I'm enjoying what I've read so far in this discussion.
I'm not earning anywhere near where I intend to earn, but I still haven't focused. I've been exploring and testing for the last couple of years to see how things work and what works for me.
I'm one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" type of fellas.
I got into online marketing when I decided to quit being a computer consultant. Every job I took required learning new skills and it was a rare job where I could leverage what I'd done on a previous job. I was starting all over every time.
When I quit, in 2000, I moved in an entirely different direction and went into full-time blacksmithing -- a tradition in our family that dates back more than 200 years. I have an interest in medieval knights and weapons, but, strangely, I earned more by making Steel Roses That Never Wilt (tm). I made my first one to give to my daughter as my Father's Day gift to her.
You can see them here, if you're interested:
http://TheRoseThatNeverWilts.com
I was doing well and had a backlog of orders from around the country when my Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002. What was supposed to be a six day stay in the hospital following her surgery turned into a 7 week stay because she suffered nerve damage during the surgery and could not walk afterwards. I made the decision to bring her back home and be her full-time caretaker. I also had to close my blacksmithing business.
Because of this, I had to learn how to make a living while staying in the house almost all the time. I'd done some affiliate marketing through Amazon.com to earn some extra spending money, but I needed to earn more than pocket change.
I've been studying affiliate marketing for about three years and I'm earning more in a month now than I did in my first year, and it's still growing.
But, I could still earn a lot more as a computer consultant, but it isn't worth the extra income for Mom to have to go to a nursing home. That's unacceptable.
So, I work from one room where I can hear her call me from the adjoining room.
I earn 100% of my income now from affiliate marketing and it's nice to earn even if I'm not working.
As a consultant or a blacksmith -- selling both services and products -- my income was limited to the number of hours I could work productively in a given time. If I was sleeping, goofing off, or sick, no income.
That limitation does not apply to affiliate marketing. As long as my sites are active and people are visiting, I'm earning a living. Now that I feel like I know what I'm doing, I'll be focusing more and building more niche sites.
I don't think someone can earn a large income in three months unless they have the money to drive a lot of traffic to their sites through paid advertising. And, even then, they won't earn much if their site doesn't convert well.
One thing to remember, $40K is not always $40K. Are we talking gross or net? There's a big difference between two people earning $40K if one is paying $1K for advertising and other overhead expenses and the other is paying $35K. It's the profit that counts, not the gross.
Some of the people who claim large incomes also have large expenses, so that has to be taken into account. Me working in my bedroom is different from someone else who has a staff of people helping and a large advertising budget.
To a person who is used to earning a salary, $40K may sound like a lot of money, but it is on the lower end of the scale for businesses, even for small-small-businesses.
I'm not earning what I want to earn, but I'm earning what I need to earn and I know what I'm going to do to increase my revenue over the next two years.
Affiliate marketing, in my opinion, is not a way to earn a fast income, but it is an excellent way to build a growing income over several years is one is willing to do the work and invest the money necessary to do so.
It takes at least $100K to open the smallest of brick-and-mortar businesses, but one can start an online affiliate marketing business for only one or two percent of that.
I started on a virtual shoestring because I'd depleted my savings before I got to the point where I had to "hunker down" and get some money flowing in. I started with a free hosting site and reinvested every penny I could while I learned what I was doing.
Now, after laying the groundwork, and building an infrastructure, I'm ready to get serious about building my marketing business.
How much am I earning? That's something only my accountant and the IRS will know for sure. I'm earning enough to do what I want to do for now, but I'm going to have to bring in a lot more before I can build my castle.
It's the first million that's the hardest -- or so they say.
I've found that it is the first thousand that's the hardest.
I'm looking forward to reading what others have to say about this.
All the best,
JD