Oberlo MakeMoneyFromHome PDF
Oberlo MakeMoneyFromHome PDF
Oberlo MakeMoneyFromHome PDF
There’s no set definition for what ‘the dream’ actually is, or how to live it. But most
of us can agree that it involves minimal stress and maximum happiness.
As we zoom through the 21st century and the internet takes over virtually every
aspect of our lives, more and more people are recognizing their dream as the
ability to have a fulfilling career without having to deal with the 9-to-5 grind or
answering to the needy shrieks of a boss.
And so, more and more people are looking to make money from home. To be their
own boss from the comfort of their living room. Pants optional.
The numbers support this theory. From 2005 to 2018, there’s been a 115% increase
in the number of people who do at least half their work from home.
Of the people who do freelance and remote work, 90% plan to do it the rest of their
career, and a whopping 94% recommend it to others.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 6
Source
What many may not realize is that there are literally hundreds – even thousands
– of opportunities to start an online business from home. What was once a far-
away dream is now a very tangible, very reasonable reality.
That’s where I come in. In this ebook, I’ll show you all the basics of how to make
money from home.
While I can’t say I know what ‘living the dream’ means to you specifically, I have this
crazy feeling that it might involve learning how to make money from home.
For example, did you know that you can make money from home online as
a translator if you speak more than one language?
Or that you can use your brainy math skills to be a freelance accountant?
Or that you can make your own online courses to teach others your
awesome creative talents, like painting or playing piano?
Once you have a business idea you like, it’s critical that you take a good look at your
resources, lifestyle, and unique situation to make sure that it’s the right fit for you.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 8
Product-Based Business
Is there a tangible item that’s being sold to your customer? Then you’ve got a
product-based business.
In the most common types of product-based online business from home, business
owners operate through an ecommerce store via a platform like Shopify. Having a
storefront is a streamlined and simplified way to get your items into the hands of
customers.
Source
That said, there are plenty of other options to think about when considering how to
make money from home.
Business owners might also choose sell their goods using online marketplaces like
Amazon, eBay, and Etsy (and many others that we’ll talk about in Chapter 2).
Additionally, you can sell items on popular social media platforms, like Facebook’s
Marketplace and Instagram.
These third-party options are better for those who want to start
an online business from home but don’t wish to manage a full
store – perhaps they don’t have any tech expertise or resources,
or they have a limited number of items to sell.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 10
dzdz Online courses
dzdz Software or web-based applications
dzdz Themes and templates
dzdz Training courses or webinars
dzdz Music and audio clips
dzdz Content like white papers, ebooks, or research
dzdz Videos and photographs
dzdz Creative items like recipes or DIY printable craft patterns
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 11
There are plenty of examples of people who’ve found success with a product-
based business.
Here are a few personalities you might find. (I think you’ll catch pretty quickly that
these are fictional examples.)
Service-Based Business
When choosing how to make money from home, services can range from writing
resumes to walking your neighbor’s dog – which brings the important distinction
that starting a business from home isn’t always strictly online.
So this will tie into your big decision of weighing out your skills
and resources, and whether it’s worth it to start a business that
requires you to leave the house to perform your services.
(I know what you’re thinking… yes, this usually means you’ll have to put on pants.)
As you learn how to run a service-based business, you can choose to have your
own branded website or operate through a third-party website that connects
providers and customers.
Third-party websites for freelancers and other service providers include Upwork,
Freelancer, 99designs, and several others that we’ll discuss in Chapter 4.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 13
Some of these websites also provide protection to make sure that you get paid for
your services, which can be harder when you’re doing everything yourself.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 14
You didn’t think we’d move on without giving you some service-based business
examples, did you?
Some new entrepreneurs are so eager to get started that they completely bypass
this step of really examining the details to make sure it’s a good fit.
Here are some questions to ask yourself while considering how to start your home
business:
dzdz How much money and resources can I invest in building the business’s
infrastructure or buying supplies?
dzdz Can/should I look for funding to get off the ground as I master how to
make money from home?
dzdz How much risk can I afford to take when it comes to investing my time,
money, and resources?
These questions might help you brainstorm ideas for how to make money at home.
As you read through them, make notes on how to start a home business that suits
your individual needs and abilities.
But in virtually any case, you’ll need to work out logistics like a
business plan, finances, services and contracts, assembling a
team (if needed), and the like.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 17
Source
But there are more basic decisions to make when you’re in the initial brainstorming
phase.
For example, a service-based business can’t function unless you’re spending your
time on providing that service. That means that your income is limited to how much
time you have to work.
Whereas if you run a dropshipping ecommerce business, you can make money
from home online whenever someone buys something. Even if they buy at 3 a.m.
when you’re snoozing away.
This is not the case if you’re a travel planner: your client’s vacation won’t plan itself
while you’re sleeping!
(Of course, if your service-based business grows large enough for you to hire
employees, this is a different story. But we’re working on the assumption that for
now, you’ll be starting out solo as you learn the basics of how to make money from
home with your new business.)
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 18
While there are plenty of ways to make profits without investing money, you’ll
obviously need to devote some time and effort.
This ties into the next section, where we discuss scams that promise a huge payoff
with little or no effort. Spoiler alert: This is usually not the case.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 19
When you move into the product side of how to make money from
home, you may need to invest in overhead costs like purchasing items
or software. But even in these cases, it can involve relatively little
investment.
In the service side of things, it’s made much simpler when you’re going through
a third party site that helps connect people and relevant jobs. For example, with
freelance sites like Fiverr and PeoplePerHour, all you need to do is sign up for your
account, build out a profile, and start applying for jobs.
If you’re flying solo without the help of a third party site, figuring
out how to make money from home will play out a bit differently.
You might choose to start with friends or family as your first
clients, or build a business through word-of-mouth.
On the product side of things, you’ll need items to sell. And you’ll need to make
sure they’re getting to customers efficiently.
This means you might need to purchase from a supplier if you’re not making the
items yourself. You might also need a tool to help simplify and automate the whole
process, from order to delivery.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 20
Paul Lee,
Dropshipping Entrepreneur
A common mistake when learning how to make money from home is the belief that
once you’re rolling, the business will build itself.
It’s critical that you have a plan in place to help get exposure
for your business.
This is where the costs can really rack up. But the good news is that you don’t
have to spend thousands on marketing. There are plenty of things you can do by
yourself, with no financial cost.
For example, social media has made word-of-mouth marketing easier than ever.
And you’ll be surprised how much business you can generate with some top-quality
marketing content like blogs, infographics, webinars, and podcasts.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 22
Source
Let’s go over some of the warning signs that an online opportunity might be a big
fat scam.
The general rule of thumb is to be very weary of an opportunity that requires you to
pay before you can get started. This is one million times truer when they ask you to
wire them money through a company like Western Union.
There are, of course, some exceptions to this. For example, a website like Care.
com might ask you to pay for a membership that gives you access to premium job
listings or profile options. This in turn opens your options for how to make money
from home as a home-based caregiver.
Perfectly legit.
