If You HAD to Start Over - What would you do Different???

[Billy Kay]

Billy Kay - I don't expect you to give away any secrets or anything but in regards to "Do my homework and research and compare similar merchants so as to avoid the "dogs"

some quick and easy things to do:

1. Send an email to the AM before applying... with a question - any question. Such as "How often do you update your coupons?"

See how long it takes to get a response - or even IF you get a response.

2. If the AM's email address is MERCHANTNAME-at-linkshare or valueclick (etc), rather then john-at-MERCHANTNAME, then you can assume the merchant cares so little about it's affiliates that they hire network wanks to deal with all the issues, so don't expect much from that merchant

3. Of course, if the AM's email ends in 5staraff, partnerc, amswo, etc... these merchants are paying someone to run their programs because they care about the success of their program

4. Do a test sale - or search the boards for someone who did a test sale - to see if sales even track

5. Go to the merchant site and follow the order process all the way thru - until the final "the next click will bill your credit card" link - to see what suprises the merchant throw out. For example, if you enter the wrong coupon code at a merchant, the screen says "Please call us and place this order by phone". You wouldn't see this if all you do is check links to see they work.

there's more, but those are basics I do before joining a program

[Ferret Lord]

I would do 2 things differently.

First, Research, research and then some more research into webdesign and advertising.

Second, don't pay someone else to do my marketing for me. Learn how they do it and do it myself. I would have to get help with graphics and layout, but the rest is up to me. I lost thousands over the years on empty promises from marketing companies. Then, realized that I could do everything they were doing and do it better in some cases.

[Billy Kay]

Don't forget to mix it up!

If you have a website devoted to car parts, and it's been making a killing for years, also make one for totally unrelated stuff like Easter Bonnets You never know if your breadwinner product will dry up.

If you get good google rankings with your car parts site, optimize other sites for other search engines. If google suddenly drops you for car parts, you're still #1 for easter bonnets at Yahoo.

And you won't be stung as hard.

[djaco99]

I've only been at this affiliate marketing business for 1 year now, so still consider myself a "newbie". During the past year, I have learned soooo much and have made some big mistakes that actually killed the first website that I worked so hard to develop (and it was beginning to bring in some nice money too). So, If I knew then what I know now... here's what I would have done differently:

Get High Quality Hosting
In an effort to do things as cheaply as possible, I got dirt cheap hosting ($36 a year). My site was down about 20% of the time, and it usually took tech support 2-3 days to respond to my issues. The hosting company went out of business suddenly a couple of months ago and took my site with it. I could not move my site to another host because they had my domain name locked up (see next item). I now use Hostgator, (as recommended by someone on this forum) which allows for unlimited add-on domains, has never gone down, and has outstanding support.

Purchase a Domain Name
I got a free domain name for my first site, as part of the deal with the crummy cheap hosting provider. When they went out of business, my domain name could not be unlocked since it was registered to them, not me. As a result, I lost my site completely. I now purchase my domain names to ensure they are registered to, and controlled by me!

Use a Blog as a Partner to Your Website
My first site took 3 months to get picked up by Google (and also to generate a sale). I started a blog to help promote the site and within a few weeks traffic picked up considerably. For my next site I started the blog first, and posted regularly for 2 weeks while I was working on my site. I uploaded my website, linked to it with the blog, and found it in Google, Yahoo, and MSN within a couple of weeks! I pretty much had "instant traffic" to the new site.

Write Lots of Articles
I have learned that there is a direct and immediate correlation between the number of articles (and frequency of submitting) that you write and the amount of traffic you get on your sites. I have also learned that the more articles you write, the better you get at writing and people start seeing you as an authority on your topic. This results in a lot of great backlinks when others start including their articles on their sites. It also generates even more traffic, because people email your article to others (who hopefully pass it on to even more people).

Develop a Mailing List
This is perhaps the most important lesson I have learned, and I wish I had realized the benefit of a mailing list sooner. I just started using a mailing list/monthly newsletter 45 days ago, and am already seeing sales that are generated from the links in my newsletter. I think this is terrific since my subscriber base is still very small (I average only 3-8 new subscribers each week so far). I use AWeber autoresponder, (recommended by someone on this site I think) which is easy, quick, and has terrific tech support.

Utilize Deep Links Whenever Possible
In the beginning, I always used the link to my index page within articles, forum posts, paid ads, etc... I started using links to inner pages (with appropriate keywords) recently and saw my traffic jump. My logs show visitors entering all over the place now, onto pages that are more targeted toward the exact thing they are looking for.

I've learned lots more lessons, and am learning more every day. I wish I would have found this forum earlier on, because the advice I've been given has really helped me out. Reading what seasoned professionals have to say is not only motivating, but really helps me make better decisions and plan my goals. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to reflect on this topic - aside from learning from other's experiences, it also makes you realize just how far you've come

[MattMcWilliams]

djaco99, ALL great points!

The oldsaying you gotta spend money to make money. But in the case of hosting, you gotta spend very little more to make a LOT more.

[Linda Buquet]

Wowser! You guys ROCK!!!

41 replies. Tons of important tips and heart-felt insight.
This thread is growing into EXACTLY what I had hoped for when I asked the question and started the contest.

BIG thanks again to Ken Envoy and Lisa Irby AKA 5PillarManager (a loyal member of this forum) for sponsoring this contest and providing a free SiteBuildIt subscription. We appreciate you!

OK who else would do things differently if you had to start over?

[JustinHarrison]

The top 20 odd things I would do differently, if I had to start over again.

