The Correct Way to Promote Affiliate Products: Step by Step

25 replies
Affiliate marketing is a viable business model to make money online, yet so many people are not doing it the right way! Now, I am by no means conceited enough to think that my way is the only way, but I can tell you that the way I do things is a time tested method, and it does generate affiliate sales for me on a daily basis. As I have stated above, this is by no means the only way to generate affiliate commissions, however it has worked out well for me.

1. Pick a niche market. You need to find a niche market where money can be made. I personally like to find niche markets that are "sub niches" of larger markets. For instance, if I was going to enter the weight loss niche, I would specifically target women over 40 who want to lose weight (Just an example).

2.
Setup a Squeeze Page. A squeeze page is what you will use to collect the names and email addresses of the people within your target market. A squeeze page does not have to be professionally designed, and it does not have to be loaded with content. The sole purpose of a squeeze page is to turn website visitors into subscribers. To do this, you need to give away a free report or e-course. In this particular example, you might give away a free report saying "5 Underground Weight Loss Tips for Women Over 40." You really want to give away a product that will peak the interests of your target market.

3. Drive Traffic to your squeeze page. So now that you have a great product to build your list, how are you going to get people to your website? Driving traffic is the cornerstone of internet marketing, and it is almost impossible to sell a product or service without traffic. There are many different traffic strategies, and if I went into each strategy (In depth) I use it would take hours! What I can tell you is that Article Syndication, Document sharing, Classified Ads, and Video Marketing are all great ways to drive traffic to your squeeze page.

4. Build a relationship with your list. Building a relationship with your list is one of the most important factors to be successful online. If you are going to promote affiliate products to your list, and expect them to buy from you consistently, then you must earn their trust. My advice is to send out a newsletter once per week that is packed with quality content related to your niche market. Point them to resources that will improve their lives, and they will often times reward you by buying the products or services that you sell. You can throw in a paid offer occasionally, but I have found that emailing your list more than 2-3 times per week is ineffective.

5. Help First, Sell Second. One way to kill your affiliate marketing career is to try and make a quick buck from your list. Think about managing your list as if they were close family or friends. Only recommend products that you feel will genuinely benefit them, and also make sure that you provide them with a ton of free information to help them out.

Trying to get a "one off" sale is very difficult these days, because online consumers are becoming more and more intelligent when it comes to purchasing products or services online. This is why I know my method is a successful, proven method to generate consistent affiliate income online.
#affiliate #affiliate marketer #affiliate marketing #correct #products #promote #promote affiliate #step
  • Profile picture of the author specopkirbs
    some very useful information especially for people just getting into the game, i particularly agree with point 5 Help first, sell second that approach has worked for me for many years, some might call it kama i just call it good practice. give people the service they deserve and they will purchase and keep coming back for more.
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    • Profile picture of the author mondex1.1
      Nice advice on how to promote an affiliate product. I am new to this industry and I am wondering if you could also give me some tips on how to make a potential affiliate agree to be your affiliate? Your advices will greatly help me. Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Eugene Koh
    Great advice. You have summed up the entire blueprint and its great info for people who are just starting their journey. Building a list is important because you are building a relationship with your subscribers and if you do it right, your subscribers will trust you. It will be easier to sell to your list once you have build up this trust with them. And remember - only promote products that you think are beneficial to them as mlord have said.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      I'm going to add one very important thing to that list...one that will set you
      apart from a majority of the other affiliates out there.

      Offer a bonus (a good one) as an incentive for buying the product through
      YOU.

      Think about it. What separates you from the other affiliates? You're all
      selling the same product and that product comes with the same bonus
      from the merchant regardless of who sells it.

      So, by offering your own unique bonus, even if it's just your time, you give
      yourself an advantage over many affiliates.
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      • Profile picture of the author Daniel Brock
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        I'm going to add one very important thing to that list...one that will set you
        apart from a majority of the other affiliates out there.

        Offer a bonus (a good one) as an incentive for buying the product through
        YOU.

        Think about it. What separates you from the other affiliates? You're all
        selling the same product and that product comes with the same bonus
        from the merchant regardless of who sells it.

