Skydco Business Blog

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Do you apply these 3 Rules when choosing to be an Affiliate?

I had decided on Affiliate marketing, as I perceived that it is one of the most effective and easiest ways of earning some money online. An affiliate program gives everybody a chance to make a profit through the Internet. Since these affiliate marketing programs are easy to join, implement and pay commission on a regular basis, more and more people are now willing to undertake this type of business.

Like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls. When I started thinking about affiliate marketing on the web, I was aware that the same pitfalls exist on the web as the do in the tangible world.


Rule Number 1: Choose the right affiliate product or program.

When people decide to go with an affiliate program or product they want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. Normally in their rush to be a part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. Something that they have seen a number of times on web sites, something they have read about in vast numbers of emails from safelists and the like. They choose the product that is in demand without actually researching it properly.

Don’t jump on the first bandwagon, do some research (and I don’t mean by reading advert email) search the web find a product in which you are truly interested in or a program that has gained credibility because numerous affiliate marketers are actually making money. Success in your affiliate endeavours will be achieved by taking some time to plan, research and devise your marketing actions for your product or program.

If you decide on a product select one that appeals to you. Then do more research to see if it or they are in demand. It is easier to promote a product about which you have a passion, than it is to promote one in which you have none.

Rule Number 2: Resist that attraction to join too many affiliate programs.

Constant advertising, emails, safelists and social sites hail numerous affiliate programs. They are easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiples of affiliate programs to try and maximize your earnings, believe me in the first instance this does not work. I suffered from this, until I read, “Don’t be a Victim” and realised what I was doing.

True, that is a great way to have multiple sources of income. However, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time will prevent you from concentrating on each one of them and therefore earning probably nothing.

In order to avoid this pitfall live by rule number 2, by joining just one program or start with one product. Have heard the phrase “slowly, slowly catch the monkey”. It’s true especially where affiliate marketing is concerned. The technique is to do it slowly but surely. There is really no need to rush into things. I think affiliate marketing is here to stay at least for the foreseeable future.

Rule Number 3: Buy the product or use the program.

As an affiliate, your main purpose is to sell the product effectively and convincingly, promote the product or service and find customers. In order for you to achieve this you must understand the customer experience. I have tried some in the past and discounted them because I could see that the customer experience was poor. That his how I ended up with my chosen affiliate products and program.

Trying the product or service personally before you sign up as an affiliate. See if it delivers what is promised. In a lot of affiliate programs you can manage to do this for free. If you can’t then be careful you may just be there next customer. Having done so you will now be aware if it is credible and of it’s advantages and disadvantages. You will automatically convey this understanding in your sales literature or adverts to your customers believe me they can tell.

I am not saying in this article that I have all the answers, but I have got the experience and it is only in affiliate marketing to date that I have made any money. You are probably wondering what I chose? Well after the research, planning etc… I opted for Click Bank and the sales of Clickbank products. I chose to go with a Clickbank market program where the products are kept up to date as new Clickbank products are added. I wanted a program where the hottest Clickbank products are presented on a professional market website and there was the possibility for me to make money on both products and the affiliate program itself. I chose CB-Top, The Nets No1 in info products malls. It’s great…you could do a lot worse.

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About The Author

Stephen J Skyvington-Diplock has been active on the web for some five years. Currently he has a number of websites on the web marketing various products in various niche markets. You can reach him at skydco@tiscali.co.uk. Or visit his “Cb-Top” site at Cb-Top

Do you apply these 3 Rules when choosing to be an Affiliate?

I had decided on Affiliate marketing, as I perceived that it is one of the most effective and easiest ways of earning some money online. An affiliate program gives everybody a chance to make a profit through the Internet. Since these affiliate marketing programs are easy to join, implement and pay commission on a regular basis, more and more people are now willing to undertake this type of business.

Like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls. When I started thinking about affiliate marketing on the web, I was aware that the same pitfalls exist on the web as the do in the tangible world.


Rule Number 1: Choose the right affiliate product or program.

When people decide to go with an affiliate program or product they want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. Normally in their rush to be a part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. Something that they have seen a number of times on web sites, something they have read about in vast numbers of emails from safelists and the like. They choose the product that is in demand without actually researching it properly.

