well let's see...First I would have started focussing more on the traffic flow and building my list...and then I would have searched for more JV opportunities...and god knows i would not have wasted soooooo much time and efforts on reading the same regurgitating facts that were really nothing more than a bunch of fluff twisted around to say the exact same thing...I have only just recently discovered craigslist so i feel like i am way behind on the power curve...
I would have also started my own website a lot sooner than what i did. If i would have only done those three things i think that my sales would be a lot more hefty than what they already are...
Ohh just thought about it as well, I would not have been one of those "newbies" who think that because someone else is doing some grey marketing angles that that would be the best thing to do as well..The number one thing for any successful business is put yourself in the shoes of a prospective customer and treat them like they are not in kindergarden...Too many "gurus" find loopholes and then publish a 7 page ebook that tells you to fabricate the truth to your customers...i just do not understand that...business should be fun and enjoyable...and the customer should not just be a customer but a friend as well...
I would not have listened to fly-by-night webmasters and other marketers who misled me and caused me tons of time in having to undo all the bad advice I tried. Always make sure your resources are credible...
Ha, ha! My first trial with affiliate programs was also web hosting. I had no money and no idea what I was going into. I managed to drive some traffic to my page, but it did not convert at all, because it was all coming from social networking sites, form people who did not need web hosting.
Then I diversified, but I suppose I'm lousy at writing copy, as nobody ever wanted to buy even a single pin from me... except the Christmas period, when I sold a few books and a few tree stands.
What I never wanted to do: use PPC campaigns to drive targeted traffic to my sites. This is what I started yesterday and I hope it will work (although I've seen only one click so far).
__________________ Simonne
Do you know how to use an autoresponder service? Take a free test drive and see it for yourself.
1) I would have created my first affiliate site on a broader focus rather than an extremely narrow niche.
2) This was mentioned earlier, but I would have jobbed out more work and been more diligent searching for the right help.
3) I would not have given up on affiliate marketing all together 5-6 years ago. However, I did come back 4 years ago, learned from my mistakes and have been blessed.
I have found it takes 2-3 times for me to do most things right, but I have learned to make this learning curve quicker and much less costly.
4) Would have found the answers on sites such as five-star.
My Partner and I Jumped into the Internet Marketing world in October 2006.. We self taught ourselves everything! Along the way we hit a few bumps on the road.. which we look at as growing pains.
One main thing we wished we could have done different:
Not hire a programmer from India. We didn't have much money to spend so we hired someone really cheep, and as you all know time is money... and we waisted a lot of time working with them! Tons of communication problems, time difference, no sense of detail..ect. So, we learned later that we should of jumped on Rent-a-coder from the very beginning. After we started working that way, we were much satisfied with the quality of work and the time frame we have it presented to us.
I'm sure there is a few more.. and more I will learn along the way!
Until then...Much Success to us all!
__________________
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When you're staring out, you're tempted to go for the quick return by driving more traffic to your sales page, but you'll only help yourself in the long run by working on the list first. Think of it as putting your paycheck into an interest-bearing account -vs- getting paid in $20 bills.
If I had to start over one of the first things I would have done as an affiliate would be to get a Domain Name from Godaddy to use in my marketing instead of my affiliate link. They are available 24/7 to help the newbie get started and are very patient, which has been my experience. So many times I see new marketers advertising their affiliate links and they even have them on business cards, this I feel quickly distinguishes them as a newbie.
The next thing I would have done differently would have been to send my prospects to a 'Lead Capture Page' first before sending them directly to my affiliate site, this puts me in a position to follow up with them with a good autoresponder like Aweber or Getresponse. This also puts me in the position so that I have captured their name and can market similiar, helpful products to them. Many times I have seen new marketers spend many dollars on marketing only to have the Affiliate Program they are marketing for capture their names. Most people will not buy on the first exposure so it is critical that we put ourselves in a position where we can followup and build our list at the same time.
Linda Buquet :: Affiliate Program Advertising, Promotion & PR (Publisher Relations)
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If I had to do it all over again
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