"Is offline marketing a real business? Should I do affiliate marketing or offline marketing?

6 replies
This is what I hear all the time, especially in emails. Should I get into offline marketing? Is it a good business? Will it make me money?

As an offline marketer myself, I have found that most people are so afraid just to try, and they spend all this time wasting away and just "reading" online what business is worth it.

I sometimes get emails from people saying "should I try to get into affiliate marketing or offline?" "Should I build a niche site or sell offline services to biz owners?"

Here is what I believe: do both if you want to. Don't put all the eggs into one basket.

But.....

I will say that if I was going to tell you right here.....go try offline marketing....it WILL make you money once you get the gist of it. It takes work of course, but so does every other business.

I've noticed that most people ask questions about which business to get into to see "which business will make them more money faster".

Every form of "making money online" requires some form of work. Even article writing where I started was a bit tough at first. If you don't want to put any work, then you can be missing out on some great financial freedom.

I commend anyone who calls businesses, who tries to constantly get sales, and literally works their way to getting that first client or so.

I want to see more and more people here making posts about "how they tried and tried." That's how it is at first.

If you happen to have that concern about which business to try, just make sure that you make your decision based on what "interests you", not so much because one seems easier.....because they are all going to require some form of work.

(Note: just needed to make this post because I get emails about it all the time....of people asking about how much little work is needed to "make money online?" There is no timetable and no set time. Everyone grows at their own time. Everyone makes their first $100 on their time. Different marketers land their first offline clients on their time.)
#affiliate #business #marketing #offline #real
  • Profile picture of the author TerryLBD
    Originally Posted by internetmarketer1 View Post

    If you happen to have that concern about which business to try, just make sure that you make your decision based on what "interests you", not so much because one seems easier.....because they are all going to require some form of work.
    This is spot on. I think this is probably the only way to answer the question really. Is it affiliate marketing or offline marketing which is going to get you excited to do more work?

    Both methods work, but they only work if you put the work in. So choose the one that interests you, because without that interest, you're probably not going to do enough.

    Personally, I bounced around a stack in the early years. Affiliate marketing (on crack I think the program was?), product creation, video marketing, email marketing, membership sites, you name it. I didn't have the interest or motivation to see things through and that's ultimately why I failed.

    It wasn't until I stumbled on offline that I recognised that this is a real business and that's the only way you are going to get real results - by treating it like one. A local directory was my hook, and I finally found something I enjoyed doing and I could stick with long enough to have some level of success with.

    I look back and realise now - I had the talent to do anything ... but I only had the motivation to do one thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author HajimeAnne
    One thing that I discovered about the option--offline or online--is what kind of work I am willing to do. So that's where I'd start when anyone asks that question. My experience: I started with affiliate marketing. That was fun until all the Google updates that sent my one site into a black hole. Then after awhile I tried offline. After many months my one warm contact gave me a "contract." Now I'm back online. Doing offline: I liked everything except the cold calls and the actual sales process. I ejoy the initial consultative process which is basically hearing what they need and providing education. But closing--couldn't do it; didn't want to learn how. I don't like being a sales person in person or on the phone. The frustration of working online is getting something successful going but usually it's my working solo. I like that especially since I now have one successful business system going and another on its way AND I have a Facebook support group that is amazing. The bottomline: who is going to do the important sales part of working offline?
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    Exactly. To both posts.

    I feel like motivation and seeing your goals in mind can make a huge difference as to how much work you are willing to put in. Understand that this is a business...just like any business...so treat it like one...

    You wouldn't try to build a restAurant overnight...you would make sure everything is checked and you know what you are offering.

    Treat it like a business and know that work is needed to make a living in this industry.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmericanMuscleTA
    Originally Posted by internetmarketer1 View Post

    This is what I hear all the time, especially in emails. Should I get into offline marketing? Is it a good business? Will it make me money?

    As an offline marketer myself, I have found that most people are so afraid just to try, and they spend all this time wasting away and just "reading" online what business is worth it.
    Agreed!!!!

    I've always been interested in offline marketing (Just like I like to read physical books, I like to send REAL mail). Like you said, most people are afraid to try.

    And, I think what they are afraid of is................ LOSING MONEY. They think, what if I spend $453 on this postcard campaign and it doesn't get me any business? What if I spend $768 on 3D mailers and they don't bring a ROI?

    I remember I kept reading about marketing... then I'd read some more, and more, and more... I wasn't getting anywhere. Then, in 2012 I started experimenting with offline marketing for real estate. Ever since then, I've been spending $1,000s on 3D mail marketing. I was scared as balls about losing money, but I realized I didn't want to be in the same crap-hole I'm in next year.

    Nothing better than learning on the fly!

    I also do Affiliate Marketing, but it has to do with offline marketing and 3D mailers.
    Signature

    David Hunter | Duke of Marketing
    www.DukeOfMarketing.com
    www.BibleAndFriendsYouTube.com

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  • Profile picture of the author squidface
    Banned
    Just the simple fact you are even asking this tells me you have no idea what you want to do. Selling tea is a real business, if you treat it like one
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    Nothing beats learning along the way like you said Americanmuscleta. It's a business that requires lots of trial and error the way I see it!
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