Don’t jump on the first bandwagon, do some research (and I don’t mean by reading advert email) search the web find a product in which you are truly interested in or a program that has gained credibility because numerous affiliate marketers are actually making money. Success in your affiliate endeavours will be achieved by taking some time to plan, research and devise your marketing actions for your product or program.

If you decide on a product select one that appeals to you. Then do more research to see if it or they are in demand. It is easier to promote a product about which you have a passion, than it is to promote one in which you have none.

Rule Number 2: Resist that attraction to join too many affiliate programs.

Constant advertising, emails, safelists and social sites hail numerous affiliate programs. They are easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiples of affiliate programs to try and maximize your earnings, believe me in the first instance this does not work. I suffered from this, until I read, “Don’t be a Victim” and realised what I was doing.

True, that is a great way to have multiple sources of income. However, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time will prevent you from concentrating on each one of them and therefore earning probably nothing.

In order to avoid this pitfall live by rule number 2, by joining just one program or start with one product. Have heard the phrase “slowly, slowly catch the monkey”. It’s true especially where affiliate marketing is concerned. The technique is to do it slowly but surely. There is really no need to rush into things. I think affiliate marketing is here to stay at least for the foreseeable future.

Rule Number 3: Buy the product or use the program.

As an affiliate, your main purpose is to sell the product effectively and convincingly, promote the product or service and find customers. In order for you to achieve this you must understand the customer experience. I have tried some in the past and discounted them because I could see that the customer experience was poor. That his how I ended up with my chosen affiliate products and program.

Trying the product or service personally before you sign up as an affiliate. See if it delivers what is promised. In a lot of affiliate programs you can manage to do this for free. If you can’t then be careful you may just be there next customer. Having done so you will now be aware if it is credible and of it’s advantages and disadvantages. You will automatically convey this understanding in your sales literature or adverts to your customers believe me they can tell.

I am not saying in this article that I have all the answers, but I have got the experience and it is only in affiliate marketing to date that I have made any money. You are probably wondering what I chose? Well after the research, planning etc… I opted for Click Bank and the sales of Clickbank products. I chose to go with a Clickbank market program where the products are kept up to date as new Clickbank products are added. I wanted a program where the hottest Clickbank products are presented on a professional market website and there was the possibility for me to make money on both products and the affiliate program itself. I chose CB-Top, The Nets No1 in info products malls. It’s great…you could do a lot worse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Author

Stephen J Skyvington-Diplock has been active on the web for some five years. Currently he has a number of websites on the web marketing various products in various niche markets. You can reach him at skydco@tiscali.co.uk. Or visit his “Cb-Top” site at Cb-Top

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

If it’s Viral is it addictive?

The application of the word viral to marketing and advertising refers to the technique of using pre-existing social or contact networks of web users to increase brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives. The viral aspect of these actions is through the self-replication marketing or advertising that results.

Whilst there are many methods and schemes used by many e-commerce sites today, there are still some that can help you with an extra boost in the site popularity ratings or in increased traffic to a site. One of these methods is viral marketing or viral advertising.

While the term Viral usually conjures an image of a virus, a word very much dreaded by all computer owners. It is in reality the concept of the viral transmission of your market or advertising information in the form of a viral campaign, that builds the public awareness of one’s product or company. Viral marketers or advertisers use many forms of media to reach out to the public without actually promoting the product.

By riding on other forms of addictive media, it means that a person could get hooked on the product and be obliged or amused to actually pass it on. The product or company advertisement gets passed along with it. In a nutshell, companies ride on the idea that if people like the content of a media they will pass it on to their contact, friends and family.

They sponsor certain media, in the internet marketing world a program, a product or a membership site which one may pass on to another with the company brand or logo, or the products description or any other content to help promote the company or its product, by defining viral market definition.

Viral marketing has become a popular means of advertising and marketing because they are relatively low cost and some instances FREE. To avoid being tagged as spam mail, viral marketing strategies count on the eagerness of one person to pass on the product. If a person sees the name of the person they know as the sender, they won’t block it and they will probably open it as well.

Many companies offer incentives such as discounts, rebates, reports or even products to help spread their viral message. They rely on the number of recipients a viral marketing activity gets from one person in determining the amount or number of incentive they can be attributed with.

Using Viral Marketing to your advantage

The main and foremost advantage of viral marketing is that you get a lot of publicity and public awareness about your site and your company. You get to generate a flow of traffic that are potential customers. With a little ingenuity and imagination, plus some incentives or prizes, you can reach out to a great number of people and announce your existence.