1. Starting a Home-Based Business 24
dzdz Asking you for personal information, like your social security, driver’s
license, credit card, or checking account numbers
dzdz One-time fees that don’t seem to offer any logic or function, or they ask
you to pay for training, a credit report, etc.
dzdz Getting a job immediately after you apply, with barely any interviewing
or screening
dzdz The ‘bait-and-switch’, where they tell you that the job you applied for
doesn’t exist, but then they offer you something completely different
Chapter 1 Takeaways
dzdz Generally speaking, your options for starting a business from home are
to choose a product-based business selling physical items, or service-
based business selling your skills or talents.
dzdz If you’re applying for positions or gigs online, keep your guard up.
Pay attention to details, do your research on the company, don’t fall
for unrealistic offers, and never give them any money or personal info
without fully investigating.
2. Making Money Online 29
We’ve looked at the two main types of home-based businesses (product-based and
service-based). We’ve also planted the seeds to get your hamster wheel turning
about which business to choose for making money online.
Now that you’ve got an introduction to how other people make money from home,
we can get to the juicy part.
Making money online is easier - and more fun - when you choose the right idea for
your business. There are a number of ways to earn money online, but which kind of
business suits you best?
I can’t stress enough how important it is to think hard about all of your ideas and
whether they’re a good fit for you in the long run.
Of course, we can’t all be millionaires from our favorite hobby. But picking an online
business is about balance: you have to balance what you’re good at with what you
actually enjoy doing. Otherwise it’s just another recipe for a job you dread every
morning when your alarm goes off.
So, let’s think about how your talents, skills and interests can help you earn money
online with your new business.
Do you have a gorgeous garden? Maybe you can start a gardening blog or
how-to YouTube channel.
Are you obsessed with making salt water taffy? Consider a home-based
candy business.
Is creative writing one of your top pastimes? Try ghostwriting for book authors.
2. Making Money Online 30
For some people, going after their hobby or passion will be the easiest way to earn
money online. However, it’s not that easy for all of us.
It’s important that you focus on just one opportunity – at least for now. If you try
to do too many things at once, it just gets harder. The easiest way to earn money
online is to devote your time and resources to one idea, rather than spreading
yourself thin.
First, you’ll need to meet the goals you’ve set for the first idea
(which we’ll talk more about in this chapter). Then, once you see
real success, you can think about expanding into other ways to
make money online.
Now that you have an idea of what each will be like, let’s talk about setting the
stage in terms of your attitude.
2. Making Money Online 33
An Entrepreneur’s Mindset
It’s easy to get sucked into the false promises of making thousands overnight. But
the reality is that most new business owners make a lot of sacrifices as they face a
lot of obstacles.
Constant challenges like these are why an entrepreneur’s mindset is – and must
be – a lot different than a consumer’s mindset. In the consumer’s mind, money
is traded for stuff. In the entrepreneur’s mind, money (as well as time and other
resources) is traded for assets.
Source
These can come as nights spent lying in bed, stressing over your website
unexpectedly crashing. Or having to miss your child’s soccer playoff or dance
recital. Or asking yourself if the payoff later will really be worth all the work you’re
putting in now.
You’ll also need to be resourceful. Network. Talk to people. Pick their brains.
Scrounge the internet for resources for entrepreneurs. Read books and articles
about your ideas. Listen to podcasts and interviews. Take notes from what you see
other people doing right or wrong.
Take a look at our article on 13 habits of successful entrepreneurs for more insight.
Ones that are popular while still making profit outside of your overhead and
operation costs.
dzdz Industry growth
Source
Let’s discuss some different product types and how you can choose a good idea as
you explore what can earn money online.
2. Making Money Online 37
The first question to ask: will you go for a commoditized or niche product?
Think of the kinds of bulk manufactured stuff you’d find in big retailers and
online shops. They might be made by big brands like Nestle, Pfizer, Kraft
Foods, and L’Oreal.
The kinds of stuff you’d find at a Sunday farmer’s market or an Etsy store. You
know, made with love instead of a manufacturing plant.
If you make your own niche products and you want to earn money
online by selling them, then this will be an easy decision for you. You
can skip ahead to Chapter 3, where we’ll talk about how to sell your
products from home.
But if you want to start a dropshipping business or some other kind of ecommerce
store, you have more things to consider.
How do you choose products that are hot right now, but will still be strong in the
long run?
2. Making Money Online 38
When looking for ways to earn money online via selling products, there are some
steps to follow for thorough research.
PRO TIP
As you’re going through the steps, write your answers and ideas down
in a notebook or spreadsheet file. Trust me – you’ll be glad you did.
1. Do Some Brainstorming
When deciding what to sell online, ask yourself brainstorming questions like:
dzdz What hobbies do I have, and what products are needed to support that
hobby?
dzdz What kinds of products do I think are cool, but I don’t have the lifestyle
to justify supporting them?
dzdz Do I want to sell items like these, that I’d want to buy myself? Or
do I want to sell items that I know people will buy, regardless of my
personal preferences?
2. Making Money Online 39
At the end of the day, these are the most important questions (so the answers
should be yes!):
Take a peek at what the internet has to say about your initial ideas and how they
stack up against trending products. Go to other online stores and look closely at
their best sellers, promotions, and daily deals.
For example:
When something piques your interest, add it to your list. And check back frequently,
as most of these sites update hourly or daily.
In addition to other online stores, check out social media channels like:
dzdz Wanelo
dzdz Fancy
dzdz ShopLook
dzdz Pinterest
dzdz Instagram
2. Making Money Online 41
Google Trends allows you to see how popular a search term is over a specific
timeframe you want to look at. This can help you validate your idea.
When choosing products to sell based on trend, you can choose from:
Products that have steadily been on the rise, maybe over several years. This
shows increasing demand, but might mean that you have a lot of competition from
other entrepreneurs who want to make money off that item too.
Products that have seen a sharp, recent increase in demand. You can capitalize
off these new hot trends by being among the first in the market. But be careful:
these can go out of style just as fast. If you don’t have a flexible business model,
this can mean disaster.
2. Making Money Online 42
Products that have had a steady line of popularity for a while. These are ‘safer’
products as customer demand seems stable. This might equate to good sales
for you. However, the market might already be saturated with sellers and extra
competition.
2. Making Money Online 43
Products that are declining in popularity. It might seem obvious that you shouldn’t
try to sell anything that’s declining. But in some cases, you could benefit from
being the last seller standing. In this scenario, buyers will turn to you because it’s
so difficult to find the product elsewhere. So, capitalizing on a fading trend could
ultimately help you earn more money online.
2. Making Money Online 44
Some entrepreneurs might tell you to stay away from fad items. Some might tell
you to stay away from items that are declining in popularity.
It will take some consideration and careful attention to detail when deciding how to
make money online with your business. Each option has its special set of pros and
cons that must be weighed.
But in general, there are a few things you should really stay away from.
dzdz Copyrighted
dzdz Restricted
dzdz Banned
dzdz Highly regulated
What’s popular today may not be popular tomorrow. You don’t want to set up a
business that will just blow over in a few months.
This is what happens to business owners who start their business too soon after
they ask the initial question, “How can I make money online?”
If you’re serious about making real money online, put a lot of thought and time into
your business idea. Take the time to really explore what’s practical and realistic.
