out of the organisation which had given her so much grief. 
      
      I guess the combination scared the hell out of me - my partner is male 55 - on the day of our friend's funeral he had to go back into work to finish an "important" job  - he had put on too much weight and the stress was starting to show. 
      
      Now at least he has a lower stress job with more opportunities and lower stress.  I am OK with the 2 jobs I have which although they add up to 36hr a week give me 2 days clear a day after I finish at 8am.  So yes I will keep writing

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4. 60

   khartleyposted 16 years ago

   Lissie
   
   Thanks for your honest post.
   
   You are an inspiration and I look forward to seeing your success!
   
   Never give up!
   
   Thanks,
   
   Karl

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5. 60

   Gojiberryjuiceposted 16 years ago

   Writing is in demand for sure! Especially with the internet moving along at the speed it is.  However video might do some damage to ya but good writers will always be in demand.
   
   Are you still continuing to build your internet empire?  It is possible to make far more than the top 20 percentile that's for sure.  However the "know how" is hard to find sometimes - with all the crap out there.  But, It is out there for sure though. I've been earning a 6 figure income from home for almost 5 years now. (and I'm a baaaad writer) If you ever have any questions don't hesitate to ask
   
   Marisa, the hard part is quiting, the rest will follow suit if it's what you really want to do, you'll make it work.
   
   Hello all by the way!

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6. 87

   Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

   Gojiberry, that's my point.  The fashionable thing is to say you can't wait to quit the rat race - but why should I quit when I'm making good money and enjoying it?

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7. 59

   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   LOL - Hey Lissie - this is a quote from one of his garbage hubs LOL:
   
   "There is no sense in taking chances. One of the things that I recommend my students do is find friendly forums and communities who welcome new social marketers and offer solid guidance on their message boards versus slamming people while they are learning to convert spam into effective article marketing."

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      Lissieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Oh obviously I must have missed the spam stage - that's why I don't make a 5 figure income - actually that's not true the last time I was in turkey the lira was worth about 1,000,000 NZ$ - so I'm making millions!

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8. 56

   madmike27posted 16 years ago

   I think your writing style would make you a great copywriter online - most people these days don't know how to write online copy. Everything has been shortened to LOL, ROFL, etc.
   
   Honestly, a friend of mine advertised a job earlier this week and received some shocking resumes & cover letters. People saying stuff like "Plz giv me da job." or "your best career disicion (sp) would be to hire me "
   
   I mean PULEEEEEZE!

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9. 40

   privateye2500posted 16 years ago

   Dear Lissie - this is some of what I know after approx. 17 years working online.
   
   #1 - You need a niche - it is critical.  I cannot stress that enough.
   
   #2 - You need to *Brand* yourself, yes, this takes time but whenever ANYone thinks of what it is that you have and they need it - YOU come to mind right away.
   
   #3 - A lot of very well built websites with time; beginning with one is the start.
   
   #4 - The tenacity it takes to spend 14-16 hour days to get yourself to where you want to be.
   
   #5 - Never give up and/or let others drag down your dream.  If you give up it will never happen so you have to be dedicated heart and soul to what ever it is.
   
   Best of luck - I could write volumes but the above 5 are *mass*.
   
   Melanie
   
   Investigative Resources LLC
   
   http://www.unlisted-etcetera.com
   
   http://www.cell-phone-numbers.com
   
   http://investigativeresources.co.uk
   
   ============================

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   1. 87

      Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      This is the sticking point for many, I think.  I know Lissie has posted that she's doing this because she wants to have a life NOW, not sacrifice her life to work with a view to putting her feet up some time in the future. 
      
      I've now met three or four people who are making a decent living on the internet (I've come across many who claim to be, but I don't believe them all!!).  Every one of them has had to spend two or three years burning the midnight oil to get there.   It sounds like any small business, really.

