Karmic Coaching & Consulting - Empowering People Through Service, Information & Opportunity
The. Biggest. Affiliate. Marketing. Secret. Ever. ( Steal it Here)
I want to talk about the biggest reason I see that leads MOST affiliate marketers, and online entrepreneurs in general to fail…and the super simple, and singular thing you can do, right NOW to turn all of that around, and see real measurable improvements in your conversions immediately. And I mean…..like, right now if you have a few moments to re-write some of your stuff…..and re-calibrate a little bit of your content.
First, I’m going to share what I believe is the BIGGEST, and most common sin in selling stuff online. 95% + of people, especially in the online marketing style spaces, operate with one fundamentally flawed perspective when it comes to their list.
The assumption of ignorance.
What is it?
The presumption that we ( as consumers) are dumb. That we are all suckers. That we simply don’t know better. That we are naive ninkinpoops and easily manipulated by a sweet sounding marketing message.
And to some extent, as you don’t need me to tell you, this is somewhat true. But it’s FAR from the whole story. And quite frankly , you can do FAR better selling the very same stuff to "smart people" than you can by tailoring your marketing, and your message to people who you are trying to trick instead.
Let me explain……..
Crafting copy around manipulative, "me too" marketing methods is not efficient. And it tires quickly – it’s got a short shelf life – and can’t sustain you for the long term.
Want to know what will?
Respect. Intellectual integrity. Believing enough in the smarts of your own stuff to trust that the people who care to read what you’ve got to say are equally as intelligent as you are…and will be equally as motivated to take action once they do.
I’ve tested this – because you know, people in the internet marketing business like to talk about testing, right?
Here is what I’ve learned.
- 1) Treating people like they’re smart works.
- 2) Offering people good information, that is helpful and yet still advances your goals, works.
- 2) Respecting the intellectual capital and capabilities of your subscribers feels a lot better than looking at them all as suckers ready to picked, plucked and f*ck*d.
- 3)Outhinking your competition by saying similar things – but in unique and innovative, and imaginative ways, works.
- 4) Being different and Interesting – works ( and works in every market under the sun)
- 5) You CAN sell stuff to people while respecting their brains and valuing their time and interest. ( although this is a bad example for this list – because you people don’t buy anything I recommend)
Let me give you an example -
I’m a big fan of Jay Abraham’s work – and one of his “drivers” – when I heard it years ago, has had a very transformative effect on the way I look at my own marketing…mostly because it reinforced something I already believed, and on some level gave me the confidence to pursue this passion without a certain level of self consciousness I used to have about “pushing” myself…..or my stuff.
The strategy of preeminence and how it can revolutionize your business, relationships and the REWARD you get out of your business.
( and why so many people simply don’t get this – but once you do – it changes everything in a hurry)
It basically – stripped down, and in my words, means this:
You do whatever it takes, to protect, and to care for, and to offer the very highest, best and most ethically considerate suite of services that betters and benefits the people who place their trust firmly in your grasp.
For example…..
When you sign up for my list, or even simply read my blog – I have a responsibility to to you.
You are under my “care” so to speak….for either a few frozen moments in time if you stop by and just take a look through a search engine query– OR – better still, if you are on my list, for each and every message I send you.
I have a responsibility to protect you – to keep you “safe” and to go above and beyond to ONLY provide you with the sorts of tools, tips, and technologies that I TRULY believe are in your best interests.
And this is an AMAZINGLY freeing thing.
Why?
It allows me to be far more aggressive and self promoting………..very ETHICALLY, if I know what I’m telling you is the truth.
If I know I can help you build your business, grow your list, better your station in life, etc through the power and passion of my unique set of skills, I have an obligation to do it. And failing to follow through, on my end – is tantamount to failing you in the promise.
I have a coaching program, for example, that I’ll be launching in June – it’s not going to be cheap, and it’s not going to be for everyone – but if I truly believe that I can help you transform your business under my guidance, that I can help you achieve your goals, dreams and build a better, more valuable and viable long term business simply by bringing you into the fold…..I’m doing you a disservice if I don’t aggressively present this to you as an opportunity.
And if I truly believe that letting you sign up for an inferior program, from an inferior marketing mind than mine is more LIKELY than not going to leave you frustrated and FAILING in your goals to build a real viable business, I’ve got a MORAL obligation to do whatever I can within my power to prevent that from happening.
