Affiliate and associate programs - do they pay give working income

So, I have wandered this for a while - especially seeing my adsense was stopped? Not sure why, had no clicks on it at all??? Maybe bad association with something? Anyhow, to that end I decided to try out a few affiliate and associate programs so to speak. You can see a couple of these on my blog page  "Really Simple Systems" (who I chose as I went for job at around a year ago, got to last 2 but didn't make it - so know software and director) and "Amazon" as everyone needs a bit of Amazon.

Now, I don't have hundreds (or even a hundred; lucky on 20-30) views each day so not sure if this experiment will work - but I hope to have enough interest to at least leave posts on how these progress and if can provided any sustained income - or least enough to give money in for food in this ever cost increasing world we live in.

If you would like to take part; certainly if interested in just being interested in my choice, then you can check out the widget below.. click, play, etc. But as a request... (underline and bold just to highlight hehe) I ask this. To increase the potential of this experiment can you each who read this +1 it on google, share this post on G+ and just try to drive traffic this way.

Also leave a comment letting me know any other programs you have used, if they worked, etc and so we can build up a great information base on these programs..

So till next time... Blogged out.

First attempt at business is a launch

So, I decided to bite the bullet and take a handful of virtual dirt along with a friend and attempt to start a first business.Now; the thing is I love technology, I love reviewing technology; and so we thought "Why not try and work with that".

So, we came up with Technologist PR .. This is a work in progress, a launch of today as we have a starting foundation. And we have some ideas. For example, I know that lots of App developers like myself (as I am a developer even though I don't get to do it much) don't have money for PR, advertising, etc. So we can offer deals of say no cash up front and percentage of takings..

Now, this isn't a rash punch in the dark. I have been working on reviewing products for companies (some big companies too) for over a year working with their PR. And I have been working with a few PR companies again reviewing, advertising their products. So I have gained insight into what is required.

Basically we are offering a service that is free to try. And could potentially raise the sales of a customers product. I know how much time and effort it takes in creating a product and so believe same amount of time and effort should be paid in advertising.  But would you as a developer want to do that or prefer to pay for that to be done.

Anyhow guys, go check us out. Its my first attempt at working for myself (well to transition over time) and I will certainly keep you informed :)

Some of you may have noticed that...

I on occasion put video in this blog   :-)   Most of these come from my techie youtube channel(s) (have two now as trying to move tech to 1 channel leaving other for fun). However, last post was from a new channel setup with a friend of mine.

We both enjoy making videos (probably me more for being in front of camera and playing with effects and him more with the editing process) and decided we wanted to try and do more shorts with effects, action, etc. October last year we did one for a Halloween competition and although didn't win we enjoyed it so much that thought we could do more.

So a month or two ago we filmed some video, twas a cold and frosty day hehe. Then we spent spare time (and not a lot of that) tweaking, adding some visual effects, colorization, and finally music and intro and we produced what was in our previous blog. As we went through this process we have learnt some stuff which means our next video will be filmed in a way to allow us to do these new effects.

Now, as it something we do in spare time this maybe filmed soon or later but something will be added over time. Unlike some of the bigger youtubers we have to work :-(  though would love to be in a position of making short videos and doing that as work.

But we can all dream.. Bottom line is that in this blog I will quite often try to be informative, that's what I try to do on my video channels. However, on occasion as this is a blog I will just blog or post something I find interesting.. Only saying that because over past week have had some anonymous spam posters who to scared to actually use their names... But for the rest of you that enjoy my odd and random posts I thanks you all for taking the time to read my blog. I hope it gives you some amusement; least as much as it gives me writing.

New business ideas...??? Lets start a business together..

This mail is going to be more like questions than answers, maybe it questions you ask yourself? I don't know. But I expect many of us wander about working from home or making extra money; infact I did a blog a week or two ago about it; about the current ways.

But I feel that there are things we can do that we have not though of. As an example... I was watching videos from a YouTuber I view who says he runs businesses (plural). Now, he drives a 6 series BMW and saw some pics of house he is moving into (nice). So; i thought; what does he do to make that much cash.

I investigated a little and found a link to one of the businesses he does which was to hire out models for advertising gigs. Now I understand the way he meets these models (I also know that if advertise you get some come down) and its probably a great business model as only pay models when they work.And if you know plenty of nice looking men or women this may work well. I can think of a few other things could apply this business model too also.

Hiring services also good way; as in skills and not looks. Companies like Geek Squad and etc seems to have done well in this market. Personally I reckon I could fit computer memory far cheaper than all these companies.. But again its just getting established - locally not so hard if get lots of business cards done and then leave them around.

I do also have one other concept/business model I am working on in my head. Not something I will bring into blog as not finished and I tend to only talk about solid ideas as things can change.

Now, we can all buy items to sell; infact I have tried that with http://www.techebooks.co.uk/ which is probably still a little work in progress and research (still bits of page not figured out how to edit). This was something I bought as a turnkey package. Of course I brought down prices, i can't see benefit of selling ebooks at 10GBP like original price, 1.50GBP or there is fine as low costs. Please do check out if get time, may find something interesting. And if do please share out link.

So, as say, there are the sell items. Turnkey businesses we can buy off ebay, etc. There are guru dvd's etc. But at the end of the day its that thing; you know, that thing that nobody has through off but where there is a clear market..

By the way, if anyone wants to banter off some ideas at me or would like to get involved (50/50) in any business ideas - ideas that can start for free.. then please do leave me message and we can chat.

Shall I write a book - can I write a book? Doing it from home...

So you may remember my recent blog about working from home. One of the common scenarios is the free lance writer and working from home; and certainly I was wandering how difficult this sort of thing can be.

Now... I have a good friend of mine that produces music - Tangent.. Hold with me, I'll get there. He's been producing music for many years, been part of many smaller bands for 30 years or more and at one point that was his job.

Now, fast forward to last few years. He has written or rather created music and using the web he puts his music on particular site(s) for sale (this is where tangent reeled back in). Now he produces good music, spends great amounts of time perfecting it. But because of the mass market he may make a few pounds a month if lucky.

So... Taking that example over to book writing or freelance writing. How many books/ebooks are written and never take off or never produce much money? Could these been great books or not so great? Is it marketing?

So, to answer my own question and research I am considering writing such a book. Now, I am not sure if I am a great writer; not even sure of a story line; but I am sure on the target market. I am going to write an ebook that a parent can read too a toddler. Why? Because I have a target audience to check if good story or not hehe. Also; such stories don't have to be very long and you can even write a series.

If that goes well then I may try moving up in number of pages? Maybe aim at slight older ages? But in all this is a research and results will be shared... Hopefully there will be results.

So, have any of you reading this blog ever produced any ebooks/books? Do you have advice, hints, tips? 

OK, this blog may not be fountain of all knowledge some people expect so I will try to get a more techie one out today also :-D