Home > Tips > Affiliate Program Marketing Tips > Affiliate Programs and How To Build An eBusiness
Affiliate Programs and How To Build An eBusiness
by Denise Ryder
Two weeks ago, Mariangie Gonzalez sent in a question
"How do you market your Network Marketing business
so yours it's perceived as different from the rest of
the reps out there?"
In answer to her question the way to be perceived as
different was to set up an incentive package that was
related to the general theme of your affiliate or mlm
progam. If you missed out on that disucssion there is
a huge blog entry about that at http://www.profitspace.com/blogger.html.
What I want to do here is back up a bit...a sort of
regrouping you might say and go over what to look for
in affiliate programs. Affiliate programs are the easiest,
fastest and most inexpensive way for ANYONE, regardless
of experience to earn money. What
I want to do is provide you with some insight as to
what to look for in a program.
Before we dive in and talk about affiliate programs
I do want to say something about starting a business
regardless of whether it is on or off-line. You NEED
to possess passion for what it is you are doing. If
you jump into something for the sake of making money
you are going to end up resenting it. Starting a business
takes a lot of time and energy. If you are involved
in something that you are passionate about and believe
in then those hours don't seem so daunting. If you are
in something just to make a buck...those hours are going
to seem very over-whelming to the point where you hate
what you are doing and will soon resent the business
you are in.
So...with that said, if you want to start something
online then look at what you are passionate about and
what will juice you. From there do your research and
find affiliate programs that align themselves to what
you want to do.
Ok, let's look at affiliate programs ;o)
The BIG QUESTION...can you make money on-line through
affiliate programs?
Answer....YES
It is totally possible to make money on-line, there
are all kinds of articles and stories about people who
have been successful in making money through affiliate
progarms.
It has nothing to do with getting in on the ground
floor in a particular program. It has nothing to do
with having loads of money to market your program. Yup,
you are going to have to have a marketing budget, that
is just the cost of doing business. What it boils down
to is looking for programs that:
| 1. |
Provide products/services that are
in demand
|
| 2. |
Provide a recurring commission structure
|
| 3. |
Promoting more than one program
|
| 4. |
Having your own web site
|
So..let's look at each one of these and it will give you
an idea as to why these four traits are important to your
ebusiness.
| 1. |
Products/Services that are in demand.
This is pretty obvious. If you don't have a market
for your products/services then you aren't going
to make any money. If you want to know if there
is a market for the products/services you want to
sell then do your
research. Look at site's like Overture.com. They
have a great advertisers area that provides you
with a search criteria tool. All you have to do
is enter the keyword that is the general them of
your business and it will pop up a list of words
that people have used as search criteria, this will
give you an idea not only of a demand, BUT it will
also give you an idea as to what search terms people
use for that general theme.
Another thing is
to look at the trends that are happening around
us. Immediately what pops into my head is the
fact that we are getting older and are more health
conscious. The health and nutrition industry is
huge and it is also a trend.
Have you every heard of The Popcorn Report? It
was a book written that talks about the trends
and where they are heading. One of the things
Faith mentioned was the health and nutrition industry
and cottage industry (home based business) was
going to boom.
|
| 2. |
Commission Structure is key. Ummm, let me give
you an example to hit this home because it truly
is important.
You are promoting a hot product
from one of the top marketers that sells for $29.95.
You will earn a commission on the sale of this
product of 50% (let's say it works out to about
$14.00 so I don't have to strain over math here).
It's a one-time sale which means after that sale
is made you are having to go out and find others
to buy. You are always having to work your
butt off to get a "sale" for that product.
|
NOW...here is another example.
You are promoting an affiliate program that pays monthly,
something like ProfitsVaultMonthly, then this is what
happens. PVM is $29.95 per month and you earn money:
| 1. |
$20.00 PER MONTH per referral
|
| 2. |
You keep every penny you earn from selling the
products
With the $29.95 product you are earning $14.00 for
all your marketing efforts in getting that sale.
That's a one time commission, make the sale and
scream "next" to find yet another buyer.
With a program that pays MONTHLY, you are earning
$20 per month for that same customer, next month
you earn another $20 and so on. Get two join your
affiliate program and you're covering your own
cost plus making a bit of a profit.
Bottom-line go for those programs within your
industry that pay you a monthly residual commission.
That way you are earning money from the SAME customer
base. If you are going to spend hard earned money
marketing your program then you want to make sure
that you are getting paid off those efforts EVERY
MONTH...not just a one time deal.
|
| 3. |
Promote more than one program. If you are promoting
just one program and no one buys from you then you
aren't making any money...pretty straight forward
right?? But, if you promote a few different programs
that relate to the over- all theme of your business
then you stand a better chance
of making a sale. Let me give you an example:
I want to target the newbie ebusiness owner and
provide them with the tools they need to start
a business on-line.