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         pgrundyposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         God, what a great thread! I've learned all kinds of new things here. I just wanted to put in my two cents worth on Elance and other freelance contracting sites. I first discovered I could write online in mid-November of 2007. I started at Helium.com, won a couple contests, sold a few articles, found out about HubPages from a Helium member and now I write here too. What I wanted to say is, don't sell the freelance sites short. Sure, at first you kind of have to bid on some crap that pays less-than-great to get work, but once you get a few successful projects done, it gets a lot easier to make decent money. I made $120 there in January of 08, three hundred and some change in February of 08, and right now I'm at just under $1000 with $700 of work to do this week alone. Plus, my Helium articles are earning passive income and still selling, and I've met a ton of great people. I'm doing this on about 5 hours a day. It's really not that hard--except of course I DO have to actually write the stuff. But I figured it out, and even on a bad day I earn around $25-$30 per hour. I live in Michigan, so here, that's not chump change. Meanwhile my half-time bank job pays $11/hr.
         
         Any way all the best to you! You sound like you have a LOT going for you. Also, just food for thought--there's a teenage girl in MI who has a $1 million business designing Facebook websites--so really, you have tons of potential with your skills. Thanks everyone for all the info! Pam

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10. 57

    wholesalesupplierposted 16 years ago

    Hi Lissie,
    
    You have tourched on an area that is almost, every marketer and stay at home entrepreneurs interest. Just like you, I have been on the quest to find a winning combination online for the past 3+ years. Alongside the years of search, is also a great amont of investment that I will not even bother talking about here but still, for some reason, I find myself continuing on and on, deeper and deeper; believing that sometime somehow, within this spider web called "Virtual Internet" I would be able to untangle some and make them work to my success.
    I think in your situation that you have a good prospect. At least I see that you have a desired target and some drive towards reaching it. That on its own online, will gradually build up to greater income revenue over time. Just keep keeping on
    
    Best regards

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    MoRamblerposted 16 years ago

    Hi Lissie,
    If you haven't already, and since you have strong writing skills, having a blog is a must!
    I operate a Tech Blog to draw attention to my website.  Even though the site is not completed yet, (I am teaching myself as I go) I already have had around 3500 hits in my first month at my blog.
    Most of the people earning serious money have been at it for 2 years or more.  The learning curve is pretty steep!  If you seriously want to earn money online you shouldn't be evaluating until after your first 18 months.
    At that time you will have a better Idea of where you stand.  Just stay focused until then!
    David

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    philem44posted 16 years ago

    The secret of achieving meaningful success online is real investment in knowledge,time and God. This is the prime focus on your business. You must be always ready to invest in ideas and information.

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    Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

    Philem, do you have something worthwhile to add to this debate or are you just publicising your Hubs???

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       networkgenieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I perfectly and absolutely agree with Marisa said about have to burn the midnight oil, working hard before you get there. I actually had the opportunity to listen to one of the CDs of a psychoneuroimmunologist who gave one of the best definitions of the word "Success". We normally define is as reaching or achieving your desired or set goal. But it of course goes way beyond that... It's not only getting to your desired goal but also the process that would be involved; the journey that you'd take to get to your final destination. It's just so important. Ask the billionaire himself, Donald Trump, who went to losing all his acquired billions to making it back again because he had a "billionaire" mindset and thermostat. He's been on that road before, so he knows how to get there again and again and again... Hope this helps!

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14. 87

    Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

    It's very much a personal choice, I think, and will be affected by where you are in life.
    
    At a certain age, you realise the truth of John Lennon's statement that "life is what happens while you're making other plans".  That often leads to a decision to change direction.
    
    The hard part is deciding whether you want to do some hard slog for a couple of years (like Greg from Maine), in hopes of being able to sit back and smell the roses after that - or whether you want to smell the roses now (like Lissie), because who knows if you'll still be around to smell them in a couple of years?

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    MrMarmaladeposted 16 years ago

    Marissa you are said  all that needs to be said and in away that we can all understand.
    Thank you.
    I went to my doctors the other day.(Have knwn him for 23 years.) Asked him When he was going to retire?
    He thought that now the stock market was going down the drain fast he would have to work for at least three more years.He his turning sixty and looks my age.

