Affiliate marketing has several ways for you to increase your income without giving up the account you currently have. No need to walk away from all that hard work. Most of what you need to learn is easily taught, the techniques are simple. One little secret is available online every single day.
Product recommendation is good way to increase sales in affiliate marketing. Marketers know that product recommendation is actually one of the best tools in promoting specific products.
This approach depends a lot on trust, when your customers trust you; they will trust your recommendations. It is important to be cautious and sparing though, if you are promoting every product under the sun soon your advice will wear thin. Over inflated recommendations and promises will especially hurt your credibility.
Be bold and mention things you do not care for about a product or service. This will keep your recommendation real and more believable. It will not hurt your credibility at all.
A customer who is interested in a product wants to know the good, the bad and the ugly about that product. People are smart enough to realize that most products have a down side and simply want to know in advance.
Before using recommendations there are, a few tips that you need to remember that will make it work more effectively for you.
Act like and sound like a leading expert in the field.
There is an easy equation to remember: Price aversion is reduced in direct proportion to trust. When your potential customers believe that you are the expert in your area, they are more apt to buy from you. On the flip side of course, if you have no confidence or assurance in the product you are promoting they will make a beeline for someone who does, ie… your competition.
Just how do you exude this expertise online? Offer them new and distinctive solutions that are not available elsewhere. Prove what you are promoting does what it claims. Show testimonials and endorsements from well-known and respected people, from related fields.
Stay away from hype, a low confident voice is much better than a shrill screaming one. It will be perceived that you are just screaming loudly to attract attention. Anyway that would be very unprofessional and an image of you, that you do not want customers to have. Calm, cool and collected that is the way you want to appear.
Never make the mistake of thinking people are stupid, because they are not. Some of your potential clients may already know everything you know. With good cold hard facts and knowledge, customers will pay any price you ask for. Don’t have the information and they will pack up and head for your competition who do.
When you recommend a product, it can be helpful to give away promotional freebies. This is not a new concept; people are already familiar with it. Most are not using it to promote their affiliate products. Look for freebies that will offer information on the product or service you are offering.
Always test the product and support your self before you recommend it. Do not fall in the trap of promoting junk. Building trust and credibility with clients is a long slow process that will take just one junky product or service to destroy.
Stick with what you know; when you have total confidence in a product, it will shine through. Try all aspects of a product before your customers purchase it. Support is highly important, the product can be really good but if there is, a small problem and no support to fix it your customers are not going to be happy.
Examine what strategies you are using in affiliate marketing. The recommendations may be off in respect to the product you are offering. Assess your products and focus the correct recommendations on them sometimes a shift in action will make all the difference in success.
Give product recommendation a try and prove that it is a worthwhile avenue for promoting affiliate products.
28 Comments
Timothy Millar
November 16, 2008Hey Reed,
Testimonials work very well indeed but to promote a product you must buy it or get a
preview copy which is not very easy most of the time. If selling like this will you not miss the launch of the product? or is this strictly for aftermarket sales? Have a wonderful day,Timothy Millar
Timothy Millars last blog post..Paid to Read update #3 Jacob mails
normz2
November 16, 2008I have to agree that is a good idea to be at least familiar with a product before promoting it. This is particularly true if is a computer program. About a week ago I bought a computer program. It would be the cats meow, if it would do half of the things it was to do. I was all set to promote it. Then when I tried it, it would not work and I did not get support from the supplier when requestted. Hence, I did not promote it.
Tom Robertson
November 16, 2008Hey Reed,
Great post. You have to familiarize yourself with any product if you are going to give your approval. A truthful review, including the good points and bad points, will gain your subscribers trust and, ultimately, their business. Wish everybody followed this advice (sigh).
BTW, belated congratulations on the new addition to the family.
Tom Robertson
subroto
November 16, 2008To sell a product without recommendation is just like an item without an attractive cover. To recommend a product one has to buy it first or get its review and then it is possible to give the testimonial. This process is very much beneficial for both the seller and the admirer. Good blog. A timely hint to fire the internet marketing.
Dale Kydd
November 16, 2008Hi Reed,
There is one other thing that must also be taken into account when promoting products that is also important to each product.
If you ask the following questions before even looking at a product.
1: do you know the Author, Who is recommending it to you, how much do you know about that person, have you had much to do with products recommended by that person.
2: Have all the products you have downloaded from that person been what they have stated. Where has it excelled or fallen down, has it been obvious that the recomendee has really tested these product or relied on the info from the publisher only.
