Learning from painful affiliate past, but encouraged with some recent developments, and your posts over here (learned quite a lot!!!) I am starting over again. Why do I think this time would be different than before? In short, this time I am applying the same principles I have learned in offline marketing. Besides, my mindset has changed (to the better, I'd say!).
(Aside the fact that online and offline economies have been through significant changes, compared to 10 years ago...)
#1 Affiliate progs portfolio (not in order of importance)
Before:
- I have entered into any and every programme, promising lucrative provision, hoping at least something would turn into success.
Now:
- I am concentrating my efforts, purposefuly and meaningfuly. Just like when applying for a job: my CV is tailored to a certain occassion and prospective employer, instead of being an exhaustive, bulletted autobiography. The same goes for the intended portfolio of my aff progs and derived choices offered to the visitors.
- Selling anything and everything, or working in finance business - if something else is what really like - just because it promises countless flows of cash, isn't my thing. (Although I have come up at the idea how can I meaningfuly use affiliate programs to save money and at the same time promote whatever I can think of ordering... but that's another story
And it's not about clicking on your own links!)
#2 Having a site, and how would it look like
Before:
- I didn't have site, and if I had one, it would probably be - again - about everything and anything I had to offer, either as a person or as a professional.
Now:
I am taking a completely different approach: I might have some sort of 'central board', linking to my various sites, but effectively, just like with CVs (again), for each area worth offering, I will develop its own space, one by one. Of course, whenever possible, web-ring-ing possibilities are warmly welcome. (This is a great breakthrough for me, since I've finally got the idea how can I avoid being either a superficial all-rounder or narrow specialist!)
Just like when creating an assortment in the supermarket, its owners look at the overall assortment and calculations, not concentrating only at the single products and their contribution margins, so the whole site and my web presence matter - I see myself as a customer's friend, not a greedy (re)salesman.
Therefore, although carefully chosen, not all of aff progs I am supporting will be available on each and every site, but only those most significantly contributing the overall vision I have for that site.
#3 JVs
Before:
- JV ideas havent' occured to my mind, not even close. Even if they did, I wouldn't have a clue what to do about them.
Now:
- Thanks to my latest researches, including reading posts on this site, I have come across and am more able to use this idea! As for criteria, JV portfolio also has to "fit in"
#4 Education and 'professional development'
Before:
- I didn't go to school
-> back then, I simply jumped into the water and started to swim. I haven't asked around, searched for the experts in the field, best strategies, programs, tactics, etc., what to pay attention at, etc. (Ten years ago, most of them were also starting!) Although usually a "smart shopper," I wasn't acting like one, probably because I didn't take it as something worth being serious with.
Now:
- I know and am aware that affiliating (whether successful or not) can take the time, effort, and money, so I don't want to waste it but use most efficiently. And if I do something, however small, I want to be well-prepared, because I intend to do it properly, in an excellent manner (like everything else). Since I have realized it is possible for me to succeed in Internet mktg as well (there IS a system, after all!), I have started to test and develop my personal board of advisors (super affiliates), resources, etc. in order to gain necessary education and practice required to ultimately become success (or at least I'll know I did my part). I am not such a big potato to pay 1000s of dollars for various courses, but until I am in the bigger league, I am searching for those within my budget and those 'small secrets' that experts do uncover (for peanuts or free). (Moreover, sometimes only time will tell who is a real deal and who isn't!)
- if possible, I would seek for somebody who I can learn from (individually or in group of 2-10 people) - a mentor, advisor, with system approach; or at least someone with whom I can exchange experiences. While I am not a big fan of MLM-ish meetings and making MLMs my way of life, I'd like to have smbd to be able to turn to, without being grabed by the neck or considered simply as a jumping board.
#5 Stand behind yr products
Before
- whatever product we were talking about, online or offline, I wasn't aware of the importance of my own experience as a consumer/customer. More often than not, I would simply go for a supposedly lucrative product, although not being able nor willing to use it myself. I would also offer the product because I knew prospective buyers (e.g. financially able, or interested in the product), while I myself wouldn't have been one at all. E.g. I have been selling expensive travelling tours at a discount price (still expensive), hoping that I would make it (someday) enough to go there and check it out.
