Affiliate Marketing Lies
Today’s Marketing Monday, I talk about something that is a pet peeve of mine because it hurts those who offer legitimate programs and also those who are sincere about finding a way to make money online with affiliate marketing. So I expose top lies about affiliate marketing.
It’s an issue that I take personally and you should also is the out right lies some marketers use to “sell” their products, offers, or services. And once a lie starts to circulate as a fact, then misconceptions begin to quickly form as well, making it all the more difficult to discover the truth through the smoke.
My experience with customers has also shown that when someone is burnt by a “seller” of a particular product or service, then all sellers in that market tend to become targets of mistrust and doubt with that person, which is unfair and hard to overcome, but understandable.
So to clear the air and expose these sleaze-ball tactics, I have decided to write this article which covers the top lies about affiliate marketing and help you really know more about it.
“Affiliate Marketing is Easy to Do”
Just like any other business endeavor, it takes work. So this is most definitely a lie. It takes time and skill to develop the ability to see profitable markets and how to tap into them alone.
However, a more accurate way to state it would be that affiliate marketing is easier to do than other forms of business or other ways of making money online.
The reason is that you are not having to develop your own product or provide the complete customer service for it. Your focus is just promoting (selling) it.
But again, once you get into the how to promote it, where to promote it and to whom, you quickly find that is not as easy as you were led to believe either.
Knowing your market, knowing the product you are promoting, knowing your customer and what they want all take time, knowledge and energy.
“Anyone Can Do It”
This is lie number two (2). Of course some promoters or sellers want to include as many people into the fray as possible to increase the number of sales they make, that’s why they want to make you believe it.
But does it make it true because they state it in all their promotional materials? Of course not.
Even though we all have similarities, we all have our differences (both in strengths and weaknesses) as well. To say that anyone can do affiliate marketing is just bad altogether.
The underlying truth about affiliate marketing, for the most part, is that it is mostly based on commission sales (how you get paid) and that you are on your own (independent contractor), period.
Not everyone is cracked up for sales or working on their own. Yes, anyone can learn to do sales or to work independently, some much faster than others.
But some people just hate the whole idea of sales and then struggle to make it as an affiliate marketer wondering why they are failing at it the whole time.
Finally, if this statement was really true, then why do those promoters of this philosophy have in their disclaimer (often found in small print at the bottom of their sales page), that your results may be different than the results given here (i.e. that you will not do as well if at all).
“With Affiliate Marketing, You can Make LOTS of Money Quickly”
OMG! This is the biggest whopper of them all (or close) for beginners. Once in a blue moon (which happens only once per year), you will hear about some newbie who has hit the affiliate lotto jackpot.
And instantly this quickly spreads all over the Internet. Instead of this being taken as a freak of nature, it become the poster child for the normal, the expected and then promoted as such.
With that said, there are exceptions but that is the point…. exceptions! If you sell a product priced at $6,000 and earn a 75% commission, you just made $4,500 in one sale! That’s a four figure moment.
But wait, my point is just that – it was for THAT MOMENT.
My question is, can you do it again? Will you do it again over and over? If so, then you will make LOTS of money and can make it quickly.
But if you are like most just starting out and promoting a $7 to $17 product (which most do), how many sales would you need to make to earn that same $4,500 at a 75% commission?
The answer (assuming the $17 item at 75%) is 353 sales to make $4,500! But it just doesn’t stop there.
Most conversions for sales are around 2%. So that means as an affiliate, you would need to generate enough targeted traffic (interested visitors) of 17,650 people through the sales offer to make those sales!
How many newbies are going to generate that amount of traffic let alone being targeted traffic? Enough said.
“You Don’t Need to Spend Any Money to Start”
Really? Then why are you Mr. Marketer selling that knowledge to your unsuspecting prospect for a fee if it doesn’t require any money to start? The fact you are selling them this idea just nullified it!
You need money to start, period!
If you are planning on making money online (or anywhere), then you are considering going into business. I have not found a business that one could go into that didn’t require at least some amount of money to invest.
A better statement to the truth would be, you don’t need a lot of money to start.
Yes, you can join affiliate marketing programs for free, start promoting them online for free with your free affiliate link, but that is pretty much where the free ends. Anything beyond that will cost you something if not more.
Is Going into Affiliate Marketing Even Worth it?
When you look past the lies, look at the real possibilities available to you and discover that there are thousands of affiliate marketers that really do make a living online, then the truth will lead you to make a better decision for yourself and loved ones.
Like anything else worthwhile, affiliate marketing success does take time, it takes effort on you part including gaining the knowledge and experience. In addition, it can be quite rewarding both financially and in what you do.
Affiliate marketing is adaptable where you can find profitable markets that not only provide a valuable service to others, but also a distinguished position for you.
What struggles are you currently facing with affiliate marketing or your online business? Leave me a comment below… I just may have a solution and I’d love to help!
Perfect article, Michel! It should be pasted all over the internet for all wannabe millionaires who join the online world and hope to make a quick buck with no work.
I must say, that someone can start affiliate marketing without spending any money. The only way to do it is to bombard all your friends and relatives with some affiliate products. Soon enough you’ll lose your friends and your family will shun you.
