Today is special. It had been quite a while since we had a guest from freelancing world and here we are tonight, with Fiverr's (An extr...
Today is special. It had been quite a while since we had a guest from freelancing world and here we are tonight, with Fiverr's (An extremely popular freelancing website, where you can order gigs for as low as 5$) Top-Rated Seller who was able to buy a house with his fiverr's money.
There are tons of Top-Rated seller out there but not every big name there is able to pull the type of success Mar has been through.
Lets get right into the Interview Questions.
Mark you’re an inspiration to many young aspiring freelancers. You’ve been in news couple of times before and it’s great to see an MBA in online marketing implementing his skills to lead the way.
I've have distributed the questions into 2 major chunks, one being more personnel and the later towards your profession.
Before we begin with professional talk in a bit, me and my readers would love to know as to why exactly you started with Freelancing. What was your core inspiration to do so and at what age it was to be specific?
11:01
Interestingly, I started in Freelancing long before Fiverr. In fact, one of the main reasons I became such a strong publicist is because I was a “stringer” (Freelance) writer for newspapers. This kind of position gave me the flexibility to work for several periodicals, do so on a part-time basis, and learn about media from the inside.
So, in addition to generating income, my motivation initially was to find a publication to be my home. The whole work your way up from the bottom.
If you know anything about the condition of the media and the number of newspaper and magazine closings, I’m very lucky that in my heart and soul I was an entrepreneur and never took that path.
I was 23 years of age when I become a freelance newspaper writer. More recently, I came to fiverr 3 years ago at the age of 40.
My motivation for coming to Fiverr was to test the system. I have friends who are social justice activists, and working for real justice is not well paid. Now, imagine someone fighting poverty and hunger who works tirelessly for that cause—and has no money himself or herself?
Those of us who care about making the world work for 100% of humanity know that an empty plate feeds no one. And if Fiverr lived up to its promises, it could be a real solution to my activist friends.
The good news is, it did.
And, several of my activist friends came onboard and did great things!
11:02
Knowing that parents and the community is yet to fully absorb the online sphere, did you face any hindrances in having your parents/family in confidence as to what you were doing was right for you?
11:01
As stated, I got started with freelancing in the traditional media. Consequently, I didn’t have those challenges. Having said that, it’s worth understanding that parents care about us deeply and they do have our best interests at heart.
So the question is, “Is this what you really want?”
If so, tell them. Most parents will let their children follow their dreams.
Further, remind them that you can make a part-time income in your spare-time. And, if it works out, you can make a full-time income on a part-time basis.
There is no other line of work where that’s true.
Finally, talk to them about your backup plan. Let them know you will look at other options and share with them your triggers for doing so. However, at the same time, let them know that it’s not right to steal your dream of independence and being your own boss.
Outside of some very rigid cultural contexts, this should work for you.
11:02
Do you think recession pushed you into trying out your luck online?
11:01
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that the recession was created by people of economic privilege either by design of by negligence. The recession amplified the impacts of economic inequality and that is a crucial social justice situation.
It did not push me into trying my luck online because I was always successful as a seller, marketer, and publicist both off and online.
Below, I have some specific questions related to your success.
11:02
Being Fiverr’s Top Rated seller, I definitely see you’ve come a long long way to reach to point at what you’re today. We all have opportunities all around us, but not many are able to reach the highest levels of their goals.
11:01
How would you define your success, and what do you believe has brought you to what you’re today? I don’t define my success, I discover it.
And, it’s that process of discovery that “brought me to it”. See, making offers and writing a message that promotes an offer is not a “Yes/No” question. It’s a “Test/Go” one. You make an offer and wait a little while.
That’s the power of Fiverr.
Fiverr has enough members and does enough marketing for traffic that you can see if your offer is working.
IF it’s not, change it.
If it works a little, talk to those buyers and find out what they liked, what they didn’t like, what they responded to, what they wish you offered, etc.
Let their feedback (filtered through your willingness, abilities, and goals) impact your future offers.
