Affiliate Pre-selling Tips - 4 To-Dos

Yesterday we discussed 4 things affiliates should NOT do. Today, I want to talk about 4 things you should be doing to increase conversion rates on your affiliate products.

- Educate your readers.

To stick with the gardening example from yesterday, if you are recommending a product about growing flowers, you’ll do even better when you educate them on the topic and the benefit they can receive.

If you’re promoting an information product or book, you can give your readers ideas on what to do to solve a certain problem and then point them to the guide so they know HOW to do it.

- If you use pre-made marketing materials, make sure you modify them to suit your style and inject your own opinions and perspectives. A canned promotion looks like a canned promotion to people who know you – ex. your blog readers and mailing list subscribers.

- Be honest. Like I mentioned yesterday, not every product is for everyone and no product is perfect. Tell your readers, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Even the bad and ugly can be overcome when you mention other product benefits. Go the extra mile and tell your reader who the product is for (ex. advanced gardeners) and who it’s not for (ex. beginners).

- Don’t give too many choices. If you’re creating “how to” materials, you might want to recommend certain products for the job. For example, if you’re talking about how to set up an autoresponder, you’re more likely to sell more by just telling your reader which autoresponder to sign up with than if you give them choices.

Internet searchers don’t usually respond well when given too many choices, especially on products they aren’t that familiar with. If they’ve never set up an autoresponder series, they won’t know how to compare services. Tell them what you recommend and go with it.

Remember the way you present the product you are promoting will determine if they buy from you or another affiliate. Put some effort into it and you’ll see an increase in your conversion rates.

Affiliate Pre-selling Tips – 4 What Not to Do’s

Recently, I had an affiliate send a significant amount of traffic to a product via her email list (not an Internet Marketing Sweetie product, just so you know) and the conversion rate really stank.

Since then, I’ve done tests of the conversion rate – through Google Adwords and email as well and the conversions were decent. Now, I’m not going to blame the affiliate and say it’s all her fault. If we run an affiliate program (and this is a new product, so we’re just getting started), we need to do what we can to convert traffic, no matter where the traffic comes from and we’re walking on improving that.

Still, there are some things that you can do, as an affiliate; to make sure your conversions are better.

Let’s start with things not to do:

- Avoid all the pretty banners with no call to action, unless they have been proven to convert.

So many banners have nice graphics a bit of text, but they don’t tell the website visitor to click. Don’t underestimate the power of a “click here” to get people do just that.

Also, ensure the graphic has really concise and very benefit-oriented copy.

- Don’t just say, “My friend XXXX has just released….” and tell them to check it out. I’ve been guilty of this before. Sometimes people trust your judgment where they’ll take your friendships as a sign of quality people with quality products, but other people will look on it with suspicion and think you’re just promoting because they are your friend. It may work for you, but it might also backfire. Back up your recommendation of your friend with good solid info about the product.

- Don’t bother with affiliate promos on pages that aren’t targeted. You’re wasting precious real estate when you post a bunch of graphics in the menu of your site and they’re not targeted to specific pages of your website.

Use that space to get a subscriber to your mailing list or offer a product specifically relevant to the content of each specific page.

For example, a page about growing the perfect daisies would probably sell an eBook about growing daisies better than a general gardening guide.

- Don’t go overboard in your praise. Sure, there are great products out there, but no product is perfect and not every product is for everyone on your list or visiting your site.

I’ll be back tomorrow with 4 things you SHOULD DO in your affiliate pre-selling efforts. See you then!

Holy FAQ Update: Opening a Link in a Pop-Up Window

Keeping busy this morning. Here's a FAQ on opening a link in a new pop-up window. This is useful when you want to keep your readers on the main page they are on, but you want a link to open a small window for more information.

FAQ Update: Increasing Your Membership Price

I've just added a new question to the FAQ about increasing the price of your membership site. Having a plan to continually add value to your existing members and steadily increasing your price based on that value is a great strategy for a growing stream of income.

Check out the question on the FAQ here:
http://internetmarketingsweetie.com/faq/content/view/139/1/

Hurry You Need 10X Your Normal Income. What Would You Do?

While browsing the IM News Watch site I came across an article titled Get Thinking by Leo Quinn and it got me thinking about something. That was the point after all with a title like that right?