Almost every site and company is catching on to the effectiveness of Viral Marketing and Advertising. Along with other methods of site promotion, like Search Engine Optimization, pay per click and the like, viral marketing could easily push you ahead in the ratings or your perceived earning capability.

In order to understand viral marketing at its best, take a look at a product called the Ultimate SuperTip. Described as the greatest free viral marketing idea of all time, it certainly delivers. It is an amazing FREE e-Book product; it leads you gently through the process of viral marketing and advertising and brings you to your ultimate success in this marketing method.

Many companies have tried viral marketing and there are many success stories. The contemplation that what you sow today will still be paying off in months even years to come is it’s ultimate benefit.

Now it’s your turn to use viral marketing to work wonders for you. Act now and reap the benefits that Viral Marketing or Advertising will provide for you and your sales figures.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

I only ever use Free Traffic generation methods

Whilst there are many ways in which to jump-start website traffic generation to any site, many Internet marketers do not have the resources that others have in order to generate loads of traffic to a site. The majority of traffic generating sites all want you to spend a cent in order to get their traffic generating tool or just to buy traffic itself.

Having read the e-Book “Don’t be a Victim” I took the conscious decision that I would not pay for anything on the web if I were able to find it for free. How sweet it is free traffic generation for your site or product, without spending a single cent. Yes it can be done. This like many other articles offers traffic generation tips and guidelines, on how to generate that traffic using only free methods, it is up to you if you choose to do anything with the knowledge

Now, I am not saying that free traffic generation methods are the beginning and end of traffic because you can definitely better your chances by paying for your advertisements, but at least you get a fighting chance with some of these free methods I’m about to tell you. However, If you are like me you have spent a fortune trying everything else and are now greatly restricted on how much you want to spend on the web. In this instance this article should help steer you in the right direction.

By far the easiest and cheapest is utilising traffic exchanges. These are systems where you click on other people’s sites and earn a click (dependant on the click ratio) in return. These clicks then translate to visitors to your site. Most traffic exchanges are free in the first instance. With the right approach as promoted by Traffic Exchange Profits you can’t fail but to start generating traffic and we all know that more traffic means more visitors. I shall come back to that later on.

Another easy and free way to generate traffic is the use of online forums and online communities and now social sites. Each method has it’s own advantage and this one will enable you to target a certain group that fits the certain demographic that you are looking for. You can enter into discussions about a range of subjects or about the niche product that you represent or offer. Another great advantage is that you know what you are getting into and you will be prepared.

With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company or product. Show them what you are made of and expound your expertise about the subject. Conversely you can take the ‘I am a beginner’ approach and utilise the experience for expanding your knowledge. Either way you can build a reputation and build trust with the people within your demographic.

You can also make use of newsletters, although I have found that people new to internet marketing find this aspect daunting. I would suggest starting by writing articles that will attract the attention of people that have interest in your product. Try writing articles that will provide tips and guides to other web surfers. Make the subject dependant upon your interest. In the event of product marketing the article should be relevant to the product. Writing articles that provide good information, tips and knowledge to other people will provide the necessary mileage your traffic flow needs and result in good Internet traffic generation.

There are many sites that offer free submission and posting of your articles. When people find interest in your articles they have a good chance of following the track by finding out where the article originated. Include a link or a brief description of your company with the article and there’s a great probability that they will go to your site.

Having been successful at producing a few articles you should now be able to produce your first Newsletter. This now will provide people with a catalogue of your products and interesting and entertaining articles (some of the ones you published). If you make it really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be that will go to your site increasing your traffic, a great traffic generation tactic.

I could go on about trading links, viral marketing, Joint ventures, affiliate Marketing etc… But I think I have given you enough food for thought. May be I’ll make this the first part of a two or even three part article.

All of these methods and more will drive more traffic to your site for free. All it takes is a bit of effort and the most valuable commodity you have in life, time. Learn all you can about the methods depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.

As I said earlier I wanted to go back to Traffic exchanges and in particular and the methods by which you use them. All traffic generation has to have a strategy. Normally obtaining that strategy costs money. However, in the case of “Traffic Exchange Profits” that is not the case you can download the report free of charge.

Get It Here