7 Years Studying Affiliate Marketing?

21 replies
Hi fellow warriors,

You don't hear from me often - I tend to do more reading here than posting. But something is bothering me today that I felt compelled to write about.

I had a long phone conversation with a gentleman the other day who sounded serious about making money online. He claimed he has 50 domains and plans to build each one of them selling a specific niche product. His domain names are perfect for the products, so SEO should be a piece of cake. And the products are hot sellers, so making money should be simple.

He seemed to have a well thought out plan to make a decent living online.

Except one thing...

He complained that nothing worked right. For instance, he wanted to use a certain WP theme to build all of his sites. But the theme didn't work the way he thought it should. "It should do X, Y and Z, but all it does is A, B and C." And the affiliate program he's monetizing his sites with "should work this way but instead it works that way."

I'm very familiar with the WP theme he was using so I tried to explain to him what he was doing wrong and how to do it the right way. But he didn't want to hear it. He said "well, it should also do X, Y and Z." I responded with "but it wasn't made to do that." I'm also very familiar with the affiliate programs, so again I gave him tips and information.

I explained that these products/programs had been built the way the developers wanted them to work, and I suggested that he hire someone to build exactly what he was looking for. But he pooh-poohed that idea. In fact, he said (in no uncertain terms) that "these people should pay *me* for my ideas on how to improve their products and websites."

That totally blew my mind. I finally asked how long he had been doing affiliate marketing and his answer blew me away even more.

He said (after a few seconds' hesitation) "I've been studying it for 7 years but I haven't made anything yet."

This guy has a *solid* plan to make money but all he seems to want to do is find excuses not to get his websites up and running. He seems to want to criticize everything along the way because it's not up to par in his opinion.

The point I'm trying to make here is that you can't earn without doing. Spinning your wheels like this guy will get you nowhere. Finding excuses and criticizing everything in sight will get you nowhere.

Please, people, if you want to get anywhere in this world, you need to *do* whatever it takes to get where you want to go.

<getting off my soapbox now>

Denise
#affiliate #marketing #studying #years
  • Profile picture of the author nicheblogger75
    It seems like this guy is one of those people who blames everything and everybody else when things go wrong instead of taking responsibility for his own failings and procrastination. Unfortunately, until this person stops complaining about what's wrong and instead starts to try and find solutions to the problems, he is not going to make very much money (if any).

    He could also just be one of those people that tries to "guilt" other people into doing things for him. I know a couple of people like that. I try and distance myself from those people as much as possible because they seem to bring a negative energy along with them.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Thanks Denise for the good Story.

      Yes, I have met a lot of people similar to this guy including a few very good friends.

      The ones I have crossed paths seemed to follow a mantra and I call it ' falling in love
      with ruminating about the Dream.' ( not really falling in love with the actual dream)

      Heres the thing. These people really just get "off" by talking all day about the possibilities of hitting it big and having the winning formula for making a lot of money.

      One of my very best friend is like that. He would loove to go out and eat dinner with me. He would talk about this idea and that idea over beers and just get all excited about it.And he just really got entertainment from doing this

      But when it came to actually doing the things he needed to do to have the dream come true, he fell short.

      He would always say to me "Rob this is as not easy as I thought it would be "

      Well, hello lol

      Its almost like a mental illness, really. There are a lot of people in here who have that mental illness as they truly get enjoyment out of "just talking " about the Dream .Its fun for them.

      Well, its fun for me also but sooner or later you have to put your nose to the grindstone and WORK.

      Thats just the Reality of it all.
      If your not willng to get your nose a little skinned then you best just not even dream about it in the first place


      Robert Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author Joan Altz
    Good post. More than a few would-be marketers get stuck on design and technical aspects of things above making sales, so they don't make any.
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    • Profile picture of the author Denise Hall
      Originally Posted by Joan Altz View Post

      Good post. More than a few would-be marketers get stuck on design and technical aspects of things above making sales, so they don't make any.
      I understand getting stuck on techie stuff. But this guy acted like everybody and every product should cater to him and do everything his way.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    My goodness - best post I've read in a long time, Denise. Next time I see procrastination, I'll be directing them here.