For more tips, check out our resource on finding the right products.
We’ll also go more in-depth into other tools like Oberlo in Chapter 3,
so stay tuned.
2. Making Money Online 46
It’s also different because offering a service means that you’re not going to earn
money online unless you’re actively performing that service.
With that said, you should be looking for services based on a Venn diagram model
of three intersecting traits:
Source
Ideally, you’ll be able to choose a unique service business idea that fits all three.
But you should aim for two at the least.
Here are some steps you can follow when you’re learning how to choose a service
niche to earn money online.
PRO TIP
To identify your interests, hobbies, and passions, ask yourself questions like:
dzdz Are there any work projects where I go above and beyond, just
because I want to?
dzdz What has always seemed fun and interesting, but I never had the time
or resources to learn more about it?
dzdz Which work tasks are easiest to me, which others might struggle with?
dzdz What skills have I learned quickly without needing to put in too much
time or effort?
dzdz Going back to my academic days, which subjects was I always good at?
Which classes did I enjoy most?
Now, you can use these as more ammo to answer the question, “How can I make
money online?”
2. Making Money Online 50
In many cases, clients aren’t necessarily looking for ‘a digital marketer’. Instead,
they’re asking, “Who can manage my company’s social media pages?”
Take your skills and interests and apply them to specific, actionable services that
clients need. This way, you’re in a much better position to beat your competition
and start earning some money online.
dzdz Searching freelance job post websites like Upwork and Fiverr for
related listings.
2. Making Money Online 51
The Google AdWords Keyword Planner can help you see two main things:
Ideally, your service idea will have at least 1,000 monthly searches and low
competition. And once you input a keyword idea, Google will also recommend
some similar ones for more ideas.
2. Making Money Online 52
Say you love surfing and want to start an instructional YouTube channel or blog for
beginners.
You can see that keywords for learning how to surf fit snugly into this range. So this
keyword has passed the keyword test for a viable service!
See what other service providers are doing in this realm. This will help you get an
idea of what it will take if you decide to earn online by providing a service in this
niche.
Type in your search term and see what the top-ranking websites are saying.
2. Making Money Online 53
Take a look at the videos and articles that are coming up, as well as how many
search results you see.
To build off the surfing example, we can see videos discussing things like:
This will give you more ideas of what you’d be up against if you tried to join this
niche.
2. Making Money Online 54
Say you have a more technical interest or hobby, but you’re not confident that your
ability will help you earn any money online. Don’t fret – there are loads of online
courses and programs that you can take to build up your skills.
Here are some awesome educational resources to help you improve your skills and
earn from them:
dzdz Coursera dzdz edX
dzdz Udemy dzdz Tuts+
dzdz Lynda dzdz Udacity
The cost of these resources depend on what you’re looking for. Some of them are
free, and prices go up depending on the website and how in-depth you want to
learn.
Some websites allow you to buy individual courses, while some have an all-access
membership where you can pay a monthly fee to access all courses.
But, in order to earn money online, you need to prioritize marketing. Without a
marketing strategy of some kind, it will be incredibly difficult.
The good news is that you have several low-cost marketing techniques available at
your disposal. (And you don’t need to hire an agency to start out.)
2. Making Money Online 56
You’re probably present in at least one forum and social media group (perhaps a
Facebook group), right?
Most forums and social media groups are free to join and have a simple process for
profile registration.
From the thousands of groups out there, only a handful are useful to each business
owner, so it’s critical to select wisely.
From your home page on Facebook or LinkedIn, type keywords related to your
profession or industry into the Search bar. Once the search window opens, be sure
to choose the ‘Groups’ tab to filter the results.
2. Making Money Online 57
For example, you’d get the following results if you search for ‘freelance writing’.
Look for mid-sized to large groups – at least a few thousand people – so that you
can introduce your business to a sizable audience.
2. Making Money Online 58
Use Google
This is easy. Write the name of your niche/industry in Google followed by one of the
following keywords:
dzdz forum
dzdz forums
dzdz group
dzdz groups
The search engine will present you with a list of forums and social media groups
specific to the nature of your business. In addition, you might come across curated
lists compiled by influencers or authoritative blogs.
For example, if you’re in the business of selling drones, you can search for ‘best
drone forums’ or ‘top drone forums’.
2. Making Money Online 59
See the activity on the forum or group you wish to join, register a profile using your
business name, and start promoting your services and products.
dzdz Facebook groups
dzdz LinkedIn groups
dzdz Quora
dzdz Warriorforum
Once you’ve joined the ideal forums and groups, follow these tips to market your
business:
dzdz Check the rules. Make sure you know what is and isn’t kosher.
This might seem pretty obvious, but an online portfolio or ecommerce site is
essential if you want to earn good money on the Internet.
If you lack the resources to pull off a well-designed portfolio, consider signing up
for a service like Carbonmade or Behance.
To create an online store, consider using Shopify. It’s packed with a host of features
that allow entrepreneurs of all backgrounds to sell products online from home.
dzdz Easy-to-read content
dzdz Beautiful images
dzdz Clean design
dzdz Excellent usability
On-site SEO includes tasks like internal linking, adding keywords to your title,
updating your meta description, using visuals like videos and images, and updating
your content for freshness.
Off-site SEO includes activities like link building, social optimization and outreach.
A website owner reaches out to other sites of (ideally) a higher authority to link to
his/her site.
2. Making Money Online 62
If you can get these factors to work together, you can obviously improve your
website’s rank in Google. Better rankings mean more people will come across
your service or product as they browse the internet. That’s one of the most cost-
friendly ways to earn money online.
While SEO is important, remember: it’s not a cure-all, but rather another awesome
tool for your toolbox.
As a store owner or freelancer, you can spend some of your free time sending cold
emails. To send them, all you need are the email addresses of:
1. Use Google
These days, email addresses of influencers and potential employers can be found
on the internet. All you have to do is write an influencer’s or recruiter’s name on
Google, followed by one of the following key phrases:
dzdz ‘contact information’
dzdz ‘email address’
Test it yourself. Let’s assume you’re a freelance writer and you want a shout out
from Carol Tice, who is a pretty big name in the freelance writing industry.
You can search for her email by writing ‘Carol Tice contact information’ or ‘Carol
Tice email address’ in Google.
2. Making Money Online 64
2. Use LinkedIn
Even with the free version of LinkedIn, you can often message prospects without
being their connection. If you want to know their email, check out their LinkedIn
profile. Most of the time, their profile description will include their email ID.
Out of all email discovery tools, I recommend using Clearbit Connect to find an
individual’s email address. Having tested it a number of times, I find it quite useful.
You can send about 30 to 50 emails a day. It’s a marketing technique that doesn’t
disrupt your routine, plus it’s free of charge. All you need is a single positive
response to start earning money online.
If you aren’t sure what to say, read this blog post by Carol Tice. She has some great
advice on how to craft touch-base emails.
2. Making Money Online 65
Chapter 2 Takeaways
dzdz First things first: choose the kind of business you want to start based
on your lifestyle, resources, capabilities, skills, and interests. Make sure
your head is on straight and that you’re mentally prepared for all the
hard work that comes with earning online.
