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CONNECT People Looking For A Solution To A Problem With Companies That Offer PROVEN Solutions



If you connect (using your affiliate link) people looking for a solution to a problem with companies that offer
proven solutions you will make money as the consequence - no 'selling' required.

This is the business model used by many big companies such as Expedia, NerdWallet, AirBNB, Uber, and all the review and comparison sites.

Based on Affiliate Marketing it's a model the little guy can model too.

Here's how...

  1. Decide on who you want to serve, and how you'd like to serve them.
  2. Create a YOU based brand hub / website that leverages your strengths and especially weaknesses to give you an authentic unique place you can communicate from.
  3. After research you should discover there are between 3 - 8 critical points that people need to understand in order to move nearer their goal.
  4. Create content in the format of your choice that educates people on these points.
  5. Do these points need to be consumed in a specific order? If so you will develop your Hub / Website / Funnel and follow up messaging to deliver them in the right order.
  6. ATTRACT people to see your stuff.
  7. Track and measure key metrics to ensure you stay on target.



"My objective for this page is to share what works
for me, and though I'm riddled with flaws and weakness
show that perfect isn't necessary"



My CONNECT Process...


I've had a few months break from my affiliate business, but without seeing any real drop in revenues. I left automated advertising systems (read Microsoft and Google Search Engine Pay Per Click) to send visitors into my CONNECTING Content which send some of these visitors (via my affiliate links) to companies that can help them further.

This earns me affiliate commissions when somebody buys, which gets paid automatically into my Bank, Ewallet, or Paypal. All very hands off once set up. A good side hustle.

Here's a diagram...

Resources - My Affiliate System


I was going to call my connecting process of messages a 'Matrix' because it sounds cool, and that I know what I'm doing, but the reality is it's a MESS of messaging.

Yet it's profitable.

I'm currently 'pruning' messaging and tech that sits on 3 websites (I used to like testing site / funnel builders), and 4 Email Service Providers.

But I can see from various Analytics, tracking tools, and Affiliate dashboards that some of this stuff works.

But most is unnecessary.



A Brief Example...


1. Decide on who you want to serve and how you want to serve them? 

I want to serve the me that is emerging from this realization that I don't want to spend much time on this online stuff, but I do want it to be moderately (I'm also not very ambitious) profitable, and really nail down a simple process that I can share with other side hustlers.

2. Create a YOU based brand hub / website that leverages your strengths and especially weaknesses to give you an authentic unique place you can communicate from.

This site and Freedom-Lifestyles.com going forward are going to be my main sites. The only reason for keeping two that cover the same topic is because I think there will be some value in testing the different tech.

I think the weakness (subjective I know) of being an introverted personality, with no desire / ability to leverage social media may prove interesting to similar people.

3. After research you should discover there are between 3 - 8 critical points that people need to understand in order to move nearer their goal. Your content will revolve around these. Here are mine for people that want a very part time side hustle:-

  • Money is always exchanged for value - so if I'm only going to share what's working for me in my side hustle I think it's critical that the companies I connect people to have to over deliver on value. Be happy customer creating machines.
  • If I'm going to work around being introverted and a little crappy at marketing I again need to partner with companies that will compensate for my lack. Meaning companies that will really nurture and develop the people that I connect them with.
  • Over 85% of sales happen after the initial contact period. Meaning I want to partner with companies that will pay me for the lifetime of the people I introduce, and across all the products and services the company may offer.
  • Whatever you decide to promote as an affiliate it's vital to create you own unique brand / angle with hub / website / domain so you can be crystal clear about who you serve, and why they should care. Set yourself apart from the crowd. Big Advertising Networks also prefer working with brands.
  • To do this very part time I MUST leverage systems that do the work for me. Automated Advertising and content delivery systems (think funnels, websites and email systems). Today this technology is readily available and easily affordable.
  • You MUST be able to track what's working. So you can keep what's profitable. 

4. Create content in the format of your choice that educates people on these points.

For me right now this is written format on websites and in email. I'm not saying this is best I think video is probably better if you're able, but I want to focus on what suits me.

5. Do these points need to be consumed in a specific order? If so you will develop your Hub / Website / Funnel and follow up messaging to deliver them in the right order.

I think there is a logical order that should introduce you and your idea (Fun Legit Side Hustle / supplemental online income), give a brief explanation of what it is, possible results, and what you have to do. Pretty standard stuff. Most of my content is on websites and my automated email messaging directs people back to these pages.

6. ATTRACT people to see your stuff.

I've always had most success using Search Engine Pay Per Click traffic. Because these people are very targeted. Already interested enough to type in a search phrase. I then simply try to help them with an advert that explains what my content offers, and then links to content that delivers on the promise in the advert.

The content usually has a link that offers people more information - often that link is an affiliate link.

7. Track and measure key metrics to ensure you stay on target.

This point is vital but for me a work in progress.

I tend to naturally overthink stuff, make things more complex than they need be. Analytics and tracking tech give me so much opportunity to totally confuse myself.

I know what I spend and what I earn. Luckily the later is the bigger number. But when I try and break things into more detail - I blow my own mind.

I think I need to simplify what I track. Knowing there will be a few holes, but being OK with them.

