How to Create a Website and Sell it for $200,000

How to Create a Website and Sell it for $200,000

According to Patrick Meninga of Make Money with No Work:




Over the last four years, I created a single website that exceeded $2,000 in monthly income, and sold for six figures to one of my direct advertisers.

When I started this journey, I had no idea what I was doing.  I wasted a great deal of time using actions that were inefficient, wasteful, and unprofitable.  Looking back, it is easy to see which actions produced the most income.

My action checklist for creating a website and selling it for $200,000 looked like this:

• selected the perfect topic

  

  Image Credit: createmoneywebsite.com

• published a high volume of content
• created premium content to attract organic links
• pitched premium quality guest posts
• cultivated a community of fans
• negotiated direct advertising deals
• persisted through any setbacks
• sold when the right offer came along.

Select the perfect topic

I chose the perfect topic for my website.  The subject of addiction worked because:

1. I had expert knowledge and first-hand experience in it.
2. There was sufficient traffic and interest in the topic on the web.
3. There was money to made from related products and services.

If you want to creating a six-figure website, you’ll need to meet all three of these requirements.
How can you find the perfect topic?

Think carefully about where your expertise lies. What have you done, what have you learned, and what could you teach others? Brainstorm a list of potential topics based on your experiences. ProBlogger has some helpful suggestions on how to do this.

Next, filter your list of potential topics by profitability. ProBlogger has a detailed guide on how to do this.
Then, filter your list of topics based on potential volume. ProBlogger explores the idea of considering your niche’s volume in detail.

It is not enough to choose a topic in which you are an expert. You need to find the intersection between:

• your expertise
• sufficient traffic volumes and interest on the web
• profit potential.

Publish a high volume of content

I sold my website for six figures because I published a large number of articles. This is how I attracted large volumes of search engine traffic.
My success stemmed from a mountain of content. Over the life of my website, I averaged three new articles per day, resulting in over a thousand new articles each year.
My website sold for six figures because it had a lot of quality content on it.
One of the most important things to implement is a daily quota for publishing new articles. Build a big website. Publish regularly. Writing multiple articles per day will result in the fastest growth. Volume matters. Ninety percent of my effort went into content creation.

Create premium content to attract organic links

One action I took was to create premium content. What is “premium content?” It is content that beats the competition on the web.

Search for you topic online, and glance through the top sites. Analyze the quality, depth, and usefulness of this content. Your goal is to write and publish content that exceeds the quality of what’s already out there. Create a better resource that is useful to your audience.

These are the actions I took to accomplish this with my website:

• I designed custom infographics (even though I did not know exactly what I was doing!).
• I published several free ebooks.
• I helped anyone with personal questions via email for free.
• I created videos to give the audience a choice of content formats.
• I created a discussion forum where people could ask questions, get advice, or seek feedback from each other.

Few of my competitors were implementing these tactics, and many of these strategies generated organic links and word-of-mouth exposure for me.

Pitch premium quality guest posts

My website sold for six figures because it had enough authority to rank for many keywords. The site was pulling in over eighty thousand unique visits per month because it had a combination of lots of articles and enough authority to rank well. That authority was created through a handful of guest posts.

While ProBlogger already explores how to get your first guest post published, I want to highlight a couple of points that many people may not realize.

Firstly, because guest posting can be difficult, many people will turn to chasing easy, manufactured links.  Don’t do this!  While some links are very easy to get, they won’t be as powerful as a real guest post. Recognize that quality links are difficult to achieve but are well worth the added effort.
Secondly, with most topics on the web, you only need a few guest posts to create powerful authority. Do not be discouraged. Just start with a single guest post. Give things time. If you are not getting the results you want, add another guest post. This is part of a long-term strategy: give new links time to produce results.

Cultivate a community of fans

I created a fan base in a simple two-step process on my website:

1. I engaged my readers by opening discussions with them about my articles, encouraging them to leave comments, and having conversations with them.
2. I gave them a platform in which a community formed and took hold. For my site, this meant adding a discussion forum.