If you’re leaning toward selling physical or digital products from home, this is your
chapter.
Maybe you think that none of your hobbies are worth trying to monetize for a
service-based business. Maybe you want to sell your own belongings or arts and
crafts projects. Maybe you decided that by learning how to sell products from
home, you’ll have more flexibility and freedom in the long run.
In any event, selling products online from home can be a great way to build a
steady, profitable business for the future.
Depending on which option you choose, there are some things to consider for
each. For example, you’ll want to get familiar with the different mediums and
channels that you can use to sell successfully.
Who knows, maybe your social media skills can translate into a killer business
that makes most of its sales on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Or maybe
your best option is to go the traditional route, building an online storefront and
managing your own inventory.
But picture if you could have someone handle all your logistics, and pay your
inventory invoices upfront on thousands of items.
It wouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket. And you could stop fretting over packaging,
stock-outs, and shipping.
Dropshipping is where you find products to sell from home and take orders. Your
supplier then ships the items directly to your customer.
For the business owner, this is a hands-off process. The merchant doesn’t have to
purchase inventory or manage shipments. Instead, the third party supplier handles
fulfillment itself.
Since dropshipping doesn’t involve many commitments, selling items from home
involves minimal hassle. (More playtime with the kids!)
3. How to Sell Products from Home 69
dzdz Your dropshipping supplier finds the item, packages it, and adds an
invoice with your name. The product is then shipped to the customer.
This section will show you how to sell products from home through dropshipping. It
will lay out all the steps you need to take to get started.
You’ll learn how to create an online store and import products into it. I’ll also guide
you through the process of choosing a dropshipping supplier. In addition, you’ll get
a clear blueprint detailing how to generate traffic for your store.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 70
In the past, you had to buy a server, install ecommerce software, hire someone to
code, and pay for maintenance. It was time-consuming, costly, and the outcome
was a clunky and ineffective store.
With Shopify, you can establish an online storefront in a few clicks. Once
you do, you’re only responsible for its appearance and functionality. The server
configuration and maintenance is taken care of by the vendor.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 71
Visit Shopify’s website, select ‘Start your free trial’, enter a name for your store, and
choose ‘Create your store’.
Your store will always remain a work in progress. You’ll add/change products, install
new plugins, change the design, etc. That said, you can build the framework and
foundation for your future customers and suppliers from the get-go.
Your store’s pages are the only way to show what you have to offer. So build out
standard pages and required policies that indicate you’re ready for business.
The following pages should be enough to begin with: About Us, Contact Us and
Shipping & Delivery.
To build a page, go to ‘Online Store’ within your Shopify dashboard, select ‘Pages’,
and click ‘Add Page.
About Us: People visit this page to learn more about a merchant. You can
keep it short for the time being.
Shipping & Delivery: Includes details such as how many days it takes for
an item to be delivered, where you ship your goods from, and with other
information about shipping. Your dropshipping supplier will list timeframes
and delivery costs which you can copy and paste on this page.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 73
Selling products online from home via dropshipping necessitates the support of
dropshipping software. If you’re running on Shopify, choose Oberlo. It’s an app that
enables merchants to add dropshipped goods to their store within minutes.
Every time you sell an item, Oberlo buys and ships it directly
to your customer. Voilà.
However, you have to set up Oberlo before you start importing items to your store.
Go to the app’s settings, configure your Price Multiplier (based on the margin you’d
like to keep), and tweak other settings if necessary.
Here’s a walkthrough:
1. In the Shopify App Store, search Oberlo. Click the ‘Get’ button.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 74
2. Verify the info on the next screen, and click the ‘Install app’ button.
3. You’re all set. To add items to your store, go to the left navigation pane and click
‘Search Products’.
Some ecommerce entrepreneurs will spend hours scouring the web for the best
things to sell from home.
The Oberlo marketplace connects you with suppliers across the world. You can find
a huge variety of products and add them to your dropshipping store in just a few
clicks.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 76
You are entirely dependent on suppliers for order fulfillment. But the problem is,
until recently, it was a difficult task to make sure you were finding the right products
from suppliers who are guaranteed to be reliable.
But don’t worry. There are several ways to find quality manufacturers and
wholesalers who dropship. And with the help of certain tools and resources, you
can separate the good from the bad to optimize your dropshipping business.
If you want an easy way to discover top-performing suppliers, look for suppliers that
have been verified by Oberlo.
Oberlo Verified connects merchants with suppliers who have been providing the
best quality service over an extended period of time.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 77
Below are some of the key attributes that describe an Oberlo Verified supplier:
dzdz Faster support due to the direct relationship with the Oberlo team
You’ll never have to stress about finding quality suppliers – they’ve already been
handpicked for you. The feature is exclusive to Oberlo app users.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 78
This can be your final step in the process: look around online to find the right types
of products for your store, then pop into Oberlo and choose verified suppliers who
sell those items.
Let’s look at some other searching tools and techniques to bring you to this final
step.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 79
Certain directories list suppliers in all types of niches. Directories are a trusted
resource because they screen vendors before featuring them. They’re convenient
because store owners can look up suppliers by product type or niche.
Most supplier directories will connect you with wholesalers with the capacity to
fulfill a large number of orders.
If you want to save time, here are some of the most noteworthy and reputable
directories:
You might as well contact the source (aka the manufacturer). This strategy is easy
to execute and only requires a few calls. By going directly to the source of the
product, you might be able to secure the lowest price.
The supplier discovery process seems fascinating and ripe with opportunity, but
how do you know if a supplier is legitimate? Short of buying a ticket and visiting
their factory, here are four qualities of a great supplier.
While no legitimate supplier will request a monthly fee for doing business with
them, many of them charge pre-order fees. On average, it ranges from $1 to $5
USD, depending on the complexity and size of the products.
Top suppliers are open to taking orders via email, which will be a blessing when
you’re selling products online from home in large numbers.
Place a couple of test orders to see how a supplier operates under deadlines.
The best suppliers send out tracking information within a day or two and maintain
consistent delivery times.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 82
Dropshipping seemed like a simple business model he could manage out of his
bedroom. He also liked that he didn’t need to decide what he wanted to sell right
away. Plus, he had the option to test out several items to see what was trending.
Using Oberlo to add products to his store streamlined the process. The app let him
import products into his Shopify store. Then, he could write product descriptions,
set his own retail price, and promote them to his target market.
Within six months, his ecommerce store Artsy Wall generated $70,000 USD in
revenue. From this, he saw an average profit of $3,000 USD per month.
For example, holding inventory allows you to fulfill orders as soon as they’re
received. Plus, the stock can be monitored in real time.
For larger products like a billiard table or sofa set, the cost of keeping inventory
typically includes the cost of a physical location (a warehouse on rent or mortgage).
Here’s how to sell products from home with a traditional ecommerce store.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 84
You can use the same ecommerce software – Shopify – to set up a web shop.
Because it’s a turn-key platform, it’s great for work-at-home entrepreneurs who
don’t have someone with coding knowledge by their side.
That said, there are a few additional things you need to do to get your store up and
running.
