Developers don't usually pay, but you don't have to make money off of that project directly. In internet/affiliate marketing this is what we called a "lead in"

Developers don't usually pay, but you don't have to make money off of that project directly. In internet/affiliate marketing this is what we called a "lead in" to the back-end offer (typically training or a consulting gig). We would typically write an ebook and give it away for an email address, then over the coming weeks send tips and tricks leading into a soft sale of a product or training that would completely automate everything they just learned in the ebook.