Now:
- I put myself in the shoes of a consumer, and a prospective customer, while taking myself as a person into account as well: I can credibly promote only if I have "been there, done that", i.e. only those products/services that I have experience with, that "fit in", support my passion, have reliable customer service; if I am happily using them, this already is my benefit, regardless of the potential affiliate payout. On the other hand, as an affiliate, I am also looking for an affiliate 'customer support', % commissions, payouts etc.
- there are products that are not in my line of promotion, although I am using them.
#6 Planning
Before:
- I went without a plan, especially business plan, financial goals, etc.
Now:
- I have made my research, selected appropriate business and marketing plans, and already have tried some of them
- I am remodelling my offline business towards online orientation, and each aspect of marketing will be carefuly tested, chosen, with its own mini-plan along the overall marketing, business and business owner's (me) strategy. Furthermore, there will be financial and other goals for each "department", therefore for affiliate section as well. Plus I am thinking of developing my own affiliate or rewards program.
#7 Order of development
Before:
- I've stumbled upon certain affiliate programs, and thought this would be enough. Eventually I got the idea - you should have a site first, and then I realized - site... about what?
Now:
- thanks to the SBI! (no, I don't have their site yet! but I have read some materials), and some other studying, I decided to finally listen to my deeply burried intuition: build the content that warms up the visitors heart, then go with the technical stuff
#8 Technical stuff, Admin, etc.
Before:
- I didn't have a clue how many things are involved into building a successful business
- as for technical side, I thought (and have been mostly right), that there's lot of manual work I have to do myself (and learn if necessary)
Now:
- I know there's lot of work to do, but it's not impossible (I knew that), nor it has to take days and months, even if you don't have the team of IT specialists to back you up - e.g. I am already testing some keyword searching solutions instead of manual searches
- I know the competition is harsh, there are millions of pages, and as much as I have the will to do everything right, I would rather automate those things I cannot thorough-search anyway, and pay my attention where it makes better sense, e.g. strategy, building relationship with clients, content development, etc.. Sounds like SBI!s Brainstorm It! or Think It!
- I am also looking for an assistant or a complementary partner: I like having things taken care of, but don't have nor time nor nerves for this (too boring!)
#9 Conclusion- Different mindset(s): I have decided to learn and to do what it takes to be successful in this. But, as for me, being an affiliate is only a part of the deal. I still don't want affiliate (or any other) marketing to take over my job and my day. If I see it taking over more space than I am willing to give it, if costs begin to outgrow benefits, or it simply doesn't serve my purpose(s) anymore, I am cutting it down. I am building my life, and my professional reputation and education around my passions, my "whys" in life, so everything else (including aff. progs) has to fit in, otherwise it is simply a waste of space.
I have many hobbies, and my business can potentially build several other businesses around the core one. But, again, I am taking the offline marketing approach: after deciding how deep and how wide would I want to go, I am narrowing the list down to one hobby and one part of my business, and building it up, while considering only those affiliate programs that - just like any other part of my business - contribute to the big picture, not the other way around. Because the point of my being here is not to sell something and collect money, but to provide a truly useful information and/or service to my visitors. Since there are different types of my visitors, I might even develop various sites according to their needs (and offer appropriate affiliate programs), so e.g. a corporate customer would not see information offered to those self-employed or start-ups. And when I see that I am handling that one site well - and its aff progs (which may take weeks, or months), then rinse and repeat...
So, 10 years ago, I wouldn't have (such good) a clue what to do with an SBI! site, but now... it would mean a huge difference. So, after almost a year of shopping, online world, here I come! I'll eventually have one site (hopefully SBI!), either now (as a winner), either when I save enough to cover all SBI! subscription related costs (a bit tricky and expensive in Croatia, if you try avoid credit card trap).