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16. 75

    Lissieposted 16 years ago

    Wow this has really turned out into an amazing thread - with lots of great info and too much spam for the business forum!
    I thought I'd drop by an update what happened.  I ended up with a 5/day a week 5-8am cleaning job and picked up a geology job 3 days a week 9-5.    I am also dancing 1-1.5 hrs 4 nights a week so yes I was pretty trashed on the days  I was basically working 12 hr days!
    
    Well I resigned the cleaning job - the geology job sent me on a day training course and I asked for that day's leave from the cleaning job -the transport connections didn't work.  They wouldn't give it to me - they were under staffed and someone else was on leave - like go figure - I had to give 2 weeks notice for leave and only 1 week to resign so of course I resigned ! You do wonder about some employers really! 
    
    So  I am now luxuriating in having some more sleep and some more time to write.  Though I am going to have to find some time to do some more exercise - the cleaning had dropped me a bit more weight

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       Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Wow Lissie, I automatically assumed you would have dropped the cleaning job the minute you go the geology one - I'm assuming 3 days a week would give you enough of an income so you can stop feeling guilty, and you still have the other 2 days for writing.  perfect!

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    networkgenieposted 16 years ago

    Pam, I want to say that's impressive and worth of a encouragement note. Like one of the great speakers that I listen to once said, it's the stick-to-it-tiveness that actually gets you to your desired point. I mean otherwise, you'll pretty much be going from A to B and then to C, and pretty much not having a central "nucleus" where you can concentrate, focus and develop the necessary skills to make you a well noted recognition in your field. Excellent work and keep it up!

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    lucysdoghouseposted 16 years ago

    I just joined Hub Pages a few weeks ago and it looks like this thread is going on for a long time. 
    
    Sorry but I am going back to the original question of how to be taken seriously while working on the internet.  I get those strange looks from people what I do.  I think people think it is either a pipe dream or I am about to sell them something, which is not what I do.  My girlfriend used to think that.  Then I got her to help with the site.  We should do 100K USD in sales this year.  Not enough to live off of but if we grow next year like we should this year we will be doing well. 
    
    Before I get ahead of myself I am not here to slyly promote something.  My business is strictly online retail.
    
    I think success legitimizes your work on the internet.  Most people spend most of their time "working" on the internet by searching, posting in forums or doing other things that are not an efficient use of time.  Kind of what I am doing right now, but this is interesting.  They spend more time doing that then the things that will make them more sales, whether it be link building, article writing, optimizing and otherwise improving their site, etc...  I have enough work to hire 3-4 people, too bad I do not have the money for salaries. 
    
    All the best,
    
    Hans

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       Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       You're yet another example of what I've been saying - yes, there is money on the internet, but it takes a LOT of work, at least at first.  You're still not making enough to live on, yet it sounds like you're doing the work of several people! 
       
       Good luck with it!

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    lucysdoghouseposted 16 years ago

    There have been a lot of comments about ebay.  Ebay is a tough nut to crack as a seller.  I mean selling stuff you need to make a profit off of.  The fees and the competition are very hard to deal with when you are buying things at wholesale and trying to sell at retail. 
    
    After it is all said and done there is a very tight margin to work with.  Ebay and Paypal(ebay again) can easily take 15% or more of a value of a sale in fees.  Frustrating I tell you.  It is a shame because there are so many customers on ebay on any given day.

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       Marisa Wrightposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I've only used eBay in a small way but I've been highly successful.  I agree, I don't think I would ever attempt to buy new stuff to sell on eBay.   All my successes have been second-hand goods and collectables. With collectables in particular, it's quite easy to sell an item for three or four times your purchase price.

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20. 61

    lucysdoghouseposted 16 years ago

    Thanks for the kind words.  I think most people get influenced by the bs ads that are on TV.  Work in the comfort of your own home and make thousands of dollars. 
    