        So, by offering your own unique bonus, even if it's just your time, you give
        yourself an advantage over many affiliates.
        Hey Steven,

        What script are you using to manage that? I've always wanted to offer a bonus on my affiliate sites - just never got around to it...

        Thanks!
        Dan
        Signature
        Clickbank #1 Best Seller: The Deadbeat Super Affiliate.
        Click here to learn how to make money online in your bath robe and gym socks!
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by Daniel Brock View Post

          Hey Steven,

          What script are you using to manage that? I've always wanted to offer a bonus on my affiliate sites - just never got around to it...

          Thanks!
          Dan
          I use DLGuard. Once I get the receipt, I plug the sale info into DLGuard
          and have DLGuard send out an email with a download link.

          Easy-Peasy.
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          • Profile picture of the author TimG
            Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

            I use DLGuard. Once I get the receipt, I plug the sale info into DLGuard
            and have DLGuard send out an email with a download link.

            Easy-Peasy.
            Steven,
            I have not personally used DLGuard but more and more I am leaning towards incorporating it into my business. What is the learning curve with it? Seems like it can do everything and I'll be the first to admit I'm not much of a techno whiz when it comes to items like that.

            Also, good point about adding a bonus especially where you highlighted the part on making it a good one.

            I would add that many times I've seen good bonus offers but they did not compliment the product I was considering purchasing so in an effort to add more power behind the quality bonus I would suggest that it contribute to adding more value to the actual product being sold instead of merely trying to add more value.

            Respectfully,
            Tim
            Signature
            Article Marketing Soldiers - The Best Selling Article Marketing Product On The Warrior Forum Is Now Looking For Affiliates! Make Over $25 Per Sale With This High Converting Product.

            Make More Money And Spend More Time With Your Family By Becoming A Scentsy Consultant - I Provide Personal Assistance And Help With Growing Your Business.
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            • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
              Originally Posted by TimG View Post

              Steven,
              I have not personally used DLGuard but more and more I am leaning towards incorporating it into my business. What is the learning curve with it? Seems like it can do everything and I'll be the first to admit I'm not much of a techno whiz when it comes to items like that.
              Tim...how many times have I publicly stated that I am a technical idiot
              when it comes to software and stuff like this?

              DLGuard is a piece of cake even for ME.

              Having said that, it did take me a few trips to Sam's forum to get the
              thing installed right and to work out a few things I needed to get done.

              Make no mistake about it...there is a lot to it. But today, I am pretty
              much a pro with it.

              I'd say, if you're just a little smarter than me when it comes to stuff like
              this, you should be able to master it in a month and have it up and
              running to the point where it is functional in less than a week.

              Hope this helps.
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              • Profile picture of the author TimG
                Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

                Tim...how many times have I publicly stated that I am a technical idiot
                when it comes to software and stuff like this?

                DLGuard is a piece of cake even for ME.

                Having said that, it did take me a few trips to Sam's forum to get the
                thing installed right and to work out a few things I needed to get done.

                Make no mistake about it...there is a lot to it. But today, I am pretty
                much a pro with it.

                I'd say, if you're just a little smarter than me when it comes to stuff like
                this, you should be able to master it in a month and have it up and
                running to the point where it is functional in less than a week.

                Hope this helps.
                Steven,
                Yes, that helps set my mind at ease over purchasing it. Also, apologies to the original poster for digressing here a bit.

                Respectfully,
                Tim
                Signature
                Article Marketing Soldiers - The Best Selling Article Marketing Product On The Warrior Forum Is Now Looking For Affiliates! Make Over $25 Per Sale With This High Converting Product.

                Make More Money And Spend More Time With Your Family By Becoming A Scentsy Consultant - I Provide Personal Assistance And Help With Growing Your Business.
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      • Profile picture of the author mlord10
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        I'm going to add one very important thing to that list...one that will set you
        apart from a majority of the other affiliates out there.

        Offer a bonus (a good one) as an incentive for buying the product through
        YOU.

        Think about it. What separates you from the other affiliates? You're all
        selling the same product and that product comes with the same bonus
        from the merchant regardless of who sells it.

