Julianne Wish, Member Contributions
You’ve heard of this business idea, Affiliate Marketing, and you want to try it, but you’re not sure it’s for you. You’ve heard you can make thousands of dollars a month, even earn your yearly J.O.B. salary in only a month! But you know it’s not that easy, so give this some serious consideration before you start.
Overnight success is not realistic and is in fact, a myth. It can take weeks, months and even years to perfect your affiliate marketing process to create the type of sales you desire. In order to be a successful affiliate marketer you will need to learn a lot about Internet marketing, Internet technology, and business in general. It takes time to become an overnight success! You’ll work hard to become successful but it will be worth it.
You need a profitable niche to be successful. Profitable does not mean it has to be a large niche. There are plenty examples of small niches that are under served and making someone a great deal of money. You will need to do research on possible niches that you can promote products for, and then stick to it and don’t get side tracked.
Be willing to stick to your efforts consistently and for the long haul. It’s also important not to reinvent the wheel. Find someone who is successful that shares your ethics, and model your actions after them. Doing this will help you reach success faster than trying to go it alone, not knowing up from down. It can take years to figure out what works, but there are experts who have already invented not only the wheel, but the entire car, all you need to do use their map and drive.
Educate yourself on the various methods of marketing other people’s products before you get started. Seriously research the different methods of marketing online, and once you start commit to stick to it for the long haul. In all honesty, if you’re only going to give it a try for a few months, you will fail. If you are willing to do what it takes for the next year, you’ll have a chance at success in affiliate marketing.
So, if you can be realistic, create a plan and stick to it over the long haul you can be very successful at affiliate marketing. It is a viable business to be involved in for most people who are interested in having a work from home business. You will not earn income over night, but with dedication, and knowing how to follow the road map that experts can provide, you will be successful.
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions
If you want to be an affiliate marketer, promoting other people’s products for commission, then promoting products is essentially your job. Coming up with fun ways to promote each product can be a challenge but not if you enjoy your job. Affiliate Marketing is fun, there is barely any investment, and you can do it right from home. Here are just a few profitable promotion ideas for your affiliate products.
BOGO — The good old “buy one get one” offer works at Wal-Mart and it also works in Affiliate Marketing. You don’t have to give the same item twice, rather you can add on a product. For example, let’s say you’re promoting someone’s membership site platform. You can give those who buy via your affiliate link an added incentive such as free installation, free coaching or a free “how to” eBook or report. The buyer simply sends you their receipt, you match it up with your affiliate account, and then you give the buyer the incentive.
Quantity Discounts — In cases where you receive a substantial percentage of sales of expendable products you can offer quantity discounts. It works much the same as the BOGO idea in that the buyer will simply send you their receipt, you match it with your affiliate account, and then you send them back the discounted price. You can even give them a choice of cash, or a coupon (worth double the cash) toward other products that you offer of your own.
Money Back Guarantee — Offering an unconditional money back guarantee on products you promote may not be necessary in theory since the person who owns the product likely offers a money back guarantee, but it’s always good to point out that they can get their money back and be aware of the process to get their money back.
Charity Donations — This is a great way to not only promote a product but to give back to your community. Giving five to ten percent of profit or sales can boost your sales exponentially if you market the fact that you’re doing it. Choosing a non controversial charity can be helpful too as if you choose something too political in nature you might repel buyers instead of encourage buying.
Introductory Offers — Even though you’re promoting someone else’s products some programs allow you to give a special coupon code to those who buy from your referral link so that your buyers can get an extra percents off or as with membership sites or clubs, a lower intro offer compared to the regular price.
Contests — Having contests can make being an affiliate marketer more fun than it should be. Contests can create a lot of buzz and you can make a lot of sales. Imagine if every person who buys via your link is entered into a drawing to win an iPod or other item. Naturally, doing something like this will depend on the profit you’re making from the sales, but it can go far in encouraging more sales than you realize.