In the article Leo asked his readers to think about what they would do if suddenly they needed to do 10 times the things they are doing now.

As an online business owner I have to say if I were ever in the situation that I needed to make 10 times the amount I am now, I would be even happier than I already am, that I do what I do for a living. I have control over how much I make and though, it would be a lot of work, I truly believe it could be done. All I need is a bit of brain time to come up with ideas and then I would just have to implement those ideas.

It’s really hard for someone working a 9-5 job to say that. They don’t have control over their income, someone else does. Therefore if they found out they needed to make more money and fast, the thought of going to their boss and asking for a raise of 10 times their current salary probably would never even cross their mind. Not too mention if it did, what are the odds that they would get it?

I’m curious as to what you have to say about this topic. What would you do if you were faced with the fact that you needed 10X the income you are currently pulling in?

Need a VA? Look Locally

The virtual assistant field has really grown over the last 12 years. It’s not uncommon, especially in the Internet marketing sector, to hire a virtual assistant who lives across the country or even the world from you and never even meet them in person.

But, what if you aren’t ready to hire someone you’ve never talked to in person or if you need an assistant who is more available to your business on more of a personal basis? Try looking out your back door. You can experience the benefits of having a more traditional working relationship without having to deal with the headaches of employment taxes, office space, holiday pay, etc.

Many business owners, especially those who have no experience with virtual workers can really benefit from choosing the local route. If you prefer face-to-face meetings, need paperwork picked up and dropped off, or if you need someone who deals with your local customers then finding a VA locally is a great option.

If you live in a larger area, there is likely a company that offers outsourced administrative services. For example, in Vancouver, we have a company called “My Private Secretary” that offers Word Processing and other services. You may have something similar in your area.

If you’re looking for web design or other business services, check your local phone book, you’ll be surprised at what you find. You can also try the online Yellow Pages in the USA and Canada. Be sure to check the Business & Professional Services category when performing your searches.

How Do You Learn Best?

From reading forums, talking to people, etc., it seems there are two general types of learners when it comes to online business. Some people seem to want all the fine details of completing certain tasks. While others, including myself, like to get the ideas and then run with them how we like.

For me, if I get a course that gives me great ideas, I can run with them. I need to have the big picture first, I can find all the details to complete the task later. If I don’t have a bigger goal in mind I will never get to it because I’ll be too consumed with all the smaller things.

I’ve asked some other online business owner’s what type of learner they think they are and here’s what they had to say. A few of those I asked leaned strongly towards one specific style of learning, but many said they were a combination of both. There were even some who saw themselves as one way or the other, but the more they thought about it, they realized they were a combo as well.

I like for someone to start with the big vision so I can see the vision, know where they are going, and then why. And then to have behind that the step by step stuff that I can refer to when I am actually doing it if I need more detail. I don't usually read or listen to that stuff, but I feel secure having it if I need it. – Kristie

I'd say I'm more of a big picture sort of person. Give me an idea and I'll run with it - sometimes tripping over my feet along the way... but always learning from my mistakes. - Jenni

I like to know what the end result will be of course but when I first do something having steps to follow through to the end works well. Then, when I do it again I can get more creative. – Angela

I'm definitely big picture. I think fast and can usually see the bigger picture quickly. Once I have the big picture, my mind is already turning over ideas, one after the other of how I can accomplish that. I'm often thinking of ideas, working them through to the big picture, tossing out the ones that don't fit, and moving on to the next one in my head while someone might still be trying to go over or into detail on the step by step with me. - Deanna

With ideas I’m definitely a "big picture" person... If I think too much about the details I get scared and never do anything so I see the big picture and go with it. For learning something new I need step by step instructions... but really I need to actually DO the work to understand it not just read it. – Mila

I'm definitely a big picture person. I only use step-by-step when I get stuck or need to dig into an issue. Someone told me there are "ready, aim, fire people" and "ready, fire, aim" people. I fall into the second category. – Teresa

I'm a step-by-step person. I like to know what I'm getting into. Although, most of the time I change things around to suit my way of thinking. – Charissa

Big picture - When I get anything new that says readme or all those prefaces - forget it. Jump in and do it. Doing it this way allows me to learn more I think. It's like backpacking through a new country on your own rather than taking a tour and only visiting all the 'touristy' places. Unless it is very technical - like learning to program, I don't see any way around it although I get excited and learn a bit and start to jump in. – Lynette

