Why Affiliates Fail

There are myriad reasons that can cause people to fail in affiliate marketing. (By “affiliate marketing” I mean both product marketing for commissions and any of the various MLM or network marketing opportunities that are available on the web.) Although I am using broad categories in this article, there is a simple reason why: most of the critical mistakes fall into one of these buckets.

The absolute number one reason people fail to gain any traction is simple: they don’t work hard enough. It’s sad, but true. Given the choice between comfort and hard work, most of us will take comfort. Even in the face of economic hardship, we will still fall into inaction rather than really devote time and energy to implementing our marketing strategies.

I think part of this is sometimes embarrassment – “I don’t want to sell soap to my friends!” There’s nothing I or anyone else can do to break you out of that embarrassment. I can say that working in marketing gets a lot less embarrassing when you’re cashing checks. If you have a friend or colleague that is struggling with this, suggest that they start with a small affiliate program and practice with that before they move into a larger arena. Another thing that makes internet marketing different is that your friends don’t have to know. You have the entire world of search engine users, article readers, or opportunity seekers to talk to. You don’t need to start with Joe next door (although if you’re willing to, it never hurts). Remember, in the words of the memorable New Yorker cartoon, “on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog!”

The second reason people fail: they don’t study enough. There are incredible internet marketing training programs available to internet marketers. The ones that provide the absolute best training are subscription services, but some are not. One of the best tactics you can employ is to seek out and visit forums built around a specific opportunity or business. The owners obviously hope that you will join that particular business, and maybe you will, but even if you don’t, you can learn a great deal by reading about the strategies and tactics that are working for the current members of the business. For the same reason, top affiliate programs have lots of free training resources available for affiliates. They make money on the transactions, not on particular products, so the more money affiliates make in their network, the more money they make. They want you to succeed.

You can find all the free training you want, however, and still not make anything if you don’t focus on learning the lessons that others are trying to teach you. If consistent action is the hardest habit to form, an open-minded approach to learning is the next hardest.

The third reason people fail is simple: they choose a business that’s a bad fit for their values. My affiliate team was chosen after lots of research and a great deal of attention to the values of the businesses I was joining. The very first question you should ask is “what do I feel about the materials I’m reading and the people I’m meeting in this business?” If your gut tells you something is off, then it probably is. If you have a hard time understanding how you will make money, you probably won’t. Above all, you must feel comfortable with the opportunity and able to explain the value it provides. If you can’t do that, move on.

Finally, one point of failure that seems counterintuitive: people fail because they’re selling. The truth is simple: you must build a relationship before you ask for anything. This is even more true on the Internet, where you could be anybody or nobody (or a dog!). When you build that trust relationship first, you are paving a path to a sale down the road. It’s slower, and maybe you miss some easy money, but I would rather have a rock-solid reputation of trust than a couple of quick commissions any day of the week.

For all its razzle-dazzle, the Internet is not that different than other venues. The old rules, especially the Golden Rule, still apply. If you work hard, participate ethically, and learn as much as you can, you will find success. Stay true to yourself and your reasons for joining the affiliate marketing world.

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Tags: affiliate marketing best practices, affiliate marketing failure, affiliate marketing success, how to succeed at affiliate marketing