And if that means I’ve got to come over to your house and pitch a tent in your backyard and embarrass you in front of your neighbors with a bullhorn until you sign up for mine, I’m willing to do it. ( and I’ve got the restraining orders to prove it)
Similarly, If you are a real estate agent and you KNOW you can get the best deals, the best clients, can sell the fastest, have the best turn around, inventory, whatever…..and you DONT’ sell that prospective home buyer ( or seller) that your service is the one they NEED to invest in to get the best deal in these troubled economic days– you are betraying their trust – and more importantly – the commitment you made to yourself.
I use tools in my business, right now, at this very moment – that – for those of you who are just getting started, can leverage the power of what you are doing right now in exponentially explosive ways.
Me having them…and you NOT having them gives me an unfair advantage. If I truly care about you – and care about your success, sharing these resources is a gift – and not a grift.
The bottom line?
In my view, it eliminates the NEED to have to create bullshit scarcity (only 4 left – they’re taking it down, etc) and removes the need to even really have to “sell” anything at all. The people who really "get this" are few and far between……but every industry has them, and the one TRUE path to getting there is actually very easy to emulate.
You can truly do this anywhere – with anything – and if you invest in the right resources, pick products you believe in, your ability to sell them goes UP exponentially, your conversion will go THROUGH the roof, and most importantly to me, business feels really good to do, too.
Here is the thing…..
Most of you are reading this because you’re on my list – and because you’ve witnessed the above for yourself. You signed up for it either a week ago – a month ago….or even a year ago, expecting to get bombarded with offers, and launches and other nefarious nonsense…and it just hasn’t happened, right?
Over time – you’ve probably come to realize that if I recommend something, it’s a TOOL, and not a technique – or whatever, and more often than not, it’s something that I’m using in my own business, and want to give you the opportunity to share in my success. ( even if I get compensated for making the recommendation which I often do)
But in some real tangible way, that you can measure simply by pushing back into your own mind in this very moment as you are reading these very words….that gives me a wee bit more credibility, gives my recommendations a wee bit more weight, and ultimately, adds just a slender shred of gravitas and urgency to the things I do recommend you look at, almost like magic.
Every time I send out an email – and I mean this with complete and utter humility and appreciation – a solid majority of you will read it, and come back to this blog to read more.
That’s truly not the norm….and while this list ain’t huge…..it’s big enough to be relevant.
Most "marketers" can’t make the same claim.
And there is no greater compliment – no greater sense of personal reward for me – than that.
And the central piece of that ethos is the easiest thing to “steal” -
Just care about your list the very same way.
Stop “selling” stuff using silly, sad, and shady techniques that don’t advance your business, further your REAL goals and don’t benefit your list boot.
Let’s take a quick look at a few examples, from my own in box – JUST over the last few days in either markets I’m in…..or even, sadly – “friends” of mine whose lists I’m on.
These affiliates – operate, and make their money, under the guise of ONE underlying principle.
The Assumption of Ignorance.
They’re entire enterprise – the model that they undertake to SELL stuff to you and me, is that we’re a bunch of dumb asses.
That we don’t know better…..and that MY (and your) ignorance serves to make them easy money.
And it may…for a little while – but it will NEVER make you rich…..or at least not rich in the sorts of things worth having.
A "live" example of this sort of silliness is here…….
How hard would it be – after signing up for this list – to provide a REAL, and genuine list of benefits that Resveratrol ( the supplement being “sold” here).
It’s not hard. It’s JUST as easy as this throwaway – worthless, and utterly insulting piece of dog doodie for an opening.
Do you know what that is?
A MADE up, throwaway question that NO ONE really asked….and has NO real answer that sheds even one simple sliver of insight into anything I might be wondering about the benefits of resveratrol.
Instead….they HAPPILY assume I’m an intellectual idiot – and move right on to how to ORDER the product instead. ( because of course, many people have been “ASKING” how to order it, and what OTHER products I should add to my cart to make sure I get all of the bodcacious benefits this bottle has to offer, right? Right..;-)
Why not TELL me some of the great studies that have been done on resveratrol, share with me a little bit of the amazing stuff that’s been tested and uncovered through preliminary tests…..
Why not SHARE with me some of the amazing and potentially revolutionary ways this little known anti-oxidant could potentially add years to my life, wonderful memories for my family, and change the entire fabric of my perspective on how many years I’ve got left to live if that’s what brought me to your list in the first place – even telling me that it MAY be ALL a bunch of bunk…..but, for 39.95 a month to be on the SAFE side of the street, it’s a pretty damn good investment just in case in turns out that you really CAN live to be 130 simply by popping a little purple pill every morning before starting your day.
It takes NO more time to offer something of real value, to answer a REAL question or two instead of making one up that’s transparently self serving.…..and the simple truth is that your conversions, will go UP simply on that basis alone….because if you offer PROTECTION, and answer real questions that REAL people have…..you can often achieve things that will blow away every expectation you had going in.
