Key to Affiliate Success - Try, Test, FAIL & Learn

[Linda Buquet]

WOW, just read a GREAT article that sums up very well many of the things I've tried to teach affiliates over the years.

It was written by Matt Levenhagen and I hope he'll pardon me for quoting so much of the article, but he makes such important points PLUS you really need to go to his blog to read the rest of this insightful piece.

"Trial & Error: Are you willing to work through the failures, the trials and errors to get to profits? Can you accept the fact that you are going to need to fail a lot to learn? You will of course win a lot as well and the winners will add up to a great income over time, but in the process you are going to fall down sometimes, get some bruises.. can you keep going through that?

No eBook or guide is going to make you a success. You will gain a lot by reading many of them. There are some great systems and techniques out there to make a lot of money with Affiliate Marketing, but the elements that will find you with a highly profitable and expanding Affiliate Marketing Business lie within you and your mindset.

If you are not equiped with the desire.. real desire.. burning desire.. to win no matter what, you won’t. If you have decided that nothing will stand in your way, then nothing will. If you have decided that you can accept the obstacles, see them as learning opportunities, and move forward even when it seems you are not making much progress, then success is yours."

Go read the rest at Matt's blog:
<a href="http://blog.campaignblasts.com/desire-mixed-with-trial-error-equals-affiliate-success.htm">Desire Mixed with Trial & Error Equals Affiliate Success</a>

Then come back and share your thoughts below.

 

[longroad]

You must also accept the fact that you can’t put a time limit on it. Some marketers find success within days or weeks. Others it takes a few to many months. There are many determining factors as to how well you will do and how fast it will come to you.

The bottom line is you can’t say after you have put up one campaign or you have only tried this for a few weeks or months that this business doesn’t work! Have you read any success stories lately? How many times have you read it was easy for those that have found success? I’m guessing very few times.

Great point.
I see way too many posts and comments about people throwing in the towel after one month!
This is long term, not short term. Stick with it and you will succeed.

Compared to investing in property (which i often like to compare affiliate marketing to), seeing returns from online business is SHORT! Property can take up to 10 years or more to give you a good ROI but online you can get it in 2 years or sometimes less. It doesn't seem so daunting when you look at it that way!

 

[austind72]

Thanks for the thread Linda.

Am new to affiliate marketing but where I'm at today reminds me so much of the time when i started my first web biz in 1995 - hard work coupled with passion leads to success.

Struggle. Adapt. Evolve.

From a graphic novel would ya believe - has served me well over the last few years tho'.

Austin.

 

[Entrepreneur007]

Its only through failure we learn more, build stronger foundations for success and improve character.

It took Thomas Edison 2000 attempts to create the light bulb, every time he failed he said “I found a way not to do it and one step closer to accomplishing my goal”

Affiliate marketing has a learning curve, so learn from it don’t give up at the first sign of trouble.

Don’t look at the problem at face value. Look behind for the lesson.

_______________________
Take Action Today Affiliate Marketing Guide

 

[Linda Buquet]

Great points Entrepreneur007
and WELCOME to 5 Star!

 

[YourMlmTools.biz]

Compared to investing in property (which i often like to compare affiliate marketing to), seeing returns from online business is SHORT! Property can take up to 10 years or more to give you a good ROI but online you can get it in 2 years or sometimes less. It doesn't seem so daunting when you look at it that way!

You're one of the few other people I know whose compared off line to online business. I had to do that in an article I wrote for newbies. Trying to get them to understand the relationship between what they see offline and what they see online for business. People are people basically the same guidelines apply to online as offline

Rick

 

[izzy_affiliate]

Push the business

I agree with you admin,
affiliate marketing can be totally overwhelming at the beggining. It is like any other business, you have to persevere and work to see results.

 

[Jean59]

In my experience, you just have to get back up one more time, every time. This is the only way to eventially succeed!

 

[geoman11]

Thanks for the link. it was very helpful

 

[Arun Lakhera]

Quote: The bottom line is you can’t say after you have put up one campaign or you have only tried this for a few weeks or months that this business doesn’t work! Have you read any success stories lately? How many times have you read it was easy for those that have found success? I’m guessing very few times.


We are born with physical and mental limitations and the author is inspiring us to extend our limits if we want to become a success. One should not get negative thoughts about affiliate marketing if he or she fails to get positive results even in repetitive attempts. Success is not granted or awarded it is a thing to be achieved by chivalry


Arun Lakhera

WOW, just read a GREAT article that sums up very well many of the things I've tried to teach affiliates over the years.

It was written by Matt Levenhagen and I hope he'll pardon me for quoting so much of the article, but he makes such important points PLUS you really need to go to his blog to read the rest of this insightful piece.



Go read the rest at Matt's blog:
<a href="http://blog.campaignblasts.com/desire-mixed-with-trial-error-equals-affiliate-success.htm">Desire Mixed with Trial & Error Equals Affiliate Success</a>

Then come back and share your thoughts below.