3: Anyone can recommend a product and that’s what affiliates do. So be vigilant and keep testing to make sure that you are not getting complacent in your promotions.
You may get away with it for a while but you will eventually get court out if you are not as a good business person never recommends anything unless they are sure it will enhance their business. This is for on line marketing as well as off.
4: keeping records of all activity is the best way to insure that you are up to date with each affiliate program you are in. It helps with your income and gives you the ability to cancel out of programs that are not working to your own expectations be it because of bad programming or faults or just plain no response, remember you may need to adjust your add if this is happening because you should never advertise anything you are not fully confident with as what Reed has said “you fail before you start”.
Take care all.
Dale Kydd
http://www.articlemarketingimpact.com/886c5d94
Ari Lestariono
November 16, 2008Branding awareness is very important yet the product has to be tested in field market, after several times of promotions all can be said through viral, this effort take’s time after suceed through viral marketing the branding awareness will stay for long time and build founadtion on product promotions either through their affiliates or direct selling.
Ari Lestarionos last blog post..7 Secret Benefits of Tomato as Natural Remedies
Eric Alexander
November 16, 2008Hi Reed
You are really providing a very helpful service to internet marketing newbies. I think it really boils down to this; don’t recommend any product which you wont use yourself.
Then again, you will have to spend a good amount of money to first test these products yourself.
These days, you have a lot of big bundled offers coming your way. What we need to do is to check whether we have use for all the products in the bundle, or at least use for 50% of the products. Next if the bundle has PLR or MRR, is there a demand for these products. What is the quality of these products, will they work, etc. Sales pitches have become so lengthy that you have to have a lot of patience to read through the entire thing !!!!
So, I feel so many of these aspects need to be considered before we jump in recommend blindly anything to anyone.
Thanks and keep the good stuff coming our way.
Eric
Jussi Koiranen
November 16, 2008Damn. Excellent post and at least to me a needed reminder. I need to make my own recommendation pages and reviews to my site and blog, like yesterday… One thing about making recommendations is that you’re (at least I am) more in the benefit vs fault mindset than in the normal hype and feature mindset I get too often especially when selling online get…
Michael J. Ming
November 16, 2008Everything you said is true. I’ve been guilty of spreading out my promotions too thinly and still haven’t studied half of them thoroughly. My latest success took of without barely any promotion initially and now features on one of my prime websites with full promotion (would you believe #1 page(sponsored)and #3 page (non-sponsored) on Google – I was rather surpised-maybe the beginnings of something good.
Mike
Sue Baker
November 16, 2008Hi Reed
It’s so true what you say about ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’. It’s the age old saying of ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’.
It’s a matter of balance so you need to show more good points than bad.
Sue Bakers last blog post..Fast and Easy Weight Loss – Celebrity Secrets Revealed!
Geoff Dodd
November 16, 2008Reed, as an affiliate you need to try the product as you suggested and FEEL and experience the benefits. Only then can you get excited and write awesome testimonials and recommendations that ring true.. You, as an affiliate, have to avoid using the standard promotional materials and the robot-like parroting of cliched, *while you sleep* stock phrases that no longer EXCITE.
Geoff Dodd
Australia
Travis Millward
November 16, 2008That’s some great info. I especially like the suggestion to mention the bad parts of a product. I never actually realized it until reading this, but one of the marketers I get regular emails from always points out the negatives. Now I understand why. That’s something that I’ll have to remember.
Travis Millwards last blog post..Affiliate Funnel – The Best Just Got Better
Kevin Perera
November 16, 2008Hi Reed,
I like your Post it is very good from a young internet marketer like yourself it is very well done piece.I get lot of emails from the top marketers in the world who are promoting other people’s products some of them sending you, emails every single day that is I do not like.The other thing I do not like is they are promoting bad products as very good and ruin their own reputation and they should stop doing that and they do not care about the buyer as long as they get their commission and they don’t care about buyer leaving their list because they get new fresh leads everyday.Like you said, Reed they should tell their list about both good and bad things about the products they are promoting.
Thank you
Kevin Perera
Jeff Sargent
November 16, 2008Hey Reed,
I know I’m very careful on which products I promote to my list. Actually I don’t promote products very often. That’s because there’s so
much crap out there.
Before I send out a promo email I ask myself one question. Do I use this product? If I don’t think it’s good enough for me to use I certainly won’t recommend it to my customers.
