A Business Success Online is a Journey
Success online is a journey and not something that will happen within a month or 6 months or even a year. Most of the online entrepreneurs who are now quite successful took years of hard work to get to where they are today. So if you have to question the training you get here at Wealthy Affiliate and wonder will it pay off big for you, perhaps you should be asking, do I have the guts to work hard for several years to achieve my goals?
My online journey started in 2000 but I was lacking in much of the knowledge which I now have that would propel me to my goal. So I started part-time by selling on eBay, which requires you to work the system. Like all business, you get out of it what you put into it. I also started my training on how to sell and make money online. Through constant dedication, learning from multiple sources, and from my mistakes, I am a lot closer than I was 6 years ago. So what am I doing to become more successful?
DIVERSIFICATION
I am diversifying my avenues of income and my ways of gaining knowledge. The money I now make that pays all of my bills and my recreation comes from two sources and both I do from the comfort of my home with a 30 second commute every morning. I am a Software QA (Quality Assurance) Engineer by trade. I have done work for Nintendo, MTV Networks, ESPN Online, and I am currently working on a project for Bravo TV. This revenue stream pays my bills.
I am also an eBay Power Seller and have been selling on eBay for 14 years. Selling on eBay has afforded me many of my recreations as well as pay for my SUV and initially my membership to Wealthy Affiliate. Now the knowledge I have gained from WA and elsewhere online has helped me to not just start another avenue of income online through affiliate marketing (which is not why I joined WA) but it has in turn helped me to improve on the two I already have. How?
First, I utilize the techniques of SEO that I learned from Wealthy Affiliate in my eBay listings now. Since doing so I have seen an increase in traffic and sales. Secondly, in addition to having 3 websites I have been building my reputation as someone who can write good content. Because of the content on my websites I was signed to a 5 month contract back in January to do some work for an online nationwide wholesale florist. Having a website is like having an online resume and building it properly will go a long way to not just converting sales for yourself but for building your reputation as well.
YOU TOO CAN WORK FROM HOME
Take the knowledge you gain from the training here at Wealthy Affiliate and put it into practice beyond just the creation of your website. Work different avenues of online income because it will take time for your website to gain traffic and thus sales. You can start selling on eBay right away like I did by working with family & friends on a commission basis, going to yard and estate sales to resell, and working with wholesalers. NOTE: Stay away from DS Domination which proclaims to be a Drop Ship option that definitely is not!
However once you do have a website make sure people know about it. Because I shared my website links I got that contract job back in January. Then a couple of months ago Bravo TV asked to see my resume. When sending it to them I included the links to all 3 of my websites. I found out when I was awarded the contract job that it was because of the content on one of my websites that I got the job.
The point is don't put all your eggs in one basket. It will take time and a lot of effort for you to be totally independent with the money you make on your website. Unless you have other options of income you may never see your ultimate dream of sustaining yourself from your website alone in the short term. Until then use the knowledge you gain here and keep building your website. Then share it with people and organizations within your niche. Who knows, you may just get a job offer, a recommendation and/or have your website shared over social media.
Never stop learning, never stop seeking, and never stop working towards your goal of personal success. If you have any comments or any eBay questions, just leave them below.
Recent Comments
111
Thanks for the informative post. Your right, it takes time to learn all the different aspects of IM and improve those skills. I'm taking a break for vacation tomorrow. I hope I can refresh and get some more ideas.
That's awesome Robert, You have "Really" kicked it in just less than a year. You are an excellent example for others to follow. Thanks for all you have shared and done to inspire.
All the best
Doug
Thank you Doug. I have been working at this every single free minute I have had in the past year and I am always sharing my content on social media every single day. The more you put into your own business the more you get out of it.
It is an amazingly motivating post. You post It just on time for me since I keep working on website slowly because of my part time job and my little girl. I do not see big results yet accept Google's 1st pages and some traffic.
It does take time to write a good quality content that you can show to anybody and be proud of.
Thank you Robert for posting. You are a defiantly great writer. I always read your posts and learn a lot from them. Have you written e-books?
Results are going to come to different people at different times because everyone works at different speeds. Being that you have made it to Google page 1 is the first of many other big steps forward. You just have to be patient and keep working at your website every chance you get. It takes months before you can start making some money but it eventually comes.
Love the blog, very insightful. I also sell on Ebay and I coupon to save money that I make. It's a win win situation Thanks Wanda
Thank you Wanda! Selling on eBay and doing other things to save money is something I do too. Then sometime I will take some of the money I have saved, after all bills have been paid, and re-invest it into my business. Like you said, it's a win win for me.
Great ideas boomer.
I'm on my way to setting up an eBay site for audio sales and helping my fiance set up her own business with the skills from WA
That's awesome Dan! Diversification is never a bad thing, especially if you can handle everything. eBay is a great way to make some extra money if you start out the correct way.
If you haven't already seen and commented on it, here is a recent post I made on my website giving you 7 free tips on how to start selling on eBay and what items I have found to be profitable.
http://legitimatejobfromhome.com/how-to-make-money-on-ebay-7-tips-from-an-ebay-power-seller
Really a very good post and you right about never put all the eggs in one basket.What I´m doing right now is learning and also getting to know my ideal customer.Also I´m not fan of SEO but media buying and is something I want to master cuz I´m not the person that sit there waiting if somebody visit my site and the other I´m putting everything to build a good website because like you said anything can happen....thanks for the wonderful post again and stay blessed my friend!
That's the right attitude to have Orestes! Learn and absorb what is taught here at WA about SEO and other aspects of building your website. Building a good website can payoff in many different ways beyond how you may have originally planned it to be.
Boomer that is the best short book that I've read in a while. There is nothing like optimizing your talents and passions and being paid in the process.
Congratulations on the contract and I'd be willing to bet you that wont be your last.
To your success!
Thank you Anton! I agree with you, I'm sure the contract will not be my last because I want to continue being able to work from home. I am through with going to work back in an office...unless Google wants to hire me. lol
BRAVO, BOOMER! Very interesting and timely. We all get to dragging once in awhile and it sure is nice to read something like this that lights a fire to keep going. I'm going to go back and read this again. Have a great weekend!
Thank you Patti! There have been a couple of members on WA who prefer not to read motivational blogs because as they claim, it is a distraction. I say it is a necessary means of teaching from those of us who have been there and done that. - So I hope you were motivated.
See more comments
I totally agree with not putting all your eggs in one basket, a couple of years ago my parents tried the Ebay route with little success so i stayed away from it. But I am so glad I always read your posts because i was about to sign up with DS Domination just to get some income now while I'm working on my site and I know it will take time before i have any success. Well i guess I'm gonna have to figure something else out. Thanks boomer for saving me some money and time:)
I'm glad you read my posts too Jazmin. DS Domination or that other so-called Drop Shipping program are not drop shipping programs at all. Plus you have to pay a monthly fee for information that you can get for free and figure out yourself.
If you still want to try eBay then you have to do it the correct way with some planning. I just wrote a new post on my website called How To Make Money On eBay and I give my readers 7 free tips on how to get started correctly and ideas on what to sell and how to find them, including real drop shippers.
If you would like check it out and leave me a comment on the post. - http://legitimatejobfromhome.com/how-to-make-money-on-ebay-7-tips-from-an-ebay-power-seller
Great post Robert, a lot of good information on how to sell on eBay. Thanks for everything. I left a comment:)
Thank you Jazmin. I appreciate it.
Your very welcome:)