This approach was so successful that some of the fans spread the new forum via word of mouth, bringing in friends and growing the community naturally.
Thus, the action of cultivating fans must begin by engaging your readers. Start a discussion, have conversations, and build from that.

Negotiated direct advertising deals

While I built my site and earned decent money from it, I asked myself, “What if I could monetize more efficiently?”

I was using Google AdSense, so I set out with the goal to make a direct advertising deal. I made a list of each advertiser, then contacted them and inquired about going direct. This was my basic pitch:
“Look, you are already purchasing traffic from my website via Google. What if we were to cut out the middleman, do a direct deal, and both come out ahead for it?  Is that something that interests you?”

After contacting about 20 advertisers, five replied, and I struck three different ad deals. Each of these ran separately, and they had mildly successful results. In all three cases, AdSense delivered better results. There were two problems. First, our advertising contract was too short: there was not enough time to measure real results. Also, the advertisers didn’t have enough control over my website, and couldn’t fine-tune things to their needs.

Even though these direct advertising deals didn’t pan out, they were still valuable because I learned from them. Most importantly, the last direct deal that I made resulted in an unsolicited offer to purchase the website. This would not have happened had I not experimented with new forms of monetization.

Persist through any setbacks

During my journey to create a full-time income online, I experienced a few setbacks. The reason that my website sold for such a large amount is because I persisted through these setbacks and continued to improve the website.

In one instance, a Google algorithm update reduced my traffic by about 40%. I quickly made corrective actions and improved the quality of my content. This particular setback helped in that it raised my standard of quality for future posts. Instead of producing “good enough” articles, I tried to redefine what “premium content” meant to me. I challenged myself to be original, insightful, and helpful with each new article I published.

Sell when the right offer comes along

As I stated above, my last direct advertising deal resulted in an offer I could not refuse. $200,000 was a life-changing amount of money for me. I also had the knowledge and skill to build another profitable website.

Think carefully about your selling price, and keep it in the back of your head. If your website is earning $1,000 per month, would you sell the website for $30,000?  Why or why not?

My website sold for an outrageous premium because it was “best in class” in terms of original content, epic resource articles, and lots of free ebooks. The strength of the content and the community will allow the site to remain profitable long into the future.

Review your action list

To increase monthly income or sell your site for a huge premium, review the actions I’ve suggested in this article and make sure that you are addressing each of them. Six figures does not just fall into your lap, but if you are determined to work hard for your success, these actions can get you there.

Any questions? Let me know in the comments!

source: http://www.problogger.net/

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66 Ways To Make Money With Handicrafts

66 Ways To Make Money With Handicrafts

66 Ways To Make Money With Handicrafts. Do you have a passion for making handicrafts? Then why not make some money off of your skills? There are countless ways to make money and supplement your income, perhaps one of these 66 ways to make money with handicrafts might be just what you’re looking for to bring in some extra money.

USING WOOD

Image Credit: http://www.pinoybisnes.com

1. Make house signs
2. Make walking canes
3. Refinish old-fashioned children’s desks
4. Mass-produce quality chopping blocks
5. Make wicker baskets
6. Hand-carve picture frames
7. Make wooden greeting cards
8. Specialize in creating quality doll palaces
9. Build miniature furniture for dollhouses and adult collectors
10. Create decorative birdhouses

USING CLOTH AND NATURAL FIBERS
11. Knit personalized sweaters
12. Specialize in batik wearing apparel
13. Tie-dyeing
14. Make old-fashioned quilts
15. Make quilts that tell a story
16. Sell macrame products from home, a shop, or mail order
17. Custom rugmaking
18. Create doll clothes and restore old dolls
19. Create unique ethnic and character dolls
20. Produce custom-made sandals
21. Make personalized leather snap-on bracelets

FROM GOURDS
22. Create eating and drinking utensils from gourds
23. Make lamps with gourds
24. Make gourd planters
25. Make gourd totem poles
26. Create gourd creatures
27. Create birdhouses from gourds