    - Tom
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    • Profile picture of the author Denise Hall
      Originally Posted by Tom Addams View Post

      My goodness - best post I've read in a long time, Denise. Next time I see procrastination, I'll be directing them here.

      - Tom
      Thank you, Tom. Maybe it will get some people off of their butts.

      Denise
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      • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
        Originally Posted by Denise Hall View Post

        Thank you, Tom. Maybe it will get some people off of their butts.

        Denise
        If not, I recommend a cattle prod. They're extremely good at motivating people extremely badly, since prodded recipients tend to run anywhere but their computer, around in circles holding their bottom I usually find, but - well - it is fun.

        - Tom
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    • Profile picture of the author keiran
      Excellent post, thanks for sharing.

      It reminds me of a great Frank Kern video where he shares his keys to success and his two commandments for being successful online, which are pretty much what everyone is saying here.

      Here's the link to the video and the best part with the two commandments is at around 7min 40secs: https://youtu.be/_FqZkU1Fjd8
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  • Profile picture of the author Miguelito203
    Originally Posted by Denise Hall View Post

    Hi fellow warriors,

    You don't hear from me often - I tend to do more reading here than posting. But something is bothering me today that I felt compelled to write about.

    I had a long phone conversation with a gentleman the other day who sounded serious about making money online. He claimed he has 50 domains and plans to build each one of them selling a specific niche product. His domain names are perfect for the products, so SEO should be a piece of cake. And the products are hot sellers, so making money should be simple.

    He seemed to have a well thought out plan to make a decent living online.

    Except one thing...

    He complained that nothing worked right. For instance, he wanted to use a certain WP theme to build all of his sites. But the theme didn't work the way he thought it should. "It should do X, Y and Z, but all it does is A, B and C." And the affiliate program he's monetizing his sites with "should work this way but instead it works that way."

    I'm very familiar with the WP theme he was using so I tried to explain to him what he was doing wrong and how to do it the right way. But he didn't want to hear it. He said "well, it should also do X, Y and Z." I responded with "but it wasn't made to do that." I'm also very familiar with the affiliate programs, so again I gave him tips and information.

    I explained that these products/programs had been built the way the developers wanted them to work, and I suggested that he hire someone to build exactly what he was looking for. But he pooh-poohed that idea. In fact, he said (in no uncertain terms) that "these people should pay *me* for my ideas on how to improve their products and websites."

    That totally blew my mind. I finally asked how long he had been doing affiliate marketing and his answer blew me away even more.

    He said (after a few seconds' hesitation) "I've been studying it for 7 years but I haven't made anything yet."

    This guy has a *solid* plan to make money but all he seems to want to do is find excuses not to get his websites up and running. He seems to want to criticize everything along the way because it's not up to par in his opinion.

    The point I'm trying to make here is that you can't earn without doing. Spinning your wheels like this guy will get you nowhere. Finding excuses and criticizing everything in sight will get you nowhere.

    Please, people, if you want to get anywhere in this world, you need to *do* whatever it takes to get where you want to go.

    <getting off my soapbox now>

    Denise
    Wow -- just wow! I'd say I'm at a loss for words, but I'm typing, so that's not true - ha. I just don't get that, though. If he's been "studying" for seven years, he must not need the money badly enough. I can understand being hesitant for a little bit, but after a while, most people that get into this game need money, so you're kind of forced to do something to get that paper.

    Joey
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  • Profile picture of the author anwar001
    There are probably lot of people similar to this guy. These people want to complain all day and find faults with everyone and everything except their own selves. They expect everything to be perfect as per their preferences. They feel the world and all its people have to operate according to their opinions.