I'm going to research this, and update when I have a better answer.


Conclusion

Affiliate Marketing is an ideal vehicle for a side hustle.

A Hub / Website plus email list gives you enough promotional clout to make money and can run pretty much automatically after initial set up.

Promoting great companies that produce loyal happy customers and offer affiliates the potential for lifetime affiliate commissions and high earnings is the game changer IMO.



 

FUN LEGIT SIDE HUSTLE?


HERE'S MINE >>>
  • Francesca Etheart says:

    Hi, great article. Truly madly deeply thank you for this wonderful wealth of information ya. I actually am very interested in affiliate marketing and making money from the comfort of my home. I do have blogs with ads on them. I’m interested in knowing what are the main differences between ads and affiliate links? Moreover by using ads and affiliate links can I supplement my income enough to purely survive on my blogging? I say this because you mentioned a side hustle. I’m more interested in owning a business and making a full-time income. Additionally, what sites do you recommend I work with? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated thank you.

    • admin says:

      Great questions Francesca, as you already have sites with ads on them (Google Adsense?) you know that you can earn steady income from these ad blocks, but if you offered affiliate links to companies and products that help people do what ever the topic of the page is about, better, faster, or for less cost could the affiliate commissions out pay the ad revenue?

      Or, could you run both? Have your cake and eat it.

      Many people do run both on their sites and have scaled their content generating to become a real full time business. You can do it if you work it.

      Personally I like to work with companies that generate loyal long term customers from a free entry point and pay affiliates lifetime affiliate commissions. It’s a win, win, win.

      >”>Here’s an article post that cover my favorites >>

      Thanks for visiting, and good luck building your biz 🙂

  • pasindu dimanka says:

    This is a great post. Because I have been doing affiliate marketing since 2020. And even if he dies, that’s fine. I had tried different things before. But more than all of that, affiliate marketing went right for me. I recommend affiliate marketing to anyone without any fear. Also, in this post you have given exactly step by step about it. And I have not gone to PPC yet. I still do free organic traffic. Your post says PPC Gant. I think now is the time for me to campaign for PPC. Thanks so much for this post.I will definitely share this.

  • James says:

    Hi Richard, I like the way you have written this article about affiliate marketing. You have written about the dream of affiliate marketing – making money from home, in the most efficient manner possible. Its one of the things that I love about affiliate marketing – you can set up systems to do the majority of the work allowing you to focus on the testing and tweaking of the system to maximise results. 
    What have you found to have the greatest effect on your business?

  • LineCowley says:

    Affiliate marketing is a great way of earning income online, but to me the biggest challenge has been traffic. Without traffic, you won’t survive.

    You mention that when it comes to sharing and attracting visitors, you have had the most success using Search Engine Pay Per Click traffic. Having never used any paid advertising, I have been concerned about the cost of paying for advertising, as I do not want the cost to run away. So do you have a daily or weekly limit that you set?

    How much does one have to spend on paid per click to actually see results? Thank you. 

    • admin says:

      When I’m testing I start very small and targeted less than £5 per day, until I see enough data to make informed decisions. PPC offers so many ways people can control the spend and maintain the targeting. I would suggest starting with one piece of content you consider a solid converter and run a very small test around a very small even just one keyword phrase that matches the content. You can track results using the free Google Analytics. And it’s great when you find profitable keywords because like a tap you can leave it turned on, and enjoy the automated profits.

  • Amanda says:

    Hi Richard, I’ve just entered into this affiliate marketing world, and I’ve just read your post. I’m particularly interested in advertising via sidebar widgets. I realise that traffic is a major plus regarding this, however, what are you thoughts / advice on perhaps using this method to send to affiliate products with the added bonus of catching advertising revenue? I’m quite concerned about the potential cost of this, but accept it may be necessary in speeding things along. Look forward to any advice you may offer. Thanks

    • admin says:

      Hi Amanda, in terms of using sidebar widgets on your own site to send to affiliate offers, this is a proven strategy for monetizing your own traffic, easy to set up and test – good idea.

      If you want to pay to place ad placement on other peoples websites to bring people back to your site, again it’s a proven method, but you need to have your analytics set up so you can quickly tell if your profitable.

      Personally I would suggest starting with Search Engine Pay Per Click because you have way more control, and it’s so easy and fast to set up, once you’ve got used to the platforms (nothing to be scared of).

      >” >Here’s my traffic page that goes a little deeper >>

      Good luck Amanda 🙂

  • Bethel says:

    This article is informative and well-detailed in simple terms. Affiliate marketing is truly a great business model. It is a win-win platform for both the company/manufacturer and the affiliate marketer. For a beginner, it may not be easy and rosy at first but with patience and consistency, success will surely come. Thanks for sharing.

  • Rohit says:

    You have correctly pointed out what affiliate marketing is all about- connecting with people. Once you connect, there is no need of selling. People trust words from known sources more than the unseen product they will purchase.

    I like your thought about money is exchanged for value. This thought has a very deep meaning.

    I fully agree with you that Affiliate Marketing is great as a side hustle and Mat even turn passive after a while.

    Thanks for sharing this article. 

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