How to Make Money on Three Different Platforms

With only three skills. And a virtue

Two months into quarantine (it’s our fifth month now), I figured, what else can I do now that I have so much time in my hands? If it were a year ago, diamond painting, video games, and binge-watching Netflix series would probably be on top of my list since I thought I wasn’t yet of the right age to browse for the big girls’ jobs.

When I celebrated my 18th last month with myself, I immediately headed to my computer and finally googled “how to make money online” without adding “underaged”. I’m sure you’ve been here too so you know there were actually a LOT of ways how to.

But what really caught my eye were two platforms where I can try earning some dollars to finally buy all those products stuck in my shopping cart for one year now.

And here’s the catch: I didn't need to learn anything. You can start with what you already know!

Selling on Instagram

The pandemic has made me notice just how much space unused items have been stealing in this house. So I decided, why not sell them? Not only will it support my journey to minimalism and sustainability, but I can ensure I have enough space to burpee in my room.

Try selling your clothes on Instagram. Or Facebook. Or Twitter. Or whatever social media platform you’re on that has a lot of potential buyers. Setting up an online business on these platforms is as easy as one burpee — it takes some effort if you plan on doing it for the long term.

So far, I have sent around a hundred items to their new owners and I can finally do point to point jumping jacks in my room. I also just paid for that 60-dollar sports bra I’ve been meaning to buy. Seriously, why is sportswear so damn expensive?

It didn’t really feel like a job since I liked dressing up and taking photos without my face. It’s a talent I’ve acquired from my genes. All you really need are good marketing skills and excellent customer service.

Put extra effort into taking product pictures.

People do judge a book by its cover. And when it comes to business, it is fundamental to make sure your customers see the quality of products and services you offer with just one look. Put some thought into what your feed should look like that would best reflect your shop’s aesthetic. It is especially important when it comes to social media platforms. One scroll may just make or break your business — it’s what it takes to convince them to head to your profile.

Lay down clear and concise guidelines.

Buyers don’t like it when they have to go through a lot of different links just to purchase a t-shirt. Make sure your shop rules are laid out clearly and are accessible to the lazy person.

And as a seller, be strict with them. You can start upping your level of sternness with time, so you can build a credible and trustworthy brand that doesn’t go back on their words.

Channel your inner sycophant.

Really, that word is just synonymous with teacher’s pet and suck-ups. Polish your flattering skills. React to buyer’s stories. Tell them they look the prettiest even if they’re the 36th person you told that to. It works wonders.

Connect with your buyers.

See above.

Give Freelance Platforms a Shot

The other option was freelance sites. They’re all the buzz in the non-9-to-5 community so you must have heard of them by now.

I signed up for Freelancer, Fiverr, and Upwork.

Freelancer was a good platform. It only took me three days to get a client with my average bidding skills. They were asking me to copywrite their 7-page travel article for SEO. It was easy enough to be completed in about two hours. When I delivered, I really didn’t expect what would happen next. I got scammed. Damn. Freelancer owes me $3.

If you’re trying your luck with this website, here is some advice I can share to make sure you avoid those darn users.

Always check their profile.

Check everything. Their ratings, past projects, contact, payment status — everything.

If they have no ratings, pass. If they have no past projects, pass — unless you’d love to take a shot or your astrology advice for the day tells you to take risks. If they have an incomplete profile, pass.

Join Contests

You might be thinking, but most of the job posts are what you just described — what can I do then? Worry no more, my friend. The contest page is there for you.

To really be sure that you don’t get played, try browsing the contest page for jobs that you might fancy. It’s a feature where you get to choose which project you’d like to assume. And if you did a good enough job to triumph a thousand other submissions, congratulations! You earned how much the client posted as the prize. If you did not win but the client still has some cash to spare, they might buy your work if it’s good enough.

Try joining contests if you’ve got time to spare. You really have nothing to lose.

When I set up an account on Fiverr, I was so eager to finally have that one message that could tell me it was worth it. I just waited an hour and you won’t believe what already happened. It didn’t arrive. Bummer.

But I didn’t give up just yet. It was just an hour — of course, people would take longer to see my gig among all those very competitive freelancers who started way before I even heard of Fiverr. And with bright, shimmery shiny stars at that.

