Small business affiliate marketing
So you run a small business and wonder if affiliate marketing is for you?
Whether you can make an extra buck or your business can sell some extra product?
Let’s look at what it’s all about first before we dive right in.
Wikipedia states it is other people pushing your product and getting a share of the spoils
Affiliate marketing is commonly confused with referral marketing, as both forms of marketing use third parties to drive sales to the retailer. The two forms of marketing are differentiated, however, in how they drive sales, where affiliate marketing relies purely on financial motivations, while referral marketing relies more on trust and personal relationships.[citation needed]
I say that Affiliate marketing and referral marketing are the same if the consideration is equal.
How it all works
I work in the Phone messaging business and my friend in the Onhold messaging business.
Close in name but entirely different structiure. When I get an Onhold lead I pass it to him and he pays me a set amount, a quite generous one. And the same goes in reverse.
We both understand the cost to quire a customer and these free hits are worth a payment.
I also get calls for telephone systems and simply hand them on to my established contact. Again I expect a cut of the action.
Having a few established partnerships helps yourself but also your client. They are seeking a referral to someone safe that will do the right thing and your guidance is invaluable.
Setting up partnerships
Setting up these partnerships has a three way benefit so all parties are benefiting from the action.
Having a link on your Website places this closer to the affiliate banner but word of mouth is more referral selling.
Who gives a toss as long as it works.
The cost of customer acquisition is high
You should be using every avenue to market available to you in the best possible way.
This is just another way to get clients and a way that can be costed.
I give away $100 on a client that returns me $150 on the initial sale. That client then stays with me for several years so my return grows.
If I ran an advert in a magazine that cost me say $2000 I would need to get an extra 20 clients.
An unlikely result at the best
Every business can get partner relationships. Coffee shops and Flowers, flower shops and chocolates, A printer with packaging, Packaging with delivery.
Are you starting to get the idea?
To do a proper by the book affiliate programme takes a lot more internet cost and skills to get it going.
If you are that size business it will generate those extra sales that you would never achieve.
Do get involved in Affiliate income?
I sure do and it takes very little to establish relationships close to your core business.
Because I do my own websites I constantly need up-to-date training and support on issues that confound me. How to do something, where to find something. Help! I need support.
I found this at the wealthy affiliate where I now host all my sites and use the training and member interaction to keep up with an ever
changing landscape.
As the name states, they are also an affiliate site of which I am 100% locked in on what they do.
If I recommend someone to them I may get a regular percentage of the fee paid. If you choose the free entry that many do so be it, one day you just may need the extras they offer. It is just a bonus for me.
Be careful though, there are a lot of scams on the market so don’t go outlaying a ton of money to get a return.
Others I use are Content Samurai for doing the Videos that I posted on Youtube. These are instructional and sales videos on my sites.
Jaaxy as a Keyword tool. If you are in the market you must understand Keywords and their effect on your marketing. I never attempt a post on my site unless I analyze the traffic first. I pay my Jaaxy fee from my affiliate income.
So small business affiliate marketing is a real product that every business needs to take onboard and work it to the best result. You can call it affiliate, Referral or Mates rates the results are the same. You get cheap sales and make more money, can’t get better than that,
Peter Hanley Others in this series