Again, especially on Fiverr that can come in the form of Gig Extras or Gig Multiples. How you’re able to earn a whole lot more than just $5 per sale.
11:02
How did you got started with Fiverr and how long have you been serving the community with your gigs? What exactly do you offer?
11:01
I think the first part of the question has been answered. I got started with it to see if it would work for my arts and activist friends who needed an income stream.
I’ve been with the community for 3 years now.
It’s a great place.
What I’m offering, help with publicity, can be seen at fiverr.com/anarchofighter
11:02
For my fellow readers, would you kindly go ahead and let us know about Fiverr’s ranking system and how exactly one climbs up the ladder of these promotions, knowing that you’ve achieved the highest level i.e ‘Top Rated Seller’.
11:01
The finer details change from time to time. However, basically there are four different levels for sellers.
First, “The sheep” level.
This level is accessed the moment you make an account.
Getting started is key and the first step to your journey is to sign up.
You will be a sheep for at least 30 days. However, you will also be a sheep for as long as it takes you to complete 10 successful sales on Fiverr.
Once you meet these two conditions, you’ll be a level 1 seller.
Level 1 sellers gain access to some extra selling tools.
You will have 2 gig extras you can offer, as well as, an extra fast delivery option.
These gig extras can be up to $10 each.
So, by just reaching level one, you can now make a $35 sale with all extras and fast delivery options ordered.
Level 2 requires you make and complete 50 sales in any 60 days rolling period.
By level two, you add another gig extra (so now you’ll have access to 3) and they can go to $40 each.
At this point, you can make an offer for $165 with the extra fast delivery.
You can see how making just 1 sale like that a day can create a very nice full-time income on a part time basis.
Finally, you can be selected (not earn) Top-Rated Seller.
At this level, you get one more gig extra. And your extras can be as much a $100 each.
11:02
We know that you were featured on Fiverr’s blog last year as being one of the highest success stories of the popular Freelancing site (Fiverr)?
Do you think all ‘Top Rated Seller’s are able to achieve the level of success you were able to pull off? What actually helped you live a living of Fiverr and finally ending up buying a home?
Is it the high paying gigs, customer support, luck or what? What variables you believe played a key role in your success?
11:01
Not only do I think all TRSs can do it, I think anyone who really commits to both their craft and understanding the setup on Fiverr can do great things.
What helped me buy the house is I didn’t need to live off the money from Fiverr. I had other sources of income. So I was able to save it all away.
This was intentional. I knew if I did something big with my fiverr funds, it would catch the attention of the powers-that-be. It was part of my strategy to become a TRS and it worked.
Luck is much more responsible for our success than most people are willing to admit or even understand! I was lucky to be born to my parents. I was lucky they were in the country there were at the time they were. And so on.
It is also true that more I understand the workings of the world, the luckier I get.
Finally, the ability to offer higher paying gigs was key to my success because it encouraged me to do the only thing you really have to do to be a success on fiverr: Be Selling a Year from Now.
Fiverr is a numbers game and and it’s a game of attrition.
Sell something people want, deliver it as quickly as you can, be sensitive to their sense of value and your time, and keep doing it.
Our readers would love to know what exactly helps a freelancer to climb up the highest level at Fiverr.
You can rise (I prefer that term to climb) to the highest ranking in Fiverr by selling a LOT of gig, making sure the gigs are ethical and at least somewhat original, being a helper of others in the forum, and being here a year from now.
…that means, being here even when fiverr makes changes good or bad.
11:02
How did it felt when you made your very first sale and what was it exactly? Did, by any chance you knew you would be able to get a house for your self? Do you think any fiverr freelancer can achieve what you did?
11:01
My first sales was a sales copy critique.
I was going to do it for a friend anyway, and I asked them to help me get started on Fiverr by ordering it there for $5.
This is one of the best ways to get to level 1. Ask your friends to help you and to be honest with you about what you’re offering.