So...I think and ask myself "what does a
newbie need?"
They need a web host, an autoresponder, something
to
sell, leads, a list and incentive products. So,
with that
information I set out to find those products/serivces
and set up a site...a NEWBIE MECCA you might say.
Now if I only set out to promote one of those
progams and a newbie already has it, then basically
I just shot myself in the foot...BUT. What if
they didn't have an autoresponder and saw that
I had one that I promote, or they needed leads
or they needed to learn about using incentive
products to build a list. I just set myself up
for the possibilities of making money by offering
a host of products/services and not just limiting
myself to just one.
See where I am going with this??
It takes more than just ONE income stream to
make money. You need to set yourself up with several
ways to make money. If a visitor doesn't need
one product/service then you stand to make something
by offering other products/services that relate.
|
| 4. |
Your own site. You NEED a hub. I like the word
hub actually. I got the idea from the University
of Alberta while I was a student there. There was
a central area within the University that had a
dry cleaners, barber, hair salon, and a couple of
food kiosks and a little general store deal. The
Unversity tagged this as the HUB. I am using HUB
to describe what your site should be. YOUR central
area that promotes the programs you are affiliated
with, a landing area for your visitors where you
can build your lists, promote your program incentives,
provide content that will help
your visitors...etc.
Now you are probably thinking "but, my affiliate
program provides me with a web page already to
go." |
Yup, they do. However...
| 1. |
are you able to make any sort of
adjustments to that page that will enable you to
promote an incentive so that you can stand a part
from the pack?
NO...
|
| 2. |
MORE IMPORTANTLY...are you able to offer a report
or eCourse so that you can build your own list?
NO...
|
| 3. |
are you able to promote other programs, so if
your visitor isn't interested in that specific program
you stand the chance of being able to make a sale
through another program?
NO... |
that's three strikes right there.
Here is a fourth one for you to think about, if the
above three weren't enough. Let's say you quit a program,
you quit that web page is gone no big deal there. But,
that means you are again having to start over from scratch.
IF however, you had your own HUB, you can add to or
discontinue programs BUT you still have your list building
mechanisms in place and you still have other programs
that can bring in money. You aren't always finding yourself
starting over again from scratch.
Ok, one last thing I want to show you and then you
can think about what you just read ;o)
If you are a member of a mlm program you essentially
have two
customer streams. You have those customers who are buying
your product AND you have those in your downline. Essentially
you have two different markets rolling at the same time,
each with their own specific needs. Your customers of
course want your products and you are selling them along
with other things that tie in for that bunch. You also
have your downline which of course have the same products
as you...but their needs are a little different. They
need guidance from you as well as other things...like:
| 1. |
a web site of their own
|
| 2. |
a list building mechanism
|
| 3. |
leads
|
| 4. |
autoresponder
|
Are you seeing where I'm going with this???
YOU have the potential to create an even greater number
of income streams. You have this little market that
will need these products and services in order for them
to do business...just like you. So, find those services
that will meet those needs for them and promote them
to your downline.
There you have it, the four main traits that, if you
put them into place, will put you in a better position
to make money with your affiliate and mlm programs.
This isn't rocket science and it works. Again, if you
follow the steps of the super affiliates you will find
that these are the very same 4 traits that they have
in place. They don't have an inside track to anything
that you don't. Yes, they have been at it longer than
you but that's about all, they had to start from somewhere
as well.
The ONLY difference that perhaps stands between YOU
and THEM is that they actually did what we just discussed
above. They went out and found products/services that
had a good market size. They went out and found affiliates
programs that tied in and paid them a monthly recurring
income. They found more than just one program to promote...AND
they created their own HUB.
The blueprint is there for you ;o)
A great book that will help you peg yourself unique
and different from the rest of the pack is..."Super
Affiliate Strategies...How to Generate More Sales, Profits
and Commissions For ANY Affiliate Program. It is a good
read and has some very valuable ideas inside. Check
it out for yourself http://www.profitspace.com/sas
About the Author
Denise Ryder is a Marketing Coach writing from her
home
office in Northern Ontario (Canada). Hey...are you a
do-it
yourself marketer? Are you struggling a little? Need
just a
little help??? Can you imagine how far your business
could
grow with a Marketing Coach in your pocket??? Take a
no
cost Test Drive TODAY!!
http://www.profitspace.com/coach
|
