I sold something!

After weeks in SL and hours of building, I finally got a sale!
I made $100L

So after spending about $100 in land and tier and upload costs, I've made roughly $0.50USD

*giggle* I'm not in it for the money, obviously

How long does it usually take to start making content sales?

Hooray! Good for you! It takes WEEKS if not months. I've been in business 8 months and still don't feel firmly established. And if I work out my labor and time vs. how much I actually earn, it works out to something like $.20/hour. LOL. That's gotta be worse than the sweatshop kids in Indonesia.

Way to go, Congrats!

------------

Takes a while to get rolling. Good Luck.

thanks!


$.20/hr is still more than one can earn playing Playstation.

Congratulations Annabelle!

Last week I made $L200 by selling two things. Not that I spent humongous amounts of $L for stuff aynyway and those two sales don't matter financially, but hey-it made me happy.

Thanks everyone... I kinda feel like this is a "SL coming of age" thing. Suddenly I feel like a real resident. LOL

From 0 to 700+ USD/month, pre-boom SL, when max concurrency was about 4000ish...

Four months.

At the time (and pretty same as now) that was roughly $L 200k per month.

How?

Easy.

1) Do not socialise. At. All. In fact, don't come down from a high skyplatform.

2) Find yourself a niche and own it. Don't make generic skins, for instance.

3) Advertise modestly.

4) Have enough land to both build and show your stuff (in my case, about 8000m - 40 USD/mo).

5) Love what you do, and, ironically, don't do it for the money.



Incidentally, shortly after I got my content biz going like this, I got involved with land barony. And had no more time for building. I've not been building anything of significance for 1.5 years now.

And what of my biz? It's still making a few hundred a month. Well, until the other night. I deleted most of the stuff I had for sale. Most of it wasn't, in my opinion, very good any more compared to what's out there nowadays.

In the next few weeks, some of my top competitors will be selling out of West Trade. Will I get a 'cut'? This may sound absolutely nuts, but I really don't care so long as I make tier - which I may still do handily on my own. It's now all 'legacy' - I want to leave a really positive influence more than anything else.

Anyway, back to the point - the key is no social life to get ahead in SL content creation biz.

Pure focus. Nothing beats it.

O.O I can testify this, because it happened exactly to me, including pre-boom, I own 8k myself, and I *ESPECIALLY* agree with advertising modestly. That much income with so little overhead and spending next to nothing on pleasant, modest ads is fun(ny).

Seriously, don't fall into the pit of trying to have the most traffic or the highest classified ad, because it means absolutely squat if you have any ounce of self-worth. When you love what you do and put honest passion into it, and practice by just having fun and creating without money on the mind, you will do far better than otherwise.

You'll wind up secretly outselling the screamers with five digit classified ads that promise orgasms with product ownership. I think that's the best part.

Congrats Annabelle!

The pointers from Desmond run true. I make clothing, and as of lately sales have been 'slow'. I do it for the pure fun of creation. If I happen to cover my tier from it great, if not.. it's still fun!

Keep it up.. it can only get better right?

Yeah, what Desmond said, but less socializing.

Also, try to look at what's out there already, and try to think of how it could be better, more fun, or different. I gave up on making something 'completely' original in SL nowadays, esp. with the huge amount of content out there. Learn from others. Never just copy, but be inspired.

For those that say "No socializing" to make it in the SL buisness world, I hope you are happy doing what you do. I, personally, could never just log in and not socialize. SL would be too boring to me then. I want a Second Life, not a Second Job *chuckles*

If it works for you, all the better.

I socialize constantly. I've designed my buisness to be able to be run by itself, or by HUD interfaces, so I can "work" while continuing to socialize. Perhaps that's why I'm not part of the SL Fortune 500 *Grins*

I make enough to pay my Premium account and my tier, and to buy things I want in moderation. I'll prolly never break the bank, but not out to do so.

And congratz, Annabelle! ^.^

I hope you do great and have as much fun and enjoyment in SL in whichever way makes you happiest =^.^=

~Jessy

I think Desmond and I were both not mentioning this as a great way to spend your time in SL, but referring to a character trait you see with quite a lot of creators. They're not in it for the L$, but they tend to go into 'tinker mode'. A lot of them are usually quite happy to be dragged out of it by friends to go do 'something fun'
But by all means, let Desmond correct me if I'm wrong.

Except when you are in the rental property business. Then, you can't socialize enough. I would agree for content-creation, though!

P.S. Congratulations Annabele! The great thing about it is once you sell that first one, you realize that your stuff has to be decent and priced somewhat right (at least in one person's mind). So now it's just a matter of getting it visible to enough people. Go, girl!

Oh, I'm not bagging on either of you, nor anyone else that "works" a lot in SL. And yes, even I get into that "tinker mode" you speak of *Grins*

Desmond sounds just completely focused (as he said in his post). While I admire him for that, there is no way I could do the same thing. I just wouldn't be Jessy if I did ^.~

It all depends on what makes you happy in SL. If you're happy comming in and tinkering for hours and hours, by all means!!

