In the first three articles and videos, we got you signed up to the Zazzle affiliate program that allows you to make money from sharing our links. We also took a peek at all the products we have on offer, and how you can share these on social media, your blog or website.
That’s all good and well.
But what should you be sharing?
Where, and how?
How do you avoid being seen as a spammer?
And how do you get people to click your links?
Let’s see if we can find some answers to these and other important questions.
First up:
The Do’s, Don’ts, and the Heck No’s!
DO: Pick a good product to promote
A good product usually has great reviews. So, check for that first.
Then, double check that the reviews are legit, and not created by scammers, other promoters, or the producers themselves. Everyone rants and raves about their own product or the stuff that they want to sell. The real, quality reviews are from the end users of a product.
So, how do we know if Zazzle delivers great products?
We check their ratings and reviews.
- Zazzle has an excellent review score of 4.4 out of 5 possible stars on Trustpilot.
- Nearly 8,000 reviews. Scam sites and bad companies usually don’t live long enough to get that many.
- They have a verified profile on Trustpilot. Scammers won’t bother with verification, and bad companies either go bust or change their name to avoid a bad reputation.
- The reviews are not 100% positive, which means they are more likely to be made by real customers. Scammers and promoters prefer to hide bad reviews. And yes, even some legit companies have been caught fudging the numbers here.
- Zazzle asks their customers for reviews, both positive and negative. It shows that honesty and transparency are valued by the company, which benefits the consumer.
- They also respond to bad reviews in a short time frame. This shows caring, something that scammers and bad companies lack.
So, by first checking the reviews of the company and product you want to promote, you can find out if it’s worth promoting.
And when in doubt, ask yourself this question: “Would I buy this?” Obviously, if the answer is NO, then don’t promote it. Also, if you are unsure – do not promote.
DON’T: Spread Yourself Too Thin
Start with just ONE product or niche.
Got a cupcakes blog? Start with edible frosting rounds!
Want to be a little more health conscious? Sell waterbottles!
You’re also a bit of a fashionista? Promote aprons!
I’m not saying you should stick with just one niche, only that you have to start somewhere. And to make it easy for yourself while you are learning what resonates with your audience.
If you spread yourself too thin, you’ll more than likely end up overworked and underpaid.
Pick ONE niche or product that you love first, and introduce it to your audience. Doesn’t matter if you have a website, blog, youtube channel, you’re paying for ads, or if you are just sharing on social media.
As you are working with only one product or niche, you’ll be more focused on selling it to the right people. This will improve your sales stats and cut down on your workload. And you won’t accidentally spam everyone with stuff they have no interest in. Because, trying to sell everything to everyone is what spammers do. They don’t care that you don’t have a penis, they still want to sell you Viagra 🙄
Again, you want to check the reviews. This time on Zazzle, for the specific product you are promoting. It will give you some insight into who the buyers are, which will help with targeting.
Are the happy reviewers mostly 40 something housewives?
Find out where they hang out online and meet them there.
And the unhappy reviews, are they all from teenage gamers?
Avoid their hangouts.
You might sell something, but they’ll probably return it and ask for their money back, which means you still get nothing.
Heck No: Spam people with affiliate links
Everybody hates spam.
Sure, it’s tempting to just blast out 1 million e-mails, set up an autoresponder to handle (angry) replies, and watch the money roll in… But that’s really just a pipe dream.
What you’ll most likely end up with, is all your emails being dumped in the appropriate spam folder where it never sees the light of day. Also, you could get booted off the affiliate platform because someone made a complaint, and lose everything you’ve earned. Worst case scenario, you get charged for violating the Can-Spam Act and fined up to $43,792 for each e-mail you’ve sent!
Spamming is for assholes and scammers, not for people promoting quality products.
So, if you’re going to e-mail someone, be sure you have their permission first.
Get them to sign up for your newsletter, or host a contest and collect their email that way.
If they are already agreeing to recieving messages from you, there’s a greater chance of you making a sale.
Getting that permission is like getting your proverbial foot in the door. Once they’ve accepted a small request from you (giving away their e-mail and agreeing to further communication), it will be easier to convince them to say YES to larger requests (like buying your products) later on.
To start selling on social media, join in groups or discussions that are relevant to what you are selling. If the group is about cars, don’t spam it with links to shoes. And if the discussion is about diaper rashes, don’t try to sell people beer mugs.