    Do not get me wrong it is nice to work from home some of the time but it is hard in other ways, you never leave work.  Right now I am "taking a break" from uploading more products to my site.  An efficient use of my time but detailed oriented mentally demanding work.  At leat for me. 
    
    I forgot to mention this in my other post.  Many people that try to sell something on the internet I am not sure if they do the best to truly educate themselves on where to go and what to do.  Like SEO for example, a lot of people avoid it because they do not knowhow to do it and think it is very hard to do.
    
    I imagine that certain SEO techniques are hard to figure out but most white hat stuff is very easy.  It just takes some doing. 
    
    I do not think though that it will ever be easy.  It will always be a challenge to keep up.  I think in the initial stages the challenge is doing the work yourself.  The middle stage is controlling growth and maintaining quality control over processes you no longer do yourself.  It is hard to let go and to accept that people do not care about your business as much as you do.

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    VioletSunposted 16 years ago

    I think success legitimizes your work on the internet.  Most people spend most of their time "working" on the internet by searching, posting in forums or doing other things that are not an efficient use of time.  Kind of what I am doing right now, but this is interesting.  They spend more time doing that then the things that will make them more sales, whether it be link building, article writing, optimizing and otherwise improving their site, etc...  I have enough work to hire 3-4 people, too bad I do not have the money for salaries.  >>>
    
    You remind me of my sister who owns an online business, she makes six figures sales, but it has taken her about 4 years for this business to be where it is at nowadays, and  requires constant optimizing.  However, she was overwhelmed by the amount of work and couldn't handle it with one employee, and she lost her 18 year old son, so this was starting to affect her business negatively, with orders being late, and customer service falling behind,  so she transferred the business management to me and my boyfriend; we do the shipping fulfillment, storage of inventory,  and customer service from the West Coast; she lives in the East Coast and focuses on the marketing and creative side of the business (she is very artistic), it is working beautifully for all of us.
    
    Your comments about not using time efficiently are right on, I am guilty of this, when it comes to my own website; my site hasn't made any real progess and its my fault.  Thanks for the reminder!

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    charlemontposted 16 years ago

    I discovered that some hyped ebooks on 'working at home' contain real gems, but only few justify their price. Sometimes a 50+ page ebook has just one chapter of valuable information, the fluff prevailing. Sales letter continue the 'easy money' persuasion tactics topped by lots of crappy bonuses. In certain aspects working online is no easier than offline jobs.

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    About-The-Homeposted 16 years ago

    My wife doesn't take my efforts seriously.
    
    She would if I was earning some money. Then she would take an interest, but until then she thinks it's a waste of time.
    
    It would be much easier if she backed me up.
    
    I guess I'm not the only one with a disapproving partner !

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24. 59

    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    My wife is the same - and I AM making money LOL
    
    I think a lot of people just don't consider this to be a "proper" job.
    
    I live in France, and when I am asked what I do for a living, I say "I am a writer." Then when I tell them I write online they shrug and say, "That's not a writer." LOL - If you are not an angst-ridden poet on a government grant, it doesn't count in France.

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       MarloByDesignposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Mark, I did not know you live in France, you learn something new everyday. I have been to the French Rivera and Paris, very different from the US. Good for you!

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    About-The-Homeposted 16 years ago

    Well you could say you're a best selling international author, I suppose

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    lucysdoghouseposted 16 years ago

    It helps me that I wake up in the morning and I figure out what I am going to do that day for the business.  I am a type A personality so when the idea pops into my head I work at until I am done for the day.  I just need to make sure I bite off enough for the day and also not too much.  There have been a few cases where I have stayed up and worked easily for 16 hours in a row working to get a project done.  Somewhat obsessive I know but if I do not do the work it is not going to get done. 
    
    That being said I also visualize projects that are more long term.  Like now I am going through my site page by page and correcting little things and rewritting the sales copy.  I have been working on educating myself on increasing conversions. 
    
