We know from the emails we receive that so many people are struggling to make a decent living online. It can be quite depressing at times when you seem to put in so much effort for little return, and often your family and friends are not supportive.
But Affiliate Marketing does work, you just need to get the process right. We tried all sorts of things before we finally found what worked for us and the steps that we talk about in our Amazonian Profit Plan certainly made the world of difference to our income and lifestyle. The main thing is to find what suits you and stick to it. Money isn’t going to start coming in at the start, be prepared for this, in fact it generally takes a few months before you start to see any real results. But if you stick at it you will get there.
So why do I love the affiliate marketing business? Well it allows me to live a rich and fulfilling life full of extraordinary moments. I just want to share some of the highlights with you, maybe it will help to keep you focused when you know that I am not some young tech savvy person, in fact I am a grandmother and a great grandmother (I started young) so if I can do this, so can you.
In the last three weeks alone, we have had the opportunity to drive 4 different model Ferraris through a company called Prancing Horse, attend the T. Harv Eker ‘Millionaire Mind” conference and then went on to the Tony Robins/Richard Branson Ultimate Success Summit in Sydney.
It has been a lifelong dream of mine to own a Ferrari, so having the opportunity to drive 4 different models was an amazing experience.
We left Sydney on the Friday morning and drove to Kiama for lunch at the Seabreeze Restaurant and then further on down the NSW coast to Gerringong where we stayed overnight at the Bellachara Boutique Hotel. The package included, accommodation, all meals and a fantastic massage when we arrived at the hotel.
Then we drove back to Sydney the next day. There were 8 people all told, and each car had two people in each, so we stopped to do a driver exchange and later on at the next stop we exchanged cars. This gave everyone the opportunity to drive each of the cars. A totally awesome weekend. And just don’t tell anyone I told you but Paula got a speeding ticket driving one of the Ferraris – a whopping $672 (approx $630US) for doing 40kms over the speed limit! She says it was worth it!
A week later we were back in Sydney to attend the 3 day Millionaire Mind Intensive event and stayed on in Sydney to see Tony Robbins and Richard Branson, for a taste of more motivational inspiration.
So for the past 3 weeks we have stayed in Sydney at 4 & 5 star hotels, eaten at very nice restaurants and attended educational and inspirational events; things we could not have done without our online business and more specifically when we finally worked out what we needed to do to get our websites to start returning serious money.
It has allowed us to travel wherever and whenever we like because this business can be done on your laptop. We flit back and forward to the US and next year we are off to Europe again, plus we get to travel around Australia at will.
We didn’t always know what we were doing and we made every mistake in the book along the way. But we found the key to success is to have a plan, focus on it and open your mind to the endless possibilities that are available.
We did it and so can you!!
This is an awesome post and just the sort of motivation I need when I get those days where I feel like I’m going nowhere fast and that I should just join everyone else in the ‘real world’.
You are totally correct about winning the support of friends and family – this can be the hardest thing to do and personally I find it hard to work to my potential when I have my disbelieving family breathing down my neck. I know they mean well and just want to succeed in life, but patience is the key hopefully.
As far as the speeding ticket in the Ferrari, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t get one! :P
Whenever family chime in with their well meaning comments I just say “thank you for sharing” and continue what I am doing.
I was so jealous of Paula, I did the right thing and kept to the speed limit. It was so tempting to just go for it.
Hi Paula and Wanda, another awesome and useful article. As a member of your e-mail list, I was able to purchase Amazonian Profit Plan at the introductory price, but even the regular price is still a steal.
I have implemented all of your key suggestions, re-wrote my product reviews and all new ones I wrote follow the model you suggest. I found a website that matches bloggers with website owners looking for content, and now have three articles as a guest blogger.
My Alexa rating has dropped from 6 million to under 1,5 mil in three months, and have sold over $500 wort of goods on Amazon and my other affiliate programs….so while I am not yet living the millionaire lifestyle…I am on my way thanks to what I have learned from you two and a few other super affiliates who share their knowledge.
I hope others will read this and see that making money online is possible…takes a bit of time…but is possible.
Regards,
Ken Weiss
http://www.menshealthcures.com
You used product reviews as guest posts?
Hi Dennis. No, I didn’t use product reviews as guest posts. Guest blogging must be unique content for that site. I used the techniques and tips Wanda and Paula recommend in the Amazonian Profit Plan to re-write product reviews on my site, and the guide for how I write new product reviews.
Regarding guest blogging, I found a website that connects website owners seeking content, and bloggers looking for sites to submit content to.
Hope that clarifies.
Ken Weiss
http://www.menshealthcures.com
OK sorry Ken, I misread. :)
Excellent news Ken. I’m so glad things are going well for you. Now is the time to maintain the momentum and keep going for it.
Hello Ken. You mentioned in a post that you found a website that connects bloggers to website owners needing content? Do you mind sharing?