Well I'll have to say "it depends" on some things I like to venture out on my own with new ideas, but if it's something I’m not real familiar with and is totally new to me I need DETAILS, step-by-step instructions! - Alyssa

I like to get the big picture and then do it my way. Instructions? Who reads those? Actually I like an overview first of what it all entails and then I like it broken down into manageable chunks and I live by deadlines. Without deadlines I'm hopeless. My mind constantly strives to simplify things and doesn't like too much complexity. – Cathy

With ideas I’m definitely a "big picture" person... If I think too much about the details I get scared and never do anything, so I see the big picture and go with it. Then I'll break everything down into edible steps. If I have to learn something completely new, sometimes I prefer step by step instructions. - Kassie

I'd say I’m both. I like steps that I can deviate from. I like to think of myself as creative, but I like to be showed how the first time around and then I take 'chances' subsequent times. - Jody

My answer is even surprising to myself because I have never really thought about it. But, even though I definitely consider myself an "idea" person, I really do like to learn NEW concepts step-by-step initially. Once I actually complete the steps and learn the concept, THEN I will take the big picture and twist them to meet my own needs. But I don't like to do that right off the bat because I'm too worried I'd misinterpret a step and not really end up learning it the way I'm supposed to. - Liz

I'm curious, what kind of learner you are and why do you think you have that preference?

Your Thoughts on Wiki Resource

I wanted to drop in to tell you about an interesting resource I came across that allows visitors to edit website pages on all the websites on the Internet.

AboutUs.org is an editable Wiki with information about all the websites on the web and their owners through their about us pages and whois details. Details on a webpage can be edited by simply clicking the edit button. No HTML or FTP experience needed.

The site runs in conjunction with DomainTools.com, formerly whois.sc, which is a domain search tool that tells you all kinds of information about a domain name, such as who it is registered to, when they registered it, and more. They also offer many other tools such as an IP lookup and a listing of domain names for sale and auction.

Some may ask why you would want just anyone editing your website’s content. If it’s valuable information that contributes to your site, that’s less content you have to worry about updating yourself. When you add the Wiki tags to your site, it also creates incoming links, which is a plus for search engine placement along with the fresh content.

Check it out and let me know what you think as a visitor wishing to edit a site and others using it to edit your site.

I’m not sure how popular or valuable it may be so if you have used it in the past or just absolutely refuse to use it, I’d love to hear your thoughts as well.

Have You Claimed Your Blog on Technorati?

I'm just doing this now and one of the ways you can prove who you are is to write a blog entry to state you're claiming your blog. Hence, the blog post. Not sure how this will affect traffic or anything else, but hey, why not? Apparently, by claiming your blog you can be featured on the main page of Technorati and you can also list your blog in up to 20 tag categories in the Technorati directory.

Here's my technorati profile. To claim your blog, you need to set up a profile too. And eww... I don't feel so popular anymore. My blog lost all its incoming links and popularity in the move, but I'll be a cool kid again soon!

FAQ Update: Can I Really Make Money Online?

This question was recently submitted to the Internet Marketing Sweetie FAQ:

"Hmm. After much research I am still skeptical about making any real money from a web site. Given the fact that there are millions of web sites and thousands of people researching keywords and producing good content, can a good income still be made?"

While, not everybody who comes in off the street, can start making money online, there's good news. Click here to read more on Can I Really Make Money Online?

Last Stop on Our Virtual Tour

Hello again. Just popping in with the last segment of our Internet Marketing Sweetie tour. I wanted to touch on something today that I find many new to Internet marketing struggle with. I was no different.

During the learning and applying phase and even for those of us who have been at it awhile, there will come a time along the way that we get confused about some of the Internet marketing terminology.

If you ever experience the “Hu, what are they talking about?” while on your Internet marketing journey, just check InternetMarketingDefinitions.com for help. If you come across a term or phrase that you can’t find in the glossary, submit a suggestion and we’ll check it out and add it where appropriate.

And lastly, don’t forget to check out some of the other great services available to you:

All Private Label Content: Don’t kill yourself creating ALL of your content. Get 50 or more pieces of fresh, new private label content each and every month.

