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Curriculum

by | Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing, List Building, Plugins, Tools, Uncategorized, Wordpress | 0 comments

The curriculum is designed to guide individuals through the essentials of email and affiliate marketing. It offers a structured approach to building and monetizing an email list, even with limited resources.

    • Identifying Your Ideal Subscriber: Utilizing demographics and psychographics to target the right audience.

    • Understanding Subscriber Desires: Exploring “100 things people want to be, do, have” to tap into audience motivations.

    • The 80% Approach: Focusing on strategies that yield the majority of results.

    • Predicting Subscriber Behavior: Anticipating the next moves of your audience to tailor content effectively.

    • Lead Magnet Creation: Developing compelling offers to grow your email list.

    • Affiliate Offer Selection: Identifying and evaluating top affiliate marketing opportunities.

    • Crafting Effective Communications: Writing impactful messages and subject lines.

    • Leveraging AI: Enhancing email copy with artificial intelligence tools.

    • Budget-Friendly Website Launch: Setting up a website without significant financial investment.

    • Landing Page Optimization: Designing pages that convert visitors into subscribers or customers.

    • Traffic Generation: Implementing strategies to drive visitors to your site.

    • List Growth Blueprint: A comprehensive plan to expand your email list effectively.

Order and content subject to change without notice.

 

If you’re thirsty for a little more then check out this short 7-minute video.  It’s an excerpt from an old training I did but the concepts are still sound.  It’ll give you an idea of where I’m coming from; I’m not like the other kids.

100 Things People Want to Be, Do or Have

by | Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing, List Building | 0 comments

Things People Want To Be (Personal Growth & Identity)

  1. Successful
  2. Happy
  3. Wealthy
  4. Loved
  5. Respected
  6. Confident
  7. Free (financially & personally)
  8. Healthy & fit
  9. A great parent
  10. A leader
  11. A business owner
  12. A millionaire (or billionaire)
  13. Charismatic
  14. Knowledgeable
  15. A great speaker
  16. A top expert in a field
  17. Adventurous
  18. Spiritually fulfilled
  19. Creative & artistic
  20. Disciplined

Things People Want To Do (Experiences & Achievements)

  1. Travel the world
  2. Start a business
  3. Own a dream home
  4. Get married
  5. Write a book
  6. Learn a new language
  7. Skydive
  8. Retire early
  9. Build passive income streams
  10. Give to charity & help others
  11. Learn to play an instrument
  12. Run a marathon
  13. Visit all seven continents
  14. Start a YouTube channel
  15. Learn to dance
  16. Try extreme sports (e.g., scuba diving, bungee jumping)
  17. Go on a cruise
  18. Live in a different country
  19. Become a social media influencer
  20. Meet a celebrity
  21. Own a successful blog or podcast
  22. Watch the Northern Lights
  23. Learn self-defense/martial arts
  24. Host a TED Talk
  25. Create a successful online course
  26. Be featured in a major publication
  27. Start a non-profit organization
  28. Ride in a hot air balloon
  29. See the Grand Canyon
  30. Go on an African safari

Things People Want To Have (Material & Financial Goals)

  1. A luxury car (Lamborghini, Tesla, Rolls-Royce)
  2. A private jet
  3. A dream vacation home
  4. A yacht
  5. A six-figure business
  6. A designer wardrobe
  7. A thriving investment portfolio
  8. Multiple income streams
  9. A collection of rare watches or jewelry
  10. The latest gadgets & tech
  11. A state-of-the-art home office
  12. A fully equipped gym at home
  13. Financial security for family
  14. A dream wedding
  15. A high-end gaming setup
  16. A library filled with books
  17. High-quality camera & photography gear
  18. A world-class art collection
  19. The best fitness equipment
  20. A thriving eCommerce store

To Be with Someone (Relationships & Love)

