Thanks to Rosalind's advice, a newbie earned $944.91!

[tom_ripley]

Hi everyone, this is Tom.

I don't want to jinx my luck, because the ClickBank check hasn't officially arrived in the mail yet... but thanks in large part to reading Rosalind's blog and freely available newsletter articles, my ClickBank account has a little green number in the "paycheck" column that reads $944.91!

So, thanks Rosalind!

I'm here to learn and share ideas, and for support.

Anyway, on to something you might find interesting...

I love reading, and sense that many affiliates feel as though they're sometimes in competition and/or in conflict with the merchants whose products they promote. I know that I have sometimes felt that way.

People don't seem to like sending traffic to squeeze pages, and they don't seem to like it when merchants prominently promote their affiliate program on the sales page.

Oh, and I nearly forgot... many ClickBank affiliates (me included) dislike seeing our affiliate nickname splashed all over the browser's address bar after making a referral. Rosalind has a blog entry that outlines an excellent solution for this that more ClickBank publishers should use, in my opinion.

I'm crossing over to try my luck as a ClickBank publisher of a stock market related information product, and am trying to be super friendly to affiliates. The link to the affiliate information page of my new website is in my signature line. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to websites and the like, but I'm trying to learn quickly and am open to criticism as well as to suggestions.

Your thoughts regarding what you don't like about merchant sales pages would be appreciated, and also, let me know how you think I could make my affiliate information page more affiliate friendly.

Regards,
Tom

[HomeInsurance]

Greetings Tom,

Congratulations! I'm sure your bank account was doing cartwheels over that nice little sum!

After hearing about them for quite some time, I've finally started using squeeze pages myself. Not because I disliked them, I was too bloody lazy to implement them to begin with! LOL

Now, I've converted my Earn Residual Income site into a three-pager that consists of the main page serving as a squeeze page targeted at Network Marketers who want to bring leads to them instead of having to chase them, a home business resources/link partners page, and a link partners solicitation page. That is list I'm pleased to say, is growing slowly but steadily, and its targeted.

I am also using the concept to fuel subscriptions to my new ezine which launched today for the Free Home Owners Information Center. Pretty much most of the ideas were sparked by visiting and subscirbing to this forum, which makes me grateful that successful affiliates who have walked the road like Ros here have chosen to share what works here with those who wish to follow in their footsteps. Thank you Ros.

The Insurance Information Centers are now cranking out four-figure monthly checks, I'm pleased to say; all because of what I've learned from those who are willing to share.

If you hear good, clean ethical advice that doesn't set off your fire alarms, go ahead and use it. Because as long as you know that you're treating your visitors right, that's what matters in the end. The IIC's income reflects this fact. I wouldn't be making a dime if my visitor experience wasn't enjoyable. So now, I'm enhancing it with a Real Estate Advice for Homeowners Weekly newsletter.

Definitely will consider other ideas I've come across here, but probably after I've successfully made the transition from 9-to-5 to Stay-at-Home; which will hopefully be soon. Because let me tell ya, its a lot of work; espeically when you have a just over broke to go to. But its well worth it when you see the payoff at long last.

My personal circle of naysayers have at last been humbled and silenced by what they seen me accomplish online.

Anyhow, that's my two-cents. Again, congrats!

Warmest regards,

Felix J. Torres, Founder/Director
The Insurance Information Centers

PS Ros, you mentioned in the blog that your checks got shredded! Ouch! Anyhow hopefully they were replaced in a timely fashion by the companies you represent. Makes me glad I signed up for the direct deposit programs of the companies I affiliate with ...

[tom_ripley]

Hello Felix,

Thank you for the kind words!

Somewhere towards the end of your post you mentioned making the transition from 9 to 5 job to being entirely self employed. That's perhaps the most frightening aspect of this entire process.

It would be great to get some opinions regarding this:

Do affiliates mind there being affiliate signup links on sales pages?

Regards,
Tom

[Rosalind Gardner]

Hey Tom,

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS! Very cool... and a nice large number too.

The nice thing is that if you can do that number, you can do much LARGER numbers.

BTW, I took a look at GreedyAffiliates.com and had a good chuckle... but there is definitely one thing missing... and I'll leave it to you to tell me what that is.

Cheers,
Ros

[tom_ripley]

[Tropical Tundra]

Great posts here! Good motivation to keep plugging along! So my inquiring mind wants to know--what was missing?

Was it the opt-in form? Which I see now on your site.

Tom, what you have there is a good twist deviating from the norm from all the similar sites out there so I say good job. I would have never thought of setting up a site where I tell everyone how rich and what a jerk I am but the rich jerk does very nicely. Good info/products with a good twist to stand out from the crowd is an excellent idea. Good luck with your site!

Regarding the affiliate link on the sales page, I don't have a problem with that personally. IMHO - You might lose good affiliates if you make them search for it or if you email them separately.

[HomeInsurance]

Howdy Tom,

You're quite welcome! It always nice to see the business model of affiliate marketing validated with other people, especially with all the naysayers who'd rather just j.o.b. it 9 to 5 until they're 65 and ridicule you for your desire and efforts not to follow in their footsteps. Comments like, "You're reaching." "Get back to reality" "Pipe dreams don't pay the rent" and ad infinitum to the point where sometimes you simply wish to sever ties with them. Glad I didn't though, because these individuals meant well and have sincerely apologized for their negativity.

Oh yes! The transition out of 9-5-65! I agree; it is the most frightening aspect of developing your own business, to be quite frank. But you know what? After what happened at my j.o.b. last week, I realized that I am on the right course with what I want to do with the rest of my life because nothing in life is truly secure.

If you can figure out a way to earn your own living, then you've learned how to fish instead of depending on others to provide the fish for you. My response to my fear is to build more IIC's following the same principles that make the current ones successful for an even stronger foudation when the time comes to make the final break. Just do more of what works, and do to it ethically and honorably and you'll grow and prosper.

As a result, the transition process which has been affectionately nicknamed Project: Breakaway is in full swing and I hope to be done with 9-5-65 sometime after late next year.

As to "Do affiliates mind there being affiliate signup links on sales pages?" I do believe it can cause potential problems in terms of programs that allow affiliates to buy from themselves; which really bites especially if you put the hard work into getting the offer out there on behalf of the merchant. I myself strictly adhere to the principle of buying from the link of the person who referred me, and if I like the program joining under them if at all possible. I value my 8 hours of sleep, thank you very much. However, there are no affiliate sign up links on the sign up pages themselves that power my IIC's income. So that is very much appreciated.

Besides, even if there were, they might not be an issue in my case because I don't deal with those looking to start businesses and the like. My market are consumers who are simply looking to save money. They are not into signing up for affiliate programs.

Guess Yanik Silver was right when he recommended to me a few years back that I should consider other areas beside the Internet marketing arena.

Warmest Regards,

Felix

[mullman99]

My first payperiod total with clickbank is $561

Michael