Site Builder: You don’t need to know HTML code in order to have a website that looks like you do.

Cheap Domains: Pick up domain names for as low as $3.99!

As always, should you have any questions visit our FAQ section for help first. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for let us know!

FAQ Update: Writing Original Articles in a Competitive Market

One of my readers submitted a question about one of my pet peeves - people who think that there ideas are the most original and everyone else is out to copy them.

(For the record, it's NOT my reader who epitomizes my pet peeve...she's great and she just needs to keep moving forward in her business)

She writes:
"I make marketing materials for small businesses, www.charmedstores.com I'd like to write a few articles about the positive side of using these materials for promoting your business but it seems all the articles are written already. How do I write an article without people thinking I 'stole' the content from another author? Thanks, Kelli Houptley"

The answer has now been posted to the FAQ:
How Do I Write Original Articles in a Competitive Market?

Tag & You Get Tagged Back - Why I Read Blogs

After tagging Nell Taliercio, she tagged me back. Funny thing is, she never answered the question about Why Do I Blog...but she gave me a question to answer back. Sheesh, Nell, better get to it!

Nell wants to know...

Why I Read Blogs

I really enjoy reading other people's opinions and thoughts. It's also a cool way to get to know someone. I must admit that I'm not a daily blog reader, but I do love the format. I don't use a feed reader anymore (got lazy and forgot to install it on my new computer), so I tend to go to blogs that update frequently...which is another thing I do like about blogs. If you're bored or need a little break from work, you can say to yourself, I can go to XXX's blog and see what he/she has to say.

For that reason, the blogs I read frequently, changes regularly. When someone is posting more frequently, I come by more often, but when they taper off, I may not visit very often. And that leads me to Nell's next question...

The Top 3 Blogs I Read All The Time

That's tough to say, especially given my explanation above. It changes. For the purposes of this exercise, I'll stick with the current top marketing-related blogs I like to visit.

• Michel Fortin: He's been keeping things fired up lately and posts regular, thought-provoking posts. I like his blog for the information he provides and for the real person that comes out in his blog. Michel is a great guy, with HUGE heart and it really show on his blog.
  

• Kelly McCausey's WAHM Talk Radio Blog: Kelly's got a great blog that she frequently updates. What I like about Kelly's blog is that it's a community-focused blog. She is the main writer, and only has the occasional guest writer, but she uses her blog to spread the word about other work-at-home mom businesses and valuable resources for work-at-home moms. She's also pretty spunky and if she's got an opinion on something, you're going to know it. A long time ago, she modestly said, "I'm just the WAHM cheerleader," but what a great cheerleader/promoter she is.
  

• I WAS reading Lynn Terry's ClickNewz a lot, but she's gotten lazy, but I still do drop by. Come on, Lynn...what gives? ;-)

Okay, now it's your turn. With the following 5 people tell me why you read blogs and what are your top 3 blogs you read all the time?:

1. Bruce Carlson
2. The Podcast Divas, Tammy & Wendy
3. John Ritskowitz
4. Jennifer Laycock
5. Rob Sellen

What Courses Do You Have, Alice?

People often ask me which products/courses they can buy from me. Here's what's on the Sweetie menu:

Internet Marketing Sweetie Training Course:My flagship course, Internet Marketing Sweetie, shows you just how easy it is to apply the "sweetie philosophy" to your business and multiply your profits quickly.

Affiliate Marketing Sweetie: Sell products without having to take orders, ship products or provide customer service. Just make product recommendations to get paid.

Press Release Profits: Get free publicity. No need to shell out a ton of cash for a big advertising campaign. Share information about your business and have the media FEATURE you.

Copywriting Sweetie: It's a skill that most online business owners don't bother to develop. Learning to write compelling sales copy can help you turn more of your prospects into customers. Software included!

Information Product Sweetie:People come to the Internet for information, first and foremost. Provide them with that information and make money at the same time.

And…coming in March – Affiliate Manager Sweetie

Employ the hard work of others to sell your products - but don't pay a dime unless they make a sale! Affiliate Manager Sweetie shows you how to create a winning affiliate program for everyone involved. While your waiting, sign up for these free affiliate manager email tips.

You can find all of these products and many more resources and tips on the main page of the site.