  1. Find true love
  2. Have a supportive partner
  3. Raise a happy family
  4. Be surrounded by great friends
  5. Be a mentor to others
  6. Repair broken relationships
  7. Find a like-minded business partner
  8. Build a strong personal network
  9. Inspire & help others succeed
  10. Leave a lasting legacy

Things People Want To Learn (Skills & Knowledge)

  1. Master public speaking
  2. Learn coding & tech skills
  3. Understand stock investing & trading
  4. Learn real estate investing
  5. Master digital marketing
  6. Become a great negotiator
  7. Learn meditation & mindfulness
  8. Study psychology & human behavior
  9. Become a great storyteller
  10. Develop speed-reading skills

Things People Want To Achieve (Dreams & Recognition)

  1. Win an award in an industry
  2. Be debt-free
  3. Have 1M+ followers on social media
  4. Make a viral video
  5. Break a world record
  6. Become an expert in a niche
  7. Be a top-paid professional in a field
  8. Get recognized in Forbes, Business Insider, or TIME
  9. Leave behind generational wealth
  10. Be remembered as someone who changed lives

Which of these are on your list?  Which do you think are on your ideal prospects list?

Sites Like About.com

by | Affiliate Marketing, Uncategorized | 0 comments

about.com

About.com, now defunct, was great because the site covered dozens of niche markets and the ads on the pages were highly targeted making it a great place to find offers.  

No site that I’ve found, yet, rivals About.com.  What you’ll find below are a wide range of sites that vary in markets.  You will need to do some hunting to find offers but they’re out there!

Here’s a list of websites similar to the original concept of About.com, which provided a wide variety of expert-curated articles across multiple topics. These sites offer general information, how-to guides, or niche content:

General Information and How-To Sites

    1. Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
      A free, crowd-sourced encyclopedia covering virtually any topic in depth.
    2. eHow (ehow.com)
      Offers how-to guides and tutorials on a wide range of practical topics.
    3. Quora (quora.com)
      A Q&A platform where users can ask questions and get answers from experts or enthusiasts.
    4. WikiHow (wikihow.com)
      Specializes in step-by-step guides for solving everyday problems.
    5. Lifewire (lifewire.com)
      Provides straightforward, expert-created tech advice and tutorials.

Niche Content Sites (Former About.com Verticals)

After About.com was restructured, its content was split into niche-focused sites:

    1. Verywell (verywell.com)
      Focuses on health, fitness, and wellness information.
    2. The Spruce (thespruce.com)
      Covers home improvement, gardening, and DIY projects.
    3. TripSavvy (tripsavvy.com)
      A travel-focused site offering tips, destination guides, and reviews.
    4. Lifewire (lifewire.com)
      Tech-focused tutorials and guides for everyday users.
    5. Investopedia (investopedia.com)
      Provides financial and investing advice.

Other Similar Sites

    1. HowStuffWorks (howstuffworks.com)
      Explains how various things in the world function, from science to pop culture.
    2. ThoughtCo (thoughtco.com)
      Covers educational content on science, history, math, and more.
    3. CNET (cnet.com)
      Focused on technology reviews, news, and how-tos.
    4. TechRadar (techradar.com)
      Offers detailed guides and reviews of the latest tech and gadgets.
    5. Stack Exchange (stackexchange.com)
      A network of Q&A sites specializing in various topics like coding, math, and more.
    6. Instructables (instructables.com)
      Focused on step-by-step DIY projects and creative builds.
    7. Healthline (healthline.com)
      A comprehensive site for health and wellness information.
    8. Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
      Covers home, gardening, and lifestyle advice.

These sites cater to a variety of interests, offering a mix of general and specialized content like About.com once did.

SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham Summary

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SPIN Selling is a sales methodology developed by Neil Rackham, based on research into successful sales practices. It focuses on understanding customer needs and providing solutions, particularly in complex, high-value sales. The acronym S.P.I.N. stands for the four types of questions that sales professionals use to guide conversations with prospects:

1. Situation Questions

  • Purpose: Gather information about the prospect’s current situation to understand their context.
  • Examples:
    • “What systems are you currently using?”
    • “How do you handle [specific process] today?”

