Probably the silliest question I could possibly ask...

[quickdrawyall]

But here it goes anyways.

On the topic of affiliate marketing, how... do you do it?
I mean, I get the basics, I understand a good deal of conversion rates, but -- there's obviously got to be more to it. I mean there's a reason a lot of people don't do affiliate marketing. If it was that easy, everyone would do it and make money doing it, but I'm not sure what really, really separates the boys from the men(or girls from the women) in affiliate marketing.

I'm really trying to figure out the right way to bust into this, but I feel so frozen by fear to start. Questions overwhelm me, like:
- How do I know this offer is going to be good and genuinely converts well? I understand the basics but how can I be sure without blowing $200 and only getting $25 back?
- How do I know ads will do well here? Sure, I can take a look at these ads and use them as examples, but I can't know if those ads are even performing for that person, much less if they'll perform for me.
- How am I supposed to really know I can do this and not waste 1, 2, or 3 months doing it? Some people seem to struggle with this for 6 months or a year before really even turning a profit with affiliate marketing. Yeah, I know quite a bit about it from study, but what's to say I won't lose the same 6 months and thousands of dollars trying to turn a profit with it?

I hope these aren't stupid questions

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Vespasian]

- How do I know this offer is going to be good and genuinely converts well? I understand the basics but how can I be sure without blowing $200 and only getting $25 back?

You can't. Spend money on testing and see if it works, there is no way to see if an offer will work or not.

- How do I know ads will do well here? Sure, I can take a look at these ads and use them as examples, but I can't know if those ads are even performing for that person, much less if they'll perform for me.

Once again, you gotta spend money to see if it works or not. Assumptions are your biggest enemy in marketing.

- How am I supposed to really know I can do this and not waste 1, 2, or 3 months doing it?

Well, you have to deal with this risk in every business you're about to start. I'd say that the vast majority of people will fail and end up with losing their money.

Read my post about affiliate marketing, then decide if you want to give it a try or not. If you decide to go down that path, make sure to put in all your effort into making it work and not getting distracted with all the other possibilities that are out there. Also make sure to have some cash laying around (low 4 figures) that you can burn on testing. Apax has a nice thread about affiliate marketing as well.

 

[quickdrawyall]

That's actually the exact answer I was looking for, your post on affiliate marketing was really good and kind of hit the nail on the head. I was really hoping to do it more as a side thing to fund my other business efforts, but if it's gonna take me 6 months to hit that point, just if I'm lucky, that time will probably be better spent elsewhere.

 

[Lauryn]

It sounds as if you are extremely risk-averse. You have to take risks with affiliate marketing. In my experience, you have a few things to minimize your risks, but they're not guarantees.

1. Accept that risks make the game what it is - and can be fun.

2. Pick markets you are willing to invest time to really learn about.

3. Purchase and try the products yourself. Develop personal relationships with them - and the affiliate program managers.

4. Use your relationships with the affiliate marketing managers to get insights and help promoting products. Ask them questions about the product, the company, the brand and get into them - balls deep.

5. Read customer reviews of the products. See what they like and what they don't like. Who they love and prefer --- or HATE -- in comparison to the product you're interested in promoting.

6. Focus on the "audience" needs. Know the market. Study other affiliates or sites catering to that niche. Create a SWOT and see what gaps you can fill in for that market for a unique branded angle that's all yours.

7. Stay away from affiliate marketing until you're able to stomach the risks - otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy because you're not getting the results you want and the money you need.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.