Products Versus Services Or Both?
Hey everyone, just wanted to get a quick post up about what’s been going on since I last posted. As you can see, it’s been over a month since my last post and it’s all due to me working my butt off online full time.
I’m trying to take what Alex Jeffreys has taught me and improve upon it each and every day. And now that I’ve seen exactly how to get money in my bank account, there’s no turning back.
Yeah I’m doing it just like a lot of you want to be doing but I want this to be more of a reality post than a get rich quick post because for me, it was a lot of work to get here and I’m just getting started.
Here are some stats for you just so you know. I made a total of a whopping $154 in April and then $252 in May. Then I made $389 in June and then in July made $1520. This is how I did it.
Up until April 13th I was going around to blogs and “giving” away free graphics work just to get my name out there and to communicate with other blog owners about making money online. I then made my first sale to Adam Spiel who needed some work for a Twitter background.
Now the whole time I was giving away graphics, my good friend Gary Simpson, aka GazzMan suggested that I make a website and start charging people for my services. The rest is history as I got that site up and continued to offer my services to anyone who needed help.
And all I did was add a payment button and a viral storm took off.
So do you notice a little difference in each of the numbers of earnings for each month? Thought so. Now I’m not bragging by any means because you see that the amounts aren’t staggering but guess what?
I made money online! Yes I sure did, and now have beaten that 95-99% who never make a nickel and end up quitting.
Also note that I had a full time job just until last month and now that I quit and am dedicated to working my online business, success just keeps on coming.
Now the whole purpose of this post is products versus services and I’ll be the first to tell you that most all of the money I’ve made is with providing online services. Making graphics for ecovers and minisites is what I do.
Now most of you won’t be able to sell services like what I have done but rather products that you create or promote as an affiliate. I have started offering graphics services and people have been flooding to me like crazy and guess what?
I love it cause I’m doing it at my pace and my name is spreading all over the internet like crazy. I’m making JV partnerships and friends all over the world and I know when the time comes for me to launch a product of my own, my fellow students and friends in the IM world will be there for me.
Now I know that I’ve been working one on one with people and that’s not a great use of leverage but while I provide a service to people, I sure will leverage my association with them when the time comes.
You can spend the time to make a product and sell it over and over again but until you create that product, there is no cash flow happening so for now my cash flow is service based. I know chasing money is the wrong way to go about making money online so I’ve let all of my services to others be viral based.
In other words, I don’t pay for advertising and I don’t pimp my business all over the place. I’ve been offering my help wherever I can and in turn, people come looking for me to do their work. Pretty neat eh?
In the future, there will be a happy medium. And as I’ve seen my earnings online increase, I have seen how I’ve done it and now know how to do it even faster and be more productive while doing it.
This is why I’ve posted my earnings above. I want you all to see that I’m no huge online guru but every bit of earnings I make is always made by adding just one more dollar and my list grows by just one more person.
So please realize that everything is done one by one. As soon as you learn and implement what you were taught, find ways to make it more productive for you and your business.
I pulled in around $3000 a month at my regular day job and I’ve just made half of that online in a short amount of time.
So whether you provide products or services or both, keep your eye on the ball and try to provide the best of whatever you decide to do because in the end, it’s your reputation.
Remember that the money is not in your product or service but it’s in you. Until next time…
1. August 2009 at 5:26 am
Great post Micheal…as you know im working a couple of things at the moment which you are helping with and will highly recommend your work.
thanks for the post
richard
2. August 2009 at 8:07 am
Hey Michael,
Why not just choose the get rich quick road? Oh that’s right, there is no such thing. It’s great to see you doing it the right way, one at a time, building a relationship with them and looking forward to much more in the future. You are building a solid base to ensure a long term income stream.
Bob
3. August 2009 at 10:42 pm
Great Post, Michael,
I agree that this takes a one at a time thing. You also need not to be afraid of failure as Alex put it so well. I hope to use your services in the future.
Gene
4. August 2009 at 9:21 pm
Hi Michael,
great post, your doing well, my goal is to work full time in internet marketing by January next year, 2010, but I’m starting right from the bottom, just starting to get some traffic now and a couple people on my mailing list, but I’ve come a long way in the last month through Alex Jeffrey’s course. I may be in contact with you in the future if I need your services.
All the Best
Michael Caporalini.
5. August 2009 at 5:28 am
Hi Mike,
Good read – your last post.
As we move along with the coaching by Alex Jeffreys, the learning becomes easier for me. Mostly because I visit blogs like yours where there is quite a lot for a newbie like me.
Have fun!
5. August 2009 at 7:30 am
Hey sweetie,
I’m still in raptures over the comment you left me at the MWA forum! What a way to brighten my day – thank you.