 

[mlevenhagen]

Thanks for sharing this Linda... you're pardoned.

Important lessons.. I had just replied to a PM earlier today. Someone had asked me, "What is some of the typical success you've seen from a couple of your more dedicated [students]..."

I named off a bunch who were making in the thousands per month, but.. whether they do or not I said, "The ones I see doing the best [...] are the ones that are most focused and have the most energy. They are real go-getters.."

I would add to that they have a special knack for learning everything they can; listening and applying what they learn... not quitting when the going gets tough.. They work hard; real hard. They enjoy the game. They can't get enough.. they can't wait to wake up in the morning and work on their business.

Find a good system to follow and that you believe in... a good mentor; someone that's been there. You already have a supportive community; don't be afraid to get help and ask questions.. Forge ahead, don't get distracted and it will happen for you.

Good Luck everyone!

-Matt Levenhagen

 

[MLJen]

I've been an affiliate manager for a little over a year. I work for a CPA Affiliate Network called Market Leverage. I wanted to comment because I too went thru my ups and downs of trying to learn the business and overcome certain hurdles. For me, persistence was one of the main things that helped me get to where I am today. Although I still have much to learn...I have come a long way from when I was learning for the first time the definition of cpa, ecpm, ctr, etc. I can honestly say that I love my job! It's been fullfilling in so many different ways. I'm looking forward to all that there is to learn and much success to come! Thanks for sharing.

~Jen

 

[Niche48]

Forget About Immediate Profits

Great post!

So many ebooks lead newbies to expect immediate profits from affiliate marketing. It is so refreshing that there is a voice of moderation out there.

Thank you for the link to the blog. Some interesting posts there

The perceived promise of immediate riches is what sets newbies up for failure. If you are ready to work through without immediately seeing any returns, you stand a better chance of success.

Forget about immediate profits and focus on building reputation and your reach, the profits will follow

 

[YourMlmTools.biz]

I made a post in one forum Earn $1000.00 a Day! Then told the noobs in that post how to avoid that crap

Rick

 

[Guam]

thanks for the read. i think affiliate marketing can be very overwhelming in the beginning when first starting out because your not to sure what to promote, but after a few months or even years of trial and error on what works for you it starts becoming alot easier to be successful.

 

[Daniel08]

I agree. Affiliate marketing can be totally frustrating in the beginning. My biggest challenge was finding products that had high conversions. I went through a lot of trial and error with that. Its not a get rich overnight business. It takes work and learning new tricks.

 

[Allesha]

Programs To Make You Richer

It is a very simple to deal with affiliate programs. Affiliate Programs are quite simple and inexpensive to run. Their business consists of generating customers for all of their members. For this reason, it is in general cheaper, and takes less effort, for you to sign onto an affiliate program than it would be for you to attempt to start your own affiliate program. In addition, with the large number of people these affiliate programs have signed up, you are in a position to reach a larger area of the market than you could ever achieve by going it alone.

 

[James Spinosa]

Great article, I'd say the single most important point is about ebooks, they are resources not businesses. I advocate the use of e-books to beginners to increase their knowledge base and skill set but I get tons of email from people asking whether or not these ebooks will make them rich. When was the last time you got rich by watching a documentary? Knowledge has intrinsic value.

 

[YourMlmTools.biz]

A saying we often use in the martial arts groups

Knowledge is not power. The application of knowledge is power

Rick

 

[frugalwench]

WHAT NOT TO DO...or you'll be starting again from square one, like me.

Boy! Can I relate to this! I'm just 2 weeks post rotator cuff surgery tomorrow, and coming off narcotic painkillers, so since I'm going to be home for at least the next few weeks, I thought I'd take a good look at my website, and what's wrong with it. And did I ever find ALOT!

1. I have been so wrapped up in my own life trials, that I forgot my main plan....build a page a day, submit it to the search engines and all the Social Bookmarking sites. Haven't built a single new niche related page in weeks, so I'm way behind on that one.

2. Organize all my affiliate sponsors, and start putting at least one link per day on a page. HA! I don't even know who most of my affiliate sponsors ARE! I just kept subscribing and subscribing, and not promoting any of them. BIG mistake, as most are gardening related, and it's spring.

3. Find a great project software (think I did that, but I don't know where it is) and USE IT! Nope, didn't do that either. That should really be #1, I guess.

4. Put all my main pages on one site, instead of having them strewn here and there across the internet. Well, I started on that one, but so far, I have only moved one. I mean, how long does it take? No time at all...open a couple of tabs, cut and paste, 30 minutes max per page.

There's more, I'm sure, and once I get into reorganizing and giving things project status, I'll be making lists of things to do on a daily basis. I'm hoping...no I'm now PLANNING to have this completed before I go back to work.

That's my main goal, now if I can only stick to it.