Is Affiliate Marketing Real?

Welcome Fellow Affiliate Marketers And Internet Entrepreneurs,

As with many of my posts, I build content for you and then I connect the plumbing. My Internet guides will be available shortly.

For now..., read on.

This blog is dedicated to folks who want to work from home but absolutely find legitimate ways of doing so. I created this blog to show you how to maintain your independence while working someone else's system.

When you're new, you may not have all of the skills in place you need to succeed. That's why we pull in what's called affiliate marketing. It is something network marketers and online entrpreneurs do to get our feet wet. It's something we usually do before getting into our own product creation. That part requires growth, systems, outsourced help, and genuine know-how.

Before I fully explain how affiliate marketing works, get your FREE Wealth Guide here. Be sure to fill in your name and e-mail on the right-hand side of this blog. Your content is safe, and it will NOT be shared with anyone!

My niche guides 2 and 3 are under construction so please stay tuned for future posts! If you'd like to check out my "Mad Marketing Course" for starters --

Sure...I'll give it a gander. Give Me My Mad Marketing Help NOW!

This Blog Attracts 3 Types of Marketers --

1) Those who have been studying Internet marketing for a brief time...

2) Those who don't have any Internet marketing exposure, but they want to know more before spending too much $$ with major gurus (something I don't recommend)...plus...

3) Those who have marketed products/services offline, but they now want to try their hands at something new online.


Overview of Marketing - What It Is and Is Not

Ok. Here's the situation. Legitimate business takes time. It is never an overnight deal. That's true if, for one, you accept the fact that anyone searching for your work online will be human...and two, people don't trust overnight. They want delivery on solid content before they'll open their wallets to you. If that's understood..., keep reading.

Affiliate Marketing Is

Matching Products/Services To Consumers

Who have a definite need for what you offer AFTER you've established a decent relationship (of some time involved) before you make the needed assessment and then offer the product/service. You have to put yourself out there..., show others what you know, become the one they can entirely trust, and then deliver. This part takes time so you should never be rushed into making a decision you're not ready to make.

What's Common Online

I teach Internet marketers everyday, and there's one commonality with many of them:

A) They think it will be a fast and furious business...
B) In reality, it will take time to build your business..
C) You want to keep that other job going..., and if you're unemployed, keep that income going for as long as the gov't will allow.
D) If you have a job and it's just not fun anymore, save your savings and retirement (if you have one left) for the biggest things you'll need..like a discounted long-distance phone # (you can get for unlimited minutes..Vonage is fine but run price comparisons online first)...and a domain name + some web hosting. That's about it.
E) Be conservative. Put your $$ where it will count most and research as many freebies as you can.
F) Internet business is an important endeavor...much like operating a business offline, you want to learn what's key (or not key) by running numbers on any affiliate you promote (you should have daily targets based on X #'s of people who contact you or you contact yourself + the market average for closing the deal based on the service/product you're moving, and add the # of units sold/day 5X's a week).
G) I will tell you -- to build skills that pay, you must be willing to invest in the proper Internet marketing education. Google is becoming more and more strict with entrepreneurs, and there's more involved online than there was even 5 years ago.

Start With The Right Education

Here's how you find who's right for you.

* They'll give you starter stuff you can really use now for free
* They will be patient and offer service through help desks, FAQ's, and direct support...
* You want to access CEO's directly
* If you get a bunch of flunkies, forget it
* You do NOT want to study from someone who's in his/her first week of Internet marketing, even if that person has advanced marketing under his/her belt. To qualify for Internet marketing coaching, people must at least spend a good year or two or three doing nothing but learning the in's and out's of Internet marketing.
* I've met some folks who claim to be advanced marketers "just because they earn a living offline" (so ask them if they make that living by pulling in Internet Marketing). If you get a "well...I make my living...not with Internet Marketing...cause I don't need to"...walk the other way. This is not the same thing as developing skills online designed to move products/services.
* Don't pay out multiple thousands for something you can get at a better value..
* Visit with people first...connect...ask questions on blogs and forums to see how well they answer you
* If the admin person on a hosted blog gets too fussy with you, drop 'em
* Associate with positive people who truly care
* Test marketers to see what they will and won't share -- the best ones will give you golden nuggets you can use today -- the worse runs pressure you to "act now" ...which is totally bogus and does nothing for you as a person...
* Some work from hidden agendas and when you ask them direct questions, if they ignore you, they aren't sharing something critical.

Very Successful People Invest In Themselves

I do support place that teaches that gives you what you need without the baloney but I'm not going to hit you over the head with a "buy this now" deal.

I want you to conduct your research and watch people. Find out who's who. Compare notes. Do what's best for you today.

If a deal is solid, it will be there tomorrow and the next day, and so on. The best people aren't going anywhere.

Future Posts

In this blog, I give you access to many different resources because no one person or place gives you entirely everything. I am the first one to admit this fact.

Online, you want flexibility and you want the ability to protect yourself at all times...whether we're talking about knowing what's legally involved in setting up a profitable business, finding out who you absolutely can trust, building a network that's powerful, and more.

Networks Are There

I have a network of talented marketers who teach Internet marketing, telemarketing, or a blend of both. I built this network to bring you the best people available online. It's taken me 4 years to identify who's who..., what they move.., how they operate, and how well they respond to others. They are successful but are dedicated to your success. You won't find them talking about Internet millions overnight.

The Internet Marketing I Share Focuses On End Results (Getting Paid)

Affiliate marketing is real and it can potentially generate decent income for people who learn what's involved in Internet marketing setup. They don't master it overnight. They do work for it.

Why Affiliate Marketing?