Also, be willing to do more work for $5 (at least for 10 to 50 times) and then when you level up, back it off.
I didn’t know that Fiverr would work at that time, so I didn’t know I’d be able to save up the money for a house at that time.
Anyone can do it because the rules of fiverr are the same for everyone.
Everyone has the same limit of characters and videos on their gigs. Everyone starts at $5 and develops the same gig extra options at the same time. Everyone has access to the forums. Everyone has access to the traffic of fiverr, and so on.
The only difference is our personal contribution, strategy, and any assets you can leverage at the start.
Question:6 Why did you prefer Fiverr as your platform to offer what you could when we know of big names as elance, Freelancer etc. Do you think Fiverr’s buyers are responsive in specific niche?
I preferred it because it was new.
11:02
Are you planning to expand your business in real life by collaborating your potential clients for bigger projects, you believe there is yet a lot to unlock online at fiverr?
11:01
I’m actually shrinking my business on Fiverr at the moment. I’m in solidarity with the sellers and buyers who oppose the Advance Rating System, a system of “star-ratings” rather than pure reviews.
There are many rational, objective reasons to oppose this system. However, even if there weren’t.
There are times when good ideas fail because of how they’re implemented. Fiverr dropped the ball on this one with its introduction.
So, I’m sort of a foot-soldier in the “Star Wars”:)
My advocacy has been so consistent and strong that some people allegedly complained to fiverr about the strength of my conviction. This resulted in a threat being made to my levels and account.
So, it isn’t’ so much that I broke up with Fiverr …as Fiverr left me.
11:02
Final Words: What would be your biggest advise you would give to TipRicks family? What would be that one tip you believe if you knew back then, would have helped you achieve the highest levels even before.
11:01
I gave it already:)
Be hear a year from now.
Success isn’t an overnight proposition. This race is a marathon not a sprint.
And I hope you see me hear a year from now! And, I hope to be able to give you a thumbs up and a powerful review should I ever have need to buy from you!
Thanks a bunch Marc for your time and we really appreciate and applaud your success. I hope you have a blast with your future fortunes. There was definitely a lot that I personally learned about Fiverr's working and it surely would be a great experience for TipRicks family.
Cheers!
11:02
Lets get right into the Interview Questions.
Mark you’re an inspiration to many young aspiring freelancers. You’ve been in news couple of times before and it’s great to see an MBA in online marketing implementing his skills to lead the way.
I've have distributed the questions into 2 major chunks, one being more personnel and the later towards your profession.
Preliminary Questions:
Before we begin with professional talk in a bit, me and my readers would love to know as to why exactly you started with Freelancing. What was your core inspiration to do so and at what age it was to be specific?
11:01
Interestingly, I started in Freelancing long before Fiverr. In fact, one of the main reasons I became such a strong publicist is because I was a “stringer” (Freelance) writer for newspapers. This kind of position gave me the flexibility to work for several periodicals, do so on a part-time basis, and learn about media from the inside.
So, in addition to generating income, my motivation initially was to find a publication to be my home. The whole work your way up from the bottom.
If you know anything about the condition of the media and the number of newspaper and magazine closings, I’m very lucky that in my heart and soul I was an entrepreneur and never took that path.
I was 23 years of age when I become a freelance newspaper writer. More recently, I came to fiverr 3 years ago at the age of 40.
My motivation for coming to Fiverr was to test the system. I have friends who are social justice activists, and working for real justice is not well paid. Now, imagine someone fighting poverty and hunger who works tirelessly for that cause—and has no money himself or herself?
Those of us who care about making the world work for 100% of humanity know that an empty plate feeds no one. And if Fiverr lived up to its promises, it could be a real solution to my activist friends.
The good news is, it did.
And, several of my activist friends came onboard and did great things!
11:02
Knowing that parents and the community is yet to fully absorb the online sphere, did you face any hindrances in having your parents/family in confidence as to what you were doing was right for you?
