Question: why doesn't promoting affiliate links work? - Life Balance Business to Business

Question: If you’re a consultant first salesman last, why doesn’t promoting affiliate links work?

Answer: Affiliate sales DO work under the right circumstances.

I was a professional IT/Finance/Business consultant for 25 years. I retired after 32 years with a Fortune 50 company, and my post-career jobs took me into some interesting businesses. I owned a consulting firm since 1997. I am now retired, but still have customers calling, and I like helping people who are committed to make this work for themselves. Too many people treat this like a hobby rather than a business

The reason I am a terrible salesman is that I would rather pass up on a sale and recommend the best "fit", even if it means losing a commission. I also USE what I sell, and sometimes I sell what I use.

Let me ask a few questions (this is not a test, but rather probative questions to see if we can find some "low-hanging fruit" to get what YOU are doing on the right track)

Where are you promoting? Safelists? Traffic Exchanges? Classified Ads? Solo Ads? SuperNetwork Ads? Social Media?
What promotion media are you using? Solo Ads or credit emails? Banners, buttons? Login Ads, Start Pages?
How many emails per day do you send (how many people receive them)?
Are you tracking your ads? How many Clicks per day? How many new leads per day?
Are you promoting the "corporate" replicated websites or landing pages?
Do you have the capability to maintain regular contact with your prospects? Are you doing it? How?
Do you use an autoresponder?

Oh – I also give away more than I sell. For instance…

I answer many of these questions in my book, "A Traffic Strategy". Also see the chapter on "Safelists as a Business"
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/trafficstrategy
Free eCoourses
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/ecourses
Autoresponder followup messages
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Incredibly cheap upgraded memberships on my safelists that get monthly ads, earn commissions
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/11sites
Your own Mega PLR Store for life with over 200 items you can USE, Give away or SELL (last day for one $7 fee payment for a top upgrade lifetime membership)
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/webcastsourceter
My Learn to Earn site
>>>>> http://grabthoseleads.com/
25 Streams of Income and a free autopromoter (I do recommend the full lifetime GOLD upgrade for a one-time $47 – this is MY autoresponder of choice – unlimited campaigns, subscribers, landing pages)
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/tehb25streams

Bottom Line

If you are promoting PRODUCTS on safelists and traffic exchanges, you are guaranteed failure.
BUILD YOUR LIST on safelists and traffic exchanges.
If you are promoting corporate or affiliate pages (like 10,000 others), you are doomed to fail. Promote Landing Pages (also called squeeze pages, or lead capture pages) – this differentiates you from the crowd, helps establish your "brand" and allows you to "pre-sell" before seeing the replicated pages
Once you have people on your LIST, you do "customer cultivation". Build a BRAND for yourself, Build a RELATIONSHIP with your prospects
Tell Don’t Sell. Tell them about features, benefits, how YOU use these products and services.
Answer the questions from your prospect’s perspective – "WIIFM" – What’s In It For Me?
It takes 7 to 11 exposures to move someone through the sales funnel (assuming they are in the target market and possess a "buyer’s" mindset)
Lead –> Prospect –> Customer
Communications should be 3-4 information to 1 solicitation
Subtle solicitations work – the power of PS, and links BELOW your signature line, however, NEVER put links in credit or solo ad emails.
It’s a NUMBERS GAME – the more emails you send, the more "opens".
On safelists, you are doing well with 3%-4% open rate
expect 1%-2% Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
4% of them may sign up as a prospect
1% of them may make a purchase

Other tips

I don’t click for points, I click for CONTENT and DEALS
SuperNetworks – distribute to tens of thousands of members for a couple bucks. THIS is how I send 250,000 to 450,000 emails PER DAY.
My sites have 19 SuperNetworks, all sold at the Minimum Allowable Price (set by the network owners)
I am running a BOGO promotion – Buy 1 Super Solo, get 1 free Contact Solo (to all members of that site)
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/11sites
I track and measure everything – I get between 1200 to 2400 CLICKS per day. I bring in 20-50 new leads per day.
Use real site rating services
>>>>> http://traffichoopla.com/r.cgi/130928/
>>>>> http://listhoopla.com/r.cgi/12610
>>>>> http://tehoopla.com/r.cgi/19714/
>>>>> http://testedandproven.biz/?rid=3440
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/totaldownlines
>>>>> http://www.tecommandpost.com/?referer=RichMoyer
Program owners like Matthew Graves give ACTUAL top rated and bottom rated site lists
>>>>> http://grabcashtoday.com/yvlyvm