Affiliate marketing is a powerful tool to make money, but there are a few pitfalls you should avoid. A product may be hot, but is it the right product for you? Contrary to popular belief, the most success comes from being passionate about a product. The passion itself creates energy and drive, and these are the things that your potential customers will tune in to. Either you have it – or you don’t.
Problems arise when the affiliate marketer joins too many programs at once. You could be thinking in terms of creating multiple sources of income, but the numbers in the success column just don’t materialize. It just becomes too difficult to focus on too many different directions at once. Stick to one program that pays no less than a 40% commission, and then give the program your undivided attention. If you can’t make that one program work, the chances of making multiple programs profitable are slim to none.
Make it a point to find out the method of payment from the merchant, and the timeframe in which you can expect payment. Also, find out how the merchant is going to charge the customer for the product. You don’t want your referrals to be lost because of customer payments that don’t tie into your referral ID number. Unfortunately, may not opt to disclose every bit of information.
Another common mistake that hopeful affiliates often make is not being familiar with the product. This means that you won’t be able to relay the message successfully without first-hand knowledge. A good way to smoke out the winning products is to buy the product before you join the affiliate program. However, keep your expenditures to a minimum or you’ll be wasting your money on products or services you have no use for.
Know the merchant’s customer service and return policy. If it isn’t up to par, you could be spinning your wheels by referring valuable customers. Perhaps the most important thing to look for is the relationship between the merchant and its affiliate marketers. If you’re not getting questions answered on time and in depth, it may be time to look for another program. It’s to discover know this before you make the commitment to join a program.
December 11, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Hi, Just wanted to say I agree with your post. It helps a lot to have used a product first hand and recommending it based on your knowledge of it. It also helps to be honest about a products strengths AND weaknesses. If your review reads like a sales pitch, it carries less credibility than if you are completely honest.
Also, one other thing I would add to your post. For low traffic or new sites, trying too many affiliate products can be counter productive due to the minimum payment barrier. For example, I just started my blog and was lucky to promote a sale of the Thesis theme using my affiliate link. That earned me $25… But, I may never see that $25 unless I can promote 3 more sales to get me over the $100 hump! That could take a long time! (but hopefully not).
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