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-   -   A strange request... Looking for a business to try (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1867)

Gemini4X October 24, 2006 04:31 PM

A strange request... Looking for a business to try
 
OK, I have a strange request for the fine folks on this forum. I've been a lurker here for a LONG time but never posted. I'm looking for a legit work at home business opportunity, but I honestly don't know specifically what I want to do.

What I DO know is:

1. I want something that is 100% automated online (but I'm not opposed to offline marketing)
2. I don't want to call people on the phone, spend time on conference calls/3-way calls, or attend meetings.
3. I prefer something that isn't MLM, but I'm not totally opposed to it.
4. There must be an actual product or service that provides value to the customer. I don't want a "system" that just recruits others to pay for the same "system" where there really isn't a product/service involved.

Now I'm sure I'll probably get bombarded with emails from people claiming to have the best opportunity on the planet. BUT, I'd like to only hear from people who are willing to prove they are working the business AND making money from it. And please don't email me if you just joined something last month and have earned $2.78 already. I want to know about REAL money. Money that has the potential to replace a full time income (~$60K/year in my case).

Yes, I realize I'm probably going about this the wrong way, and I'm sure I'll get blasted by a bunch of folks telling me I'm an idiot. But nonetheless, if I can find something that is totally legit and meets my criteria, I want to put a good solid effort into making it work on a 1-3 year plan I can commit to.

If I find something that really works, it would be the first time in about 16 years, and I could officially stop calling myself an opportunity junkie. :-) Basically, the underlying reason for this request is that I'm just not convinced anyone is making decent money online.

Thanks!

Max Gemini

Gemini4X October 25, 2006 12:55 PM

Hmmm, the ol' silent treatment...
 
Should I take the silence as an indication that this truly was a stupid request? Or is this just not the right board for such a post?

Max

Unregistered October 25, 2006 01:01 PM

Re: A strange request... Looking for a business to try
 
Max, at least you didn't get inudated with ridiculous "ops", or was called an idiot.

Sandi Bowman October 25, 2006 02:43 PM

Re: A strange request... Looking for a business to try
 
Okay, Max, here goes:

Dennis Beavers, who sometimes frequents this board but can usually be found on FIB as well, sells for Kaiser & Blair and has a great business doing so. You can do it several different ways. It looks to be one of the better opportunities around with great company support and products.

Sandi Bowman

GordonJ October 25, 2006 03:08 PM

It's not a strange request, but the answer can be so, uh, personal...
 
Here is what you are looking for:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1358889



It is a link to Mike McGroarty (I hope it is anyhow). It is MY affiliate link too. Let's get that on the table right up front.

He has done what you hope to do with his business:

It is automated online but uses OTHER people offline to tend to it.
Mike doesn't call people on the phone, attend meetings and it isn't MLM.
Mike sells an actual product that he has to ship (well, actually, NOW his hired part time assitants do all that).

I met Mike when he first started out. I watched him grow to a 100 thousand dollar a year plus INTERNET income, and he did it while working a full time job, taking care of sick parents, wife and tending to his kids.

He is for real. With his course and your 1-3 year plan, there is no reason why you couldn't reach your goals. I would hope that you'd think Mike is making "decent" money online. He is. But he has kept his job for reasons he's posted here and other places.

NOW for the disclaimer. YOU have to work to get it to the AUTOMATED level. There is the learning and DOING curve.

Well, now you have at least ONE real option. I can only assume that 1-3 year time frame is to be used to build a business up. IF you want it overnight, then this isn't for you, keep trying and let us know when you find it, OK?

Gordon Jay Alexander

PS. His actual product that he sells isn't about gardening, it is a set of Videos that teach people how to do what you want to. AND I'm an affiliate too also learning and applying what he has taught me.

Gemini4X October 25, 2006 04:04 PM

Re: It's not a strange request, but the answer can be so, uh, personal...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 6284)
Here is what you are looking for:

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=1358889

It is a link to Mike McGroarty (I hope it is anyhow). It is MY affiliate link too. Let's get that on the table right up front.


Thanks Gordon! I've purchased one of Mike's ebooks in the past (not about gardening) but I probably started reading it and then never applied the information. Go figure. :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 6284)
I met Mike when he first started out. I watched him grow to a 100 thousand dollar a year plus INTERNET income, and he did it while working a full time job, taking care of sick parents, wife and tending to his kids.