There are right ways to work this industry, and there are poor ways to do so.

The best ways are to build a solid following, deliver solid products they can use now..., and then build in affiliate marketing for a "pay as you go" outcome.

Businesses built entirely on affiliate marketing require many approaches. You can't put your eggs in one basket. You need 5 outlets designed to build something that will last.

If you submit your Q's, I reply to active participants. Those who sit and just watch do just that.

Why Consider Affiliate Marketing When You're New Online?

What's neat about affiliate marketing is that it's a great starting point. It doesn't lock you into any one thing or one line of products you see being marketed...say in MLM, for example (although MLM can work if it's done right).

You don't need to own anything online, but if you can move different products/services to people who want your "stuff", then you've got it. For best long term results, you will want to use the Laws of Attraction..., keep your messages focused and directed to the audiences who really need you, then offer sincerity when helping others. You do tell people...they get free stuff and they get exposure to paid stuff -- so there's no surprize.

I Encourage Marketers To Use Blended Marketing

If you are a former network marketer or if you've tried affiliate marketing and have had no results, it's most likely because you haven't implemented a system...or if you did, it's possible the system was incomplete. It's possible that you didn't give your efforts enough exposure, long enough for others to find you.

* You need to spend months of advertising..even if you use free means to do so

* Is do not push outdated marketing. I strive to bring you what's proven

* Everything is designed to be completely transparent (in it's information...source..price..performance)...

* If you're gong to market anything online, you might as well get your training down pat...

* You must be willing to interact with others to build your knowledge

* If you like the idea of pulling in buddies, use a buddy system to test everything you're doing online

Watch Out For $$-Only Gurus (Without Support)

We have a fair number of gurus online who target you specifically in an effort to tell you that it will cost $20K to get your new business setup. Please don't fall for this kind of information because it's not entirely true.

As a CEO of my own company and active publisher, I will tell you that you can start your business online working a simple budget.

In all of my blogs, you will read this same content -- no matter who the target audience is

* In a majority of cases, you do not need fancy (crazy expensive) software or detailed systems up front..., nor do you need to pay $5K for it

* Until you know how to attract the right kind of business attention, you can spend yourself out of business before you even get started

* You want time, effort and constructive buddy systems working for you

* Avoid joint ventures until you've had a chance to test people and information

* Take the time to build sensible networks delivering to you and you to them. Hint - I train some of the most integrity-bound people who are very good at what they do.

* In my team training, I screen people carefully for ethics and performance so if you like the ideas I'm presenting here, you could very well be in the right place at the right time...

Finally, I'll qualify further what I mean by this statement -- "If you have to spend any $$ on anything online, you want to put that $$ and effort into working your starter basics: the phone..., talking to people directly or through indirect means (like blogging and a website).., and master basic communications.


Right Business Attention

I've seen many marketers quit the game before they get started only because they failed to identify "a hungry audience who would pay for their services".

Even the best marketers must be careful not to assume they have mastered their audiences. As a prime marketer, you always ask people what they want most.

Then..., you find the right ways to attract the right attention -- i.e...finding only those who are interested in your product/service.

We want to rule out those who are not yet serious about a purchase from you, or rule out those just serfing the net. There are ways to do this and that's also what I teach so please stay tuned for my next post.

1) You will eventually need your own domain name ($7 - $15/year depending on where you go)...
2) Your own way of communicating with many #'s at once for about ($19.99/month)...
3) Long distance telephone (again...look for unlimited calling for about $30/month)...
4) Sincere willingness to learn and apply what you learn.

Protecting Your Interests Online

There are gurus who will help you get in touch with the feeling that says to you, "I just have to have this product/service". That marketer did his/her job, but what they may not have told you is:

1) It doesn't take anything fancy again to get started
2) The best marketers tell you like it is
3) They will tell you it's hard work as you invest your time...part-time or otherwise
4) Wrapping your hands around someone who knows what in the heck is really going on.

Here are some great people you can watch --

* Glenn Livingston, Ph.D. (he's so good...keep your wallet on ice)
* Mike Dillard (MLM/Affiliate)
* Travis Sego (great for starting your biz on a budget)
* Mark Joyner (get his freebie stuff called, "Simpleology")
* Ewin Chia (get his freebie's...but watch out for his closings...he's very persistent)
* Terry Duff (MLM/Affiliate - one of the best in the industry - you must be patient with Terry because he educates you "right out of the firehose" - get his freebies...and get low-cost stuff...if need be...
* Dan Kennedy (best copywriter)
* Yanik Silvers
* Ed Dale (get lots of freebies...)
* I'm here too (get freebies and more).

The numbers are growing on my blogs, but I'm publishing several so you can find what you need most.

That's the truth.

What Do I Really Need for Starters?

You don't have to own your own website, and that's ok.

You can get a FREE Blogger account here. You can safely use the default blogger settings to get started.

What Do I Write About?

If you're not sure who are you precisely targeting in your marketing, you can start 2 blogs...or even 3. Then start writing along 3 different niche lines. Eventually, you'll find that 1 niche that gets you most excited as you're sharing helpful content.

Then keep working that blog. You can use your real name or you can pull in an alias name...or use first name only.

I use my full name and my first name..., Barbara...the Non-Guru, Guru. That's what others call me.

Let's stop there. This is a lot to digest.


(Click here if you're NOT inside of the Internet Marketing industry yet...and you want to get there!)

http://tinyurl.com/2d4fzk6

http://barbara-brinkmeyer.com/mad_marketing/

Toasting Your Success Online,

B. Brinkmeyer, MBA
Internet Marketing Mentor/Teacher
Ranked #11/50,000, Internet Marketing U.