Affiliate
marketing is a low-cost way for merchants to build awareness and
showcase their products and services. The model is simple; it works
as a commission-based referral system. A partner or affiliate markets
a merchant's products for a "piece of the pie."
Affiliate marketing experts often make an
income that can tally over five figures per month, however only
1 to 5% of thousands of marketers achieve this level. When an
affiliate reaches this elite level they are often referred to as
a "super" affiliate.
How does one become a super affiliate? Can
anyone do it? Super affiliates have common tactics that they
embrace and put into place. Anyone can become a super affiliate,
but it will not come without blood, sweat, and a hefty time
commitment. The typical super affiliate possesses the following
traits:
- Persistence
- Patience
- Thirst for Knowledge
These three traits combined with the following
strategy gives you the formula for the makings of a "super"
affiliate.
- Find a Unique Niche
The mistake that many affiliate marketing
hopefuls have in common is that they try to offer everything
under the sun rather than focusing on a specific niche
market. Do not scatter your efforts, focus on your niche,
promote it, and sell it well.
- Search Engine Marketing
Once you've built your affiliate
storehouse you will need to promote it. Many affiliates use
pay-per-click engines. I suggest that you learn how to
achieve organic search results or hire a search engine
marketing company. This will save you from spending all your
profits on pay-per-click engines. Only use pay-per-click
engines if you know what you are doing, otherwise all your
profits may end in the hands of Google Adwords or Overture.
- Know Your Product, Know Your Audience
Create a resource. By taking the time to
learn about the products and/or services that you are
offering you can create information that builds your
credibility. That credibility builds trust. If your viewers
do not have trust in you more than likely they will not
purchase from your storehouse. If you want more information
on the psychological process that an online buyer goes
through I suggest that you read my article on the Five
Levels of Internet Marketing and the Sales Process. This
will help you in creating a web site that converts well,
which in return will increase your cash flow.
- Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Promote products from different merchants.
This way if you have a problem with receiving payment from a
merchant, or their products do not convert well the effects
on your business will be minimal. Watch out for exclusivity
agreements; remember this is your business. Protect yourself
and diversify so that you do not feel the famine effect if
something goes wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with
promoting niche products from different merchants.
- Seek Knowledge and Embrace Change
If you are familiar with Internet
marketing at all you know that what worked three months ago
may not work today. Stay on top of the trends. Seek
knowledge, start by learning something new about affiliate
marketing daily. For example remember those marketing tools
called "banner" that use to drive sales at an astronomical
rate a few years ago? Well those banners developed a term
called "banner blindness." That means most online viewers
will not click on banners even if they do pertain to what
they are looking for. To be a "super" affiliate you must
always spend time reading, learning, and embracing the
changes in Internet marketing.
- Don't Give Up
It's hard to do, and most of the time
those dabbling in affiliate marketing give up way too soon.
Monitor your statistics, watch to see what is working and
what is not. Make changes when necessary. Do one thing daily
to promote your storehouse and be patient. Before you know
it you will start getting payments.
Remember that it will not happen overnight.
Encompass and develop the persistence, patience, and knowledge.
Then follow the tactics I've mentioned above and you are on your
way to becoming a "super" affiliate. |
