When you make a living as an online entrepreneur , many people just won’t get it. Some of them will think you’re nothing more than a spammer just because you make your money on the Internet.
You need to be aware of these types of people. One problem is that some of them may even be close friends and family members who are simply ignorant about the various marketing uses for the Internet.
Try highlighting the fact that although many people make money online, the amount of spammers is actually very small; it is just unfortunate that they can be so very disruptive!
When you are explaining the workings of email marketing it is also important to let your detractors know that every single person you send email to has signed up specifically to your newsletter, and clicked a link to confirm that they really want to be on your list.
Isn’t this just like signing up for a newspaper delivery or a magazine subscription? Of course it is! People sign up to your newsletter because you are providing them with valuable information, not just advertising.
If you are a self published author and sell eBooks online, tell them that it’s a bit like being a book publisher, but all of the books you publish are in digital format. You can also explain that instead of paying thousands of dollars to get the books printed, bound and shipped, you can eliminate those costs by selling all of your books as downloadable products and pass on these savings to your readers so they get a great book at a great price!
If people still don’t understand, you could even show them what an eBook is by letting them view one on your computer, although that is highly unlikely nowadays with the increasing popularity of eBook readers such as Amazon Kindle.
If you tend to work as an affiliate marketer, you can tell people you’re in advertising. Tell them that you run a website (or websites) and you place advertising on that website. Every time someone clicks an ad and purchases something, you receive a commission. If you make the majority of your money through AdSense or selling advertising space on your sites, you can simply tell people that you place advertisements on your websites, and you charge advertisers for that ad space.
Why not show them some of your sites or blogs to illustrate the point? You may feel more comfortable just telling people that you design websites rather than showing them, especially if you are not a graphic designer or creative type. But if you’re a decent website builder/designer you may actually impress them and then you may get people asking you to make a site for them!!
You also need to understand that some people will just never get what you do. All you can do is explain it the best way you can, and if it doesn’t work, accept it. If the in-laws or your spouse are nagging you because your money isn’t yet streaming in, and you feel pressured, put together a simple presentation that answers all of their questions and puts their minds at ease. Better still, get them involved; make it a family business and their passion for this glorious online lifestyle may blossom too.