Try to run a search for the name Edward Gilbert. You'll garner about 2,700,000 hits, and the most prominent of them would refer to Edward Gilbert the doctor, Edward Gilbert the lawyer, and Edward Gilbert the deceased professional wrestler. None of them though, would point to Edward Gilbert, the internet marketing millionaire.
"I'm not comfortable with self-promotion," said Edward, or Eddie to his friends and clients. He used to be one of the top "dropshippers," or wholesale distributors in cyberspace, having supplied various products like vintage shoes, hip hop accessories and charms to many people worldwide. Currently, he considers himself as a retired internet marketer and has invested his online earnings in the real estate game. The real world real estate, that is.
Eddie's a relative latecomer in the online business, as he had his first brushes with the internet only in 2001. Back then, he was an assistant to the postmaster's office of his state and was being groomed for eventual succession.
So what brought about Eddie's shift from slow mail to e-mail?
"I always thought that the internet was only good for porn," he answered, sharing a sentiment we all felt at one point. "It was the new millennium and I was running a 586 at home," he continued, "I never felt the need to have a new setup that would just perform the same tasks."
But one day that fateful year, his daughter won a new computer from the local YFC. "She's the real entrepreneur in the family," Eddie proudly proclaimed of her daughter Joy Marie, "she won a small scale business plan competition at the age of 15." The new computer allowed them to use the AOL CDs that have piled up in their home, and this opened a new world of digital possibilities for the Gilbert family. Eddie would often call in sick for work just to discover the then uncharted reaches of cyberspace.
One thing led to another. Eddie soon discovered E-bay where he started selling small woodwork tokens that were carved by his brother.
"I wasn't able to sell anything, which didn't do much to Brian's (his brother) ego," he said. "I'd go home from work every day and excitedly log on, only to find out that no orders were placed."
But this initial frustration did not discourage him. After a couple of months, Eddie decided to dabble on public domain information (PDI).
"I got the idea from David Vallieres," he narrated, referring to the E-bay power seller who is hailed in the internet marketing community as one of the more prominent masters of the trade. "He mentioned how Walt Disney made an empire out of PDI." Armed with renewed vigor, Eddie made his research and discovered the demand for some books belonging to the public domain.
"That caused me to visit the local library," he continued, "I borrowed some books, scanned them, arranged them really nice, packaged them as e-books, and within two days, I earned close to $2,000. All net." Despite his careful planning, the result still came as a surprise for him. "I never thought that I could actually earn money from the internet until I made my first sale," he shared.
"Selling PDI is very cost-efficient," Eddie confided, "you don't have to pay anyone any royalties. Minimal capital is needed, and all the profit is yours to keep." Eddie realized that as big as E-bay was, it was not his entire market. He developed a site wherein he could advertise his book and offer it for sale outside of the said auction community. At first, traffic was slow, which forced him to remove the guest counter in the main page so that his few visitors won't get the wrong impression.
"Then I discovered about link exchanges and attaching your site to your online persona," Eddie continued. "I tried to make friends with fellow webmasters and they included my site as one of their links for free. I also tried to advertise my site as much as I could. I included its address in my profile's signature in all the discussion forums I joined and e-mail responses I wrote."
The visitor count gradually increased and he was starting to make sales from his website. It was at this point when Eddie learned about search engine positioning, which, back in 2002, was more of a myth than a fact.
"I invested some of my earnings on a traffic expert," he said, referring to what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts were called three years ago. "I have no regrets as traffic did increase and so did sales, so I got back what I spent in a week or so."
After a few months, Eddie gave up his day job as his online income was providing him some substantial earnings. And since his site has been generating most of the profit for his PDI products, he was able to shift his attention back to E-bay where he started offering goods he bought in bulk from contacts he was introduced to, both online and offline.
"It's the basic system of a profitable barter," he explained, "buy and sell, man! Buy and sell! You buy goods at a lower price, and you sell them for a little higher amount."
Earlier this year, Eddie's total online earnings have reached close to two million dollars. "I never had to employ anyone, except for those who had to carry my wholesale orders from another state to my place," he added. With the income he has gained, Eddie has decided to take a temporary hiatus from his online adventures to weave his magic in the real world.