    I think the other thing that makes it hard to defend an internet business is that people are used to instant gratification with regards to the internet.  It is a huge mental shift for them to realize that anything you do(well almost anything) as a business owner will not have an effect until a few weeks or even a few months.  Like working on the conversions.  I might not notice the increase in sales until a few months from now.

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    Eileen Hughesposted 16 years ago

    Crikey Moses,  It takes me less time to read a book than read this,  I have nearly gone blind now.....and now I've forgotten what I was gonna say....am...
    
    Yeah I have been selling on ebay for years.  I love it simply because I sell what I pick up at garage sales. Usually small books.  I also write small booklets and sell them too when I get around to printing them that is.
    
    I agree with (cant remember who said it now..such a long list.)  A big lot of ebay sellers charge exorbitant prices for small items and a lot of newbie buyers dont realise the price of postage....they do not look at it and get a shock when they get the bill.
    As i said I sell the booklets,  it might cost me 1.50  so I charge 2.50  but I dont charge a lot for books as it keeps me out of mischief. 
    Some people get carried away like in auction sales and get excited on bidding and pay more than. what it is worth......
    
    This wasnt what I was going to say but couldnt remember what that was now.
    Have fun and enjoy life with or without money.  Money doesnt buy you good health.
    
    BUT   I  NEED MORE  PLEASE

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    Eileen Hughesposted 16 years ago

    Lizzie,  I just membered  what I was going to say.
    
    You mentioned daylight saving.  I used to love it but now hate it.
    Simply because 
    My husband cannot mow lawns at 7am in the pitch black dark
    Nor can my son lay brick pavers in the pitch black.
    
    And as it is pretty hot it makes it hard.  Its great for inside workers I wouldnt knock that.   But for outside workers it is virtually impossible.
    
    They should have ended it at the end of Feb.  Now it is stupid at end march.
    
    No I not one to say curtains fade.  Me not quite that stupid......welll....I'll leave that up to you.    Great weather in the west though eh what.

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    Lissieposted 16 years ago

    Oh no Eileen! This thread is long enough not to vere into daylight saving! I am a little bemused about the debate as I am mid-40's and I can't ever remember the debate - its been in for so long at home (NZ).  What I notice here is  that you have very even days - its always dark at 8:30 even with daylight saving - at home its light to 10pm in the south!

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    Marisa Wrightposted 16 years ago

    Sounds fabulous.  Now give us some genuine referees who can demonstrate that they've benefited with major traffic thanks to your efforts.

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    Lissieposted 15 years ago

    This thread refers to gets referred to occasionally so i thought I would update my own personal journey http://www.continuingadventures.com/200 … st-of-2008

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    Marisa Wrightposted 15 years ago

    Hi Lissie, I noticed you were getting very excited about the whole BANS thing.  How's it working out?

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       Lissieposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       
       
       Thanks for asking Marisa:  I am updating my new blog on progress at http://100sites-lissie.blogspot.com/

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    guidebabaposted 15 years ago

    Working full-time on the internet can sometimes be a Headache. And if you do not get the expected return then the Headache increase even more. The Rule is to Keep doing your jobs and be patient. You will get the return is due course of time.

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    Marisa Wrightposted 15 years ago

    How nice to see this thread brought back up to the forefront - I think all our newbies should read it, especially the ones who think they've found a path to easy money.
    
    I wonder if the last poster actually read the thread first....

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    Mark Knowlesposted 15 years ago

    Well I already flagged the "heavy-set," guy's hubs and all his posts so far - so I doubt it.

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    In my opinion, it is difficult to earn a lot by adsense or online markettingor something like these. One can continue with these for a meager income but internet is a fun and one can gain a lot of knowledge through various sites, hubpages or forums or groups. One can have real contacts through these. One can explore some business idea or plan or a contact which may help earning real.
    being a businessman, this is my serious advice which may help one.
    jyoti

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    Lissieposted 15 years ago

    1 of the great things about this thread is that it just seems to appeal the real out and out scammer like our time share friend who will go soon!
    Hi Johti: you are right and wrong at the same time.  You can make very serious money on the intenet using Adsense and Affiliate income :  I am talking 10's of $1,000 / month.  Do I ? No, because its not easy and its not quick and it takes time to build the skils and infrastructure to do it.  I am arfraid  I have no interest in a real-world buisness: they involve banks, partners and employees or the cause of great stress!