See you a bit later for the last part of the virtual tour! Hope you're having a great weekend.

If You're Just Starting Out or Need Something Specific

Welcome back!

Today I want to let those of you who don’t have an online business yet know you can still find help from Internet Marketing Sweetie. I’ve created a starter guide and an email follow-up just for you. Start out on the right foot and pick up both for only $5.

=> Internet Marketing Sweetie New Business Guide & Email

If you’ve already started your business and only need information on one or two specific topics, you’ll find free help with everything from blogging to affiliate marketing to creating information products and more here.

=> Free Internet Marketing Tips

I’ll be back tomorrow to let you know about all the products available at InternetMarketingSweetie.com. Until then, enjoy the new site!

I Blog, Therefore I Am - Here's 5 Reasons Why

Just a quick interruption to this week's Virtual Tour of the New Internet Marketing Sweetie site...

Thanks to Ray Edwards for the tag and forcing me to expose the deep, down dirty secrets of why I blog. Okay, they're not really so deep down and not nearly close to being dirty, but here you have 'em (in no particular order):

1. It IS good for business: People like to know you're a real human being, that someone is at work behind the faceless website and what you're up to.

2. Relationship-building: I really do like getting to know my readers and it's easy-to-do on my blog. Email can be overwhelming and I can't willy-nilly give out my personal email address or I'd never get anything done. I love interacting with people on my blog and learning their points-of-view and learning new things from them. I even enjoy hearing from the grumpy people who come by once in a while. I learn something from them too.

3. Market research: This ties in with the above. I can view my stats (feed and website) to see which items/subject lines interest people the most/least. I can also get information about what people really want to know and how I can help them from the various comments.

4. Self-Expression: Sometimes I like to rant, sometimes to rave and sometimes just blurt out my opinion. A blog is a great way to do that and you don't get in as much trouble as if you do it elsewhere.

5. Cuz it makes me one of the cool kids, right? I'm hopin'!


Now, it's your turn:

• Jason Moffatt
• Kelly McCausey
• Vera Raposo
  - LOL, maybe she'll make her first blog entry if I nudge her
• Nell Taliercio
• Carrie Lauth
  

...why do YOU blog?

Happy Valentine's Day & Surprise!

Surprise! If you were expecting to find that tired old AliceSeba.com blog, welcome to my new home. :-)

Over the rest of the week, I’ll be giving you a virtual tour of the new site. The first thing I want to talk about is the Sweetie philosophy that brought me to the new site and improved focus.

You probably already know that when you give, or are just plain nice to people, it comes back to you many times over. I already know that since you've followed me to my new home here, you are probably a nice person. The Internet Marketing Sweetie philosophy was born out of my desire to teach you how you can apply basic good human nature directly to your online business. I will teach you how you can be giving and get more traffic, more sales and build better business relationships.

Now, on with the tour. Please stay seated and keep your arms and legs in your chair at all times. Enjoy the ride!

I’ve received many questions from customers and readers over the past 3 years and you can find the answers to those questions in the Internet Marketing Sweetie FAQ section.

If, after checking the FAQ section, you haven’t found the answers you seek, you are welcome to submit your question and I answer as many questions as I possibly can. Please make sure to look in the FAQ section before submitting your question, because chances are someone else had the same question too and you’ll find the answer you seek there.

To be sure you receive updates to the FAQs and other sweetie tidbits, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter.

Come in and stay awhile. Have a look around, make yourself at home and be sure to come back tomorrow for more of the new InternetMarketingSweetie.com tour! Until then, a Happy Valentine's Day to you.

Reinvention Update

I haven’t got much time this evening, but while I had a second, I wanted to pop in to let you know that my reinvention project is moving along nicely.

I’m working hard putting everything together and things are coming together well. However, things are not complete just yet. I still have some work to do to have things ready for Valentine’s Day next week.

I’m getting more excited with each item I check off my to-do list and can’t wait to show you the new direction. For now, I have more work to finish! ;)

I'll be back next Wednesday.

Is your website PDA-friendly?

I’ve done a lot of Internet surfing with my cell phone and it’s interesting to see how websites function and appear. If you have your navigation on the left, you’ll likely be giving your users a whole lot to scroll before they can get your content. Data in columns can also get skewed making it tough to decipher.

