To Buy or Not to Buy? A Money-Making Tip for Affiliates
A few days ago, a member of one of my affiliate program
downlines contacted me with this email:
'I've been promoting this product for nearly 5 months now and I
haven't sold anything. I've tried everything you can think of!
I'm about ready to give up. Do you have any suggestions?'
After looking at his website and a couple of his ads, I wrote
back with a simple question:
'Did you buy the product yourself?'
His answer: No.
Maybe I'm coming from a biased point of view (as his affiliate
sponsor), but to me, it was obvious that he didn't know the
product very well.
Most people don't want to believe it, but one of the best ways
to sell an affiliate product is to *buy the product*, use it,
and then provide a personal testimonial (assuming it deserves
one, of course).
'But that costs money!' some people moan. Yes, it does; but so
does wasted advertising dollars and effort. You're in business,
remember? The phrase, 'you have to spend money to make money' is
well-known for a reason: it's true.
Oh, you don't have a spend a lot; that's the beauty of the
Internet. But think of it this way: why should your visitors buy
a product that you wouldn't buy yourself? Investing in the
product gives you several advantages that you can use towards
making more sales ...
* You'll have first-hand knowledge of the product or service,
and can answer most questions that come your way.
* You'll *know* the quality of the product you're selling. Offer
your visitors top-quality products and you'll have a much better
chance of converting them into repeat customers. That means more
money in your pocket!
* You can offer a personal endorsement of the product. This goes
a long way, particularly with those you've developed a good
working relationship with (newsletter subscribers, for example).
Now I can understand putting off the purchase of an expensive,
high-end product ... but if your affiliate product is only a few
dollars, then why hesitate? Many people spend far more on
advertising than it would cost them to purchase the affiliate
product.
So what can you do if you don't have much money to spare?
* Bite the bullet; buy the product and eat the cost. If it's
only a few bucks it probably won't hurt you.
* Attempt to make a few sales. Invest in the product once you
make enough in commissions to do so.
* Buy the product, eat the cost, and go for some effective
no-cost advertising to offset your investment. For example, you
could swap or barter for website or ezine advertising.
Can you make good money selling affiliate products without
buying them yourself? Sure. No doubt there are a few people who
do. But most people have trouble selling *anything* online, let
alone a product they know nothing or very little about. Which
path will YOU take?