FROM MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS
28. Make face masks
29. Make copper cameos from photographs
30. Make babies’ hand plaques
31. Make dolls with faces similar to their owners
32. Moulding and casting faces
33. Dry flowers
34. Make book-safes: hollowed-out books for hiding valuables
35. Make personalized coffee mugs
36. Make jewelry from beads or seashells
37. Make bulletin boards
38. Embellish and redecorate household products
39. Make salt and pepper shakers from cow horns
40. Make custom wastebaskets
41. Create miniature replicas of antiques out of wood or ivory
42. Crate giant replicas of small insects
43. Decorate decanter stoppers with small clay caricatures of people
44. Offer natural tattooing with sun stencils
45. Make ceramic plaques of newborn infants’ foot or hand prints
46. Make lamps from wine jugs, seashells, etched metal, rocks, transparent plastic, etc
47. Make money from mobiles
48. Make mosaics to decorate functional items
49. Make ceramic lawn decorations
50. Manufacture sundials
51. Make costume jewelry
52. Make weather vanes
53. Make unusual products from seashells
54. Manufacture terrariums
55. Make and sell bottled boats
56. Tint and sell pussy willows
57. Decorate penny match boxes
58. Make bottle gardens
59. Create novelty bottles
60. Manufacture stained glass windows
61. Make sculpture candles
62. Gift wrapping service

SELLING
63. Operate a crafts marketplace
64. Operate a crafts consignment shop
65. Become a sales agent for handicrafts
66. Sell handicrafts at fairs

source: pinoybisnes

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How to Make Biodegradable Detergent Soap

How to Make Biodegradable Detergent Soap

Biodegradable detergent soap uses all-natural products that are mild to the skin and clothes and, in addition, are eco-friendly. In contrast, commercial detergent powder contains chemicals such as optical brighteners, dyes, and artificial fragrances that can sometimes irritate the skin.

With a capital of as little as P700, you can start your own biodegradable detergent powder business to meet this market demand. You only need to purchase the following materials:

• 1 kilo (kg) sodium sulfate
• 500 grams (g) (coconut-based)
• 200 g coconut powder
• 6 ml bilimbi fruit (kamias) extact
• 10 g blue speckles
• 120 ml fragrance (kalamansi scent)
• 5g sodiumtripolyphospate (STPP)

Most of the materials for the detergent-making powder are available locally.

Image Credit: http://www.pinoybisnes.com

Most of the materials needed to make biodegradable detergent powder are imported from Malaysia, China, and India. However, you can also buy them locally from soap-suppliers stores in Divisoria, Manila. Magic Ultra is available from ESF Cakes and Bread House.

You can produce the kamias extract by fermenting 1 kilo of the bilimbi fruit in a jar with 2 tablespoons of salt. After 24 hours, get the extract, strain it, then transfer it to another container. It will be then ready for use.

What each ingredient does

1. The base material of Magic Ultra being coconut, it serves as the foaming ingredient of the detergent.
2. Blue speckles serve as the bleaching agent. It has whitening components such as the sodium sulfate and sodium berborate.
3. The kamias extract serves as a stain remover and also helps whiten your clothes.
4. The kalamansi scent is needed to give the detergent a natural scent.

Procedure:
To start making the detergent powder, prepare a mixing bowl and measure all the materials. Mix the sodium sulfate, the Magic Ultra, and the coconut powder in the bowl until it becomes powdery. Once powdery, add to the mix the STPP along with the kamias extract and the kalamansi fragrance. Mix carefully, then add the blue speckles. Once the materials are mixed well, pack the mixture and label the powder. You may pack them in 250g-, 500g-, or 1kg- packs. You can also put a powder scoop inside the pack as a value-added item. The total yield of this project is 1,750 g or 1.75 kg.

Costing and pricing
To determine the selling price of your biodegradable detergent powder, compute first your total production cost by getting the cost of the materials you used for this project. Add to the total cost a certain percentage for your desired markup. Divide the sum with the total yield to get your selling price per pack. If you are going to the product at home and in limited amounts, it is recommended that you add a 100 percent markup to the total production cost. If you plan to mass-produce the detergent, however, you may separately add a percentage for your overhead costs plus your profit margin.

