Developing Your Second (And Third And Fourth) Incomes

By mastering a financially valued skill and marketing yourself properly, you will soon be on track to making at least $130,000 a year. But there are many other ways to boost your income.

The simplest way is to use the skills you've developed to start a side business that can feed you a steady, healthy, second stream of income.

Not everyone has the time or energy to do this. But if you can find a way to give it a try, the results may surprise you. I know more than a few people have created side jobs for a little extra income. Before they knew it, they were earning more money on weekends than they were making during the week.

Consider Branching Out into the Direct-Mail Industry

If you would rather supplement your income by trying out a different financially valued skill, consider becoming a salesperson, advertising copywriter, list consultant, marketing manager, or graphic artist in the direct-marketing industry.

Why direct marketing? Three reasons:

1. Direct marketing is (if you include direct marketing on the Internet) by far the largest single form of advertising. It is larger than television, larger than cable, larger than magazines, and larger than newspapers.
2. Not only is it immense, but it's growing. This is especially true since e-mail advertising has become such a large part of Internet commerce. It's fair to say that no other form of advertising is growing as quickly as direct marketing.
3. Finally, and most important, direct marketing is a business that measures results in terms of dollars and cents added to the bottom line. Freelance professional, who help direct-marketing companies make money are capable of demanding large incomes. That's because it's easy for everyone to see the positive effect they have on sales.

Your Best Bet: Selling Your Own Products or Services through Direct Mail (or E-Mail)

If you have an interest in direct marketing, here are some samples of profitable mail-order businesses to consider:

1. Artist supplies. The market for art supplies is a $30 million-plus industry, and it's growing at more than 10 percent a year. Direct-response art supply companies sell professional-quality painting, sculpture, and woodworking materials, as well as beads and jewelry stock. Working artists like high-quality equipment. If you can give them something that lasts, they'll remember the brand and reward you with repeat purchases.
2. Audiocassettes and CDs. There are all sorts of subjects that lend themselves to audiocassette, CD, and DVD sales. In the business-to-business arena, there are training programs, and in the consumer arena, you have books on tape, language programs, and music, just to name a few. The trend toward electronic forms of information, advice, and entertainment is unstoppable
3. Diet and weight-loss products. The direct-response market for diet and weight-loss products is enormous, encompassing everything from videos and books to exercise equipment, pills to curb the appetite and burn fat, support groups, weight-management programs, and simple products like bathroom scales and fat monitors. Body-conscious Americans spend $40 billion each year to lose weight, and the industry is growing at 5.6 percent annually.
4. E-mail publishing. There are e-mail publications for virtually every area of interest. Especially profitable market segments include financial investors, sports enthusiasts, hobbyists, business opportunity seekers, and people interested in personal growth. Sources of income for e-mail publishers include subscription fees, advertising revenues, and back-end sales. E-publishers earn money on the back end by offering products and services related to the topics covered in the publication. An extraordinary benefit of e-publishing is that there is very little cost associated with distribution (via the Internet as compared with U.S. mail). To do this, you must offer valuable information, adhere to a delivery schedule, provide an easy-to-read and consistent format, and not badger your readers with too much advertising. Once you have built your subscriber base, there are companies that will market your space to potential advertisers.
5. Fitness and exercise videos. Mail-order fitness companies specialize in exercise videos featuring aerobics, boxing workouts, yoga, Pilates, and dozens of other systems. Buyers in this segment are men and women of all ages who are interested in self-improvement. They are generally middle to upper income, and respond well to targeted direct-response advertising. 
6.  Gardening seeds and tools. The indoor and outdoor gardening industry achieves revenues totaling $40 billion per year, and this number is growing by 4 percent annually. Mail-order gardening companies specialize in sales of tools, outdoor power equipment, magazines, books, seeds, bulbs, and plants. To set yourself apart in this industry, provide high-quality products, ease of ordering, and free educational information via editorial content in your catalog or on your website. It's also a good idea to consider producing a newsletter.
7. Hobby and craft products. Mail-order companies in this category specialize in kits and supplies for projects such as stained-glass decorations, decorative painting, woodworking, jewelry, and scrapbooking. The industry is very lucrative and growing rapidly, as it is being fueled by several consumer trends.
8. Natural health products. Mail-order health and nutrition companies specialize in organic foods, vitamins and supplements, and other minimally processed natural products. There is enormous opportunity in this industry, because sales continue to grow. Buyers in this category are affluent, well-educated men and women of all ages. These buyers respond well to direct-response advertising, and good mailing lists are plentiful.
9. Newsletters. According to the Custom Publishing Council, more than 50,000 unique newsletters are produced annually, resulting in revenues of $20 billion each year. Most of them provide financial, health, business, and travel information - subjects that all have one thing in common: They provide information that would be difficult for customers to find in mainstream media publications. The more highly specialized the information, the higher the subscription rate that can be charged. Because they are an information product, you can make a substantial profit with newsletters. The physical product you send customers will be very inexpensive to produce.
10. Pet supplies. The pet industry is a major segment of the U.S. economy. Last year, American pet owners spent over $26 billion on their pets. More baby boomers are purchasing pet supplies because they increasingly view their pets as family members. And as empty nests become refilled with dog beds and litter boxes, older adults have new ways to spend their money. The direct-marketing strategies in this area are similar to those in other markets. Online marketing is especially effective, as is producing a catalog featuring a series of front-end products that the customer can order directly.

[Ed. Note: Ray Buckner’s personal team will create 10 six-figure earners before the year is over. The Traffic Authority system walks you through the process of growing your profitable online business using a proven online business model. Ray shows you exactly what he did to grow his six-figure business. To find out more about Traffic Authority, go here.]