Add Products
Adding products in your Shopify store is a vital step to getting your business
off the ground. After all, the goal of an online store is to sell. Open your Shopify
dashboard, select ‘Products’ from the left-hand pane, and click ‘Add product’ to get
started.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 85
Enter the product’s name and come up with a unique description of the product.
Choose your words wisely to entice people to buy your items.
Next, upload a stunning image of your product. Great visuals are key to convincing
customers to spend, so select them carefully.
You’ll also get the option to enter the price, stock-keeping unit/quantity of the
product you have available (SKU), weight, and available variants in terms of size
and color.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 86
Shopify has a built-in tool for creating terms and conditions, standard return, and
privacy policies. You can access it by going to Settings > Checkout and scrolling
down to Refund > Privacy > Terms of Service to generate a sample for each policy.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 87
Activate Payments
Add your credit card or PayPal details under Settings > Payment providers. Later,
you can add, remove, or change the way you want to take payments. For example,
if you want to accept payments from other payment gateways.
Shopify also lets you receive payments outside of your online store. Select from
bank transfer, money order, or COD (cash on delivery).
3. How to Sell Products from Home 88
dzdz Test things out. Go to your store and buy a product as any customer
would. That’ll allow you to see if everything is in order.
For instance, if you’ve chosen an original painting as one of the things to sell from
home, listing it on Amazon might not be the best course of action. Instead, you
might end up having a better chance of making a sale if you list it on Etsy.
Simply put, some marketplaces are better suited for general interest products
that fulfill a wide variety of needs, while others are category-specific. To help you
identify which online sales platforms are the best choice for you, let’s look at the
most used marketplaces and how to sell products from home through each of
them.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 90
General marketplaces like Amazon or eBay are great places to sell items with mass
appeal. Both of these marketplaces have a global presence, a large customer base,
and a range of tools to help people sell from home.
For crafters who don’t have a lot of products to sell from home or want to be able
to take time off, Etsy provides an option to set up collective shops. A few sellers
come together and combine their goods to make a bigger store than they could set
up separately.
In addition, Etsy offers a wholesale feature if you want to expand your business.
Like Amazon and eBay, Etsy charges a fee per listing as well as a commission on
every sale.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 91
It’s similar to a classified listings site where you can reach thousands of people from
your local community. You can sell items from washing machines to clothes and
even real estate and vehicles.
People can also sell used items, and it’s easy for buyers to find relevant listings
within their local area. Besides Facebook Marketplace, you can also use Instagram
and Pinterest to sell products, both of which offer shopping functionality.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 92
And with the Houzz Shopify app, you can process orders from the marketplace and
customize product specs in your Shopify store. In addition, it allows you to sync
product information between the two automatically to update your listings from
Shopify. Sellers pay a 15 percent commission on sales before returns.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 93
It’s a little tricky to define a ‘unique products’ marketplace’ as though it’s one type
of thing, since every marketplace is unique. But in general, it’s a marketplace for
custom-made, unusual, unique products that are curated for this portal.
NOTHS is popular for handpicked gift items that you won’t find in
your typical ‘high street gifts store. This sort of platform is suited
to merchants who have a knack for creative, quirky items.
You’ll have to apply as a merchant through their site. NOTHS has a one-time joining
fee but no listing costs.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 94
Whichever platform you like best, the same key factors will impact your final choice:
product type, brand, and goals. When you decide how to sell products from home,
consider those factors when making your decision. That way, you’ll have a better
chance of finding the right sales channel for your business.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 95
When researching potential items to sell from home, look at products that cover
these bases:
dzdz People are happy to buy the product without too much research
Speaking of what makes a good product, I’ve also compiled a list of top products to
sell from home, just to provide you with that extra boost if you’re still relatively new
to online selling.
3. How to Sell Products from Home 96
Folding Mirrors
Smart Backpacks
Shapewear
Chapter 3 Takeaways
dzdz Selling items from home with a traditional ecommerce store is easy with
Shopify. Just follow the steps we discussed above and your store will
be ready in minutes.
Some people are saying that freelancing is the career style of the future. As a
result, many people are wondering how to become a freelancer.
A study from UpWork and Freelancers Union shows that in the next decade,
more than half of America’s workforce will do freelance work. And 47% of
millennials are already doing it.
dzdz At the current growth rate, experts predict that 86.5 million workers will
go freelance
dzdz 71% of those surveyed say that tech has helped them get more work
over the past year
4. How to Be a Freelancer 102
Source
It’s also worth noting the downsides, though. Many freelancers say the biggest
obstacles are finding work, keeping a steady and predictable income, and dealing
with the lack of benefits they used to have when they worked for an employer.
While it’s true that finding clients and making steady income can be tough, it’s far
from impossible.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 103
And we’re here to help. I’ll show you an arsenal of tips and tactics to find work in
different freelancing fields.
Client Communication
Create a statement of work (SOW) or contract for each client
Be responsive – answer all messages within 24 hours
Be clear about your deliverables and terms for each project
Use email over the phone or Skype so you have everything in writing – especially
requests for changes to your original agreement
Avoid excuses and communicate delays as soon as there’s an issue
Let’s go over the basics of being a freelancer and unpack a few of these elements.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 105
At the very least, freelance marketplaces are good stepping stones to help build
your client base and experience.
The biggest benefit is that they can help you find clients quicker than if you’re on
your own.
That means you don’t have to deal with writing statements of work (SOWs)
or contracts. (We’ll cover these soon). You also don’t need to worry about
getting stiffed by clients who don’t want to pay you. This means that freelance
marketplaces are great if you’re still learning how to be a freelancer in your field.
dzdz Fiverr dzdz LinkedIn
dzdz Upwork dzdz Craigslist
dzdz PeoplePerHour dzdz Media Bistro
dzdz Freelancer dzdz TaskRabbit
dzdz Toptal dzdz 99designs
dzdz Simply Hired dzdz Designhill
dzdz Guru dzdz Freelance Writing Gigs
dzdz Hubstaff dzdz iWriter
dzdz Speedlancer dzdz iFreelance
4. How to Be a Freelancer 106
4. How to Be a Freelancer 107
This is an important lesson for those who are learning how to freelance:
If something happens and you need to change the agreement, write and sign an
updated version.
dzdz Schedule of deliverables
dzdz Tasks to be completed
Source
Getting Paid
If you’re flying solo to do your work, you’ll want to set up an easy payment system.
Make sure you write an invoice for every single thing you deliver.
Every. Single. Thing.
Options include:
dzdz Bill them up-front for a deposit (like for half of the project’s price),
then the other half when you deliver the final product
Source
4. How to Be a Freelancer 111
Building Momentum
Landing your first freelance job can be a major struggle. This might continue for a
few months until you learn the ropes of how to be an online freelancer and your
business gains momentum.
Make sure you take notes, ask questions, listen, and provide references – and
even some free work if you need to. Free work can help you build a portfolio and
rack up some happy customers fast.
NOTE
Watch out for bad freelancing clients. While you can’t always avoid
communication issues, there are obvious warning signs to look out
for. You may have a tough time working for them if they micromanage,
frequently question your approach, or think they know a better way to
complete the task they employed you for.