Anyway, thought I’d add a comment here as well – you said:
So – if I’m to read that correctly – I have to keep my eye on the ball regarding my reputation and the money is in me…which means the money is in my reputation.
Now – as you so superbly pointed out in the MWA Forum for me, you had the great pleasure of meeting me in Vegas (and escorting me around the place…) – what does my reputation tell you about how I should be making money online?!
Ok, so I was going to write a sensible reply for you but that just doesn’t seem to have happened.
Speak to you soon!
PMW
5. August 2009 at 1:58 pm
Every Business is a people business.
No matter what busines you’re in, your success depends on your ability to communicate with people…listen to people…atrract people…help people…sell to people…teach and train people…inspire people…share with people…and love people.
The internet is a powerful tool, but we must never lose sight of the fact that it’s still tool to enrich the lives of other people.
6. August 2009 at 10:10 am
Michael,
Great post… And by the way… every business was started first, by
providing a monetizable service to others.
First by providing others services for free to generate buzz and testimonials and
then for dollars to fill up your pockets.
Good on you.
Rob
6. August 2009 at 11:57 am
Hey Michael
When you have something to say you really have something to say. Very insightful, keep it going and power to the entrepreneur.
Hope you don’t get too busy, I am also working on a book, could be it will only turn out to be a report. Whatever it is, if I think it is marketable I’m gonna need some graphics, so wish me luck.
Again great post
Norm
7. August 2009 at 6:09 am
Hey Michael,
Great to hear you are doing so well.
What I am getting is that it is very much about your mindset that you bring into your Internet Marketing experiance.
If you start with a negative mindset, you will get negative results. Of course if you have a positive mindset (and you put the work in) you will get positive results.
Great work mate!
To your success,
Rob
9. August 2009 at 2:24 pm
Great post Michael
Can I commend the way you structure your post in short sentences with gaps making it easy on the eye.
Your approach of showing a willingness to do the ‘hard yards’ before worrying about the money aspects is the part that most marketers miss, as in any business you must put in place the building blocks to position yourself in the market place.
Sonmething for yours trully to keep in mind.
Pete
10. August 2009 at 12:24 pm
Michael
Great to hear of your success. You’ve done really well.
Staying positive and helping others first-spot on.
Regards
Mike
11. August 2009 at 8:55 pm
Hi again, Michael,
Just wanted to let you know I have made a new post to my blog. I gave you a link as well. Someday it might bring you a bit of business.
Gene
12. August 2009 at 4:43 am
Otto! Dude!
Well done. I can see the J curve happening for you there. Hmm, lemme predict your next month’s income. I’m just gonna do a little graph. Hang on…
… my very rough exponential graph tells me that you should make around $2,600 if things keep growing the way they have.
And… I have some $ for you coz I have sent you a mock up of my latest e-book cover. LOL!
All good stuff Mike. You do great work. Incidentally, if you don’t mind us knowing – what did you do before?
Gary Simpson
TEMPLE
12. August 2009 at 9:12 am
Hey Mike
Great post and great work you are doing for the community.
We all have to start somewhere and we always have to remember where we started from … having said that …I am on the same road as you…perhaps slightly lagging behind and slowly failing forward.
How are you doing Bro …?
Don’t answer that because I can see for myself …lol
You’re doing Awesome..!!
Hey Mike..I don’t think I’ve got a dog’s chance of winning this competition here with Alex…but I might have with one that Dean holland is running at the moment on the “Starting with marketing Academy”.
He’s running a “Traffic Tanks” competition and the winner will be whoever gets the most amount of traffic to their blog in the next 2 weeks…people leaving comments and stuff.
Now would it be “fair” if I was to get some traffic from the Guy’s on Alex’s class to come over to my blog and leave a comment…??
As you know I am also in Alex’s class as well as being in Dean’s … so would it be “Fair” if I got some help off you and the other guy’s.lol
Cheers Mike.!!
Malcolm.t.
13. August 2009 at 11:18 am
Hey guys,
I possibly can’t reply to all of your comments as I’ve been sooo busy working and running my business online.
I appreciate all of the positive comments and will do better on responding one on one as I always wanted to do.
The reason I posted my earnings was because I wanted people to come and see that most people don’t just make it overnight.
It takes a willingness to do what it takes which is actually work. After a while though it will build upon itself.
I like Gary’s assesment of my next months earnings. I will try to reach that goal by simply duplicating what works and find areas to cut down on that are not productive.
Before quitting my job, I was a food service delivery driver and spend every night going to fast food joints unloading thousands of cases of food.