Tip: Keep these questions limited, as excessive focus on gathering information can lead to disengagement.

2. Problem Questions

  • Purpose: Identify challenges or pain points that the prospect is experiencing.
  • Examples:
    • “What issues are you encountering with your current solution?”
    • “Is this process causing any inefficiencies?”

Tip: These questions help uncover potential areas where your product or service can add value.

3. Implication Questions

  • Purpose: Highlight the consequences of the prospect’s problems to create a sense of urgency.
  • Examples:
    • “What impact does this issue have on your productivity?”
    • “How does this problem affect your ability to meet your goals?”

Tip: These questions demonstrate the cost of inaction, motivating the prospect to consider change.

4. Need-Payoff Questions

  • Purpose: Lead the prospect to articulate the value of solving their problem and the benefits of your solution.
  • Examples:
    • “If this issue were resolved, how would it improve your operations?”
    • “Would having a more efficient system help achieve your goals faster?”

Tip: These questions make the prospect more likely to see your solution as essential.

Key Principles of SPIN Selling:

  1. Customer-Centric: Focus on the prospect’s needs rather than pushing a product.
  2. Build Value Gradually: The method emphasizes guiding the conversation to help the customer realize the need for your solution.
  3. Works for Complex Sales: Particularly effective for high-value deals that involve multiple decision-makers.

Advantages:

  • Builds deeper relationships by focusing on customer needs.
  • Increases the likelihood of closing deals by addressing pain points and demonstrating value.

Would you like insights on applying SPIN Selling in your sales strategy?

Email Marketing and SPIN Selling

The SPIN approach lends itself well to email marketing.  SPIN selling gives us a framework that brings our prospect to see their own need and to acknowledge the pain of not taking action.

Sample SPIN Selling
Email Marketing Message

 Subject: Is Your Team Spending Too Much Time on Manual Reporting?

Hi [First Name],

Situation: Many growing teams like yours rely on spreadsheets and manual processes to track performance metrics.

Problem: This often leads to time-consuming reporting cycles, data inconsistencies, and missed opportunities for real-time insights.

Implication: Without timely and accurate data, decision-making can be delayed, potentially impacting your team’s ability to meet strategic goals.

Need-Payoff: Our analytics platform automates data collection and reporting, providing your team with real-time dashboards and actionable insights. This means less time spent on manual tasks and more time focusing on strategic initiatives.

Would you be open to a quick call to explore how this could benefit your team?

Best regards,
[Your Name]

spin selling by neil rackham

How to Find Top Affiliate Offers

by | Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing | 0 comments

What Makes an Offer Truly Worth Promoting?

If you want to stack serious commissions and build a business that doesn’t feel like a grind, you need to be picky with your offers. Not all affiliate programs are created equal. The best ones have specific traits that make them absolute cash machines when you plug them into your funnel. Here’s what to look for:

One Purchase Source Only

You want exclusivity without the red tape. The ideal product is sold from one place only—one vendor, one checkout page. If people can grab it off Amazon, eBay, or some mystery reseller’s website, you’re competing with chaos. Keep it clean. When you send the click, you should get the credit—period.

Offline Promotions = Hidden Gold

Here’s a major insider move: promote offers that are already crushing it offline. Think direct mail, radio spots, print ads—any product that’s being pushed to the masses in old-school ways is primed to explode online. If it’s in your mailbox, it could be a goldmine in your inbox. I’ve had some of my biggest wins piggybacking on this strategy. Let traditional media create the demand—you scoop the digital profits.

Evergreen Longevity

Trendy, flash-in-the-pan products are tempting, but you’re not here for a quick dopamine hit—you want recurring revenue. Evergreen offers are the foundation. Will the product still be useful 6 months from now? A year? Will people still be using email, drinking coffee, or needing pain relief? If the answer’s yes, you’ve got a winner with staying power.