But, in all seriousness, affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online, especially if a person does not have his own products to sell. However, affiliate marketing is a business. And like any other online (and offline) business it is not easy. In fact it is hard work (and which successful business isn’t?). It takes learning, dedication, perseverance and focus (I think I covered them all).
But affiliate marketing is a lucrative business and potentially, one can make a lot of money with it. There is so much to offer to so many eager purchase, when it is done right. It is a business worth pursuing.
I like your comment about bombarding all your friends and family with your affiliate products until they shun you to start your business endeavor without money 🙂 When considering this, I would think it better to bother them about investing money into your business so you can get it off the ground instead of alienating yourself from your loved ones for affiliate sales (either way, you would still be annoying, but asking for money once up front would be less) 😉
Your article is an eye-opener, especially for newbies such as I’m. Thanks….
You’re welcome, Helen!
Great post about marketing lies, yes some business owners/affiliates indeed tell lies to get more sales done
Yes, Tommy, they do and it is only for the short run.
Great Michel
I can’t stand it when desperate people spout off unreasonable claims about marketing and the money you can make. You have to follow the plan and put in the hard work, as well as some money when you start off, to get the results you seek.
Rik
Exactly, Rik!
I think the more ethical of us do become critical of other marketing tactics—and I mean this in a good way.
While I’m not bothered by disclaimers at the bottom of a sales page (It is a CYA you know), I do see your point.
Yesterday, I was previewing a sales page and glanced at the cut/paste of the websites that were suppose to represent those that had tremendous success with the product.
So I googled both sites. They did not exist anymore. I mailed the product owner and got no response. This morning I received a mail to review again. No changes. Instant block of future mails from this individual.
You bring up a good point, Dawn!
How many of us (I have) actually follow up with those listed in the testimonials and recommendation sections of a site (hint: there should be more than a pic and a name) to find out more about a product or program?
Case in point, I was considering a software application awhile ago and contacted most of those listed on the site. All of them responded (some posted over 2 years ago) to my request with positive feedback. Not only did this help to reassure me of the quality of the software, but also pointed to the integrity of the vendor. 🙂
Excellent article Michel!
You touched on some the biggest lies in affiliate marketing.
It’s so unfortunate that a few bad apples can spoil the bunch.
Dr. Lisa
Hi Michel, love your post on top lies about affiliate marketing! I believe, just not everyone BELIEVES they can do affiliate marketing… therefore they fail. And heck yes, what a lie that “With Affiliate Marketing, You can Make LOTS of Money Quickly” or you don’t need to spend any money when you start… theoretically you can use free methods but it’s going to take you ages if you rely on them.
In the end is it worth it? For me, absolutely YES! Wouldn’t change it for the time freedom, creative freedom and livestyle it gives me!
Thank you Andrea for your insights.
I agree that it starts with attitude! If someone has the attitude that they don’t want to spend any money doing this, then they WILL FAIL. Because somewhere along the process, they will need to invest money into their online business if they want to sustain success, even if it’s to put back into the business a portion of what they earned at the start.
Excellent post Michael!
I remember when I just started I fell so many of those lies. I bought programs that had these so-called testimonials. A month later try logging onto the website and you get an “error message” It’s those bad apples that spoils it for everyone else
Now I know better. It’s all part of the learning experience- older & wiser.
-Vivette
Exactly, Vivette! 🙂
I agree with you entirely except for one particular item and that is that anyone can do it. I disagree with you on this one but only for the reason that some people choose not give it their all but it does not mean they are not capable. You kind of point that out in your paragraph below the heading though. In my opinion to say that not everyone can do this is to say that I am somehow better than them or more talented. I know that couldn’t be further from the truth and would limit the people that I encounter. I have had a social fear my whole life. I get nervous around people. I would be the last person someone would think would get into network marketing. Anyone CAN do this.
I appreciate the pretense but stand behind what I said. Coming from an engineering background, I’ve met other engineers and technicians (brilliant in many ways) who couldn’t sell their way out of a wet paper bag! They would fail miserably at affiliate marketing and know it (why they are not interested).
If affiliate marketing is for everyone, then why do 90% of those who are already in it fail? (hint: it isn’t for everyone!) Just because one doesn’t have the talent or ability to be an NFL quarterback doesn’t make them less of a person, nor make the quarterback superior (with the exception of that one thing). We all excel at something, but not with the same things.
If someone “doesn’t give it their all” means that they have a problem with it. Where there is a lack of passion, there is a lack of interest. If there is a lack of interest, I see it as meaning they don’t like it. What is it they don’t like? The stuff that makes up affiliate marketing. So affiliate marketing is not for them (i.e. it’s not for everyone). Enough said.
Follow-up: As a marketer, myself, I don’t pre-judge anyone and encourage everyone who is interested in knowing more about affiliate marketing to sign-up for my free eCourse. By giving each person a chance to discover through this introductory course if affiliate marketing is right for you. I also offer and make recommendations for other products and aids that are helpful for any affiliate wanting to improve their knowledge, strategies and operations.
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