This time, our research will focus on selling your own products and services. To review, we said that there are 3 ways to sell what you already know and love.
1) Sell your services.
People will pay for skills or knowledge that others (such as you) posses, if they feel, in the long run, that it is cheaper to pay you for your service than to spend the time to figure something out and do it on their own.
2) Represent the products of others and collect commissions.
As an affiliate, you never have to manufacture a product, process an order, ship a thing, or answer customer support e-mails. It's a great way to get started in e-commerce. Just find manufacturers who make products related to an area that you know, join their affiliate programs, and start referring business and earning income.
3) Create and sell an e-good (an infoproduct), whether that's an e-book, a collection of digital photos, e-music, e-clip art, e-sounds, software, database products, etc., etc. The advantages here, of course, are the high profit margins, the ability to automate, and the rewards of directly impacting the lives of others through your own works!
We already discussed option 2 so we'll focus on options 1 and 3.
We already got you started thinking of what products or service you can offer and we've given you some pointers, so now we think the best way to make your thinking juices flow, is to present to you more success stories which might be in the same line of interest as yours.
Just a note, you can also combine online auction with selling your products and services.
Here goes.
There is gold in your hobby
Michael Boyter, 38 years old, originally from Oregon, but now living in Wasilla, Alaska. Married 17 years and he and his wife are proud parents of 5 children. He's been in the U.S. Air Force for 17 years and is running his internet business o要 a part-time basis.
Young mother sells on the Internet
Claire Bowes, 33 years old and living in the United Kingdom. Mother of a baby boy. Works from home part-time o要 her Internet Business.
Getting out of a 9-5 job
Matt Haller, 30-year old musician (Guitarist/Bassist) . Now supplements his income with his website.
Ideal solution for seniors on the Web
Joanne Fritz, 61 years old from Phoenix, Arizona. Has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and public relations, part of which was spent in serving the mature market.
Succeeding online in a small market
Karen Copeland, 56 years old. Lives in Polokwane, Limpopo Province in South Africa. Runs her own site and sells South Africa, it's outstanding golf courses, it's fabulous wildlife and some affiliate programs related to golf and website building.
A super-affiliate's dream come true
Sabin Simard, 42 years old netrepreneur from Alma, Qc, Canada. Worked for 9 years as a translator in Ottawa and then changed to a Pedagogical Counsellor for 12 years. For the past 2.5 years, have been developing his own business o要 the Internet and lives solely o要 that business.
Home-based business on autopilot
Jim Lehane, 59 years old and lives in Harrison N.Y. Has a background in banking, but now works at home in her internet business.
Making money at one hour per day
Robert Aycock, 70 years old retired Radio Professional from Madison, Alabama. Before retiring, spent 50 years in the radio business, holding every o要-air job imaginable. Successfully supplements his monthly income spending just o要e hour per day
Do what you love and they will come
Gary Goodworth, 45 year-old certified Lay Speaker with the United Methodist Church from Cleveland, Tennessee USA. Now does and profits from what he loves most - writing about the world of the paranormal from a biblical perspective.
Mixing the drinks on the Web
George Courtney, 47 year old veteran mixologist. From Bermuda and have been involved in the bartending field since 1976. Happily shares with the world his 27 years of experience in bartending and mixing drinks.
The secret is "find your own niche"
Jim Nelson's website focuses o要 a very small niche, "juggling supplies." Have been working in the theatre business for the last 25+ years and have been teaching theatre for over 20 years (Professor at Thomas More College). Have been juggling for over 25 years and now gets 3,000 unique visitors each month and ranks among the top 30,000 web sites worldwide.
As you've read, there is money in your passion or knowledge. The key is to just get started!
Recommended Books and Resources