I did that for over seven years and drove over the road for several years prior. The foodservice delivery job was secure but had taken a toll on my body and spirits.
So I decided to go for it with Alex Jeffrey’s coaching and once I met up with the fabulous students and Alex in Vegas, I never looked back.
I was so scared to quit but decided that making money online wasn’t the hard part, it was leaving my comfort zone.
Thanks to all of you who helped me to do it.
14. August 2009 at 5:18 pm
Hey Michael,
Great post, it’s inspiring to see what you have achieved, and I will surely consider your services in the future.
I look forward to working with you when the time comes,
Paul.
20. August 2009 at 1:49 am
Michael,
That is awesome! You did it! Congratulations! You did what most people never do online and I am happy for you.
I am a student of Dean Holland, and I have learned to build a blog and now I am adding content to it. I know, it’s probably child’s play to you, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. I’m happy with where I am at at this point in time, but guys like you motivate me to do better. Thank you for that.
Thanks again and congratulations,
Ed
21. August 2009 at 7:23 am
What a great post. I am a newbie on Alex Jeffreys course and it gives me hope that I may succeed if I keep pushing forward. Good looking graphics!
Barbara
7. September 2009 at 3:14 am
Hi I’m Trevor
Twiter ID: Trevor_T_Jones
I am a student of Alex Jeffreys I have been looking around at fellow students blogs and came across yours. Definitely one of the best. I felt I had to leave a comment because your blog is simply, so inspirational and informative, It has given me hope and ideas to better mine.
It is so clean and fresh looking. I am always worried I overdo it myself, to much content you know. Your blog is just right. I would appreciate if you would pass comment on mine just to confirm I haven’t overdone it. On my blog I am doing a theme on successful internet marketers. Really like to know what you think as I am pretty new to all this layout stuff. I hope one day that I can write about your internet success. Keep up the good work
Rgds Trevor
PS my blog http://www.trevjones.info
Hey maybe we could follow each other on twitter.
8. September 2009 at 3:00 pm
Hey Michael,
Firstly thank you for sharing your wonderful post with us, it’s great to hear another success story from students who were on the MWA 1.0 Course, plus to also that you hear that your are pulling the $$$ in with your wonderful design services.
Keep up the great work, I have quite a few ebooks/ websites planned over the next year which will be requiring your excellent design services.
Best Regards
Nigel
10. September 2009 at 11:33 am
Hey sweetie,
I thought I’d fly on over on the purple broomstick to see what’s going on over here….there is a *tiny* bit of self-promotion in this but it’s only because you did all the graphic design for me!
As you may have seen, my book on Social Networking Sites is now live and kicking, and I’ve had loads of great feedback on it so far. I just wanted you to know that I’ve put your superb graphics to good use & it’s out there circulating the world as we speak!
Catch up with you soon,
Nikki / PMW
17. September 2009 at 1:52 pm
Hi michael just wanted to pop by and say a big thankyou for designing my
blog header even it looks great ,I for one will be coming back as a very pleased customer , glad to see your making a success of it ,
thank you mick.
23. September 2009 at 8:47 pm
Hi Michael,
Great job on Nikki’s cover! You are good at providing everyone’s personal style!
Product + Service = You
~ Julie
29. September 2009 at 2:55 pm
Hey Mike!
It’s been a while since the last time we spoke, but it’s great to see what you’ve been up to.
You explained a lot of this to me on the multiple Skype conversations that we’ve had, and every single time it’s been extremely motivating.
I have yet to generate much of an income online, but I have implemented a plan of giving images and services out for free… and what do you know, people respond!
Thanks again for the helpful words; I could never get enough motivation to get out of my day job!
Talk soon,
Joe
17. October 2009 at 4:34 pm
Hi Michael,
I’ve heard about you from Rob Canyon, how well you’re doing.
Congratulations. It’s always great to hear success stories.
I wonder how much you charge for your services and if you have any discount for Alex Jeffreys students.
Before I go I’ll have a look around your blog to see if your biz website address can be found.
I don’t have any work for you yet but when i need an e-cover or anything you can do I’ll contact you.
Vance
20. November 2009 at 12:15 am
Good for you, Michael. It looks like a quick start to success. I wonder if you are still swamped doing graphics?
How do you decide what to charge?
Thanks
8. January 2010 at 8:22 am
Hi Michael
I can relate, I too have more ideas and things to do than time. So I’m trying to focus on getting just one thing working at a time. On paper I have time for it all, but then reality taps me on the shoulder and reminds me that life also happens.
Great that you’ve found your niche and doing so well at it.
You’ll be my first port of call for any of my graphics requirements.
Rock on and prosper!