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       sukrithaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Absolutely correct. Still majority of people are dreaming for the way to make quick money online. That not at all possible. We can only dream about it. But if we work hard we can definitely earn handsome amount from Online works. Thats Sure.
       
       And after all here we are the Boss.  Full Freedom That is what I do like the most.

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          waynetposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Quite right Sukritha! effort takes a small amount of energy but it is equalled to lots of profit if it is targeted to the right audience, I like to think that an online business is the key to freedom financially at least.

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       TAKTravelposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Just so you know it's not a timeshare scam or anything like that it is a real legitimate business.
       Just very funny when someone does not believe you, and does not do any research and gets the whole idea wrong.
       
       also these are forums and you asked a question and i thought i would give you my advice and let you know what worked for me.  have a nice night

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          Lissieposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          
          
          So which bit of 
          "vacation travel membership to travel the world in luxury. You will be able to go to any country and see exciting new places for 50-75% off the retail price"  as quoted on your hub
          
          is not a timeshare scam? As Marisa said did you even read  this topic before you posted?
          
          For anyone who is not familiar with hotel pricing: no one ever pays the so-called "rack rate" or full-retail price.  Just book online using a big consolidator and get 50-75% off - 75% off only in the depth of the off-season

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    Thanks for  replying. I am still with my opinion. It is much easier in real business to earn than to online. See, who are earning: The authors and publishers earn meager amount or just dream about some $ thousands but those who are running the online business like google or any other site providers, thier earning is in billions or even for small portals it is millions.
    I still suggest: Try to make ur own business. You can make hundred times though it is litttle difficult.
    The time consumed here does not seem me to return even a few percentage I can earn in real terms.
    Then one can ask me why I am here?
    I am here to learn the techniqes. I am here to learn how to make a portal financially viable and I am here to meet and exchange knowledge with learned and honorable people like you.
    Thanks to all learned members.
    i am really greatful for feed back.
    Jyoti kothari,
    Jeweller,
    Jaipur-Mumbai-Kolkata-Hyderabad

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    srimathiposted 15 years ago

    i am a software egineer online always
    it is good experience i have earned lot more knowledge from online
    always

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    guidebabaposted 15 years ago

    <snipped promotional, duplicate content>

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       TAKTravelposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       For anyone who is interested the address for checking domain registrations is http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/ and don't have to set up an account or anything.

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    Mark Knowlesposted 15 years ago

    guidebaba
    
    Why have you copied and pasted that from some one else's site? This is not your work, it belongs to this person -
    
    Wendy Betterini @:
    
    <snipped link>
    
    The least you could have done was credited the person who actually wrote that.

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    Lissieposted 15 years ago

    @privateeye - thanks for your comments: I see from your profile you are basically running a real-world business via the internet and good on you.  I don't want staff or direct clients: i could have both using my computer expertise but I find it frustrating and stressful. 
    
    The irony is that you might not have noticed that this thread and my original post started quite a few months ago (it just won't die! ) .   I have moved on a fair bit: I now work part-time in a professional job 3 days a week and am concentrating on internet marketing the other 4 days a week so yes  I am probably doing 10 or so hours a day I should think!
    
    @Shirley Thanks for commenting.  Although I enjoy writing I really only like writing about my topics :i have had to write for work on topics which don't interest me and I become the Procrastination Queen: I don't think this would make me a very good freelancer! To be honest though  I can put a competent sentence together  I am not that confident  I really want to compete with an international market place which can produce unique articles to order for $3/500words ! Yes  I agree print would be much better paid - but there a lot better writers out there than me who find it tough to get published! 
    On the other side though: that is Internet Marketing: I seem to have better writing skills than most so I have got a bit of an advantage there - to make up for my woeful SEO knowledge!