So I waited again. This time, for a day. And then a notification arrived. Finally. This is what I’ve been waiting for. I opened that green adrenaline-inducing “f” icon to see what was in store for me. Turns out it was just Fiverr congratulating me for setting up my graphic designing gig. Well, thanks anyway.

A week has passed and still, no luck. So I stopped waiting.

I stopped reloading and reloading and reloading the gig page telling me how many people have passed by my gig and decided it wasn’t what they were looking for. Or how many decided to give my gig a chance.

I stopped waiting. Then that one message arrived after almost a month. I even forgot that I had a Fiverr account waiting to happen.

The client messaged me how they liked the sample designs I had shown on my cover photo. Flattered. They also wanted three illustrations for their business website — a very good start, I must say. Here’s what I learned trying my luck on Fiverr.

Put some effort into making your gig name and cover.

When employers browse for jobs on Fiverr, what they see first are the gig cover pictures. So if you just upload a boring “graphic design” text on a white background as your cover — even if you have an outstanding background and experience laid out in your description, don’t even bother. Buyers won’t even know that if you don’t get their attention right from the start.

To make sure you stand out in an ocean of gigs, here are some tips:

Balance. Make sure your picture doesn’t feel off. It’s not pleasing to the eye when one section is heavier than the other. Color. Do you know why school buses are yellow? It’s because yellow gets your attention faster than other colors. That way, motorists can easily spot these vehicles even when it’s foggy. Using yellow can actually do the same to your gig cover. It stands out. Less is more. Don’t crowd your picture with unnecessary icons that only make it uncomfortable to the eyes. You want simplicity in your cover. That way, you can easily highlight what kind of job you offer without overpowering details.

Make sure you understand everything your client wants to happen.

Really. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask until everything is clear from A to Z. It also helps to ask for specific feedback from your client. Mine was generous enough to even send Powerpoint files to pinpoint exactly how they wanted the design to look like.

Check your client’s time zone and adjust accordingly.

I‘m from the Philippines and I worked with someone from the middle east. Turns out we had a 4-hour time difference so the delivery date I offered was not going to work at all. Know just how far and how different your routines are and adjust accordingly — your delivery date, your sleep, your working time, even your messages (you don’t want it to get buried in your client’s notifications).

Do not underprice. Also, upsell.

When I successfully delivered the design — took a week before completion — I just wish I offered more than 50 dollars. But for a novice? I badly needed that five-star rating. Evaluate the work demanded by your client.

Can you do it within the timeframe? Can you do it on time without exerting too much effort? Is your idea worth just 50 bucks?

Though, I would advise you to just snatch all opportunities that may come your way — as long as they are justifiable. Maybe adjust your prices when you see your business booming already.

That 50-dollar earning was all I needed to really consider Fiverr as one of my income streams. So I decided to search YouTube for some very kind people who have enough experience to tell me how I can increase my sales. But when I started binging Carrieblogger’s videos, there it was on the recommended section: Shelby Church flexing a dollar with “writing on Medium” on the title. I was sold.

Of course, I clicked on the video immediately. Sorry, Carrie.

Writing on Medium

Medium has been the best thing that happened to me this year. And I’m telling you, there isn’t a lot on the list. It’s just too good to be true to earn money for your hobby — but it’s true. I just earned a dollar for my latest article and I’m so stoked.

Really, that’s all I can say about this magnificent platform. It didn’t just pay me for my thoughts. It gave me freedom.

If writing has been a part of your life since you learned how to write “A”, you just stumbled upon the best platform.

Patience is Your Best Friend. Perseverance is Your Spouse.

I might have mixed that up but they’re both really important.

It’s a cliche to tell you that this is a cliche so I won’t tell you it is — patience is a virtue. Cue the bright light and ringing bells.

These three platforms won’t guarantee you overnight success, but it will bring you flexibility and freedom. If you’re anything like me, you don’t like being told what to do. And that’s the beauty of it.

Don’t stop even if your best article just got five cents in a week.

I almost lost that Fiverr client when they weren’t satisfied with the drafts I first offered. But with my eagerness to deliver what they demanded, I didn’t stop focusing all my brainpower to finally suggest that 50-dollar design.

If I stopped writing because this article just got 17 cents, you wouldn’t have learned these tips from me. Aw, your loss.

Patience is your best friend (or spouse). Perseverance is your spouse (or best friend).