Inside these categories, you can write all kinds of things, like:
Get clear on the bare essentials you need to get started, which include:
If you’re like me, you’ll also need several spiral notebooks for outlining
and drafting. Or maybe it’s a giant whiteboard. Just make sure you
have whatever materials you need to let your creativity and critical
thinking skills flow.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 114
If you’re still learning how to be a freelancer in the writing industry, search for gigs
at these websites:
dzdz Textbroker
dzdz Upwork
dzdz Freelancer
dzdz Problogger Jobs
dzdz FlexJobs
4. How to Be a Freelancer 115
Join a few ‘content writer’ and ‘freelance writer’ groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Be an active participant and keep an eye out for any opportunity that might crop up.
This gives you an author byline that helps you get noticed. Say you want to write
finance blog posts. Search for these jobs on Google by typing things like:
dzdz @Write_Jobs
dzdz @WhoPaysWriters
dzdz @JJobs_tweets
dzdz @FreelanceWJ
4. How to Be a Freelancer 117
Source
This option will have more structure and opportunities, as well as the potential for
better pay and training on how to be a freelance writer.
dzdz WordCandy
dzdz Express Writers
dzdz Content Harmony
dzdz Scripted
4. How to Be a Freelancer 118
A Good Camera
The quick answer is any brand’s DSLR that helps you learn manual mode will work
great. A few good options for beginners include Nikon 5600 and Canon EOS Rebel T7i.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 120
High-Quality Lenses
That’s because the quality of the lens has the greatest impact on the quality of the
photos you take with any DSLR you use.
If you want a high-quality starter lens for the most affordable price, consider prime
lenses (those with a fixed focal length).
A lot of people prefer 50 mm 1.8G for Nikon and 50mm f/1.8 STM for Canon.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 121
Accessories
Reflectors are another camera accessory you may find useful. They offer a quick
and affordable way to brighten up your images.
The two most popular software for editing photos are Photoshop and Lightroom.
Not only does Lightroom allow you to edit your images, it also provides a great
system for organizing your images using stars, color coding, and keywords.
In addition, you can spruce up your photo editing skills by taking a course or two.
Finding and choosing a photography genre can be challenging. And with so many
people entering the industry, it’s easy to get thrown off course by what others are
doing.
dzdz Food
dzdz Weddings
dzdz Travel
dzdz Fashion
dzdz Sports
Once you pick a genre, you can start honing your style by shooting daily.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 124
These websites might make it easier to make money online from home:
List your work in marketplaces so that you never depend too much on a single
client for livelihood.
The best thing about this approach is that you can establish a
loyal clientele if you receive positive reviews on a regular basis.
dzdz Fotolia
dzdz EyeEm
dzdz ShutterStock
4. How to Be a Freelancer 126
Let’s go over freelance design specialties and what you’ll need to build a successful
freelance design business as a way to make money from home.
1. Choose a Speciality
Design is applied to many areas, so there are several types of design specialities.
Before we look at how to be a freelancer in the design industry, consider what your
specialty will be.
Pick a speciality that best resonates with your skills to get started.
In general, you should have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator,
Photoshop, etc.) to work as a freelance web designer.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 129
Freelance graphic designers should have access to tools such as InDesign and
Photoshop to create visual identities and marketing materials.
When it comes to Motion Graphics, it’s important to include After Effects, Final Cut
Pro, and Maya in your toolset.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 130
For product designs, clients will expect you to be familiar with CAD (computer-
aided design) tools such as SolidWorks and AutoCAD to develop 3D models of
different products.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 131
As you learn the basics of how to be a freelancer, it’s important that you build up
your portfolio and showcase your work. Your design portfolio should reflect your
skills, personality, genre and experience.
If you prefer a dynamic website, I recommend Squarespace. It has its own portfolio
website builder.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 133
Alternatively, you could host your design portfolio on a social media website.
Sites like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn make it easy to upload graphics,
illustrations, mockups, etc.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 134
Hundreds of freelance design job websites exist on the internet, and the quality
certainly varies.
To help you get started, here are a few great websites for freelance designers:
dzdz 99Designs
dzdz Toptal
dzdz Behance
In addition, you can sell your designs in general marketplaces like DesignCrowd,
as well as in speciality marketplaces like CafePress and Threadless. This is a great
option for you if you’re still learning how to be a freelancer and if you haven’t yet
found regular clients.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 135
And it’s not going to sink unless someone takes down the internet.
If you’re fairly new to coding, you can learn a thing or two from these resources:
dzdz Khan Academy
dzdz Pluralsight
dzdz Codecademy
4. How to Be a Freelancer 136
At a minimum, you should learn CSS and HTML. Learning PHP basics
can also be helpful, especially if you’ll be working with platforms like
WordPress that are coded in PHP. You don’t need to become a coding
expert, but having good knowledge of the basics will help you get by.
As you learn to code, it’s important to have someone who can answer your
questions about the small, fiddling things about programming.
So look around!
Try finding a mentor who can help you in this process. Their guidance can make all
the difference when you’re stuck on a problem and feel like quitting.
Check out tech events near you where you can network with people and learn
more about web development.
A site called Meetup helps people host hundreds of coding meetings in cities and
regions around the world.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 137
If you’re starting fresh, maybe you’re wondering where exactly these web
development projects get listed.
Maybe you’re stuck checking the same old job listings that haven’t been updated in
a month.
Good news is, there are several resources out there that can
help you find freelance web development gigs, fast!
4. How to Be a Freelancer 138
1. Smashing Jobs
Makes it simple to discover full-time and/or part-time gigs. The majority of the gigs
posted to this website are related to design and web development.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 139
2. We Work Remotely
As the name implies, this is a website where you can find web development jobs
that you can do from the comfort of your home.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 140
Besides these resources, you can check out general freelancing websites
like Upwork and PeoplePerHour for more opportunities to be a freelance web
developer.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 141
The best part of this niche is that businesses all over the world
constantly require great freelance marketers.
And somebody has to cater to these needs. That’s where you come in.
Get started by choosing an area (because you need to be more specific than just
freelance marketer). Ideally, you’d earn money online through:
4. How to Be a Freelancer 142
dzdz Email marketing
dzdz Ecommerce marketing
dzdz Content marketing
Depending on your knowledge and skills, you can pick one or a combination of
these activities to offer as a service.
For example, if you’ve experience of promoting an online store, you can place
ecommerce marketing at the top of the list of services you offer. Likewise, if you
have good relationships with influencers, content marketing could be a good
option for you.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 143
If you’ve had success running a Twitter account or know what it takes to get
followers on Instagram, you might want to give a thought to social media
management.
dzdz Create images
You don’t need to know everything on the list, but you should be able to come up
with a good overall strategy.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 144
Source
There are several individuals out there who can do social media management,
but there aren’t many who can get maximum shares on Facebook, or build up an
engaged following on LinkedIn.
Consider the platform you’ve had the most success with, and promote that as your
service.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 145
If you want to make money online from home as a freelance marketer, here are the
best places to find jobs.
dzdz FlexJobs
dzdz SimplyHired
dzdz CloudPeeps
dzdz Working Nomads
dzdz Remote.co
In addition to these sites, you’d also find good freelance work opportunities on
general marketplaces like Upwork, Freelancer.com, and PeoplePerHour.