Members Only Specials — If you promote affiliate products that allow you to make them part of your membership site or club, offering some discounts only to members can entice buyers because buyers love the idea that they are excusive. Offering a lot to your members will increase membership sign ups, and also can increase affiliate sales since your members are getting exclusive discounts.
Webinars — If you have a great high end affiliate product to promote having a webinar is a great way to promote the product. Often, the owners of the product will agree to come to the webinar if you host it. You can allow people to come to the webinar free, or you can even charge a dollar to hold spots if space is limited.
Success stories — Providing access to success stories regarding the product that you are promoting will go far in creating a willingness to buy the product among your potential clients. If you do not have any success stories yet, consider buying and giving away the product free in exchange for honest reviews and case studies.
Julianne Alvarez-Wish is a military wife, mother, business owner, professional writer, blogger and legislative advocate. She is the Director of Communications for Our Milk Money, the Colorado State Leader for the National Association for Moms in Business and the owner of Buy By Mom and Buy By Mom Blog. She is the Colorado Springs Stay-at-Home Mom Examiner for Examiner.com. She also blogs at A Wishful Thought. Her passion, purpose and goal is to help parents work from home so they can be home with their children.
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions
You have found a great product that you’re excited about, works very well, and is very useful. You are positive that it will be valuable for your niche so you want to promote it far and wide, where to start? Here are five ways to boost sales for any product.
1. Blog — Hey, I know you’re already blogging, but you need to blog more. Blog from every aspect that you can about the product. Do a review, answer a problem, inform your readers about the product and educate your readers on the problems as well as the ways to solve the problem (with your product). In addition, you can start some controversy over the problem, the product or the solution with an unexpected blog post that invites feedback, debate and discussion.
2. vlog — A vlog is nothing more than a video blog. Today we use digital video to put vlogs on youtube.com and other places across the net. You already have the content in the form of words, articles and blog posts. You can repurpose the content into video by appearing on the video, or by creating a PowerPoint presentation on video with sound back up either music, voice or both. You can even create a nice welcome vlog for new readers to your website or blog.
3. Article Marketing — You’ve likely heard of article marketing. While you can’t usually blatantly promote a product with article marketing, you can promote your blog or website which will have the product on it. With article marketing you write general articles about problems and solutions and place them on various sites throughout the Internet. Your author’s bio will carry the link that sends potential clients back to your website or blog.
4. Improved “about me” page — People like to do business with people they know and trust. If you are using a pen name and stock photography on your website or blog people may be afraid to buy from you. Change your about me page to include a picture of you, and even of you and your family. Humanize yourself as much as possible so that you explicit a feeling of trust among your readers. People who feel trust, are more likely to take a chance and buy from you.
5. Prove it — No matter what you are selling or telling your potential clients and blog readers it is important that you demonstratively prove your points with pictures, charts, comparisons and case studies. It is also important that you are always honest and above board. If you ever make a mistake, tell them. People appreciate honesty more than anything.
Julianne Alvarez-Wish is a military wife, mother, business owner, professional writer, blogger and legislative advocate. She is the Director of Communications for Our Milk Money, the Colorado State Leader for the National Association for Moms in Business and the owner of Buy By Mom and Buy By Mom Blog. She is the Colorado Springs Stay-at-Home Mom Examiner for Examiner.com. She also blogs at A Wishful Thought. Her passion, purpose and goal is to help parents work from home so they can be home with their children.
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions
If you want to be an affiliate marketer you must always stay aware of the laws in your country, state, city or province. The CAN-SPAM Act is a federal law in the United States that, according to the Bureau of Consumer Protection and the Federal Trade Commission applies to all commercial messages sent electronically. It’s a very serious law with very punitive penalties such as each separate email that is in violation can be subject to up to a $16,000 fine.
