One of the common themes I’m hearing about all the “super-affiliates” of the community is that things aren’t what they used to be like. If you noticed, all those guys who used to be super affiliates are now focused on trying to sell you programs on how they made money. All those guys who used to show you checks of how much money they made on Google, Facebook, and so on are aren’t posting checks anymore. I’ve never paid much attention to those “experts” even when they supposedly were making money, and pay them a lot less attention now that most of them are on the rocks trying to sell you their crappy programs and systems. However, since some of them have come out bashing the affiliate industry, claiming that the industry is “dead” and only their programs, their systems work (if you pay them $5k to listen to them and their friends talk about chicks and how to waste more money) I thought it was time to address some specific issues and then talk about what really works.
First of all, you are not wasting time being an affiliate, and the industry is thriving more than ever. As someone who knows personally the CEO of almost every major CPA network, I can tell you that things are better than ever for most of them, and there are dozens of new networks that are doing wonderful, providing new insight and new ways of revenue production.
Here’s a few things that most of the gurus don’t want you to know, and what most of them are hiding from you:
1) None of them made a lot of money ever. Most of them have never made more than a few hundred thousand dollars, ever. All those gurus that claim that they were making millions, creating companies left and right are mainly liars. When you do a little research into their background, you’ll find that the things don’t match up.
2) What little money they did make was usually using one trick or scheme. They claim to be marketing gurus, but they were more like one hit wonders. Almost all of them manipulated systems to make a bunch of money at once, have spent it all, and now are desperate for you to pay them attention by selling you their programs.
3) They don’t know how to make money on CPA. That’s why they are claiming that the CPA industry is dead, that’s why they are promoting their programs and their own “affiliate systems.” You’ll see them all over AffiliateSummit this year, speaking, claiming that they have a new product or system that is better than any CPA Network. They’ll lie to your face claiming they are multi-millionaires (then why are they still living in a trailer in middle-america?) and that you can have a life like them. Ask the networks and you’ll find that many of them never made a dollar in the industry, let alone millions. Their claims are completely fraudulent.
Here’s what these gurus don’t want you to know, it’s simple tricks to being a great affiliate, stuff that current amazing affiliates use:
1) Learn about all the technology. Do not depend on one secret technology to make you money, but instead try everything out. This means that just because a bunch of guys on a message board says that one tracking system works better than another, doesn’t mean that they are correct. If they are on a message board promoting a tracking system, there is usually a reason. Try everything from Tracking202 to Bevo Media. Do your own research and never trust anyone to tell you, including myself, what is the best. What is best for someone else, doesn’t mean its best for you. Guides are just that, Guides, not the law and the set-truth.
2) Always follow-up. Whatever you do, make sure you have some type of follow-up. One of the most common methods is auto-responders, which allow you always provide another option for your users when the first option does not work: this means that if you don’t sell a product, get someone to sign up, you then try to get them to join your email list so you can monetize them later. Remember that if you are doing “real” marketing (not just tricking people) then those people are interested in the product you are promoting. (Best AutoResponders are still AWEBER and ICONTACT)
3) K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple, Stupid. The best sell is still the simplest sell. Getting the product in front of the consumer, presenting the reasons to buy, signup etc, using the power of three. Simplicity always works better than complexity in marketing, but especially on the internet. Make things as simple as possible, present a clear concise message. If it’s too complex, users will go elsewhere.