4. How to Be a Freelancer 146
Chapter 4 Takeaways
dzdz Check out our freelancer’s checklist to make sure you have all the right
equipment, a good work environment, efficient client communication,
and good time management/productivity habits.
dzdz As you learn how to be a freelancer, it’s critical that you always have
written agreements with your clients and a solid system to get paid on-
time.
o Writing
o Photography
o Web development
o Marketing
dzdz These resources can help you learn and grow toward your personal
goals, while troubleshooting issues as you learn how to be an effective
freelancer and start making money from home.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 148
Hopefully by now, you’re getting pumped thinking about all the home business
ideas that are out there. Or maybe you’re still unsure of which one to choose.
Even if you haven’t seen any ideas yet that stand out to you, you’ll be glad to
know that there are plenty of other ways to make money from home. Some
ways don’t even involve starting an ecommerce business or an online freelancing
business.
For example, you might find that you actually do prefer to put on pants for your
workday (gasp!), so you can get some fresh air and meet new people. In this case,
you can look into some hands-on home business ideas where you service your
clients in person – like being a party planner or dog walker.
Whatever you choose, you’ll likely have some questions like: What are the best
platforms and methods to connect with clients? What do I need to prepare in
advance? What do these ideas actually involve?
We’ll get you set up with all the basics so you can make your first moves.
Let’s discuss some booming home-based business opportunities and how you can
get off the ground.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 150
1. Starting a Blog
The Lowdown
And a whole lotta helpful, interesting information. (And of course a fair amount of
crappy information, but that won’t be yours.)
Statistically, few bloggers make more than $100 a month. But with lots of time,
determination, and savvy, you can make thousands per month like the pros!
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 151
Source
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 152
You’ll also need to have stellar writing skills, including spelling and grammar. A tool
like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can help with that.
I recommend a WordPress blog. A site like StudioPress can guide you through
making a beautiful blog on WordPress, including clean and stylish themes.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 153
dzdz Wix
dzdz Blogger
dzdz Squarespace
dzdz Joomla
More Resources
Blogging Basics 101: How to Make Money with Your Blog in 2018
The Lowdown
Just like blogging, YouTube can also be a great way to promote your ecommerce
store in addition to acting as one of many stand-alone home business ideas.
It’s important to note that YouTube recently made some policy changes in January
2018 that impact how content creators make money on YouTube.
To join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), you’ll need two things:
dzdz 1,000 subscribers
For this reason, you’ll really need to invest into your channel
before you see meaningful income.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 155
Source
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 156
Either way, you’ll need at least a decent camera and the software
and skills to edit your videos well.
Create a YouTube channel by creating a Gmail account or using your existing Gmail
account.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 157
And check out TubeBuddy for an extra hand with the process.
More Resources
3. Starting a Podcast
The Lowdown
In recent years, podcasts have become a popular way to get news, entertainment,
and insights on-the-go. In fact, Edison Research shows that the number of podcast
listeners has doubled in four years. That number is only growing.
Source
Here are a few ways a podcast can help you make money from home:
dzdz Crowdfunding
You’ll need a microphone, some software to record and edit, and a platform to host
your podcast on.
For example, uploading onto SoundCloud is simple once you’ve set up an account
through Facebook or Gmail.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 161
More Resources
4. Affiliate Marketing
The Lowdown
Finally, we’re here. In a nutshell, affiliate marketing is one of the surefire ways to
earn money online, and it can be a hugely profitable home biz idea. It involves an
advertiser, publisher, and consumer.
First, you (the publisher) promote the offerings of another party (the advertiser) on
your own channels. These usually show up as trackable affiliate links, but can also
be done through things like promo codes. Then when other people (consumers)
click your links and buy the advertiser’s stuff, you get a piece of that profit.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 162
Source
Affiliate marketing can be massively profitable, but you’ll need to build a steady
following before other people will want to have you as an affiliate partner.
The way you receive your commission will vary depending on the partner and the
nature of the relationship.
dzdz Cost per click or cost per lead: Get paid based on how many people
click your affiliate link or become a lead for the advertiser
dzdz Fixed cost (aka tenancy payment): Get paid a flat rate for the promotion
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 163
Anyone with a strong follower base on virtually any channel or medium where you
can include a link or promo code.
This includes:
dzdz Website or blog
dzdz YouTube channel
dzdz Podcast
dzdz ShareASale
dzdz LinkSale
dzdz Rakuten Marketing
dzdz CJ Affiliate
dzdz Avangate
dzdz Amazon Associates
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 164
Or start your own affiliate marketing program. For example, these Shopify modules
and plugins can help you build your own affiliate tracking system.
More Resources
The Balance Small Business: Can You Really Make Money with
Affiliate Marketing?
5. Online Surveys
The Lowdown
Companies are dying for market research so they can make better products and
services for their customers. As a result, many of them pay people to take surveys
online.
Generally speaking, the price may range from a few cents to a few dollars per
survey. But if you’ve got a lot of time, taking surveys could be a low-effort home
business idea.
Browse online survey websites for surveys that you qualify for based on certain
demographics, characteristics, or behaviors.
Check closely to see how each website will pay you. Some pay cash value for
each survey, while others work on a point system where points are exchanged for
rewards and money.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 166
When you do surveys for money, payment can include methods like:
dzdz Amazon vouchers
This is a good start if you’re not sure what niche you’d like to start a business in, or
if you don’t have too many home business ideas yet. Filling out surveys for money
is good for quick cash if you’re in a pinch.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 167
If you want to get money for surveys, create an account on websites like:
dzdz Swagbucks
dzdz Darwin’s Data
dzdz Toluna
dzdz Pinecone Research
dzdz Paid Viewpoint
dzdz 20|20 Panel
dzdz Springboard America
dzdz Crowdology
dzdz Branded Surveys
dzdz Opinion Outpost
The signup process will vary for each, including setting up payment by giving a
physical address or your PayPal link. When you’re done, browse and apply for the
surveys you want to fill out (and qualify for), and get going!
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 168
(It sounds long but it’s super fast… I did the first half in 10 seconds! I’ll even give you
my “GIF or it didn’t happen”.)
Once you’re registered, it takes you to the Survey Center where you can see all the
surveys you qualify for.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 169
More Resources
The Lowdown
Amazon MTurk is a way for companies to have quick access to online workers who
are willing to perform small computer-based tasks. These tasks are called HITs
(human intelligence tasks). As you can tell by the name, they need a human touch
because computers and artificial intelligence (AI) can’t do them.
You can transfer your earnings to your Amazon Payments account or into an
Amazon gift card. From Amazon Payments, you can transfer cash directly to your
bank account.
NOTE
When you first sign up, Amazon puts a 10-day hold on your account
before you can take out any of your earnings. Just to make sure you’re
real and stuff.
If you have a lot of extra time and feel like you don’t yet have the skills for niche-
based home business ideas, this can be a good start.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 172
Fill out the Worker Registration form, then go to the “HITs” section in the top menu
to view and accept tasks.