And if you’re wondering ‘why not’, imagine that you are the intended customer. Would you buy anything from a spammer? Or, would you report them and block them?
Exactly.
And that’s why you don’t do it.
Now that we’ve tackled the good, the bad, and the downright ugly, we’re ready for the next level. Follow these 5 guidelines, designed to help you not only survive, but also thrive (and sell) as an affiliate marketer.
Here we go!
Top 5 Pro Affiliate Survival Tips
#1 Don’t Act Desperate
Desperation doesn’t look good or feel good. And if it doesn’t look or feel good, it doesn’t sell either.
Now, we’re all trying to make money as affiliates. That is the end goal. But if everything you do and say has the flavour of:
“Buy this NOW, pretty please!!!! I’m dying, I need the money. Have mercy, thank you. God bless”,
Then, people will be running away from you.
Fast.
And this example is not an exaggeration!
I’ve seen this on social media several times, where people are absolutely desperate for money. What they end up with is usually selling at far below market value, selling nothing at all, or worse – getting scammed and abused by someone that promises them easy gains.
Remeber, you are a promoter of quality products.
Not a charity case.
#2 Be patient and realistic
Affiliate marketing is not a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme. It is usually a slow process, where you build a reputation and a solid customer base, brick by brick, sale by sale.
Many affiliate marketers give up before they make any sales. They’ve usually been fed some BS about it being ‘money for free’, and end up disappointed that it wasn’t as easy as they thought. They promote a few links, get nothing out of it, and go looking for something else to do.
Others make a little extra pocket money from affiliate sales. Just enough for a few beers, or a monthly Netflix subscription. They’re not relying on it to pay the bills, and generally feel OK with what they are doing.
The last group, are those who do this full time, and are dedicated to making it work. They usually make a decent living from affiliate marketing. But getting to that place takes time and effort.
So, be sure you know which of these three camps you fall into.
If you’re in the first camp, likely to fall for anyone who promises you quick money, you’re probably not going to last long enough in this game to make any.
But if you’re a type two or three, you’ll be alright.
#3 Focus on building relationships (not selling)
There is a myth, that ‘good products promote themselves’.
If that were true, all marketers would be out of a job.
But how should you promote them in order to make sales?
Strangely enough – by not selling!
You see, people don’t always buy what you are selling. As we’ve mentioned before, they buy from you, and buy into you. And, if they like you, they’re more likely to be your customers.
Think about it. Who do you trust more: Your best friend, or some slick salesman that you’ve never met? I’m betting it’s your best friend. And if they say something is good, you’ll be more likely to believe it.
So, it doesn’t matter which platform you choose to promote your affiliate links, but wherever you are – make sure that you are YOU. And as people get to know you, they’ll trust and buy from you.
In short: Be real and be present.
You’re a human being, not a spambot.
#4 Provide value
When I say that you should provide value, I’m not talking about a 3 for 2 deal, or discounts. Value is not just about bang for buck. It’s also about being helpful.
If you are a content creator, you already know this. People keep returning to your website, blog, or YouTube channel because you provide something of value. It could be relationship advice, product reviews, unboxing videos, travel tips, great recipes and other useful and fun stuff.
And if you’re marketing on social media, you should aim to do the same.
One great way to do this, is answer questions that people have. Help them solve a problem, or give them advice based upon your own experience. And sometimes, you’ll find that the product you promote is the answer to their problem.
Someone wants to buy their sister in law a fun gift, but they’re stuck for ideas. Well, get in the discussion! You’ve got plenty of ideas, don’t you?
Does the SIL like wine? How about a custom wine label, wine charms, and gift bag to match?
This is a great way to drive sales, make connections, and build a good reputation at the same time.
#5 Manage your workload: Choose quality over quantity
You could join a hundred groups, forums, and discussions. Throw all sorts of links out there, and get zero sales. Been there, done that.
Doesn’t work.
Or, you could select a handful of groups, that are relevant to what you are selling, and that you naturally have an interest in. That way, promoting will easier, the workload more manageable, and you’ll enjoy doing it. Same goes for taking part in discussions. Be selective and focused.
And don’t give up if you’re not getting sales straight away. Just analyse what you have done, see where you’re getting the best response, and adjust your aim.
Keep what works, discard the rest.
Rinse and repeat.
That’s it for now.
Next time on Noveltyville’s Affiliate Bootcamp, we’re going to dive a little deeper into getting sales from social media.
* Part 5 is coming October 21st, 2021.