Simple Way To Make $100k / Year

There’s never been a better time to do that than, today.

As we’ve explored here before, there are a number of ways to make money online….here’s another one of those not so earth shattering ways to earn extra income. The only thing that may seem earth shattering to some people, is that it takes time. Let’s rock n’ roll:

What We Are doing: Building a Local Business Directory

How Much Will This Cost…? $100. Plus, your time, focus..dignity, state of mind…no, not the last two. Just more time and energy. But hey, your unemployed so it doesn’t matter, right?

Basic Idea: To build a local business directory targeting brick and mortar businesses and charging a monthly fee…while offering different listing levels.

Making It Happen

• Develop your niche. It can be everything from, doctors, lawyers (they love those full page ads), auto parts stores, restaurants…anything where the business requires direct exposure to the consumer.
• The only fiscal cost involving this venture is for the directory software. My recommendation is: eSyndicat’s Directory Platform. Go with the one domain license, for $75. This software even has a module to add in your PayPal account for direct payment.
• Remember, you’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. You need to get a list of businesses to target. Start with that thick yellow book thingy you haven’t touched since the dark ages. Better yet, go to Google and type in “restaurants Seattle Washington,” or, Yellow Pages.com will work.
• Next, get a domain name and set up hosting. All of this together will only cost about 15 bucks. Go through a reliable company like GoDaddy just to be on the safe side.

Now that you have a niche, directory software, businesses to contact, a domain and hosting…you’re ready to roll.

Start contacting local business in your area and charging them on a monthly basis. For example, basic listing: $75, featured listing: $150.eSyndicat has all of the features you’ll need to delineate between basic and featured.

Before you start adding in local businesses, I would advise you to add in some high end affiliate offers to make the directory look more legit. Just a word to the wise. Then, pick up the phone and start selling. You’ll probably have 5 rejections to every sale…but that’s called business right?

Here are some more Do’s when it comes to building this darn thing.

• Set your rates at the medium/high level so you don’t look too cheap. Create some competition in the market. If it’s more like the NBA playoffs where “everybody gets in,” it won’t be that lucrative of an opportunity for businesses.
• Also, offer some free listings. Such as, the first 2 months free. This way, you’re guaranteed to get an e-mail, which will be good for offering future products and services. Or, if you sign up for a Featured listing…you can advertise another service for free. Anything to get them in the door. Besides lowering your prices of course.
• Do a combination of online and offline marketing. Meeting face to face is most effective, but running local targeted PPC ads on Google, and sending a packet with your info and elevator pitch is a good idea.
• Offer other services that standard yellow pages don’t. Custom content (a write up about the company), banner creation (offer to design a banner for free..this isn’t a bad idea if you know they’ll be around in 12 months.)

Ok, this is how you make a $100k / year. Time to break out the calculators. There are a number of scenarios:

• If you only signed up basic customers at $75 / month. Assuming each stayed on for 12 months, you would need 111 customers. $75×12=$900. 111x$900= $99,900.
• You can even split it up between basic and featured customers. Sign up 75 basic customers at $75 each…75x$900= $67,500. And, 19 Featured customers at $150 each…19x$1800 ($150×12=1800)= $34,200. Basic customers ($67,500) + Featured customers ($34,200) = $101,700. Why stop there…sign up 200!

Sound too good to be true? Well, it only is if you don’t do it.