Plug the Leaks

Leaks are silent commission killers. A “leak” is any path the customer can take that bypasses your affiliate link. Phone orders, printable order forms, third-party checkouts—they’re all dangerous. But here’s the twist: you can flip this to your advantage. Build your own landing page. Strip out the distractions. Make it airtight. You control the message—and keep the credit.

Smart Commissions = Smart Money

Recurring commissions are the holy grail. Get paid over and over for one sale? Yes, please. If it’s a subscription, a software license, or any kind of ongoing billing, that’s your sweet spot. But for one-time offers, look for a product price around $200 with a commission between $50–$100. That’s the magic range—high enough to be exciting, low enough to convert like crazy.

Choose offers that check these boxes and you’re not just promoting—you’re building a real affiliate asset. One that pays, scales, and lasts.

 

Finding good affiliate marketing offers is essential for success as an affiliate. The quality of the offers you promote directly affects your conversion rates, commissions, and the trust you build with your audience. Here’s a guide on how and where to find top-notch affiliate marketing offers:

1. Affiliate Networks

Affiliate networks act as intermediaries between affiliates and merchants. They provide access to a wide range of affiliate programs across various niches. Some of the most reputable affiliate networks include:

  • ShareASale: Offers a large variety of merchants and products in different niches. You can search for programs based on your audience’s interests.
  • CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction): One of the largest networks, featuring both well-known and niche-specific brands. It provides a broad range of affiliate offers.
  • Rakuten Marketing: Known for offering high-quality brands and a well-structured affiliate program management system.
  • ClickBank: Specializes in digital products, such as ebooks, courses, and software. It’s a popular platform for affiliate marketers in the Internet marketing, online education, health, and personal development niches.
  • Impact Radius: A premium network that connects affiliates with top-tier companies. It’s more focused on high-quality partnerships.  Only recommended for more advanced marketers.
  • FlexOffers: Features thousands of affiliate programs in various industries like fashion, travel, finance, and health.

How to use these networks:

  1. Create an account on these platforms.
  2. Browse the marketplace to find offers that match your niche.
  3. Check the merchant’s reputation, commission rates, cookie duration, and conversion potential.
  4. Apply to the programs you’re interested in and get your unique affiliate links.

2. Direct Affiliate Programs

Many companies and brands run their own affiliate programs independently of networks. This can often lead to higher commission rates or exclusive deals. You can find these programs by:

  • Visiting Brand Websites: Many companies have affiliate links at the footer of their website or in the “Partners” or “Affiliate Program” sections.
  • Contacting Companies: If a brand you’re interested in doesn’t have an affiliate program listed, you can reach out directly and ask if they offer one.  Or you can search company/product name + affiliate sign up.  Some companies have their own, in-house, affiliate tracking systems.
  • Checking Competitor Websites: Look at what affiliate programs your competitors are promoting on their sites. This can give you a clue about lucrative offers in your niche.

Examples of Direct Affiliate Programs:

  • Amazon Associates: One of the largest and most popular affiliate programs. Although commission rates are low, the vast product selection and high conversion rates make it a great choice for beginners.
  • Bluehost, SiteGround, and other hosting companies: Hosting companies typically offer high commissions per sale. Their affiliate programs are often highly optimized for conversion.
  • Shopify: Offers a generous affiliate program for promoting their eCommerce platform. It’s ideal for marketers in the entrepreneurship or online business niche.

3. Affiliate Program Directories

Affiliate program directories are websites that list a variety of affiliate programs from multiple niches. These directories allow you to search for offers based on your specific interests, commission rates, and other factors.

Popular Affiliate Program Directories:

  • AffiliatesDirectory.com: Offers a categorized list of affiliate programs across industries like finance, health, and tech.
  • AffiliatePrograms.com: Another resource that allows you to browse thousands of affiliate programs by category.
  • Awin: A global affiliate network with a directory that lets you search for the best affiliate programs across various industries.