    Best thing is to avoid and stay away from them - rather run away from them. No use trying to explain to them to see things in another way.
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  • Profile picture of the author 64356
    Thanks for your case story.
    Unfortunately describing a very common and very human way of behavior.

    It's also well-known in other fields of counseling that I happen to be familiar with.
    When a person (client/patient) goes to see his counselor/doctor, it's apparently to ask for some help. But when the professional helper then comes up with a helpful advice, it's often rejected with a "yes ... but".
    Some people will react with an objection to whatever the helper may be suggesting. Showing that the client is not looking for a solution but trying to defend and preserve his problem ... as proof for his right to complain and pity himself for being an innocent victim for a cruel destiny.

    It's evident that the same psychological phenomena are playing a crucial role for failure and success also in our field. Most people will never succeed in affiliate marketing, because of their negative mental attitude - blaming somebody else for their bad results. Only a few positive and hard working people will ever have a chance to be successful, because they are taking action and responsibility for themselves. Success or failure is all about MINDSET.
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  • Profile picture of the author Janice Sperry
    That has to be the saddest story I have ever read here. It boggles my mind how people can even function with the kind of mindset this gentleman has. Good for you for trying to help him but you are also smart that you are not letting his attitude rub off on you.
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  • Profile picture of the author allanrsm
    Thanks for this Denise Hall, a great lesson from all of us...especially the fresher types such as myself. Too often we want the perfect solution in place and use this as an excuse to not move into action on anything of significance.

    Failing my way to success has been an eye opening philosophy as more lessons have been learnt correcting and overcoming mistakes than I could have ever envisaged!

    Affiliate marketing is definitely not a one size fits all approach and needs fluidity and thinking outside the box.
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    • Profile picture of the author FuturityWeb
      This is an interesting read and something I've come across too. I've often been asked to help local business get more leads and sales from their websites, but when I want to implement stuff like an Optin Form I get told... No don't do that it won't work; my business is different.

      They have no idea what works, but seem to be very knowledgeable on what doesn't, even without trying it...
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  • Profile picture of the author iseultmca
    I love this post! These people seem to exist in all walks of life, not just affiliate marketing. However, I agree with you that it becomes especially mystifying/frustrating when affiliate marketing provides him with such an easy way to be successful! I have friends who are like this, they're super intelligent, have the education and the ideas necessary to do something amazing but let some trifle stop them, it's almost as if they get a kick out of always being the underdog and never quite making it... so strange!

    Iseult
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  • Profile picture of the author heris
    There are so many people who tend to blame others (gurus, goverment, etc, etc...) when things don't work as desired. Even in the TE era IM was not that easy. By the way, it is nice to hang out here sometimes. :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      Wonderful example of the difficulty some have with Internet marketing.

      You know, even though anyone can be successful in this business, many do not have the mindset, temperament, or patience to be a business owner. In other pursuits they can excel, but in this business, they lack the essential personal traits that a business creator/owner needs.

      Many people have a very real fear of selling. To them, it's often subconscious and they would never suspect that fear was the culprit. They can read and study all they want, but they can't move out of their comfort zone and implement what they have learned for fear of being rejected, fear of their actions not being perfect, or fear that a customer might not be happy with them.

      Excuse the reference to the Bible if that offends you, but Paul prophesied about this very thing in the New Testament.

      II Timothy 3:7 . . . where he forsaw the latter days and said that men and women would be
      "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Denise Hall
    I just came back here to read the replies. I think all of you have probably hit the nail on the head in one form or another. And I guess there's just no help for some people if they won't help themselves.
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  • Profile picture of the author jimk1970
    Maybe he is getting a kick out of affiliate marketing and he is doing it like a hobby. Either way why waste time on this dude, obviously he's not serious.
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  • Profile picture of the author scottdrv
    Matthew 7:1-3 - King James Version

    Judge not, that ye be not judged.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Marquez
    Great story. Thanks for sharing.
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