Steven,
I don’t if this is the site Ken was referring to, but there is site called http://www.myblogguest.com that is like a job board for bloggers. I was able to find a few people to sent blog posts to, but not too many. It works the other way around too – finding people to blog on your site.
Thanks Liz. Ill check them out. How’s your site doing? I went to check out your cooking site. Looks good.
Hi Steven,
My site is doing fine – but not yet generating the income I am looking for. However, I didn’t start even making sales until recently. I was getting traffic thanks to a class I took through James Martell, but until I put in Paula and Wanda’s principles of product specific reviews and using Amazon, they weren’t converting to sales. I have A LOT more work to do on it though!
Thanks,
Liz
Thats great news Ken. Congratulations on your Alexa rating.
I also bought the Amazonian Profit Plan, and of the three Amazon style affiliate marketing plans I have purchased this year, found yours to be the most informative. Having been an Amazon associate since 2007 without much success, I too have seen my earnings escalate steadily this year, and more so since I began employing tactics outlined in your plan.
Additionally, as a subscriber to your email list, I appreciate the tips you send out on a regular basis.
Thats great news Tammie, its good to hear that your income is increasing and that you find the tips helpful.
Hi Paula and Wanda
I always look forward to your new post as I know it will contain something that I need to hear.
I have been watching your progress for almost 2 years via Jame’s Boot Camp and now your own Blog. I recall reading one post when you said we sold a tire on Amazon today. I was a total beginner and still along way behind you but I’m not giving up!
As always congratulations it’s so good to hear success stories like yours. I’m a grandmother too!
Shirley
Hi Shirley
Yes it’s been a bit of a journey but we have finally worked out what works best for us. We had a chuckle when you reminded us about selling the tire. Now of course we realise that when you promote Amazon products you make money from everything you sell through them even when the visitor doesn’t buy the product you are promoting.
You have a beautiful site, I really like the theme, it suits your niche so well.
Sounds like you have had a fun month! I look forward to having the same lifestyle and it is important to see things like this to stay motivated. My family thinks I’m whacko to spend so much time on affiliate marketing when I’m not making much money yet.
We certainly did have fun Cathy. Hang in there, you will notice a change in their attitude when your income increases. With Halloween just around the corner you have an ideal opportunity to see some serious conversions.
Wanda and Paula – you two really are an inspiration. Your posts are always full of encouragement. It really is all about “keeping on”.
Family members that don’t support you are so hard in the beginning – I went through that. But hubby did a complete turn around once the affiliate and adsense payments became a regular thing.
So to anyone else with a doubting spouse, just try to ignore their comments and know that once you succeed (and if you simply do the Amazonian Profit Plan you will) their outlook will change. Suddenly they will become your biggest fan!
I agree Dawn, isn’t it amazing how attitudes change once the money starts to come in. I find it incredible how many family members don’t see Affiliate Marketing as a ‘Proper Job’. That is until you have some success.
Thanks for the motivating post. I think the hardest part is learning what it takes during those months of intense work. After over 6 months, I think I have finally got the hang of it – now time will tell if I have it right. But I too believe if I stop, then my chances for success also stop.
Thanks!
What you say is so true Liz, so many people give up just when they are on the brink of success. It’s really a matter of finding a plan that works and staying focused.
Thank you so much for this post. Prior to reading this I was on the phone with my mom complaining, because I am at a loss as to what to do next. It is such a desperate feeling when you know you are doing something wrong, perhaps many things wrong and you don’t know how or where to begin to fix it. And just as you mentioned, my family is none too impressed by the hours upon hours I have spent on the computer with nothing to show for it. I have repeatedly talked myself out of giving up so many times…
Anyhow, when I got off the phone I came to your site looking for a plugin you had mentioned in a previous post. Needless to say I came across this post which is nothing short of a gift. I can’t tell you how much I needed this. I am not going to give up! Thank you.
Aren’t family’s funny creatures? You often find that if you spent hours in front of the computer watching Youtube videos or facebook, they wouldn’t have any problems with that. I don’t know what it is about an online business that gets them all bent out of shape. I am really pleased that you are not giving up. Believe me there were many times when we felt exactly the same and I so glad we kept at it.
I find that as far as relatives getting bent out of shape, it is fear of the unknown. The simple truth is that while most people out there would jump onto the internet to buy something in a heartbeat, they never stop to think that in their act of buying, someone else is selling and thus there is money to be made by both te merchant and the affiliate.
Well said Ben, totally agree.
Love stories like these!! Great comfort and motivation! Thanks!
I agree. When we were struggling to make it online we would often listen to audios of people who had made a success of it. It just kept us going.
Sounds great (except for the speeding ticket). So you both work together on your business?! It’s pretty cool that you earn enough money to do these things. I myself am just starting to make money.
Yep we both work together on the business. We have been for years now. No arguments yet so it seems to be working for us.
And congrats on starting to make money. If you can make ‘some’ money then you can make more – the skies the limit in this business.
Your story has surely motivated me. The ups and downs of this business would make one want to give up. But with your story, I am motivated to continue with this business.