1. Buy into fewer “How To courses” – rather than relying on impulse and being lured in by overstated sales copies I would spend less time reading and more time doing.

2. Never outsource the development of my site.

3. Start a double opt in list from the get go.

4. Name squeeze on every product page.

5. OWN my list by running my own server, third parties can cost you your business.

6. Backup my lists and sites religiously.

7. NEVER send unsolicited email – no matter how alluring.

8. Buy a domain with my main keyword or key phrase in the name.

9. Start an affiliate program only once my products are producing good sales conversions.

10. Spend 80% of my time on marketing rather than on other trivial tasks.

11. Install return on investment tracking on all PPC advertising

12. TRACK EVERYTHING – from button clicks to email open rates.

13. Network more.

14. Treat my online business like a real offline business.

15. Answer every email in person – no canned responses.

16. Realise that automation is no substitute for one on one relationship building.

17. Target market from the start – shotgun marketing DOES NOT WORK.

18. Plan and strategize more before taking action on an idea.

19. I would not buy into every fad to hit the Internet Marketing scene, but rather adopt a policy of caution, waiting and testing before chasing the latest and newest invention.

20. Realise that Internet marketing is not about seeking income opportunities, but building real sustainable businesses.

21. Realise that internet marketing is not rocket science; just like in the real world ….logic will always prevail.

22. SIMPLE IS BETTER… I would remove all the complications from my systems.

23. Conduct more user testing and spend more time making my websites and products “stupid proof”.

24. Communicate in simpler terms dropping fewer acronyms and less technical terms.

25. Never consider myself an expert, time has proven that when you think you know… you don’t.

26. Less hype…more fact

27. When in doubt , follow logic.

…. And about 101 other things, but that’s the conundrum posed by hindsight.

There is an old saying in business... “If you make a mistake once it’s a mistake, make it twice and you are an idiot, three time and you have no excuse for not learning the lesson".

Justin Harrison

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Your words of wisdom will be added to the 5 Star Hall of Fame.

"1. Buy into fewer “How To courses” – rather than relying on impulse and being lured in by overstated sales copies I would spend less time reading and more time doing.

2. Never outsource the development of my site.

3. Start a double opt in list from the get go."

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[scoop33]

Hi everyone,
Knowing what I know today I would first learn, and learn only useful information. I woul also learn from other peoples mistakes so I do not make them myself ….If your intention is to earn money faaaast! you may miss a great opportunity to learn things and most importantly learn them right. Find someone that knows what is talking about, for the particular area you are interested, and ask for help. There are some GOOD knowledgeable people out there (not too many people want you to know what they know) find out who these people are and ask for help, even if you have to spend some money to do so. .When you are ready get your feet wet.

If you fail to plan you plan to fail
Regards
Scoop33

[purplebear]

Originally Posted by Billy Kay

some quick and easy things to do:

I took out all of it but left the little part in so you'd know I'm responding to what you said.

I don't know exactly the percentages but a good amount of sites I never receive any correspondence from aff. mgrs. Some may start out but when they realize I'm not a "biggie" coincidence or not? Don't hear much from them. Are you saying that if an aff. mgr. doesn't corrrespond with me regularly I shouldn't remain in those programs?? Umm as you can tell from my posts and would definitely be able to ask any of the guys from AMWSO lol my email correspondence with aff. mgrs. is ummm not "brief" to put it mildly...so not sure the possibility some aff. mgrs. just may not correspond with me cos they want to be spared my long emails. lol

I like all of your criteria you listed My site is I guess what's considered an online mall. In an ideal world after what I've learned to this point it would probably just consist with SAS merchants and merchants associated with the AMWSO guys but then I doubt if there'd be enough for it to be a mall. lol I could probably qualify as the AMWSO mascot lol and am constantly letting them know how much I appreciate all of their help and probably given all of them very big heads by now. lol I wish all aff. mgrs. were like them. I have to investigate the 5staraff, partnercentric more. I know Chris is connected with pc and had I have been with several of their sites....I never heard of 5staraff though til I saw it listed at AMWSO. I know there are the 2 Linda's so will definitely have to sort this out. lol
*Yooo hoooo Linda B. - I take it from what BillyK has said other than this forum you have a bunch of merchants too?? Hmmm I really do have a brain just seem to forget it at times. lol I didn't know you were a network or whatever it is that's the term to describe you.

Back to Billy K So...are you saying that the things you listed should be things for me to find out and if they're negative I shouldn't associate myself with them or I should but just hope for the best. I'm afraid most of the sites probably would have a negative rating for meeting the criteria you suggested.
As I said..my site's like an online mall so definitely is mixed up. Majority of sales are probably from the clothing sites but then they're all over the place. My sales come from the sites I would have thought would be the last ones I'd ever have sales from. Don't have a clue why they are the ones, either. lol


I'm really loving reading all of your thoughts Thanks to all of you who take the time to answer my questions

[Raspie]

When I first started in the internet for E-bizz I was, like a lot of people I guess, drawn by the idea that internet could make anything possible and for free... So I started with free web-hosting, free advertising, free traffic, free , free, free... Did it get me anything? Yes ! Of course ! A lot of work and some results... The moment I had made a little money I considered to reinvest a little and at that moment it grew so fast that I looked back and realised this : If I had invested this to start-up I would have been a lot further by now...

So I can agree with a previous post about not only focussing on free traffic, but it goes a lot further than that... Free software, free hosting, you can find almost anything for free on the internet. But the internet is not different from the real-life business world : you need to invest to really become succesfull.

That is my modest opinion: I would invest faster. Not a lot however. But a minimum. In my case that was 200$...