How Do People React When They Find Out You Work Online?
- Thread starter Greybeard
- Start date
wejee
Junior Member
- Jan 20, 2010
- 117
- 23
Yes, they don't take it seriously, or they want to piggy back on your success. I've learned to be vague, a lot of people want to just try and copy your niche, or throw scepticism at you. I just say I do "online affiliate marketing". You can have fun, and make stuff up, and throw SEO, SERP, ROI, PPC into an important sounding word salad job title. 
Coffee King
Junior Member
- Apr 25, 2011
- 131
- 66
I tell them I gave my bank account number, social security, and the rest of my personal information to a Nigerian prince. He was dying so he sent me all of his fortune!
Also, I just so happen to be the 10,000th visitor on several websites a day! I win so much.
Also, I just so happen to be the 10,000th visitor on several websites a day! I win so much.
procam
Senior Member
- Jan 5, 2010
- 883
- 328
I hate when people ask what I do... It can't be explained in a sentence, so I say I blog online and put ads on my site and sell ebooks. I also throw in that it's hard work, I'm a slave to my computer just so they stop asking questions and make them think twice before asking me for money
Weak minded people give me anxiety...
Weak minded people give me anxiety...
Markthedude
Power Member
- Feb 26, 2010
- 572
- 274
I tried explaining it to my Dad and Stepmom and just like everyone else said, you get the glazed, wtf look.
After nearly 60 minutes of trying to explain affiliate marketing to them my dad goes, "That's good, do you need food?"
WTF?!?!
I just say I work from home and leave it at that, once you say internet it's like the room starts spinning or something and people get all disorientated.
After nearly 60 minutes of trying to explain affiliate marketing to them my dad goes, "That's good, do you need food?"
WTF?!?!
I just say I work from home and leave it at that, once you say internet it's like the room starts spinning or something and people get all disorientated.
LBrown
Senior Member
- Mar 22, 2011
- 1,108
- 1,842
Whenever I explain SEO to someone they say, "So that's why when I searched for insert search term here I couldn't find what I was looking for at all?"
My family was skeptical when I started making money online. I've been at it for a few years now and making an income that coincides with the time I've put in. That piques their curiosity. Most of my family is extremely frugal though so they think that not turning on the heat in the winter (in New England) is just as good of a financial strategy as tripling your income online.
My family was skeptical when I started making money online. I've been at it for a few years now and making an income that coincides with the time I've put in. That piques their curiosity. Most of my family is extremely frugal though so they think that not turning on the heat in the winter (in New England) is just as good of a financial strategy as tripling your income online.
keytenx
Supreme Member
- Sep 18, 2011
- 1,425
- 813
whenever i tell them i work online they say: "really? do you want me to recommend you to my boss so you can have a fix income?" annoying!!!! sometimes they ask what is your work? "i replied SEO" then they they exclaimed "cmon give us a break, what company are you owning?" i just smiled and stop answering their questions. There is a big difference between SEO and CEO right?! hah people...
leonardodv
Junior Member
- Jun 14, 2011
- 111
- 14
I will just tell them m selling some stuff online making a living - you don't want to get into the details...
and never reveal how much you are making -
and never reveal how much you are making -
canuckle83
Registered Member
- Nov 27, 2011
- 60
- 3
Ugh, that why I have trouble meeting new people, I get so anxious when that question pops up, usually around my age, young people are starting their "professional" careers, so they love talking about what they do and blah blah blah ...
Jamesgtaiv
BANNED
- Nov 17, 2011
- 32
- 135
When it comes to my family, saying it and having the numbers to prove it are two totally different things. I could go on all day about how I did this and that and made so many clients and they could really care less. But when they see that check, their face turns an entirely different color.
BlueTurtle
BANNED
- Nov 30, 2011
- 699
- 1,333
It's nobody's business really what you do. I think too many people go into too many details about what they do.
I only ever say I run my own business. If they ask what kind I say a media company. At a push I'll say an online media company but I've never had anyone push for more than that.
The only people who know what I do are people who I think would be interested in doing some online stuff themselves, so I generally give them some help but most people I wouldn't tell anything to since they just get clingy and annoying when you tell them you make money never mind telling them you make money online.
bananaman5000
Regular Member
- Mar 5, 2010
- 201
- 130
Yeah same problem here. Wait until you have to fill out an apartment application and list what you do. I just say web developer, it sounds complex enough that they usually leave it at that. People used to laugh at me for trying to make a living on the internet, but after I made 14k in 2 months they stopped, then became jealous. My advice to you if you start really making bank is 2 things. First, get an accountant they can save you a lot of money. Second, there are some people who will react badly to your success. It's better that people don't know, once they know they start to treat you differently, they act like you just got lucky.