Big companies like Citibank North America are coming on board and realizing that they need to be friendly to tiny little digital devices that are growing in popularity. Although more and more companies are making their websites more mobile friendly, there are still many that haven’t got it. It’s wise to start worrying about how your site looks to your handheld visitors just as much as those with a desktop or laptop.

I found the following article that gives you some tips on making your website more handheld device friendly. Make Your Site Mobile Friendly in Two Minutes

Have you thought about what your website looks like to those who access it via mobile devices other than their laptops? Or, are you ahead of the game and have already configured your site to be PDA friendly? If so, I’d love to hear some tips from you.

Business Organization Help for Moms

As a mom business owner myself, I know how difficult organization can be. Trying to keep track of family happenings or business stuff is tough enough all by themselves, but when you mix the two, it can be down right crazy. In order to be successful at both, you have to get organized and stay that way if you have any hope of keeping it all straight.

My friend Kelly McCausey conducted a survey of her WAHM Talk Radio listeners last spring and 55% of those surveyed said that organization was a high priority to them. Organization is a big issue with business owners and many of them admit that they need help in the area.

Members of the online mentoring group Kelly and I co-own, Mom Masterminds, stepped up to the plate to and told us how they tackle the organizing beast. We’ve compiled the information into a handy little PDF and called it Organizing Minds Want to Know. From what to do with all the paper you accumulate to home office bookkeeping, it’s all included.

Without organization, you will drive yourself batty and waste a lot of precious time that could be better spent on your business or even better with your family.

Even if you aren’t a mom in business, you might find value in this organizational guide. Grab your free copy and be on your way to a more organized business in no time.
Organizing Minds Want to Know Guide

The Internet Marketer Formerly Known as Alice Seba…

Last week, I wrote about “letting go” or as Jack said in the comments area “reinventing” ourselves. Well, the secret is I’ve been working on a reinvention as well.

As many other profitable and successful online marketers, I didn’t come from a business background. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History & Archaeology…and my university did not vote me mostly likely to succeed in business. ;-) But you know what? I did it. I have a business that allows me a really sweet income from home and I couldn’t ask for a better job. No complaints on that.

But, as I’ve said before, I did a lot of what I’m doing flying by the seat of my pants. I studied and applied techniques and things just started working. It was great. I even started the whole “Internet Marketing Sweetie” concept on a whim and it’s really taken off…and people love it.

So, now it’s time to reinvent a part of my business and I’ll be showing you everything this coming Valentine’s Day – one of the favorite days of Internet Marketing Sweeties.

Stay tuned for more.

If You Write Internet Marketing Articles

Over at InternetBasedArticles.com we’ve undergone some changes. Previously, the site allowed writers to submit internet marketing articles for consideration to be added to my Internet Based Moms site. Unfortunately, we got bombarded with submissions and found ourselves behind with hundreds of articles that were un-reviewed.

To make things easier on not only ourselves, but the writers too, we’ve created a new way for you to submit your articles and get them published more quickly. Once submitted, your articles will also be available for use by other webmasters creating more incoming links to your site when they use them.

If you previously had an Internet Based Moms account with the old system it will NOT work with the new one, so you will need to create a new account in order to submit your articles. No need to worry though, the set up process is quick, painless and as always, fee.

If you have internet marketing related articles you’d like published:
Submit Your Internet Marketing Articles

Also, if you have health articles or articles geared towards moms, you can submit those at the following directories:
Just Health Articles Submissions
Great Articles for Moms Submissions

We’ve designed these two directories to give writers and webmasters topic specific sites to save them time searching for the articles they need. No more wasting time searching through articles on every topic under the sun and finding little to none that fit your market.

New Content Available Today

Today is the first of the month and that means new content has been added to All Mom Content & All Health Content.

February’s content includes special reports and articles on topics such as Kids and Money, Valentine’s Ideas, Exercise, Teens, and more.

Don’t forget about the member’s only forum where you can go for help with any PLR questions or problems you are having or just to learn some new tricks on how to make PLR work best for your business.

We’re also offering 3 new article bundles this month including: Internet Marketing, Menopause, and Herbs. Head over to All Private Label Content to pick yours up.

Login to your All Mom Contentand All Health Content account to pick up the new content today!