He is for real. With his course and your 1-3 year plan, there is no reason why you couldn't reach your goals. I would hope that you'd think Mike is making "decent" money online. He is. But he has kept his job for reasons he's posted here and other places.


Yes, I'd say $100K/yr is pretty darn decent money!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 6284)

NOW for the disclaimer. YOU have to work to get it to the AUTOMATED level. There is the learning and DOING curve.


Totally understood!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 6284)
Well, now you have at least ONE real option. I can only assume that 1-3 year time frame is to be used to build a business up. IF you want it overnight, then this isn't for you, keep trying and let us know when you find it, OK?


You are correct. The 1-3 years would be to focus on building the biz, and hopefully then be able to have something on autopilot that continues to build.

I already visited the link and registered for his 8 page report.

Thanks again!

Max

Gemini4X October 25, 2006 07:25 PM

Re: It's not a strange request, but the answer can be so, uh, personal...
 
I checked out Mike's 8-page report today on the bus ride home from work. It's pretty general, which I can understand since it's really a sales pitch. However, it's the same stuff I've read on hundreds of other websites about affiliate marketing. I totally understand affiliate marketing and how to do it, but my problem is finding a good niche market to focus on. Everything I'm good at and interested in is way too general. For instance, money is probably my favorite topic. Anything from investing, to debt elimination, to budgeting, etc. How many gazillions of websites do you think are out there about that stuff?

Max

Dien Rice October 25, 2006 08:10 PM

Automating a business...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini4X (Post 6261)
1. I want something that is 100% automated online (but I'm not opposed to offline marketing)

Hi Max,

I think the key to your request is your desire to have an "automated" business...

I think there are really very few businesses that are "100%" automated. However, there are many businesses which are mostly automated...

I think the key to getting a business automated is setting up a "system". In some businesses, that can be done (to some degree) with a sales web page and software. For example, if you write an ebook and sell it, the actual sales process and delivery of the product can all be done this way. (Clickbank http://www.clickbank.com has a good system that works for this.) Promotion of the product can be "automated" by running ads online (or even offline). It's not 100% "automated", though, because you still need a "human" to deal with customer service - but it's mostly "automated".

Other online businesses which can be mostly automated just using software are selling downloadable audio products, video products (which are viewable online, perhaps behind password-protection), and software products (though software tends to need more support than other products). Of course, these could also be sold on a subscription basis. (For example, some auction sniping software is sold on a subscription basis - you pay your subscription, which lets you use their software to "snipe" on eBay auctions as long as you're subscribed.)

The other way to automate a business is to outsource some of the work, or to use employees or other hired help (like freelancers, virtual assistants, etc.). To get this going, you need to set up a "system" of creating and delivering a product or service, and where your employees, freelancers, etc., fit somewhere into your "system". (I'm in the process right now of setting up this kind of system for a product I'm involved with...)

There are very few books that talk about this! (I'd say there are about 100 times more books about marketing than about how to set up a "system" for your business...!) The one book that most people mention is "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. Another relevant book is "The Goal" by E. Goldratt and J. Cox. This topic is also discussed in Benjamin Suarez's "7 Steps to Freedom II" - where amazingly, Suarez reveals his whole - somewhat complicated - system that he uses at SCI. (That's what all those flow charts are about in "Step 4" of his book, for example. Most people, I think, are overwhelmed by the complexity of his business when they see the book. The fact is, a small operation can be much more simple yet still be automated.)

Apart from using the web and software (which has its limitations), probably the easiest way to partially-automate a business is to outsource as many functions as you can to freelancers... Of course, remember that at the end, after paying them, you still have to make a profit!

I hope that helps! :)

- Dien

Joetrevison October 25, 2006 08:55 PM

Re: Automating a business...
 
As the guru just said nothing is fully automated. I have a shopping cart and occassionally something goes wrong or a customer has a question he or she emails me 24/7 for a quick answer. If I want to say in business I have to do this or hire someone to do this.

Dien Rice October 25, 2006 09:18 PM

Re: Automating a business...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Joetrevison (Post 6295)
As the guru just said...

I just want to clarify - if you were referring to me - I'm no "guru"!



(This picture is not me!)

- Dien


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