Internet World Stats > Internet Coaching > Internet
Marketing
How the
Affiliate Masters Make Massive Sales
by Joe
Bingham
Everyone involved in Internet
marketing knows the names of the affiliate program masters.
Marlon Sanders. Mark Joyner. Jimmy D. Brown. Terry Dean.
Everyone knows them because at one point or
another 95% of us signed up as an affiliate with at least one of
them. We also know them because these are the guys who have
pulled in the BIG money we all dream about. They've actually done
it, and so we pay attention to what they do.
Well, after having paid attention to these
guys for over two years, I'm ready to spill the beans on their
neat little secrets --- without asking for $49.95 per item or
$1000 for the whole shebang.
Oh, what do I know, you say, I'm not one of
them. Maybe so, and you can discount everything I say if at the
end of reading this you're not sitting there at your computer
nodding in agreement.
Time and again, these guys release hot, new
products touting exciting, cutting edge information that's going
to revolutionize Internet marketing. And so it does, for a month
or so, until the next hot, new product comes along.
However, I just want you to keep one thing
in mind as we go along. The main goal of each new product these
affiliate masters produce is NOT to provide the best information
possible for the consumer of that product --- except when the
information provided to the consumer does in fact assist with the
main goal.
Don't be so naive people. The sales copy
for each and every marketing information product IS written all
about you, the consumer. They emphasize what you'll gain, how
you'll benefit, and what they'll do for you.
But, the main goal of that product, in
truth, has nothing to do with you. You are simply a means to an
end. The main goal of each and every product introduced by any
marketer in any affiliate program is simply to produce profits,
the highest profits possible, and nothing more.
Think about where the vast majority of
their sales come from: Is it
from the sales their affiliates make
to others, or
is it from the affiliates themselves?
It's the affiliates. If you're running an
affiliate program, the money is NOT in what your affiliates
accomplish, but in what your affiliates purchase
themselves.
This is only natural, for what are
affiliates but repeat customers?
These masters approach you from a slant
that appears to be in your favor. They are going to give you the
best information possible. They are going to give you the chance
to make commissions off of their work. They are going to give you
sales tools, incentives, discounts, their wisdom and experience,
and whatever else you need so that YOU can make BIG money working
online.
But wait, hold on, what are you giving them
in return?
Your time, and your contacts.
Anyone who's ever operated a traditional
business knows the answer to this question. What are two of the
biggest expenses involved with running a business?
1. Labor
2. Advertising
As an affiliate what are you providing to the affiliate program
owner again? Your time (labor) and your contacts
(advertising).
In other words, when you join an affiliate
program, you are essentially signing up for the privilege of
taking two of the biggest expenses involved in running a business
onto your back and off of theirs!
No wonder these guys can make so much
money!
And the more they make, the more they hype
up the 'possible truth' about how much YOU can make! Which just
gets everyone even more excited and escalates everything even
further the next time around.
However, while the picture I just painted
makes these affiliate masters seem downright diabolically evil at
this point, that's not always the case.
Why?
1. A good affiliate program offers its
affiliates their own
opportunity for success.
2. If the products involved are not worth the asking price,
sales will falter, affiliates will drop out, and the program will
fail.
As an affiliate, you may not be in quite as
good of a position as the owner of the program, but you can
produce substantial profits of your own based on the same model
the affiliate master uses.
You, too, can use the system available, or
better yet create your own system of contact, to collect your own
list of sub-affiliates and/or consumers.
Still, the keys for your success will be
the same as the keys for the masters' success.
1. You must focus the sales copy for the
product toward the benefit of the consumer. However, just as the
affiliate master realizes his best source of consumers is his own
affiliates, you too must carefully target your sub-affiliates as
repeat customers.
2. The best affiliate programs stay in
constant communication with their affiliates based on the premise
of helping them to make sales. What this does IS to educate the
affiliates on how to make sales, but it ALSO keeps them informed
of new products and services so as to solicit their repeat
business.
3. You will also be at the mercy of the
value of the products you are selling. Without quality products,
repeat sales, the top source of income for any business, will not
occur.
The affiliate masters focus not only on how
the end consumer will benefit from their product, but on how
those affiliated with the company can profit from the
consumer.
In essence, every potential consumer is a
potential affiliate as well. And what better way to get someone
excited about purchasing more products than to first excite them
on the prospect of selling them?
Once someone buys a product, offer them the
opportunity to make back the money they just spent, and more, by
referring others to the company.
Then, offer them assistance in making those
referrals. Inform them about other products they can also sell.
Send them sales copy they can use. This not only makes them
better salesmen, but introduces them to other products they may
be interested in.
Stay in constant communication in order to
keep them motivated and informed about how to proceed.
This is the way the
affiliate masters work. This is the type of system you must set
up if you expect to achieve their level of
success.
However, that's not to say there isn't
profits to be gained simply from the sale of products to
consumers without seeking to make them affiliates as
well.
But then, that's a whole other subject best
saved for another article.
*written by Joe Bingham.
For more 'Straight Edge' information about profiting from Affiliate Programs,
download Joe Bingham's FREE e-book "A Cynic's Guide To Understanding Internet
Marketing"