The Making a Living Online Experiment

This lens is not about finding the MAGIC "RED BUTTON" that will make you money instantly. It takes time or money (or a combination of both) to earn money online.

My hope is that you will use this Lens to reduce your learning curve, get inspired and learn from my mistakes and successes which will be described here over the coming days, weeks and months.

I have been on the internet for several years now and my experience is that you have to work to earn money, it is the same online as offline.

Every day we are bombarded with offers that promise us INSTANT RICHES if we buy this or that product and unfortunately we believe the HYPE because we need an INSTANT FIX to our financial problems. Testimonials and miles long Clickbank statements show us how EASY it is to become WEALTHY online in just a few days or weeks...... The fact of the matter is that +95% of us never make the promised FORTUNES...

So what is wrong?
Are those products we buy so bad? not necessarily but the problem is you cannot copy and paste other peoples successes just like that. You may not have the experience, the network, the list or money which made them successful meaning we are starting on a total difference level and we may never reach their level OR it may take a lot longer to get there.

Is all bad?
No but don't let desperation dictate your next move. Continue learning, testing and networking with other people so you can exchange ideas and share your experience with others. If you like to invest in marketing eBooks first search Google for independent reviews of the product and NEVER expect to find "THE RED BUTTON" because you will not find it.

MAY 13th. 2009:

A brief update, sorry for not updating this lens for some time now.

My PyraBang earnings for the month of May are $44.95 so far. HitProfessional.com has produced only $20.00 this month so I really need to start promoting this site...
I now have more than 3,000 Twitter followers using three accounts targeting different interests I have.
You can read more about what I am doing below, please leave me comments I really do appreciate hearing from you.

APRIL 28th. 2009:

Now here is a great way to create a steady monthly income BUT it is not free so if you are on a very tight budget, this may not be for you.

You can operate your own Premium submission system. This service is for those that would like the opportunity to operate a high powered website offering the Internets most powerful commercial grade submission resources to the greater Internet Community.



I purchased my own Premium submission system about 5 months ago and I have made between $80 and $300 per month and that after promoting the website on a couple of traffice exchanges only. If you purchase your own Premium submission system and promote it heavily, it is possible to earn $1.000 per month and much more...

You Can Get The Details Here

APRIL 26th. 2009:

PyraBang is a system where information circulates based on MERIT alone. When you post information on their network you invest "bangs" in it. These bangs aquire allocation (ALC) which causes the circulation of your post on thousands of websites in their network. If another member thinks your post will have wide circulation they can even invest in it for a share of the profits!

I joined PyraBang about 2 months ago and decided to upgrade to Gold member which is $5.95/month. I now have 106 people in my group where 32 are Gold members and have earned well over $200.00:





May 7th's check: $104.00 (final figure as of May 1st. 2009).


One of the strategies I use is to spend a part of my earnings to giveaway 1 month Gold memberships away (only $1.95) to others. Gold members make a $12.00 bonus when someone they sponsored goes Gold and that have worked very well.

I have used traffic exchanges and contacted people I know, not investing in advertising and you can easily duplicate this strategy.

Visit PyraBang

APRIL 25th. 2009:

About 10 days ago I joined a fairly new traffic exchange named Bella`s ClickShack. As I joined Bella`s ClickShack they had started a referral contest. I know several people who are looking for website exposure so suggested they join Bella`s ClickShack. On April 22nd. the contest ended and I won the 1st. prize being $100.00.

Why am I telling you this? Because I won by simply referring 15 people who joined for free (!!) not much work involved in exchange for the $100.00 I received.

So look for traffic exchanges and other websites that are running referral contests where you can win cash. As above it often happens to be small new sites which is great because limited competition means that you do NOT always have to refer thounsands of people to win.

COST: $0.00 WORK INVOLVED: minimum REQUIRED: Its great if you have a list you can contact but its not required.

Many administrative professionals and others who wish to work at home offer their services online as a "Virtual Assistant". Virtual Assistants (also known as VA's) provide a wide range of traditional office services and more from a remote location instead of a traditional nine-to-five job. VA's can charge anywhere $10-$50 an hour for their services, depending on the services they offer

If you have a good general knowledge of office management or have a skill that business owners need, you can start a Virtual Assistant business without too much hassle. There are generally few start up costs and maintaining the business is quite simple.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

What Services Will You Offer? - It's important to know what services you can offer and how before you offer them. Are you a good typist? Do you feel comfortable speaking on the phone with others? Are you good at making event and travel arrangements for others? Do you have web development skills? These are some of the things that a Virtual Assistant does in the course of their working relationship with the clients that hire them.

Put Together Business Plan - Before you take the big step of starting a Virtual Assistance business, you will need to write a business plan that includes an overview of your business, marketing and financial plan. To help you put together your plan, decide what services to offer and more, pick up a copy of your Virtual Assistant Starter Pack"

Setting Up Your Home Office - Make sure you have a separate work area, free from background noise and where you keep your client information secure and organized. You'll want to have a good desk, a separate telephone line with answering machine and invest in a late model computer and other office machines including a scanner, copier and fax.

You'll also need to ensure you have all the software required to provide the services you've decided to offer. If you're starting on a budget, simply ensure that, at minimum, you have the supplies and tools you need to do the job well. You can always upgrade or get new equipment and software as you need it.

Marketing 101 -Along with getting business cards, letterhead and address labels professionally prepared, you should set up a website that will serve as your virtual office potential and current clients can visit. Add information about your services, contact information and testimonials once the work starts coming in. To get started, you might offer some service free to select business owners in return for feedback and to build your portfolio as a service business tends to really build through word of mouth.

With a good skill-set and a plan in place, just about anyone can set up a successful Virtual Assistant e business.

Recommended Additional Resource:

To get a full overview of what you need to start your Virtual Assistant business, how to set up your website, market your business and keep your clients, check out the Virtual Assistant Starter Pack". You'll learn from two professional VAs who share their success strategies, allowing you to cut your learning curve and get your business profitable much more quickly.