Once you hit it big questions....

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ItsYoBuddy

ItsYoBuddy

Rise And Grind!
Apr 6, 2008
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So you are a super affiliate now. Even if you aren't and you are pushing good numbers. This is what you do for a living. When people ask you, "What do you do for a living?"; "How do you make all this money?". What would you say? A serious answer, not a smart ass answer. How would you describe your profession? Would you say affiliate marketer? If you do, you would have to go into a lot of details I suppose, so they can understand.


My next question is mainly for people that do this for a living. What do you do for insurance since you don't really work for a company with benefits. Do you buy your own? Who do you use? How expensive is it? Do you get rejected a lot? I'm not sure how the whole insurance things works because I've always worked for a company that gave me the benefits.

Thanks
 


If you plan on doing this for any length of time, you will need to be OK with the idea that no matter how much you try to explain it, most people are still going to think that you just sit around playing on the computer.

If they really get on your nerves about it, show them some source code and the questions usually stop.
 
I'm no super affiliate, but I tell them I sell products online.

I've always wondered about the insurance thing...but not only that; taxes, and other stuff that usually comes from a 9-5.
 
When you tell them you "sell products online", inevitably the next question will be "I have a cousin/dad/uncle/aunt that has these cookies/baseball cards/stupid idea that he/she wants to sell online. Maybe we could work together?"
 
I tell them that I have porn sites. Honestly, I do. Its a half truth, and it always helps getting rid of them.

I don't know where you live, but you can get a private insurance everywhere. For rates ask an insurance company, not a webmaster forum.
 
lol you don't need to have a job to get health insurance, you just need dough. Tell them you own a startup.
 
Internet Marketer although the majority of my money comes from a web designer/webmaster.

As for insurance you go about getting it the same way as any other self-employed person. No different then if you owned a brick and mortar store.
 
internet marketing is now becoming a common term, although many of them do some other works because depending only on internet marketing may not fullfill many's livilihood.
 
cant edit the above post, but you could always say "I work with computers". Simple, effective, common term, you won't get quizzed over anything.

Insurance is something I also forgot to add. Erm.. well I have nothing to add.. just listen to the people above.
 
I just tell them I sell other peoples products online.

For insurance, I have Anthem and I pay about $800 a month for full family + dental benefits that I got on my own. When I was working full time I was paying about 500 a month anyways and didn't have dental.. so it wasn't a huge jump.

No matter what you tell people you do ( i have said everything ), they will ask questions about it, especially if they suspect you making some good coin at it.
 
ItsYoBuddy said:
My next question is mainly for people that do this for a living. What do you do for insurance since you don't really work for a company with benefits. Do you buy your own? Who do you use? How expensive is it? Do you get rejected a lot? I'm not sure how the whole insurance things works because I've always worked for a company that gave me the benefits.
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Just talked to my accountant today and he recommended a HSA through BCBS. Apparently, it's like $120-150/month, $1200 deductible, and you obviously contribute monthly or whatever to the HSA.
 
I still get uneasy when I have bed hair at 11 in the morning; and my relatives come. Try to explain what you were doing on the computer all morning. Mother in law still thinks you have to have 8-5 and/or carry heavy shit around all day. What I do inst a job. But my 1099 was over 6fig last year. I work more hours then most people, but they wont get it. I have a couple local online businesses and work a couple adsense niches. It a mystery to most people.

For insurance Try Costco they cover my state not sure about yours.
Costco SERVICES Small Business Health Insurance (active page)
 
Rusky said:
I still get uneasy when I have bed hair at 11 in the morning; and my relatives come. Try to explain what you were doing on the computer all morning. Mother in law still thinks you have to have 8-5 and/or carry heavy shit around all day. What I do inst a job. But my 1099 was over 6fig last year. I work more hours then most people, but they wont get it. I have a couple local online businesses and work a couple adsense niches. It a mystery to most people.

For insurance Try Costco they cover my state not sure about yours.
Costco SERVICES Small Business Health Insurance (active page)
Click to expand...

If your going to be in business for yourself especially this business you are always going to have people look down on you and not really understand what it is that you are doing. Its really a waste of time to care what they think and could potentially be harmful to your relationship if you try and argue with them. At the end of the day people are going to believe what they're going to believe and it is extremely hard to change someone's ideals. I know some people in my extended family didn't understand what I did and one in particular was convinced that I was doing something illegal. They were convinced enough to confront me about it and berate me with questions. Needless to say I set them straight. To make a long story short don't send a copy of your bank statement's and Tax returns to a relative; the phone call I received from my Mom wasn't very pleasant and you end up (sarcastically apologizing in my case.) Needless to say they know what I do and surprisingly treat me well.
 
WTF is it with this "what do you do for a living" malarky?
Why does it matter?

There are only three reasons people ask "what do you do for a living":

1. To work out where you are in the "social hiearchy"

2. Because they can't think of a more interesting way to start a conversation

3. To work out if they can do business with you

I have no time for people who ask for reason 1., sympathy for people who ask for reason 2, and reason 3 quite often results in a sales opportunity.

Here are my answers:

1. "Oh... you mean a job? No, I don't have to worry about things like that. I own a few businesses that pay the bills for me, so I do whatever I feel like." Or I tell them I'm an organic cow slaughterman, but it's more of a hobby than a job. If they ask questions after that, I make up some gruesome details about killing cows in an environmentally friendly fashion. This works well with vegetarians.


2. I'm working on a top secret project to breed giant cats with opposable thumbs. Do you think they'd look better with yellow or pink fur?

3. I help business owners who are frustrated that they can't get enough leads or enquiries. Out of interest, how much are 5 new clients worth to you?


PS - Have just realised. This may be a reason why my mother-in-law doesn't like or approve of me. "He's not one of our sort", she told my wife recently. Mind you, I suspect that's probably one of the reasons my wife married me.
 
amateursurgeon said:
WTF is it with this "what do you do for a living" malarky?
Why does it matter?

There are only three reasons people ask "what do you do for a living":

1. To work out where you are in the "social hiearchy"

2. Because they can't think of a more interesting way to start a conversation

3. To work out if they can do business with you

I have no time for people who ask for reason 1., sympathy for people who ask for reason 2, and reason 3 quite often results in a sales opportunity.

Here are my answers:

1. "Oh... you mean a job? No, I don't have to worry about things like that. I own a few businesses that pay the bills for me, so I do whatever I feel like." Or I tell them I'm an organic cow slaughterman, but it's more of a hobby than a job. If they ask questions after that, I make up some gruesome details about killing cows in an environmentally friendly fashion. This works well with vegetarians.


2. I'm working on a top secret project to breed giant cats with opposable thumbs. Do you think they'd look better with yellow or pink fur?

3. I help business owners who are frustrated that they can't get enough leads or enquiries. Out of interest, how much are 5 new clients worth to you?


PS - Have just realised. This may be a reason why my mother-in-law doesn't like or approve of me. "He's not one of our sort", she told my wife recently. Mind you, I suspect that's probably one of the reasons my wife married me.
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+rep for this. yeah, I guess my "I sell products online" does require further investigation from most people. "Internet Marketer" sounds better and will probably usually shut someone up.
 
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