More Resources
7. Clickworker
The Lowdown
Clickworker is similar to Amazon MTurk, where you log in and do short tasks for
payment. Many users report that this site is more profitable than Amazon MTurk,
though, which means it’s a more profitable business idea than MTurk.
You’ll need to take a short assessment to see if you qualify for each task.
Tasks include:
dzdz Writing
dzdz Researching
dzdz Translating
dzdz Data processing
People who don’t want to start a full business or are still cooking up some good
niche-based home business ideas.
This site can earn you more money per project than sites like Amazon MTurk,
and it also has more diverse types of tasks. It’s better for people who have more
specialized skills or experience.
Create an account and fill out as may details as you can for your profile.
More Resources
The Lowdown
There’s a huge need for online teachers and tutors, which makes this a particularly
great home business idea. You can teach students of virtually all ages, in-school
and beyond – and all across the world.
Subjects include:
Most online teaching and tutoring jobs are typically done over video.
dzdz Skype
Payment depends on your method. You can have students pay you directly via
PayPal or some other payment processor, or get your work through a company that
will handle payments for you.
This home business is ideal for anyone who’s patient, well-spoken, was a good
student, and has a love for learning (and teaching, of course).
dzdz TutorMe dzdz Skooli
dzdz Tutor.com dzdz Edmentum
dzdz FlexJobs dzdz Kaplan
dzdz Chegg
Sign up for an account and fill out your profile to the best of your abilities. As usual,
the signup with differ for each site. But generally, the screening process is very
thorough when you use a specialized service.
For example, TutorMe asks in-depth questions about experience and skills.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 179
And Tutor.com has a 5-step process that includes a mock teaching session and a
background check. Better be prepared!
More Resources
The Lowdown
Make an online course that uses one of your passions or skills to solve people’s
problems, then sit back and earn passive income down the road whenever they
buy it.
The online education market is expected to explode to $275 billion by 2022. Some
course publishers report making $5,000 or more per month or more in passive
income!
You can do it all yourself, or build and/or host it on a specialized platform with
convenient features like:
dzdz Payment integration
Source
Keep in mind that the platform will collect the customer’s money and send it to you,
but they’ll usually take commission as either a percentage or a flat fee.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 182
This home business idea is suited to someone who knows a topic really well,
and knows it’s profitable. Bonus points if you have technical skills and equipment
to build a professional quality course, whether it’s made of in-person videos,
screencasts, or text with photos and illustrations.
You’ll also need a lot of time, and a good eye for making content
flow. It may help to work with a writer.
If your course relies on videos of your computer screen, try a screen recorder and
editor like Camtasia. If you can swing it, I recommend renting a studio for in-person
videos, to ensure top video and audio quality.
Compare the features of different platforms for making and hosting courses, like:
dzdz Yondo dzdz Thinkific
dzdz Teachable dzdz Podia
dzdz Skillshare dzdz LearnWorlds
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 183
More Resources
It’s worth noting that this type of business will make you location-dependent,
because you’ll have to be able to travel to where your clients need you. In the end,
you won’t have the physical freedom of a strictly-online business.
REMEMBER
The Lowdown
Through this model, you sell a company’s products and receive commission for
your sales. You can also recruit your own consultants and build a team (who may go
on to build their own teams), which earns more money.
It’s been reported that the average MLM consultant makes $2,400 per year, with
earnings going up to more than $100,000 per year.
Many companies give awesome bonuses too, like vacations or even a free car
when you reach new sales revenue levels between you and your team.
A WORD OF CAUTION
dzdz Stairstep/breakaway: Your recruits can break away from your team and
start their own whenever they reach a certain level.
dzdz Binary: You get paid for only two ‘legs’, or essentially two teams.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 187
Frankly, you won’t make big bucks unless you’re social, friendly, motivated, and
resourceful. And if you haven’t guessed by the title, it’s crucial to have great
sales skills. However, if you have all those characteristics, this could be a viable,
profitable home business idea for you.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 188
There are hundreds to choose from in virtually any industry like health and beauty,
fashion, nutrition, home goods, and more.
It’s important to note that you’ll typically need to pay startup costs like buying
your own products to sell. This can be around $200 to $500 USD.
Here are some more of the most popular direct sales companies:
More Resources
The Lowdown
dzdz Having clients drop their pets off to you or you picking them up
dzdz Doing other pet care activities, like giving pets medicine or baths
dzdz Other tasks when clients are away, like watering plants and bringing in
the mail
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 190
Try scoping out major competitors to see how they work, like Rover or Dog Vacay.
Source
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 191
You can set your own terms, financial structure, and incentives. Ideas include:
In terms of earnings, say that you charge $15 an hour and work 10 hours a week.
That would amount to $150 a week or $7,800 a year. (Of course, you’ll need to
calculate taxes in your state.)
Dog lovers. Duh. If you love being around dogs, this home business idea wouldn’t
just be profitable - it would be super fun! Bonus points if you have experience in
obedience training or an understanding of dogs’ temperament.
In terms of managing pet-related home business ideas, you might benefit from
special types of software like Time to Pet. They offer a free 14-day free trial.
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 193
More Resources
The Lowdown
There’s always a market for food, which means food-related home business ideas
can be quite profitable. Catering and meal preparation businesses can operate in
several ways, including:
dzdz Preparing weekly meal orders for individuals or groups, which they can
heat up at home for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner
5. 12 Home Business Ideas You Can Start Today 194
Source
While some businesses can make upwards of thousands per month, it’s important
to consider the startup costs. These might include costs like licenses, permits,
insurance, cookware, transport vehicles, which can amount to thousands of dollars
up-front.
Caterers and meal preparers usually have a menu with pricing. Depending on your
business model, you may also want to charge per person or per platter.
People who:
dzdz Have experience feeding big groups (it’s not the same as making
dinner for your family!)
Depending on where you live, you might need several types of licenses and
permits to run legally.
In some states, you may be required to rent out a commercial kitchen instead
of cooking in your home. Check your state’s health or occupation licensing
department for details.
More considerations:
More Resources
Chapter 5 Takeaways
dzdz If you dream of a career where you can work from wherever you want
– be that in a different café or in a different country – you can look
into home-based business opportunities like starting a blog, YouTube
channel, or podcast.
dzdz If you’re undecided on picking your niche but want some quick income,
you can try task-based platforms like Amazon MTurk or Clickworker.
dzdz If you want to be out and about in your community, you can try your
hand at starting a business like direct sales consulting, pet sitting, or
catering.
dzdz With these home business ideas, the ‘home’ part will mostly be
promotion and marketing activities.
Go Forth and Prosper…
Er, Stay Home and Prosper
Hopefully, you’re brimming with ideas and motivation to make money from
home with one of the dozens of home business ideas we’ve talked about in
this ebook.
Will you need to spend hours doing your research and freshening up your skills?
Yup.
Will things change as you learn, forcing you to shift and remodel your plans?
Likely.
Will you encounter road bumps and challenges that will make you want to quit?
Almost certainly.
Can you find a way to truly (finally) be happy with your career, actually
enjoying your work while you earn money from your couch?