Here is an example – in the VERY same market – of my approach to selling a similar supplement…. and armed with just a WEE bit of information, I’m telling the folks on MY list – “hey – I don’t even know if this works or not…..but it may…and if it does – it’s pretty exciting stuff and quite a bargain to boot.”
It’s converting at 5% plus after only a few short emails……one of these offers pushing 10%, on very limited traffic….true, but NOT hard to take with just a super small list, and some genuinely helpful " public domain "information that I just GUESSED that people may really want to know about a supplement that may ( or may not) help them live a longer life. Anyone can do that……..and it takes no more time than just making stuff up to fill space before you throw in your "buy now" link to boot.
And of course it’s FAR worse in the internet marketing space as we all know………
This was an email that I got from a "friend" whose product I purchased a few days ago ( product works great by the way..:-) but who has sent me an email a day every day since promoting some other product launch….promotional piece or other annoying interlude into my otherwise very cheery, spam free afternoon.
And as Tony Montana Said so Well many moons back…..
"what do I look like to you….a baggage handler?"
I mean……if the MOST creative thing you can pull at off your affiliate marketing aresenal is the tired, tepid and terrible mental midgetry of "check out this video cause lots of people have been watching it and he’s thinking about taking it down pretty soon…." I don’t want anything to do with you. Ever. Again.
And – to be perfectly honest with you…..I not only IMMEDIATELY unsubscribed from this list – I actually left a pretty explanatory note as to why.
Because there are LOTS of interesting, inventive and imaginative ways to convey and create REAL scarcity…….real urgency and REAL compulsion to buy products if you ONLY take a few moments to invest in considering ME worthy of a little respect…..and not insulting my intelligence with more bullsh*t.
He could have said -" P.S, YOUSEXYBEAST ( my typical opt in name, and how I like to referred to by friends elsewhere alike) – this is a really great tool – I use it in my own business everyday - and if you aren’t using it right now, I truly believe it’s going to add a whole new dimension of elegant ease to your online marketing machine…….I’m so confident you’ll love it – because I do – and because I am always looking to mastermind with likeminded super smart geniuses like you – if you’re one of the next 25 people to order through my link – - I’d like to share "X" with you for free……"
The chances are, THIS sexy beast might not have bought……but I wouldn’t have unsubscribed, and I would have probably felt a bit of a kinship with the guy even though we all know this stuff is all boilterplate anyway.
The key takeway is this……..
Challenge yourself to give more – offer more – and simply care more.
It does shine through…..and it’s so g*d damn EASY to do…that’s it’s almost criminally stupid to do it any other way.
One past parting thought – I was watching a video presentation given by Gary Varnechuck ( the wine guy) at one of the social media confrences…and I got to be honest with you, the first few times I watched this dude speak, I really was pretty unimpressed – but – in some sort of serendipious way, I came across more and more of his stuff – he’s built a 50 + million dollar a year business selling wine from what was ONCE a small family store.
The guy knows a TON about wine, clearly.
But that ain’t what makes his wine sell to the tasty tune of millions……It’s his passion for one, and as I’ve pointed out in previous posts, that’s a huge thing.
But he simply CARES more.
About wine – but equally as important – about the people who buy his products, and those that simply stop by and take a look. The guy gets something like several THOUSAND pieces of email a day. And responds to ALL of them.
Think about that.
I get 20 or 30 comments on a post – and it feels overwhelming to reply to everyone. Think about the "guru" blogs you go to where there are 100 comments….and the "guru" ain’t anywhere to be found.
Because the the "guru" doesn’t get it. He ( or she) cares…..but only infofar as getting the gold that those comments you leave will bring.
He might be rich – but will never be great.
I wouldn’t know Gary Varneshuck if I saw him on the street……..but he get’s it. He’s great. And make no mistake…..in the end, when the dust settles, that does matter.
The beauty is – anyone can do it.
There is NO cap on how much you can care – and selfishly – no limit on how high the reward once you believe that – and work it into your marketing mix.
P.S – If you have NOT yet started building your own list……you are comitting the first cardinal sin of building a REAL online business for sure. I use Aweber, and in my view, it is the very BEST 20 bucks I invest a month in ANY area of my life across the board. (other than the Spice Channel, but that doesn’t really count because I got the lifetime subscription in 2005)
If you are serious about applying these strategies, you MUST build a list. Feel free to use my link….or just go to Aweber directly, but either way, list building is the foundation for everything else that’s coming…and you want to be prepared!