When asked what advice he could give for beginners, Eddie was quick to reply. "Don't give up on it," he said, "just remember that Rome wasn't built in a day."
"It's not that hard," Eddie continued, "just don't forget to have fun."
© 2005 Gunnar Berglund
Gunnar Berglund has been a "internet- hardworker" for the last five years He publishes the Meonit Gazette http://gazette.meonit.com and runs http://www.meonit.com and http://www.grabinternetprofits.com
------------- ------------------------------
RSS is a technology that has the potential of overcoming... Read More
Thousands and thousands of people are striving to make more... Read More
Many people fail to realize how they can really make... Read More
All small business owners, especially those internet based, are concerned... Read More
I've recently begun working with individuals one-on-one who are truly... Read More
You can earn a large monthly passive income with a... Read More
Do you want to learn two proven niche marketing business... Read More
More and more people are realizing that the Internet offers... Read More
It is important that anybody with a significant online presence... Read More
My wife laughs every time she sees me doing it.At... Read More
For large corporations, a marketing plan is a huge document... Read More
The story of how Hotmail moved from zero to a... Read More
With the plethora of websites online and hundreds added each... Read More
1. When you make your first sale, follow-up with the... Read More
This old saying which addresses the variability of the weather... Read More
It goes without saying that all of us would like... Read More
This article can determine the success or failure of your... Read More
FREE online classified advertising - the equation is simple. A... Read More
Some years ago, on the recommendation of a friend, I... Read More
And you are so proud of it. You have no... Read More
Find a niche; pick a niche, niche markets will make... Read More
Most people get into internet marketing because it looks like... Read More
The fact that you're reading this article shows your interest... Read More
I am a great admirer of businesses that serve and... Read More
For three years in Internet Marketing, I've tried to find... Read More
What is one of the main keys to a successful... Read More
Strategic Internet marketing is a way to define your potential... Read More
The basic principles used successfully by brick and mortar storefronts... Read More
There are many people every day jumping into the online... Read More
If you are on a shoestring budget and need to... Read More
The market world is increasingly becoming specialized. Instead of offering... Read More
Are free advertising boards a waste of time?Not if you... Read More
What the heck am I talking about?Let me tell you... Read More
Catch the cash on the net?in more ways than one.Thousands... Read More
Do you remember the first time you got on the... Read More
What You Won't Learn in Business School----------------------------------------We all know the... Read More
1. Make your potential customers forget about the competition. Just... Read More
Placing those ads on your site are designed to do... Read More
Free bonuses are like honey that can get your website... Read More
The Digital Object Identifier otherwise known as the DOI is... Read More
Internet business opportunities come in many flavors and varieties. Most... Read More
The story of how Hotmail moved from zero to a... Read More
It was supposed to happen in thirty days. Buy the... Read More
When you offer your products via an email campaign to... Read More
The web site marketing you use to promote your Internet... Read More
The fact that you're reading this article shows your interest... Read More
If you are sending out a periodic email newsletter, no... Read More
Everyday people ask me if they will make money with... Read More
For several years now, enterprising individuals like you have been... Read More
The internet boom hit a high mark in 2004. With... Read More
No doubt, online marketing is the fastest way to get... Read More
Developing an ad Campaign for the Startup E-businessOnline advertising has... Read More
How many times have I heard literal horror stories from... Read More
In search of the coveted search engine traffic? Yes? Then... Read More
Creating a lucrative online business is not an easy task.... Read More
All online businesses are nothing more than lead capturing machines.... Read More
I discovered a free service online, that allows me to... Read More
Leads are the Life Blood of any Online Home Based... Read More
I would like to share with you one simple stratergy... Read More
To market successfully you must incorporate the Internet into your... Read More
There is a common misconception that an "online business" requires... Read More
Niche marketing is focusing your business efforts to a target... Read More
One day I was talking to a friend who had... Read More
If you want to boost your website sales to the... Read More
How to Succeed and Stay on Task with Your Internet... Read More
Joint Ventures (JVs) are one of the most powerfull techniques... Read More
Internet Marketing |