My Affiliate "Adventures"

I have always been interested in entrepreneurial adventures. These have included having my own businesses, network marketing ventures, and the like. Most did not pan out but in each effort there has been something I have learned that has made me better.

I think one of the things I am better at is seeing through the HYPE. And boy is there a lot of that out there! As a matter of fact, the presentation of a product or opportunity is just as important to me as the product or opportunity itself. I can honestly say that if you have to mislead someone in ANY way to convince another on the venture, I won't do it.

What I am learning/studying at the present time are the online opportunities being offered with Affiliate Programs. I believe there are some really exciting ways that the EverydayGuy/Gal has to successfully profit by using the affiliate approach. These programs have really caught on. The most successful affiliate on the internet is Amazon.com.

How they work

Simply put, affiliates pay you a percentage of the business that you refer to them. So if I recommend a book to you and refer you to Amazon to purchase it, Amazon credits me a small percentage of that sale. The key is creating the volume of referral business.

What I like about this is that I feel the average person, with little sales experience has a decent shot at being successful referring a friend by way of a personal recommendation. Most of us do this all the time! We love giving our opinions. LOL I have benefited many times by one of my friends telling me about a great pizza place or an excellent contractor. I trusted their opinion and felt a lot better about using that product or service. Case in point: There is a pizza place where I live that I had never been to in my 33 years living here. One day a co-worker was eating a piece of their pizza for lunch and I asked what kind it was. She gave such a great rec about the pizza and the place. Guess where I went for pizza the next time...for the first time in 33 years!? And guess where we tend to go now at least once a month?! Guess where I tell others to try when they are looking for a great pizza place? BTW, if you are in the Colorado Springs area, give Roman Villa on North Nevada a try!

Now if Roman Villa only had an affiliate program, :) wouldn't it be great if I could receive a small percentage of every referral every time they ate their? And as long as I my recommendations were honest and helped/benefited others in some way, wouldn't that be a great way to do business?

Well, that is how I see the use of affiliate programs. And the internet is developing as a great means of successfully doing this. It provides the methods and most unbelievably the market that the average guy would never be able to reach.

100% of 1 or 1% of 100?
What do you think: would you rather receive 100% return from the effort of one person or 1% return from the effort of MANY? J. Paul Getty was quoted to have said something to the effect that he would rather have a small piece from the efforts of many than all from the effort from one. The difference is staggering. I can illustrate this principle may ways. Relating to affiliate marketing, I am most interested in a product or service that appeals to a HUGE market affordably versus a product or service that is expensive and can only be of interest to a few!

Next up
I will share details of the books I am reading, things I am learning, and most importantly the affiliates I am working with or am planning to work with and to what degree of success I am experiencing!

All the best!

One more day....

More on Credibility and opportunities

It became obvious that there is an exciting opportunity using the internet. I love the ability to access information instantly, connect with people from anywhere, etc.

What I have found out, though, is that HYPE is abundant especially when looking for sources/help with using the internet successfully for a business. That is why I find the statement, Without integrity, you are nothing so clearly relevant! I saw this posted in a forum where they were discussing the fall of a well known internet marketer. His fall was the result of losing his integrity. On a personal note, I can't imagine why anyone would compromise this quality for personal financial gain.

In thinking about this, what is sobering is the fact all of us have our compromises we regretfully make that cause us to fall short...losing our integrity. So while money isn't one that I would not allow to compromise my integrity, there are always other things you have to be on guard against. Actions we could take that would cause others to lose respect for us. There does seem to be a very real daily spiritual battle...whether we choose to acknowledge it or not!

Excellence is found in the doing, not necessarily the outcome

Teddy Roosevelt said:

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

POWERFUL! Insight like this can only come from one who has lived it.

I certainly do not consider many of my endeavors to be considered as daring ones that matter greatly to anyone more than myself. But for any that go after the attainment of a goal, there is always, at least for me, the fears of failure that can and do often cause timidity.

I also am mindful of Thoreau's conclusion he came to at the end of Walden;

...if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

What this means to me is that at the end of each day and most importantly at the end of my FINAL day, I will be able to find contentment/peace that I have done not only what was my BEST, but what was RIGHT.

Project status

1. Today I am writing for at least 4 hours on my ebook. It is a how to of sorts in an area I have some expertise to share with others. So far it is looking pretty good! There has always been a market for information that can help others do something, save them money, teach the how to! I am very optimistic about what I am going to offer. The market is huge for this info and I know the need is also!

2. I hope soon to be able to figure out how to insert direct links into my blog! Seems I may have to have get the upgrade version...and that option seems to be in limbo as Blogger has recently been purchased my Google..I think. There is some transition going on.

3. And, being an American EverydayGuy, :) I will have the NFL Championship games on today! I wonder how much this will distract...LOL (Probably not too much as THE TEAM (Broncos) are not any where near the field of competition.

All the best