Make sure that you educate yourself since these rules and laws can and do change. You can read the Compliance Guide for Business by clicking the link here for yourself, but essentially, it’s important to understand that these laws are designed to protect consumers but they also protect you, the affiliate marketer. If you’re using ethical business practices it is likely you won’t accidentally spam anyone but it’s good to read the laws just in case. Remember not to assume that just because someone else does something that it’s legal.
Your email header should match your real domain name. There should be no trickery involved to fool the readers about who you are. If you’re being honest and above board you want people to know your name anyway because you’re proud of your business and what you stand for. Be who you are and you’ll be fine. Further, it is required that your business name and address is in each email sent.
One issue that can cause a controversy are email subject lines. Email subject lines should be relevant to what you are going to tell people in the email. If you use tricks to get them opened you may be accused of spam under the law. So make sure your subject line is indicative of your email message and you won’t have problems. If you are advertising something inside the email, the email should be specific that this is an advertisement or affiliate link. You can’t hide them, or make your readers believe it’s not an affiliate link or advertisement.
Always, very clearly give your readers a way to opt out of receiving more emails from you, and also make sure they double opt in to start with. Double opting in means that your readers sign up to receive your e-newsletter or mailing list on a form, usually on your website or blog, and then they receive an email confirmation that they are required to click on to confirm that they really do want to join.
It’s a good practice to explain to your readers on the email opt in form exactly what to expect from joining your list. This way it cuts down on unsubscribers later since they know what they are getting into by joining your list. Of course, it’s also important to stick by what you say, which will also discourage unsubscribing from your list. By engaging with clients, readers, customers and potential customers in an honest and above board way you will only make your business stronger.
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions
When embarking on affiliate marketing to bring more money into your business, or to create an entire business based on the affiliate marketing, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Right, is very subjective, by doing it right, I mean, making money in an ethical and legal way, in the most straight forward way possible.
Relevant Products — Product choice is the most important aspect of affiliate marketing. Make sure that your product choices are relevant to your niche. Product choice is as important in affiliate marketing as song choice is for contestants on American Idol.
Awesome Products — In addition to matching your niche and being relevant to your market, the product should be awesome. The product should under promise and over deliver to your readers. Don’t fill up your blog or website with tons of mediocre products in hopes your readers will click on something. Instead, choose really amazing products in order to educate your readers to trust your recommendations.
Marketing Mix — Don’t rely on only one method of marketing your great affiliate products. Instead, mix it up with reviews, blog posts, emails, article marketing and pay per click advertisements. Use every channel you have open to you in order to promote each new affiliate product. Your efforts will pay off long beyond the main campaign.
Honest Reviews — When giving reviews on a product, make sure that your review is honest and based on your real experience, or the experience of your review writer, if you hire someone to write reviews for you. You don’t want to be caught off guard by an angry reader who believed your review. If your review is based on reality, it will mean a lot to your readers and it will show through.
No Spam — Even well known affiliate marketers promotions boarder on spam sometimes. I’m sure you’ve received many emails in one day to the point it almost felt like harassment. Spam is thought to be when someone does not opt in to a list and receives unsolicited emails anyway. But it can be very spamish to send too many emails too whether people opted in or not. Also, there is much more to spam than opting in or out. Look up the CAN-SPAM act.
Remember your goals — Don’t get side tracked from your main goals, and your main products and services that you wish to promote from your website and blog. There are so many different products and solutions out there, that it can be difficult to avoid distraction by all the shiny objects out there. However, it’s imperative to keep your goals for your niche in mind and do not stray outside it in order to have a cohesive business that works.
Julianne Alvarez-Wish is a military wife, mother, business owner, professional writer, blogger and legislative advocate. She is the Director of Communications for Our Milk Money, the Colorado State Leader for the National Association for Moms in Business and the owner of Buy By Mom and Buy By Mom Blog. She is the Colorado Springs Stay-at-Home Mom Examiner for Examiner.com. She also blogs at A Wishful Thought. Her passion, purpose and goal is to help parents work from home so they can be home with their children.
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