It’s a lot of work building your list and I’m not about to jeopardize my relationship with my customers just to make a couple of bucks of them promoting garbage.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
Terence
November 16, 2008You mentioned giving away promotional freebies which seems to be the norm just lately, in fact the freebies are often better than the product being promoted!
Sylvia Richards
November 16, 2008Very good post. Put sinply, it works well for all concerned when people are ethical. For me it would be unethical to recommend a product which I hadn’t bothered even to find out about. Of course I want to make money, but leading people into what could possibly be a bad experience and a waste of money is not the way to do it. It would only take a couple of “shoddy” products to ruin my credibility and my good name for a long time to come.I have a couple of people who email me with offers and through experience have learned that I can trust them. Now, I feel very confident that if I buy through their links I will be getting exactly what they describe. Money can’t buy loyalty like that, it has to be earned.
Sylvia Richardss last blog post..WHO ARE YOU PART 2
Frankie Teo
November 16, 2008That’s where Product Reviews come in via Blog Posting or linking. I can see you in a few of the Top Marketer’s post & giving good comments on your success.
Great Work, Reed.. Congrats !
Success to All,
Frankie
http://www.affiliatemillionsmarketingsystem.com/
Linda Basta
November 17, 2008Hi Reed
Great advise ….as always.
I skip reading a lot of newsletters and blogs, but just can’t pass up yours.
It is always fresh, practical and just what we need, and easy to understand .
Thanks,
Linda
PV Reymond
November 17, 2008Hi Reed,
I think that recommending products is a good way to boost your income.
The most important thing here is to recommend products that you know can solve your prospects problems and not garbage.
On the other hand, it’s important to say what you think about the product… what you like and what you don’t like, this will increase your credibility and you’ll make more money.
Thanks,
^PV Reymond
http://www.startup-internetbusiness.com
PV Reymonds last blog post..Internet Marketing For Newbies… The First Step
admin
November 17, 2008@Timothy make a name for yourself in the marketplace and build a big enough list and you can get almost any product free before it launches
@normz2 ouch glad you checked it out first
@Tom Thanks 🙂
@subroto Thanks
@Dale great tips
@Ari branding can have a dramatic impact
@Eric You’re welcome will do 🙂
@Jussi I don’t like overly hypey selling either
@Michael Congrats on your success
@Sue I agree it’s a matter of balance
@Geoff Yeah that’s something I’ve noticed with a lot of the A list players their email copy is unique
@Travis Keep us posted on what it does for you
@Kevin you’re welcome
@Jeff That’s a good question to ask yourself
@Terence oftentimes the best content for a course is giving away free
@Sylvia agreed loyalty is earned
@Frankie Thank you
@Linda Thank you
@PV agreed.
Christine Imamshah
November 18, 2008Having been around for a little while now as an affiliate marketer I am really tired of the hypey picthes from all the gurus for product after product.
Most definitely a comprehensive and useful review must include both the pros and the cons. For obvious reasons, if there are more cons than pros then you very likely would not bother to recommend it or you will be risking your reputation. The internet may seem huge, but to me it really is quite small if you consider how fast information gets around.
You do not want your reputation and credibility to be tarnished because bad news travels fast, probably faster than good so you will soon be out of business if this happens.
Regards,
Chris
http://www.fastinternetmarketingtips.com
admin
November 18, 2008@Chris agreed you need to be very careful and guard your credibility.
Zhana
November 19, 2008It’s important to promote products in your field. That way, you will not just be familiar with the product, you will also know about other products out there, including the competition, and you can compare and contrast them.
For example, I write books about success and achieving your goals. I also read books on the subject and I know what the best stuff is out there. If I like a product, I will review and promote it. http://tinyurl.com/59zcgy
Pat Gunning
November 19, 2008It’s all about branding yourself and building a relationship with your list. That all starts with establishing trust.
Great post Reed
I would add Review sites to this as well!
admin
November 26, 2008@Zhana yeah that can be a very profitable way to market
@Pat great points
skin care beauty
December 15, 2008Thank you for all your up to date information, it is appreciated.
Garrett
April 5, 2009I shall be keeping an eye out for this blog in future. Great stuff!
websites for kids virtual worlds
April 17, 2009Only recommend products that you have tried and believe in. Make your recommendation realistic by mentioning not only the good points but the bad points. Honesty is the best policy. If the customers or visitors trust you enough, then they will definitely trust your recommendations.
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