No one can refute the benifits of determined work. Desmond has a community that adores him, and is spoken of highly as a Landlord. ^.^

Me, I sell odds and ends and run security for a few select sims and some mainland spots.

All of us have fun in SL, all in different ways. Save one. The things we do as a "buisness" make other's SL a bit better. That we make a bit of L$ along the way is a bonus ^.~

~Jessy

Congrats!

I still look forward to an actual sale, but then I don't advertise so I'm cool with not having any However, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a contribution to my new alms box this weekend from a friend who hasn't been in-world for months and months. How cool is that!

I never came here to make money, never heard of that particular dimension of SL until I'd been here a while. And that's good. I calculated approximately what my RL design rate would be for my first build (for myself) and realized nobody was going to pay $75,000 for a garden with no plants!

In my humble opinion, where a lot of people go wrong is coming into Second Life with the intention my making money.

I started making things for fun. I experimented and waggled stuff, I adjusted and redid. And I loved doing it. Once or twice a friend would admire something - the fools, and I would give them a copy. Eventually I plucked up courage to pop some stuff out for sale. Blimey, people bought!

As my sales went up, I got more land, improved my stores, expanded my ranges.

I never expected to 'get rich', I just aimed to cover the tier as best I could. And keep enjoying it!

Now, nearly three years later, I have my beloved island, Tin Teddy, I am registered as self-employed under the same name (yes, I have declared my earnings to the tax-man, I am a good girl, lol). I cover my tier and have a little left over to add to my real-life job earnings. Obviously I am very happy (and proud).

It didnt happen quickly, it took many, many hours of work and a good dose of frustration and failure, hehe.

I am so thrilled to see people in this thread happy to have sold things - not because they are trying to get rich quick, but because the compiment of having someone like something you have created enough to acutally part with money for it is such a buzz!

IMHO - that is the way to start a SL business. Enjoy it!!! If you make a bit of cash, extra hurrahs!

Congrats. It is all well and good to do it because it's fun and be passionate about your art. But it means a lot when someone you don't know likes your creation enough to spend L$100, doesn't it? It sure does mean a lot to me.

That's exactly what I meant.

As of 2 years ago I'd just set a few items out waaay down below, and was then pleaseantly shocked to discover I'd made $L 100 or so myself...

Land barony is a bit different. I'm constantly communicating with people. But while they attend parties, I'm usually setting up a parcel for somebody or other... just how it goes. Oddly, almost nearly as nonsocial as before, but with an occasional bright spot.

YYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!

congrats. cool. good job. what did you sell?

YIPPEE SKIPEE this is fun! more more more more more

Hehe too true. Poor Oryx will stand around neglected for hours at a time, and I have to have my friends almost literally come drag me out to socialize. (I'm too much of a wimp to use Busy Mode, unless I REALLY am busy and at a crucial point in the process.) But that's what's great about it. I can crank up my stereo, lay in a steady supply of Diet Coke, and sit there for 8 hours a day just screwing around, and it only costs me the Diet Coke. And maybe my eyesight.

Congrats. I am going to check out your shop when I go in world


When I first started I rented a stall somewhere and by about the end of a month being there I was making profit. Soon after I got some land and sold from the land and classified ad.

Now aday I own a sim to sell from, I rarely com down from my skybox(Unless to fix up stuff in my shop) because I am always busy working on something. I enjoy socializing on the forums here, gives for a bit of a break

KUDOS! What fun.

Someday I hope to see a news story about how someone's positive SL business experience encouraged them enough that they went into business for themselves in RL. Not necessarily with the same products as in SL -- but the techniques of steady work habits, creativity, building a loyal customer base --- can definitely carry over.

That would be the coolest SL news story ever!

I still remember the excitement when I discovered someone felt one of my designs was worthy of purchasing. Congratulations to you, I'm sure it will be the first of many.

Since then I have worked in random fashion creating items (since I chose to socialize - thanks to Desmond for pointing out my mistake ).

I pretty much cover tier, so I'm happy. Like other posters I create for the joy of it, not the money.

Its always fun when you sell your first things. I know when I did I was amazed that anyone actualy wanted it hehe (just tossed it up cause I had space around) and then I almost passed out when I was asked when I was gonna make more stuff along the same theme.

I had not intended on making anything commercially and it still is like a hobby to me like crafting is in a regular mmorpg and the "do you have more?" after he bought my first items which I had made for me anyhow was very surprising. I was making more things though (for me as usual) and so when I finished making the stuff I put that up for sale too. Soon I had to move to a lot that would hold more prims and then people started contacting me with suggestions and requests and that's how I make stuff. I make a little list and go down the list. I have my own ideas as well but there is always something I never considered that sounds fun to do.

Anyhow congrats as its like the ultimate compliment when someone buys something. Its even more fun when you see them come back