        So, by offering your own unique bonus, even if it's just your time, you give
        yourself an advantage over many affiliates.
        Good point Steven. I like to think that the way I treat my potential customers sets me apart, but then again I guess consumers will always ask "what's in it for me?"

        Giving a bonus is a great idea in order to increase your affiliate commissions. Admittedly I haven't used this method first hand, but you can be rest assured that I will start!
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmJT
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        I'm going to add one very important thing to that list...one that will set you
        apart from a majority of the other affiliates out there.

        Offer a bonus (a good one) as an incentive for buying the product through
        YOU.

        Think about it. What separates you from the other affiliates? You're all
        selling the same product and that product comes with the same bonus
        from the merchant regardless of who sells it.

        So, by offering your own unique bonus, even if it's just your time, you give
        yourself an advantage over many affiliates.
        Most definitely, spicing up your affiliate offer with a good bonus is a great way to separate yourself from the pack and be unique. It is very important to add value these days and cool bonuses are a great way to do that. Good advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author iamhelping
    Howdy Jerry Mullins here

    Your tips for promoting affiliate program an are excellent for experienced marketers.

    But when you write those tips to a Newbie like myself, we have know idea what a Squeeze page is; and as for driving traffic most of us think you're suggesting we
    go out on the freeway.

    I have lost money over and over again looking for some online that talk and teach on a new person's level.

    To me teaching on a new person's level is like teaching and training a newborn baby.
    A teaching which is hard to find online.

    Just a few months ago i joined an Affiliate opportunity because he sold me on the idea
    of having all the training Videos anyone would need; in theory that may sound great.

    But tell me this,do you think after putting all the cake ingredient on the table a four year old could bake a cake?

    That's the way most Guru's are lining their pockets with money now days.
    Signature

    Are You Making Enough Money?

    If not, you're probably using the wrong tools. PM me

    infobyjmullins@gmail.com[/email]

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  • Profile picture of the author mlord10
    One more thing that I need to mention... It always helps to cloak your affiliate links. Often times people don't mind buying online from people they trust, but at the same time most people like to feel as if they are not really being "sold" to.

    In addition, if you cloak your affiliate links it will help prevent commission theft. Of course more advanced affiliates can still get around this, but it does help increase the amount of commissions that you will earn (based on my testing).

    Many of you I am sure already cloak your links, but if you don't give it a try.
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  • Profile picture of the author jonbeebe
    I can vouch for this "method" as it is VERY similar to the one I use and teach... it is very effective

    Thanks for sharing with us.

    Jonathan Beebe
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  • Profile picture of the author mondex1.1
    @Steven - what would be the best bonuses we can offer just in case?
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by mondex1.1 View Post

      @Steven - what would be the best bonuses we can offer just in case?
      The best bonuses are ones that most compliment the product being sold, or
      add something to it.
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      • Profile picture of the author mlord10
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        The best bonuses are ones that most compliment the product being sold, or
        add something to it.
        As Steven said, make a sincere effort to ensure that your bonus compliments the product that you are selling.

        For instance, if you are selling an article marketing guide, then it may not necessarily make since to include a PPC guide as a bonus. It wouldn't be the worst bonus that you could give, but it surely would not be the best

        If you are giving away an article marketing guide, you may want to give away rights to a free article spinner (I don't use the personally) or some type of backlinking service.

        A bonus that directly compliments the product you are selling will be the best way to go. Now, time for my to start incorporating some related bonuses!
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  • Profile picture of the author huville56
    I bought the program 500 in 15 days about a week ago, And I've been trying to up load it to traffic Geyser since then, But " Boy" I'm having the time of my life to set this thing in motion. One problem after the other and believe me I tried getting help from Alex (The seller) But no luck HE didn't even ans my email, I tried TG no luck either!! So is it me or someone else has had a similsr experience??
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  • Profile picture of the author matty-81
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author mlord10
      Originally Posted by matty-81 View Post

      This is the truth. Tactics like redirects and direct linking are completely innefective now. Even article marketing is hurting. the best thing you can do if you are serious about making money as an affiliate marketer is build a list of targeted prospects.

