Modern Online Business

Hardly a day passes that someone doesn't hit you up for money. Girl Scout cookies, Boy Scout popcorn, football candy bars, and coupon book fund-raisers. And then we have all the "a-thons"... bowl-a-thons, walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, dance-a-thons, read-a-thons... I've even seen a rocking chair rock-a-thon or two! However, with the dawn of the Internet age, we now are faced with a brand new form of fund-raising -- asking for money online.

Also known as "cyber-begging," asking for online donations is not limited to your usual non-profit organizations. Literally anyone can publish their tale of need or woe, and be gathering in the dollars in no time!

Cyber-begging has proven to be an easy and convenient form of raising money to overcome any kind of financial crisis. From job loss to home foreclosure, to plastic surgery and divorce, there are documented cases of cyber-begging coming to the rescue in all kinds of situations. The anonymity provided by the Internet entices people who would never consider publicly seeking any type of "charity" to give it a try. So if you want to step up to the plate and take a swing at it, where's the best place to start?

Obviously, creating your very own site, with a personalized domain name, would have some distinct advantages. It would be easier to publicize, and simpler for the public to remember. However, creating and maintaining your own personal site also requires a few technical skills that may put it out of reach for the average person, especially if you are in a hurry to get started.

There are many sites already set up that exist for the exclusive purpose of helping set people up with their own cyber-begging site. Interested parties can register and be assigned their own URL where they can tell theirstory, make their appeal, and await donations. The hosting site generally charges a small monthly subscription fee and/or earns money by allowing other advertising on the site.

Donors are generally drawn to help people with whom they can identify, so beggars may see better results if they are as transparent as possible about their situation. However, you'll want to take care not to be too long-winded... in this age of 5-minute YouTube videos and 30-minute sitcoms, the average American attention span won't read through more than a few paragraphs of detail.

Generally speaking, the business of cyber-begging is flourishing before our very eyes. As long as there are people whose hearts are moved by your story, you will enjoy some measure of success. And as the saying goes, "tiny drops make a mighty ocean." Cyber-begging generally is not a get-rich-quick scheme, but more of a "slow and sure wins the race" approach. So if you are facing a financial need or shortfall, why not give it a try?

Christine Wagner is a work-at-home mom (WAHM) who has owned several successful Internet businesses.