Bonafide Marketing Genius

5 Work From Home Jobs that Pay $$$

A working mother, entrepreneur, and certified financial planner, Melissa Cooke knows what it takes to succeed financially as a business owner. After building her own PR firm, Cooke Public Relations, from the ground up, she launched her own consultancy, Prosperity Quest, and began offering personalised coaching sessions for millennials interested in building financially independent and fulfilling careers.

While she appreciates the value of having a steady paycheck, she also understands the importance of having a side gig. This is why Cooke has created a list of the 5 most lucrative and sustainable work from home jobs that allow you to make extra cash flow while continuing to build your professional network.

1. Tutor / Teacher

If you’ve always wanted to make money online, why not try and squeeze in some cash while you’re helping others? There’s a catch-all for that. We’re talking about anything from teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to small children to correcting spelling mistakes for English Language Learners (ELLs).

You can take your pick of online tutoring platforms like Tutor.com or SimplyHelp.com to connect with potential students. SimplyHelp.com even has a feature where you can test your instructional skills by tutoring for free.

For more traditional approaches, check out BLAST (Bilingual Learning Assistance for Students and Teachers) which provides free tutoring in English and French for secondary school students in Montreal, Canada. Or the New York City Teaching Corps where you can tutor elementary school children in English or Spanish.

2. Transcriber / Proofreader

If you’re a fast typer and enjoy giving first drafts the virtual red-penning, why not look into freelancing for publication houses? You’ll be collaborating with editors to make sure each word and comma is in the correct place, and often times performing multiple roles, including that of a literary critic. For instance, you can take on the role of a transcriber for an online magazine and get paid for each piece you translate. Most of these publications are looking for content in English, Spanish, or German, so if you’re equipped to translate from another language, you’ll be in high demand.

According to the Transcribe Me database, there are over 150,000 transcribing jobs available worldwide. You’ll be collaborating with native speakers to create translations from English to Spanish, German, or French and get paid per piece. Translation jobs can vary from a few hours each week to full time, so it’s really up to you.

If you’re looking for a steady paycheck, why not consider doing some freelance transcription for a living? You’ll be hooked up with a professional transcription service that will train you on their equipment, and you can start making money immediately.

3. Online Travel Agent

If you can navigate online travel agents (OTA) like Traveloka, Worldwiti, and Upwork with ease, why not dive in and start making money? All you have to do is enter the requested details about a travel destination, and then you’ll be presented with a list of luxury hotels that match your criteria. You’ll be acting as a virtual concierge, helping customers make hotel reservations and check-ins, and collecting payments. If you’re looking to make extra cash flow, consider becoming an online travel agent, which could potentially become a full time job.

In the Upwork travel agent example above, you’ll be doing the following tasks:

  • Reserving hotel rooms for customers
  • Checking customers in online
  • Taking customer feedback
  • Creating and administering contracts
  • Handling payments online
  • Cancelling unproductive bookings
  • Following up with guests
  • Scheduling renewals and rebookings
  • Communicating effectively online

While not everyone will have the luxury of becoming an online travel agent, the ability to work remotely and make money online is within everyone’s reach.

4. Online Shopping Agent

If you’re a fast typer and like getting paid per impression, why not try and become an online shopping agent? You’ll be partnering with online retailers and brands to promote their products, gain credibility with prospective customers, and get paid per sale.

Shopping portals like Shopbop, Myer Berry, and GAP allow users to review and search for products from a variety of brands and industries. Once the product is found, the customer can purchase the item directly from the website. If you can navigate these types of portals with ease, you’ll be able to start making money fairly quickly.

According to the Shopbop.com online shopping agent job description, you’ll be responsible for the following tasks:

  • Searching for products
  • Assisting customers with product queries
  • Adding products to shopping carts
  • Producing top quality sales copies
  • Taking orders and fulfilling them promptly
  • Operating within corporate email channels

If you’re looking for a way to make money online, consider starting your own online shop or selling your own handmade products through online marketplaces like Etsy or Shopbop. You can also integrate online marketplaces like Etsy with your own eCommerce store to gain more credibility with your customers.

5. Customer Relationship Manager (CRM)

If you’ve always wanted to be in a position to help and advise customers, why not consider creating a CRM (customer relationship manager) role in your company? A CRM is a business role that interacts with customers and manages the company’s customer relationships. The role typically includes the following responsibilities:

  • Keeping track of customer relationships
  • Monitoring customer satisfaction levels
  • Updating customers about promotions and discount offers
  • Responding to customer queries
  • Keeping abreast of the latest industry news
  • Documenting customer interactions for internal use

The responsibilities of a CRM can vary from department to department, but as a whole, the goal is to ensure that each customer interaction is recorded and subsequently used to improve the customer experience. Some businesses offer remote CRM positions where you can work from home and manage customer interactions from afar. If you have a good rapport with customers, this could be an ideal role for you.

Working remotely as a customer relationship manager is a great way to make extra cash flow while continuing to build a career. You’ll be doing the following tasks:

  • Contacting existing customers via phone, email, and social media
  • Gathering marketing, sales, and operation metrics
  • Analyzing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and adjusting as necessary
  • Navigating complex corporate systems
  • Keeping track of business goals and progress
  • Using your personal attributes (e.g., charisma, confidence, and intelligence)
  • Exercising sound judgement
  • Attracting high-quality people to your team
  • Maintaining healthy customer relationships

Starting your own PR company was an excellent decision. You’ll be able to work remotely with clients, set your own hours, and enjoy the flexibility of a side gig. While not every job below will pay you well, the ability to make money online is within everyone’s reach. Why not explore entrepreneurial opportunities and see how much you can really achieve?