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    JYOTI KOTHARIposted 15 years ago

    I am really disgusted withur post. Why are u naming (blaming) Indians?
    This forum is not for those proudy citizens of rich countries only. This is a forum where everyone from anywhere can come and discuss.
    Do u know how many Indian writers have got noble prize? Booker?
    How many Indians books r the bestsellers?
    
    
    Yes, Ur advise was a good one, but in every country or region there are people of high standard like u ( as u claimed) and also people who are working for meager income.
    
    Even I have written some hubs pointing these types of things. I have also mentioned how the Nations are doing globally.
    
    I wish, you will think twice before commenting against Indians.

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       Marisa Wrightposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Jyoti, no one is "blaming" Indians.  It's simply a fact of life that the value of a dollar in India is very different from the value of a dollar elsewhere - so the reality is that Indian writers are going to be willing to sell their skills cheap, because it's still worthwhile for them. 
       
       It's also a fact of life that English is still a second language for many Indians, and even where it's a first language, Indian English has some differences in grammar and expression - so the resulting articles are often poorly written in our eyes.  However because the articles are cheap, there will always be people willing to buy quantity over quality.
       
       Finally, it's no surprise that there are Indians keen to take advantage of this situation, so they put together what Lissie referred to as writing factories.  Such behaviour would happen in any country where such an opportunity existed - greed is international.  Again, it's just a fact of life that it's happening in India right now.

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       pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I'm not blaming Indians for anything. I think I was sayng the opposite of that--that Indians have as much right to bid on work and get the work as writers in the US, Britain or Australia. Some buyers from English speaking countries want English speaking writers. Some don't. But it seems to me there is plenty of work to go around.

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    Mark Knowlesposted 15 years ago

    Lissie and Marisa - That website he is talking about is only 3 months old. Draw your own conclusions

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    Lissieposted 15 years ago

    OK came back in to check out on last night's scam progress and we have a new controversy!  Honestly Jhoti I think you're being a bit sensitive - in fact I didn't mention "Indian" first because I am aware other low-waged countries with significant English speaking populations.  Back in the 90's  I used to be hired out to a software development firm in the US because I spoke excellent English but because of my countries exchange rate  I was cheap labour: I am from New Zealand! - note the same is not true now because the exchange rate has changed a lot. 
    
    In fact 1 of the advantages of the internet is the ability to combine and income based on US rates and a ifestyle based in a cheaper country.   Unfortunately now that for the first time in my life  I am earning US$ - the exchange rate is rubbish!

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    Lissieposted 15 years ago

    I'd be interested in the EBook Eric.  I think the key thing that I didn't realise in the first place was that it is a business first and foremost.  It seems obvious when you write it down but I didn't "get" that for months! The reason  I wrote my "wild west" hub on internet marketing was inspired from this thread and some peoples stories I heard here and elsewhere: Im lucky I've lost only time and  not the 1000's of $ that some people do - usually the ones who can least afford to loose the cash too. 
    
    This thread also motivated me to start a blog foccused on my online journey:  I won't write an E-Book because I haven't made it yet - but I will - and when I do the book may come:  but 1 of the issues is that Google changes the rules all the time: what works 6 months ago doesn't work now.  Its a constantly moving target :I actually think possibly the closest analogy to real world is Forex Dealing  - not shares - Forex because it is so driven by emotion and random outside events but also because there are hidden big players: maybe a hub for Mark to write?
    
    I think Marisa is wrong too: the number of people who are as internet savvey as the hubpages forums is still probably

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    Marisa Wrightposted 15 years ago

    Lissie, I've been hanging out for you to edit that last sentence!
    
    I'm assuming you're saying there are still a lot of people out there who aren't internet savvy.
    
    Of course there are, but you have to work out who your target market is.  All of the younger generation are highly internet savvy already.  Baby boomers are catching up in droves - just look at the number of fifty-somethings around here!  People still in their working years have no choice but to be internet-literate, if they work in an office.  Even in retail, you have to work with computers - and then it's a small step to explore the internet, because all your office-worker friends are doing it.
    