  • Other Notable Mentions

    • Impact.com – Top-tier brands and influencers.
    • FlexOffers – Wide range of advertisers, from finance to retail.
    • PartnerStack – Focuses on SaaS and tech affiliate programs.
    • Avangate/2Checkout – Especially good for software and online tools.

     

    More General Affiliate Program Directories

    These cover a wide range of industries and product types:

    1. AffiliatePrograms.com
      • One of the oldest directories. Curates programs by niche, payout structure, and popularity.
      • Site: affiliateprograms.com
    2. Offervault
      • Great for finding CPA (Cost Per Action) offers. Search by payout, category, network.
      • Site: offervault.com
    3. Affbank
      • Aggregates thousands of affiliate offers across verticals and ad formats.
      • Site: affbank.com
    4. 100AffiliatePrograms.com
    5. Publisher Discovery
      • More of a research tool for finding top affiliate programs and publishers by industry.
      • Site: publisherdiscovery.com

    Ecommerce-Focused Affiliate Platforms

    1. ShareASale
      • Home to thousands of merchants across fashion, tech, lifestyle, etc.
      • Site: shareasale.com
    2. CJ (formerly Commission Junction)
      • One of the biggest affiliate networks. Excellent for brand-name ecommerce programs.
      • Site: cj.com
    3. Rakuten Advertising

4. Niche-Specific Affiliate Programs

If you have a specific niche, it’s often better to look for affiliate offers tailored to that niche. Niche-specific programs often offer higher-quality leads and more engaged audiences. Here’s how you can find them:

  • Google Search: Search for “[your niche] + affiliate program” or “[your niche] + become an affiliate.” For example, “fitness affiliate programs” or “technology affiliate programs.”
  • Industry Forums & Communities: Join online communities like Reddit, Facebook groups, or niche-specific forums where people discuss affiliate marketing and share offers.
  • Look at Successful Influencers or Bloggers in Your Niche: Many successful bloggers or influencers openly share the affiliate products they promote. Check their blogs or social media profiles for affiliate links.

Examples of Niche-Specific Programs:

  • Health and Wellness: Programs like HealthLine or Thrive Market.
  • Finance: Programs from companies like Credit Karma, Personal Capital, or Webull.
  • Technology: Affiliate programs from companies like Apple, Dell, or specific SaaS products like SEMrush or Ahrefs.

5. Offer Affiliate Promotions via Social Media or Forums

Many affiliate programs run special promotions or deals that are exclusive to certain channels. This includes social media, affiliate communities, and forums. You can often get access to higher payouts, limited-time offers, or unique products by being part of these affiliate communities.

Platforms to Explore:

  • Facebook Groups: Look for affiliate marketing groups or niche-specific communities where offers are shared.
  • Reddit: Subreddits like r/affiliatemarketing and r/entrepreneur often share affiliate marketing opportunities.
  • Twitter/X: Follow affiliate marketers and companies in your niche to spot new affiliate opportunities.

6. Affiliate Program Reviews and Comparison Sites

There are websites that review and compare affiliate programs. These can be helpful in determining the best offers for your audience. Some platforms provide in-depth reviews of affiliate programs based on commission structure, products, and payouts.

Some of the best resources:

  • The Affiliate Lab: Offers a comprehensive review of various affiliate programs and their performance.
  • AffiliateFix: Provides expert reviews and resources for affiliate marketers.
  • Authority Hacker: Offers insights into high-converting affiliate offers and strategies.

7. Affiliate Summits and Conferences

Affiliate marketing conferences and summits are great places to network with affiliate managers, discover new programs, and learn from top marketers. Some of the most notable affiliate marketing events include:

  • Affiliate Summit: A large-scale event where you can network with affiliate managers and brands offering new affiliate programs.
  • Traffic & Conversion Summit: Offers insights on digital marketing and affiliate marketing strategies.
  • FinCon: Focuses on finance and personal finance affiliate programs.

