Everyone involved in Internet marketing knows the names of the affiliate program masters. Marlon Sanders. Mark Joyner. Jimmy D. Brown. Terry Dean. Everyone knows them because at one point or another 95% of us signed up as an affiliate with at least one of them. We also know them because these are the guys who have pulled in the BIG money we all dream about. They've actually done it, and so we pay attention to what they do.
Well, after having paid attention to these guys for over two years, I'm ready to spill the beans on their neat little secrets --- without asking for $49.95 per item or $1000 for the whole shebang.
Oh, what do I know, you say, I'm not one of them. Maybe so, and you can discount everything I say if at the end of reading this you're not sitting there at your computer nodding in agreement.
Time and again, these guys release hot, new products touting exciting, cutting edge information that's going to revolutionize Internet marketing. And so it does, for a month or so, until the next hot, new product comes along.
However, I just want you to keep one thing in mind as we go along. The main goal of each new product these affiliate masters produce is NOT to provide the best information possible for the consumer of that product --- except when the information provided to the consumer does in fact assist with the main goal.
Don't be so naive people. The sales copy for each and every marketing information product IS written all about you, the consumer. They emphasize what you'll gain, how you'll benefit, and what they'll do for you.
But, the main goal of that product, in truth, has nothing to do with you. You are simply a means to an end. The main goal of each and every product introduced by any marketer in any affiliate program is simply to produce profits, the highest profits possible, and nothing more.
Think about where the vast majority of their sales come from. Is it from the sales their affiliates make to others, or from the affiliates themselves?
It's the affiliates. If you're running an affiliate program, the money is NOT in what your affiliates accomplish, but in what your affiliates purchase themselves.
This is only natural, for what are affiliates but repeat customers?
These masters approach you from a slant that appears to be in your favor. They are going to give you the best information possible. They are going to give you the chance to make commissions off of their work. They are going to give you sales tools, incentives, discounts, their wisdom and experience, and whatever else you need so that YOU can make BIG money working online.
But wait, hold on, what are you giving them in return? Your time, and your contacts.
Anyone who's ever operated a traditional business knows the answer to this question. What are two of the biggest expenses involved with running a business?
1. Labor 2. Advertising
As an affiliate what are you providing to the affiliate program owner again? Your time (labor) and your contacts (advertising).
In other words, when you join an affiliate program, you are essentially signing up for the privilege of taking two of the biggest expenses involved in running a business onto your back and off of theirs!
No wonder these guys can make so much money!
And the more they make, the more they hype up the 'possible truth' about how much YOU can make! Which just gets everyone even more excited and escalates everything even further the next time around.
However, while the picture I just painted makes these affiliate masters seem downright diabolically evil at this point, that's not always the case.
Why?
1. A good affiliate program offers its affiliates their own opportunity for success.
2. If the products involved are not worth the asking price, sales will falter, affiliates will drop out, and the program will fail.
As an affiliate, you may not be in quite as good of a position as the owner of the program, but you can produce substantial profits of your own based off of the same model the affiliate master uses.
You, too, can use the system available, or better yet create your own system of contact, to collect your own list of sub-affiliates and/or consumers.
Still, the keys for your success will be the same as the keys for the masters' success.
1. You must focus the sales copy for the product toward the benefit of the consumer. However, just as the affiliate master realizes his best source of consumers is his own affiliates, you too must carefully target your sub-affiliates as repeat customers.
2. The best affiliate programs stay in constant communication with their affiliates based on the premise of helping them to make sales. What this does IS to educate the affiliates on how to make sales, but it ALSO keeps them informed of new products and services so as to solicit their repeat business.
3. You will also be at the mercy of the value of the products you are selling. Without quality products, repeat sales, the top source of income for any business, will not occur.
The affiliate masters focus not only on how the end consumer will benefit from their product, but on how those affiliated with the company can profit from the consumer.
In essence, every potential consumer is a potential affiliate as well. And what better way to get someone excited about purchasing more products than to first excite them on the prospect of selling them?
Once someone buys a product, offer them the opportunity to make back the money they just spent, and more, by referring others to the company.
Then, offer them assistance in making those referrals. Inform them about other products they can also sell. Send them sales copy they can use. This not only makes them better salesmen, but introduces them to other products they may be interested in.
Stay in constant communication in order to keep them motivated and informed about how to proceed.
This is the way the affiliate masters work. This is the type of system you must set up if you expect to achieve their level of success.
However, that's not to say there isn't profits to be gained simply from the sale of product to consumers without seeking to make them affiliates as well.
But then, that's a whole other subject best saved for another article.
Keywords: affiliate programs,affiliate marketing,internet marketing,work from home,online business,netplay
developerWorks - FREE Tools!