11:01
As stated, I got started with freelancing in the traditional media. Consequently, I didn’t have those challenges. Having said that, it’s worth understanding that parents care about us deeply and they do have our best interests at heart.
So the question is, “Is this what you really want?”
If so, tell them. Most parents will let their children follow their dreams.
Further, remind them that you can make a part-time income in your spare-time. And, if it works out, you can make a full-time income on a part-time basis.
There is no other line of work where that’s true.
Finally, talk to them about your backup plan. Let them know you will look at other options and share with them your triggers for doing so. However, at the same time, let them know that it’s not right to steal your dream of independence and being your own boss.
Outside of some very rigid cultural contexts, this should work for you.
11:02
Do you think recession pushed you into trying out your luck online?
11:01
Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that the recession was created by people of economic privilege either by design of by negligence. The recession amplified the impacts of economic inequality and that is a crucial social justice situation.
It did not push me into trying my luck online because I was always successful as a seller, marketer, and publicist both off and online.
Below, I have some specific questions related to your success.
11:02
Professional Questions:
Being Fiverr’s Top Rated seller, I definitely see you’ve come a long long way to reach to point at what you’re today. We all have opportunities all around us, but not many are able to reach the highest levels of their goals.
11:01
How would you define your success, and what do you believe has brought you to what you’re today? I don’t define my success, I discover it.
And, it’s that process of discovery that “brought me to it”. See, making offers and writing a message that promotes an offer is not a “Yes/No” question. It’s a “Test/Go” one. You make an offer and wait a little while.
That’s the power of Fiverr.
Fiverr has enough members and does enough marketing for traffic that you can see if your offer is working.
IF it’s not, change it.
If it works a little, talk to those buyers and find out what they liked, what they didn’t like, what they responded to, what they wish you offered, etc.
Let their feedback (filtered through your willingness, abilities, and goals) impact your future offers.
Again, especially on Fiverr that can come in the form of Gig Extras or Gig Multiples. How you’re able to earn a whole lot more than just $5 per sale.
11:02
How did you got started with Fiverr and how long have you been serving the community with your gigs? What exactly do you offer?
11:01
I think the first part of the question has been answered. I got started with it to see if it would work for my arts and activist friends who needed an income stream.
I’ve been with the community for 3 years now.
It’s a great place.
What I’m offering, help with publicity, can be seen at fiverr.com/anarchofighter
11:02
For my fellow readers, would you kindly go ahead and let us know about Fiverr’s ranking system and how exactly one climbs up the ladder of these promotions, knowing that you’ve achieved the highest level i.e ‘Top Rated Seller’.
11:01
The finer details change from time to time. However, basically there are four different levels for sellers.
First, “The sheep” level.
This level is accessed the moment you make an account.
Getting started is key and the first step to your journey is to sign up.
You will be a sheep for at least 30 days. However, you will also be a sheep for as long as it takes you to complete 10 successful sales on Fiverr.
Once you meet these two conditions, you’ll be a level 1 seller.
Level 1 sellers gain access to some extra selling tools.
You will have 2 gig extras you can offer, as well as, an extra fast delivery option.
These gig extras can be up to $10 each.
So, by just reaching level one, you can now make a $35 sale with all extras and fast delivery options ordered.
Level 2 requires you make and complete 50 sales in any 60 days rolling period.
By level two, you add another gig extra (so now you’ll have access to 3) and they can go to $40 each.
At this point, you can make an offer for $165 with the extra fast delivery.
You can see how making just 1 sale like that a day can create a very nice full-time income on a part time basis.
Finally, you can be selected (not earn) Top-Rated Seller.
At this level, you get one more gig extra. And your extras can be as much a $100 each.
11:02
We know that you were featured on Fiverr’s blog last year as being one of the highest success stories of the popular Freelancing site (Fiverr)?
Do you think all ‘Top Rated Seller’s are able to achieve the level of success you were able to pull off? What actually helped you live a living of Fiverr and finally ending up buying a home?
Is it the high paying gigs, customer support, luck or what? What variables you believe played a key role in your success?
