Learn Internet Marketing Strategies For Your Business

Most of the time, you hear about affiliate marketing in regards to selling other people’s stuff. But this week, I want to teach you why you need your own affiliate program.

First, let me share the results of the poll I gave out the other day.

A full 54% of the people responding to the poll are probably not ready for the lessons I’m about to share. That’s because they have no product of their own. If you are in one of those categories (i.e., you have no product or service to sell at this point), then you may want to go create your product first. I suggest either you learn how to create a report or host your own teleseminar.

If however, you do have a product (ebooks, software, audio/video training, teleseminars, etc.) or service (coaching, graphic design, VA services, etc.) for sale then you really do need an affiliate program.

An affiliate program is simply a way for you to track the referrals you get from other people, and make sure they get credit for them. You reward those affiliates by paying them commissions based on their sales, or number of referrals. You can also reward them with free stuff instead of with money.

For example, over at a cool new service I just started using called Dropbox, instead of getting paid for referring people, you get an extra 250 mb of online storage space – plus the person you refer gets an extra 250, too.

Having an affiliate program greatly reduces the amount of money you spend on advertising. Instead of paying for eyeballs, you pay/reward only for actual buyers.

Local service professionals should also have an affiliate program.

For example, I could easily see how my accountant could benefit from having such a program in place. She sets up an online program where I get a unique link to refer people to her services.

When someone I send her way hires her, then I receive a 10% credit on my bill from her. Or, she can send me a $25 gift card to a local restaurant, or whatever.

Whatever the incentive, this would give me an even bigger reason to talk her up to my colleagues.

So who needs an affiliate program?

Well, to be specific you do, if you want your customers and strategic partners actively promoting your business for you instead of wasting your money on advertising.

Bob Jenkins

p.s. Coming later this week, I’ll be revealing a specific roadmap to creating your own affiliate program. Until then, you may want to check out a case study of how I use a specific software to run my own affiliate programs, and how you can get that software for free. Go to a Butterfly Marketing case study now…

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