      Many people can't even make money like that, and that's because they try to sell in the first message. Personally, I don't even put a hint of sales pitch in my messages until the 4th or 5th message. I give them useful information, PLR products, ebooks,etc.

      One tactic I find that works great is to write an article for my list. I write a nice 500 word article and give them all permission to use it. I explain that only my list has been given it. I also tell them how to use it, not to submit it as is, etc.

      I've received many return messages thanking me for this and telling me that they haven't subscribed to any other lists that have done this. That makes me feel good, and it builds trust.
      Great advice! I have given my list PLR content, but I have never given them an article that I have personally written. I can see how this could build an immense amount of trust with subscribers, and I may just start doing this.

      I understand what you are saying when you use the phrase "article marketing is hurting," but at the same time I do not necessarily agree. I believe that the competition is starting to get a little tougher, but at the same time we article marketers just have to find new ways to syndicate our content in a more effective manner.
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      • Profile picture of the author BenBrandes
        Great stuff here, thanks for putting it in such a concise format. So many people try to over complicate things. What you've truly is the system to be successful with affiliate marketing.

        The list is important because at the end of the day, you can always drive traffic because you've built a list.

        Spend time building a relationship with them. People who don't can have huge lists but they're very unresponsive.
        Signature

        FusionHQ Affiliate Manager

        FusionHQ - Drag and Drop Marketing Platform For Non-Techies.
        Everything you need in one, easy to use location.

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        • Profile picture of the author mlord10
          Originally Posted by BenBrandes View Post

          Great stuff here, thanks for putting it in such a concise format. So many people try to over complicate things. What you've truly is the system to be successful with affiliate marketing.

          The list is important because at the end of the day, you can always drive traffic because you've built a list.

          Spend time building a relationship with them. People who don't can have huge lists but they're very unresponsive.
          Exactly. Building a list is a vital asset, because when you have a good sized list then getting targeted traffic becomes a non-issue (although you always want new traffic and leads).

          However, once you have a good sized list built, then you can focus on other aspects of your business and not have to spend then vast majority of your time working on generating website traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author bakerious
    If you're promoting Clickbank products, you can try contacting the publisher and ask them to create a discount payment page for you to use. For example, if the product is selling on the publishers site for $67 and the publisher is not offering a discount when you click away from the site (you know, the annoying pop-ups offering the product $10 cheaper if you act now), ask if they will create a payment page for you offering the product for $47.

    This works well in conjunction with offering a good quality bonus. You create your own sales page similar to the publishers page and really push the fact that your site is the only place to get the product at the reduced price. I usually register a domain like "productnamediscount.com", just add the word discount and you're good. It works great for PPC advertising, as you can bid on the product name itself and get extremely targeted, ready to buy traffic fairly cheap. And since you're offering two things no other affiliate has, the bonuses and the discount, your conversion rates are through the roof.

    When you bid on the product name itself, you generally won't get too much traffic, so I usually create campaigns in MSN, Yahoo and Adwords to make it worthwhile.

    Just keep in mind when you make your sales page that you are not pre-selling the product, you are sending buyers straight to your own payment page, so you must SELL the product on your own site. Use the publishers page as an example, but don't copy it word for word, and don't hot-link to anything on their site, and don't use any of their testimonials or graphics without asking and getting permission first.

    The pages I create are a hybrid review/sales page and they seem to work well.

    Most publishers are cool with this because they make their money off of the list they build more-so than the actual product sales, particularly if the product has been out a while and is experiencing a slump in sales.

    P.S. I found Affiliate Elite is great for discovering products to promote like this. Do a search in the Internet Marketing section for products with a gravity below fifty and a high commission rate, make sure there are no discount popups on the sales page and then find their email address on the site and contact them. If you are polite and let them know you are level headed and serious, I found that generally one out of five are happy to work with you.
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  • Profile picture of the author mondex1.1
    @mlord and Steven - Thank you so much for your tip. I will try to gather all possible bonuses that will compliment the service that we are offering.
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