11:01
Not only do I think all TRSs can do it, I think anyone who really commits to both their craft and understanding the setup on Fiverr can do great things.
What helped me buy the house is I didn’t need to live off the money from Fiverr. I had other sources of income. So I was able to save it all away.
This was intentional. I knew if I did something big with my fiverr funds, it would catch the attention of the powers-that-be. It was part of my strategy to become a TRS and it worked.
Luck is much more responsible for our success than most people are willing to admit or even understand! I was lucky to be born to my parents. I was lucky they were in the country there were at the time they were. And so on.
It is also true that more I understand the workings of the world, the luckier I get.
Finally, the ability to offer higher paying gigs was key to my success because it encouraged me to do the only thing you really have to do to be a success on fiverr: Be Selling a Year from Now.
Fiverr is a numbers game and and it’s a game of attrition.
Sell something people want, deliver it as quickly as you can, be sensitive to their sense of value and your time, and keep doing it.
Our readers would love to know what exactly helps a freelancer to climb up the highest level at Fiverr.
You can rise (I prefer that term to climb) to the highest ranking in Fiverr by selling a LOT of gig, making sure the gigs are ethical and at least somewhat original, being a helper of others in the forum, and being here a year from now.
…that means, being here even when fiverr makes changes good or bad.
11:02
How did it felt when you made your very first sale and what was it exactly? Did, by any chance you knew you would be able to get a house for your self? Do you think any fiverr freelancer can achieve what you did?
11:01
My first sales was a sales copy critique.
I was going to do it for a friend anyway, and I asked them to help me get started on Fiverr by ordering it there for $5.
This is one of the best ways to get to level 1. Ask your friends to help you and to be honest with you about what you’re offering.
Also, be willing to do more work for $5 (at least for 10 to 50 times) and then when you level up, back it off.
I didn’t know that Fiverr would work at that time, so I didn’t know I’d be able to save up the money for a house at that time.
Anyone can do it because the rules of fiverr are the same for everyone.
Everyone has the same limit of characters and videos on their gigs. Everyone starts at $5 and develops the same gig extra options at the same time. Everyone has access to the forums. Everyone has access to the traffic of fiverr, and so on.
The only difference is our personal contribution, strategy, and any assets you can leverage at the start.
Question:6 Why did you prefer Fiverr as your platform to offer what you could when we know of big names as elance, Freelancer etc. Do you think Fiverr’s buyers are responsive in specific niche?
I preferred it because it was new.
11:02
Are you planning to expand your business in real life by collaborating your potential clients for bigger projects, you believe there is yet a lot to unlock online at fiverr?
11:01
I’m actually shrinking my business on Fiverr at the moment. I’m in solidarity with the sellers and buyers who oppose the Advance Rating System, a system of “star-ratings” rather than pure reviews.
There are many rational, objective reasons to oppose this system. However, even if there weren’t.
There are times when good ideas fail because of how they’re implemented. Fiverr dropped the ball on this one with its introduction.
So, I’m sort of a foot-soldier in the “Star Wars”:)
My advocacy has been so consistent and strong that some people allegedly complained to fiverr about the strength of my conviction. This resulted in a threat being made to my levels and account.
So, it isn’t’ so much that I broke up with Fiverr …as Fiverr left me.
11:02
Final Words: What would be your biggest advise you would give to TipRicks family? What would be that one tip you believe if you knew back then, would have helped you achieve the highest levels even before.
11:01
I gave it already:)
Be hear a year from now.
Success isn’t an overnight proposition. This race is a marathon not a sprint.
And I hope you see me hear a year from now! And, I hope to be able to give you a thumbs up and a powerful review should I ever have need to buy from you!
Thanks a bunch Marc for your time and we really appreciate and applaud your success. I hope you have a blast with your future fortunes. There was definitely a lot that I personally learned about Fiverr's working and it surely would be a great experience for TipRicks family.
Cheers!
11:02
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