8. Reviewing the Affiliate Offer’s Quality

Once you find potential affiliate programs, ensure the following:

  • Commission Structure: Understand how you’re paid (CPS, CPA, CPC, or CPL). A higher commission rate isn’t always better if the offer has low conversion rates.
  • Cookie Duration: This is the period during which you’ll earn a commission on sales made through your affiliate link. Longer cookie durations are more favorable.
  • Conversion Rates: Look for affiliate programs that have high conversion rates (i.e., a high percentage of visitors who click your link and make a purchase).
  • Reputation of the Merchant: Always promote products or services from reputable companies to build trust with your audience.
  • Tracking and Reporting Tools: The affiliate program should offer detailed analytics so you can optimize your performance.

Conclusion

To find good affiliate marketing offers, focus on a mix of affiliate networks, niche-specific programs, and direct offers. Utilize directories, forums, and reviews to identify profitable opportunities. Always prioritize the quality of the products, the merchant’s reputation, and the affiliate program’s terms (commission, cookie duration, etc.) to ensure you promote offers that resonate with your audience and drive conversions.

When you’re scoping out offers, patience isn’t optional—it’s your weapon. Yeah, you’ll sift through a ton of garbage to find that one golden offer—but hang in there. The payoff comes when you finally land an offer that actually drives results. The grind is real, but it’s always worth it.

Clarity? That’s non-negotiable too. You’re not here to grab any offer that pays. You’re here to promote offers that solve real problems for your list—not just fat commissions. If the pitch doesn’t bring value or align with your audience’s needs, it’s a liability. Relevance, trust, results—those are your north stars.

How to Build an Email List for Affiliate Marketing

by | Affiliate Marketing, Email Marketing, List Building | 0 comments

What sets the top-earning affiliate marketers apart from those with average earnings? And how can you build an email list for affiliate marketing?

For me, there are three key strategies I implement that most affiliates overlook.

The Purpose of Affiliate Marketing is List Building

Commissions are just a way to monetize building the list. Usually my profit is at least double what I’ve spent on traffic, but even if it was only break-even I have a very good chance of being profitable because of the list.

Bypassing the merchant (see point 2) and building my own list means follow-up. Even the most pathetically, terrible follow-up sequence tends to double sales.

Top Affiliates Take Responsibility for Closing the Sale

Since Ken Evoy said affiliates shouldn’t try to sell a product – that should be left to the product vendor, according to him – affiliates have assumed a certain passive role. IE, put up a banner ad or insert a link at the end of an article and hope for the best.

My approach to affiliate marketing is what I call “Replace the Merchant”. I do not ever want to appear to be an affiliate, but rather I want my sites to appear as THE merchant. The buy button is on my site. Using some linking trickery   (Link Loader/Soda Popper)  I then send people straight into the shopping cart, while ensuring my affiliate tracking cookie is placed. This approach is especially useful in the case of a good product with poor web marketing.

Top Affiliate Marketers are Willing to Pay for the Best Traffic

There is no free traffic. You’re not putting yourself ahead by spending six months trying to game the search engines for top ranks. I have evidence that ranking multiple sites in the top-10 Google search results isn’t as effective as one paid ad.

Paid traffic is relatively low-risk if you know the correct keyword phrases to advertise on. Think 80/20 . . . except it’s more like 95/5. Use very few keyword phrases in your campaigns, but make them the most highly targeted that are possible. Guitar > No! Gibson Les Paul Menace > Yes!

I’ve been in this game for a very long time now and I’ve never met a successful marketer that relied on organic search engine traffic. It might be a part of the mix for some, sure, but it’s never the “go to”.

This is how to build an email list for affiliate marketing.

In essence, be as proactive, strategic and aggressive as possible. Do not wait for someone else to make your living for you. YOU, affiliate marketing pro, own the prospect; you are not simply a traffic conduit assuming all of the risk. It’s what’s been taught over and over, but it’s pure foolishness. You must find ways to turn the tables in your favor – you’re just as important as anyone else in the equation, or at least you should see yourself that way.