Since the Dotcom crash in 2001, many American software developers have looked for greener pastures.  I remember the frenzy during the late 90’s that allowed many of us to receive double digit pay increases each year for several years.  In some cases, it was almost as if being a software developer was the equivalent of owning a gold mine.  Those days are long gone.  But something even better has taken the place of those Dotcom software positions.

Now, with a little creativity, software developers can use their skills to make money online.  If you’re a software developer, and you either understand marketing or you’re willing to learn, you can make really good money with your own online business. 

For several years, Internet marketers have taken advantage of software outsourcing to rake in huge amounts of cash online.  Knowing nothing whatsoever about programming, they’ve made large sums by selling the software they’ve bought from low-paid programmers on various contractor websites.  I’ve even heard marketers talk about programmers as if they were the equivalent of fast food workers.  Now, I’m not knocking fast food workers.  They often work very hard for what they earn.  What I’m getting at here is that computer programming is quickly becoming a commodity.

Well, maybe that has actually become our new reality.  With globalization, programmers can be hired to perform work for just a few dollars per hour.  And the code they create can often be better than what you’d get in the US while paying higher rates.

So, what does this mean for software developers in America?

You can actually find a good niche market and create your own products or outsource the work to lower paid contractors.  Then you can use online marketing strategies to launch and promote those products to make a lot of money.  Instead of getting paid a salary or an hourly rate, you can create a product to sell in a global marketplace.  Think about how Bill Gates made his money.  He didn’t do it by writing code to get paid by the hour.  No, he had developers create products that he could sell over and over again for huge profits.

The key is to understand how to market your products effectively.  It’s just as easy to lose your shirt as it is to make a killing on the Internet. Knowing how to establish your position in the market and how to effectively promote your product to maximize profits is essential to your success.  As a software developer myself, I’ve spent the last two years in the online marketing world attending events, speaking with leaders in the field, and studying their top strategies.  That’s how I know that you, too, can profit with your own online business.

Stay tuned because I’m going to tell you how to get started and how to make the most of your skills in future posts.