Looking for an effective honest affiliate strategy

I will agree, lying about your experience with a product is not a good idea and I could not do it. I think just finding affiliates and systems and getting them to push your product is good, you do still need some references. Social media is good (a Facebook campaign), backlinks are good, writting articles and posting them on big article sites with a link back is good, finding partners to write something about your stuff and link back to you is good, there are so many different ways... Hope this helps but it is a drop in the bucket. But stay honest in the end it will payoff.

What you can do is write a review about this product. If you have not used it yourself in the past, just go to the sales page and take some great pointers about this product. Write about its benefits and features.

I have done this and it is OK. You are not lying to anyone when you give all the info that you can about that program.

You can do a video too or you can just write it with text.

Using this strategy is a good way to tell a story about this product and not lie about anything unless you say that you used it when you actually never did.

Hope this helps.

What works for me in getting new affiliates and converting is kinda like QVC on Tv lol. I implement 4 things when I speak to people or send out emails.
Like QVC, I implement four selling strategies I call FUGI.

1-F- That's right, Fear of Loss, QVC does this by having the timeclock counting down that leats you know that pretty diamond ring will be gone in 2 minutes so act fast!

2-U-Urgency. You must act because there are only 3 of those diamonds left so you betta get yours, oh and don't forget its only 45seconds left!

3-G- Greed- They show the product on one of their pretty models hands shinning bright, I show testimonials that people are getting involved and create the "Jones Effect"

4-I- Indifference- QVC does this by showing you hey, you don't want the ring, look at the very next product we have in the window, which creates the indifference. I do this in my pitch by saying things like "It's totally up to you" or Hey don't worry it's ok if you don't want to get involved, people are knocking my door down for this" something that creates the "If you don't sign up im ok either way" which makes me indifferent. Indifference really works for me.

This has worked for me hope it works for anyone else if you haven't tried this strategy!
Peace and Infinite Blessings!!!

I'm glad you brought up this topic - It's something I have been struggling with recently as well.

I honestly would not promote a product that I myself haven't tested, or done enough research on to know it's a genuinely good product.

Like others have said, simply do enough research until you feel comfortable enough with the product to make an educated decision. Simply put, pretend as if you were the one buying it. Do as much research as you normally would before buying - including research on competing products.

Once you've decided which product you would buy, identify the reasons why you would buy it, and write about those.

If you wouldn't buy it then don't recommend it.

What about Amazon Affiliates?

Bo Bennet said: For every reason there is to tell a lie, there is even a better chance to tell the truth

I agree with you about being ethical. You will see a lot of advice on reading other peoples reviews to create your own so you can sell a product. Which probably most those reviews were written by someone else who did not use the product.

I also think there are a lot of people pushing products they either never used, or bought, or could even afford.

Especially when you get around people who claim to make millions of dollars off a product they used or created, you have to be careful...

Then we have the marketers who act like crack addicts. I use to be one of those people. Changing my site, brand, and products every few days. Always trying to be someone I wasn't, doing things with zero proof, or talking about things I really had no idea what I was talking about.

It is kind of like advice. You will see people just repeating what they have read somewhere without really experiencing it or even trying it. You can spend countless hours and time following something someone said, and they have never even tried it or made dime one off it.

The marketing that works...is the marketing you work your tale off for. This is not a face to face business, but it can be a relationship building business.

That's why I like making my own products, because of the relationships I can build with those who buy my products. I give out my email and phone number and tell them call or email me...I want to learn how to improve what I am doing and how I can help them accomplish what they are working towards.

Affiliate marketing is the same way. You may not be talking to people on the phone, but before I made my own products I would talk to people through email if they needed more info. I encouraged it. (This usually leads to more sales)

For me it is being honest about the products we promote, build, or encourage others to purchase from us. I know it is not the norm...I get that...

But I never really made any type of great income just throwing things up on the internet and hoping someone found it and purchased something...could just be my personality...

It takes volume...I have around 75 products I created on my JVzoo account...and adding new stuff everyday...for instance I am creating new PLR optin products for my affiliates...but they are in each of the 70 niches I identified and write in. Thats volume....

In my world it also takes passion...I have to be passionate about the stuff I get involved with.

Change the premise of the story from you lying about owning the product to how you would love to own the product and how you feel it would change your life.

Combine this with John's tips about customer reviews. Using a little "common sense" you can use the comments in legit ways, such as saying you read great reviews that said "this and that" and some no-so-great reviews that said "something else".

Sure. The strategy I use for my own sites is to "report" on products. Yes, I call them "reviews", but what I am really providing my readers is my own spin on what others are saying.

Basically, what I do is research low competition products and jot down what others are about each one. I then discuss what the community at large is saying about each product I'm reviewing. I also like to include product/feature comparisons.

By doing the above, you are providing value to your visitor (researching a product he is interested in) but you are doing so in an honest and ethical way.

You don't have to lie to make sales. You just have to be able to connect with your audience -- big difference. I, for instance, work in the IM niche. Instead of recommending crappy products with high refund rates that don't do what they are supposed to do, I suggest something legitimate. There are those people who are turned off by the truth and are lazy and don't want to put forth any effort. I can't help those people and don't worry about them.

Joey