Residual income is often also referred to as, “passive” or “recurring” income. Indeed, money makes the world go ’round. What better way to earn money than through letting money work for you even while you sleep? Surely, no greater method is available or even imaginable. The key here is to work smarter, not harder. Industriousness is required and you should be prepared to be very persistent. A common method of steadily earning residual income is through royalties earned from a book, song composition, software, or mobile application. Types of recurring income are not limited to royalties. Here are ten methods to begin earning.
1. Affiliate Marketing
Basically, an affiliate connects a customer with a desired or needed product. The affiliate is responsible for marketing to drive sales to the retailer. It is best to purchase a domain name and build a user-friendly website to draw customers and convert them to purchasing the chosen product. Build interest through pay-per-click advertising, content articles about the product, and through posting on forums with a relevant website link.
2. Auto-Responder Lists
Appeal to a target audience through offering regular newsletters about the service or product only you can provide. Offer some free advice on marketing or tips on business-related tools. Offer the first part of a how-to e-course free to generate traffic. Through brief, yet constant contact, your blog becomes invaluable to your audience. Don’t be timid in offering a bit of free advice to build a dedicated audience.
3. Membership Community
Charge a monthly or annual fee to offer members access to exclusive advice or products. Sell your expertise through exclusive podcasts, offering live FAQ sessions through Skype, or forums. You may want to try selling a monthly subscription to allow users to sample new products, similar to a book club. Frequent interaction increases interest and helps build membership through word-of-mouth.
4. Arbitrage Services
Develop a website to purchase and then sell services, such as content articles or purchasing a product at a low price and then reselling it. Another option is to sell the web design service. Sign a contract with an expert and sell the service to others. This type of business is low-risk and has virtually no start up costs. Sites such as eBay or Etsy.com offer products that can be purchased at a very low cost and then resold to gain a profit.
5. Sell Informative E-Books
Cultivate little-known DIY projects and ideas that are needed by consumers. For example, provide tips and tricks on self-improvement or weight loss. Develop your website to cater to the type of information you want to sell. Build your e-mail newsletters at the same time and up-sell a monthly subscription. You will have effectively rolled three services into one great profit.
6. Pay Per Click
This is perhaps one of the most talked about methods of earning a passive income. Essentially, you advertise for others through inserting a link in forums, through social media, and of course through your own site. There are several software packages available for purchase, including Google Adsense, Bing, and Yahoo. These types of ads can be used to attract consumers of a particular gender, age, and individual interests.
7. Customer Referrals
Earn residual income through referring consumers to an established product or service. Use your site to advertise to the company or companies you are interested in providing referrals for. Referral efforts can be coupled with informative e-books, seminars, or articles about the product or service. Build your newsletter lists in the same manner, the difference being that you are directing consumers to a third-party business.
8. Squidoo Lens
This may be a method that is unusual. Drive traffic to your lens the same as you would your blog. Link to your lens on social media platforms, like Twitter. The more people that know about the lens, the more that are apt to visit and purchase. The lens can also be used to promote products on e-bay or CafePress. Write a short description of the product and its unique uses and sell away.
9. Increase Saving Rate
This method may seem quite obvious. However, you may be surprised at the number of people who overlook this simple method of earning a residual income. Most banks require a minimum daily balance, which may be why many skip this method. However, your money is literally working for you in this way and money is earned while you do absolutely nothing.
10. Franchise
Of course, there are large fast-food, pet store, and other enterprises that cost a great deal. However, consider a DVD rental machine, soda, or gum ball machines as more passive avenues to income. These require little maintenance, coins, bills, or revenue collected via credit cards, as well as periodic refilling of machines. These machines are, perhaps, one of the more lucrative paths to a passive income with little input from you.
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