Do’s and Don’ts
1. Never use glass bottles to ferment kamias extract. The acid of kamias may cause the bottle to explode when opened =. The use of plastic containers is recommended.
2. Use dark-colored reagent bottles in order to dissipate the perfume (fragrance). To avoid contamination, do not use plastic bottles.
3. Use gloves for protection while making the detergent powder.
4. Keep everything away from children’s reach.
5. Be sure to measure all the ingredients accurately.
6. Seal your finished product well.

Coffee Scented Soap
This particular recipe is for coffee scented soap, which is suitable for vegetarians and vegans because it uses all vegetable oils rather than tallow. This is just one of the scents (or scent combinations) you can choose; feel free to experiment with different fragrances! However, before creating your own mixtures, be sure to calculate the exact concentrations of ingredients needed. Too much lye can make your soap overly abrasive, while too little lye can make your soap very oily.

Ingredients:
• 8 ounces (227 grams) soybean oil
• 4 ounces (113 grams) coconut oil
• 4 ounces (113 grams) olive oil
• 5 ounces (142 grams) coffee (to be used instead of water)
• 2 ounces (57 grams) lye

Most of the above vegetable oils can be found in regular grocery stores, and there are a variety of websites that sell lye online.

Additional Materials Needed:
• Safety goggles or glasses
• Safety gloves
• Small scale
• 2 large measuring cups
• Wooden spoon or hand mixer
• Pan
• Thermometer
• Knife
• Plastic container to use as a mold
• Wax paper

Note: Because lye fumes are hazardous, be sure to work with lye in a well-ventilated area.

Instructions:
1. Make a cup of coffee and put it into the refrigerator, making sure it cools thoroughly.
2. Pour the appropriate amount of cold coffee into a measuring cup.
3. Put on the safety goggles and safety gloves.
4. Put the measuring cup on the scale and set the scale to zero. This ensures that the scale is only measuring the amount of lye and not the weight of the measuring cup.
5. Pour the lye into the measuring cup until the scale reads the correct amount. Be extremely careful with the lye! Do not breathe in the fumes.
6. Without letting anything splash, slowly pour the lye into the coffee in the other measuring cup. Absolutely do not pour the coffee into the lye!
7. The lye-coffee mixture will be hot, so set it aside temporarily to cool. Check the temperature occasionally with a thermometer, making sure it does not go below 100º F to 110º F.
8. Stir the soybean oil, coconut oil, and olive oil in a pan. Heat the pan on the stove until the oil mixture temperature on the thermometer reads 100º F to 110º F.
9. When the lye mixture and oil mixture reach the exact same temperature, stop heating the pan.
10. Slowly pour the lye mixture into the oil mixture.
11. Making sure not to let anything splash, stir the solution vigorously.
12. Keep stirring steadily and carefully until the mixture has the texture of honey. If you are using a wooden spoon, this part can take up to an hour. If you use the hand mixer, it can take a matter of minutes. However, be especially careful not to splash the mixture or speed up the process too quickly.
13. Pour the solution into the plastic container mold and put the lid on. Wrap the mold in a blanket or towel to insulate the soap in order to keep it warm. Leave it like this for 48 hours.
14. Unwrap the blanket or towel and take the lid off of the plastic mold. If the solution is still soft, leave the mold with top off for another day. If it has hardened, peel the soap away from the sides and turn the mold over onto wax paper.
15. Run the knife under hot water to heat it, and then dry it with a clean towel.
16. Cut the soap into bars.
17. Leave the soap bars out in the open for 3-4 weeks to let them cure. Although you can start using them after a day or so, curing them allows them to last longer and lather better.

Marketing Strategy
Along with word-of-mouth from satisfied users, giving out trial packs is still the best marketing strategy for this small-scale business. It is therefore advisable to give sample of trial packs to your friends and relatives so they can assess and evaluate your product before you start selling them.

Sources: www.entrepreneur.com.ph, www.greeniacs.com

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