Do You Have What it Takes to Be An Affiliate? Cara Lumen

I've had several calls lately from people looking for help in making money from affiliate marketing. The general impression is that all you have to do is sign up and the money will start pouring in. And it pops me right back to square one.

The best businesses are built on our passion. When what we are passionate about is also something we are good at, it means that is probably a great way to make our income.

We cannot just put up an affiliate link on our sales page and expect things to happen. We cannot just choose a bunch of unrelated products and expect to sell them. Well, maybe some people can, but only a handful and that's because they simply like to sell. The average affiliate marketer will benefit from selecting affiliate programs that are close to her passion.

New marketers don't always get this, you sell to your list. 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your prospects so a magnetic marketer spends the majority of her time cultivating a relationship with her present list and designing programs and services specifically for them and their needs. Of course you want to continue to build your list though great opt ins and making yourself visible. But sales come as you build trust with those who have already been attracted to you and your work.

You can't be all things to all people, you'll end up being nothing to everyone. You can't write targeted copy, you can't post on relevant blogs, you can't even find your target audience unless you have identified them. And the smaller the better. Niches are riches. Focus on the people that share your passion, and as you share your excitement you will organically attract the perfect client, those who very much need and want what you have to offer.

My most lucrative affiliate associations are with products and services I use that would also be helpful to my clients if they used them. For instance, because I coach people in content strategy for their web sites, I have an affiliate association with the shopping cart I recommend, the merchant account, the web hosting company, and the blog hosting company I use myself and can enthusiastically recommend. My clients come to me for internet marketing information. They do not expect or want me to try to sell them vitamins. Stick with what you yourself successfully use. Then you can genuinely share your enthusiasm and people will be attracted to what you have to offer. Keep your affiliate selections relevant to your target audience.

Back to square one. If you have a list, great. If you don't, you need to build one. And it's not just about having a list, it's about having a pre-qualified list, people who see what you offer and give you permission to keep them posted on your new services and products. Simple ways that can be done are through a compelling web site with an strong opt in offering or relevant blog postings on a specific topic that builds your RSS feed list. However you choose to build your list, you have to have one topic and one target audience.

For instance, I can have a niche as a holistic health resource and find all sorts of affiliates to feature. I can have a niche as a marketing expert (I do) or a copy writer (I'm working on it) but each niche will draw a different audience so I will need to focus my content and affiliate resources to their specific needs - to the reason they came to me in the first place.

If you have active services and a number of products, it's great to have your own affiliate program. However, like anything else in busyness, you need to support your affiliates with html banners and text links and suggested email copy and special promotions. You have to cultivate your relationship with your own affiliates just as you cultivate your prospects. My affiliate program is from Easy Web Automation

My resource page on my web site is filled with affiliate links. Sure I recommend things that don't have an affiliate program, because I am in service to my web site visitors and want to give them as much value as I can. But when I can, it's an affiliate link.

I still think the desire to earn money by itself is a poor choice. People won't buy because you want to sell. They buy because they want it even more than they need it. They buy because they trust you. When you can get them caught up in your passion and excitement about the product or service they will purchase. Emotion sells. My suggestion for what it takes to earn money as an affiliate - follow your passion, stay in service and choose affiliate associates that fit your niche.

Cara Lumen, MA, Your Idea Optimizer helps you turn your ideas into steady profit. As a business developer, content developer and educator, Cara helps you make money from what you already know. You can learn more about how to put your wisdom to work through her radio show www.blogtalkradio.com/passioantelyonpurpose and her Passionately On Purpose emagazine at www.caralumen.com