November was a whirlwind and we absolutely crushed it! It’s been way too long since I shared an income report so I’m bursting at the seams to dive into the details.
We had some incredible momentum with our short-term projects but our long-term goals hit a few snags along the way – you know those pesky roadblocks that pop up in every entrepreneur’s journey.
But don’t worry I’ll spill the tea on everything from the ups and downs to the numbers that make our hearts sing.
Before we get to the juicy figures I want to share a bit about where our focus is headed.
We’ve been laser-focused on building a solid foundation and establishing a strong brand but I’ve been tight-lipped about the specifics.
I didn’t want to create unnecessary competition for ourselves and honestly I wasn’t 100% certain which projects would take center stage.
Over the past few weeks though we’ve nailed down a strategic approach and I’m thrilled to finally give you a peek behind the curtain.
Speaking of peeks I can’t resist mentioning our epic trip to Singapore and Bali at the end of November.
It was a dream come true to meet Derek Sivers – he’s an absolute legend in my book – and spend a few hours soaking up his wisdom.
He’s truly brilliant incredibly humble and so open about his journey which was inspiring.
In Bali we connected with Ian and Dan from the LifestyleBusinessPodcast and TropicalMBA along with Cody McKibben from Thrilling Heroics.
It was an amazing opportunity to network with these awesome folks and I can’t wait to share some of the insights we gained from those conversations in our next podcast episode.
BuyOurSites: Building a Powerhouse
We invested a good chunk of our hard-earned cash – about $4000 – to get BuyOurSites exactly where we want it.
It’s steadily evolving into a powerhouse and our developer is diligently working on integrating the AdSense API.
We’re eager to get that live but we’re not stopping there.
Here’s a glimpse into the ambitious plans we have for BuyOurSites:
The AdSense API Integration:
This is a must for us and our buyers.
Imagine having the ability to share bits of information from your AdSense account without revealing everything – it’s like having a magic key that unlocks specific data.
Our plugin will essentially report the data back into the plugin giving you a site-by-site breakdown of your income.
This is a massive time saver especially when you have someone dedicated to analyzing the numbers and improving individual sites.
It’s also essential for our agents who need access to that information.
Simplifying Ad Unit Creation:
We’re aiming to streamline Ad Unit and channel creation by integrating it into the theme making it a breeze for users to push this information directly to their AdSense account.
This is a huge win for everyone who wants to simplify their workflow.
AdSense Plugin: A Powerful Tool
Our dream was to create a revolutionary AdSense plugin that would make our lives a million times easier.
We envisioned a plugin that allowed for seamless data sharing simplified Ad Unit creation and automated channel management.
But alas AdSense API limitations threw a wrench in our plans.
We’ll have to scale back the plugin’s functionality but we’re determined to release a free version for WordPress.org.
It’s still a valuable tool for us and anyone else who wants to build on the idea.
A Theme to Reign Supreme
We had some truly amazing ideas for a WP theme that would blow current options like CTRTheme and ProSense out of the water.
Our experience with these types of sites gave us invaluable insights and we were convinced we could create something exceptional.
But unfortunately the features we envisioned were simply not feasible.
We’ve had to dial back the project but we’re still determined to build something truly special that leverages our expertise.
We’re not revealing all the details just yet but trust me – if we can pull off even a portion of what we imagined we’ll be ecstatic.
Giving Back: A Charity Project
We’re teaming up with our awesome friend Spencer from Niche Pursuits on a charity project that we’re incredibly passionate about.
It’s a cause that’s near and dear to my heart but I kept putting it off because I knew it would be a lot of work.
Finally we’ve taken the plunge and we’re hoping to launch and get it off the ground early in the new year.
It’s a project with the potential to make a real difference and that’s what gets me excited.
The AdSense Flippers Intern Program: A Life-Changing Opportunity
Speaking of making a difference I’m beyond excited about the AdSense Flippers Intern Program.
We’re taking a leap of faith by bringing someone on board who will work directly with us on our projects.
This is a unique opportunity for someone to completely transform their life by embracing the “live/work anywhere” lifestyle and building their own business.
We’ve met some incredible individuals through TropicalMBA alumni and it solidified our belief in this life-changing model.
We’re thrilled to extend it beyond the TropicalMBA community.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for – the income breakdown! October was a bit slow on the sales front but we saw a nice bump in AdSense revenue reaching $3813.02. Overall our income remained pretty consistent although we did experience a slight dip in early December.
AdSense Revenue: Steady Growth
Our best day last month was a solid $155.60 while the only day under $100 was a low of $80.34. With all the site sales happening it was encouraging to see the income hold steady.
That said we’re looking into that early December dip – we need to figure out what happened there.
Flippa Sales: A Quick Win
We snagged another quick win on Flippa selling a site at the BuyItNow price for a cool $2770.00. Flippa has made some changes recently though.
They used to allow us to send out a “welcome message” to bidders but they’ve removed that feature.
While I get that they’re trying to combat spam it’s still a valuable tool.
It’s like they threw the baby out with the bathwater – a bit frustrating!
Private Sales: A Huge Success
Private sales were on fire this month bringing in a staggering $12701.56. The screenshot below doesn’t capture all the sales but it gives you a sense of the frequency and volume.
It’s worth mentioning that the AdSense API wasn’t fully functional which meant we sold a few sites for less than they would have gone for if their income continued to climb.
We didn’t want to burden the buyers with that extra expense so we decided to let them reap the additional value.
Thankfully this will be fixed in December so we’re back on track for January.
We’ve been holding off on adding more sites to the BuyOurSites page while we build up our inventory and finalize the API integration.
Once it’s live we’ll let you know via email that the new sites are ready for viewing.
LongTailPro: A Powerful Tool
LongTailPro has been a real star this month generating $1134.86 on its own.
We’ve been using it without any hiccups and we’re happy with its performance.
We’ve had some folks ask about how it compares to SECockpit.
SECockpit has a higher monthly fee but I’m hoping it makes up for it in terms of features.
Anyone out there using both tools who can share their experience?
Looking Ahead to December and Beyond
It was an epic month for us heading into what we expect to be a slower period for site sales.
December will be dedicated to building out those projects I mentioned earlier – we’re on a mission! We’re also planning a mini “retreat” for a day or two.
It’s a chance to get away from the noise reflect on the year and lay out our goals for 2012. We’ll definitely share all the insights and our game plan for the new year with you.
Stay tuned!
Here are the key takeaways:
- Total Income: $20819.15
- Sites Created: 136
- AdSense Earnings: $3813.02
- Flippa Sales: $2770.00
- Private Sales: $12701.56
- Total Affiliate Sales: $1534.57
I can’t wait to see what 2012 brings – it’s going to be epic!