    That leaves a large unskilled workforce with little exposure to computers, as well as skilled workers in developing countries where companies can't afford computerisation.  None of those people have a lot of disposable income so they're not likely to be big customers.
    
    Maybe I get a distorted view from living in Australia. Australians are notorious early adopters so perhaps the degree of internet awareness is higher than elsewhere?

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       Lissieposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       oops the men arrived with my new fridge and  I got distracted! And no I didn't buy it on eBay it was a lot cheaper to pay cash and a chain and get them to deliver than buy something 2nd hand! 
       
       I think I was going to say that the whole internet revolution is just beginning!  I am surprised too discover that even 20 something's with a uni degree arent particularly au fait with buying or selling on the internet - they know all about cellphones, facebook and myspace but not basic commerce! Weird eh?  In fact the competition Im doing at bloggerunleashed we worked out the average age was about 50 - the 1 19 year old in the group was a bit miffed I think ROTFL!  Its possibly that Im actually the generation that has grown up with the internet: I remember when it wasnt: I remember when email and windows 3.0 was cool.  I still know how to configure a computer with out a windows system: its not magic to me: Im not technical specialist but I can usually figure out which question to ask.   
       
       I think 1 key difference between the US and Ausrtalia is that there is no safety net in the US - if you get sick in the US you can loose everything even with health insurance.  Its hard to get a job, most jobs seem to required, to Australiasians, a stupid about of stress, long  hours and  being there for the boss.  I think the Americans have a much bigger motivation to work online than Austarlians do - its real easy to get a job here in comparison and most people still work a 37.5 hr week with weekends off

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          pgrundyposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I think you nailed the work situation in the US. I got a new job last week that I really, really wanted--low stress, something I did for 7 years when my kids were little. Got offered the job O N THE SPOT, couldn't take it. No health insurance. The rest of the jobs I've applied for, no go, although I got an interview for a half-time loan processor job. Kind of glad I didn't get that--what a bitch. At one point the young woman who interviewed me said, "I'm kind of in trouble (tee hee) from corporate for hiring an all-male sales staff but I just can't seem to find women who have the drive I'm looking for, and our last loan processor (woman) quit with no notice so now we really need a good 'mother hen' to do the paperwork and keep these boys in line!"
          
          Then she said, I sh*t you not, "Oh dear, I hope I didn't offend you by calling you a 'mother hen'!"
          
          I so wanted to say something like, "Not at all, Bitch, no offense taken."
          
          Maybe it's good I didn't get that one.

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    SweetiePieposted 15 years ago

    Local libraries are wonderful places for people to take computer courses and to use the computer for free for a limited amount of time per day.  I encourage everyone to look into these services because they are free.

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    Mishaposted 15 years ago

    Sure I will look into them. But for what?

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       SweetiePieposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       I meant for people who need to learn how to use computers because the thread was discussing how some people lack computer literacy.  My sister wants to get a better job, but she does not even know how to use the computer.  I keep telling her to come to my house so I can show her how to do a few basic things since her current job does not require much computer usage.   Thus, I was suggesting free computer courses at libraries as a tool for her and other people who need to learn basic skills such as writing a resume or using Excel.  Also, free computer access at the library provides a service for people who cannot afford their own computers and some people even run their ebay and smaller website businesses off library computers.  Part of my job involves helping the general public learn how to do basic things on the computer at the library, so I have a passion for this subject .

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    guidebabaposted 15 years ago

    Well, I read all the Posts and my conclusion in that e-bay can be good source of income if one does his/her homework before getting into it. Make List of Products you want to sell and make sure NOT to Cheat Customers Or they are never going to Return back to you (You always need Customers to Get back to you). Little Profit Margin is Better than ONE-TIME Big Margin. With Little Profit Margin you can Make More Profit in the Long Run. Good Luck.

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