Affiliate Marketing Strategies #32 – Offer a Bonus Item And #33 – Create a Resource Page

 Offer a Bonus Item

One of the reasons people get minimal results with affiliate marketing is they don’t give people a reason why they should buy through an affiliate link.

The trick is to offer a bonus offer IF a person buys through your affiliate link.  What I like to do is point out a “negative” in the product I’m

promoting. Then I’ll position my bonus as something that fills this void. This

is a great way to incentivize an affiliate offer.

Offering a bonus item is a great way to motivate those subscribers who are on the fence.     Remember, people follow you because they like your personal brand. So offer them a bonus YOU have created.

Create a bonus that complements an affiliate product. Only offer this to people who buy through your link. Even better…Point out a product defect and then position your bonus as a solution.

Create a Resource Page

This tip works great if you have a large content site like a blog. Odds are you have posts that cover a variety of topics. And they’re probably spread out over weeks, months, even years.

What you can do is a set up a resource or “money page” that provides a reader with additional content that can’t be found on an ordinary blog post.

Think of this page like a “101 class.” Put it in a logical order.  Then link to any product that’s relevant to these articles.

As an example, I’ve developed a few resource pages on topics like:

•      Affiliate Marketing

•      How to Start a Website

•      Internet Marketing Tools I Use

These are just a few pages I’ve developed. By the end of 2012 I hope to have at least 30+ pages dedicated to a specific topic that people want to learn.

My advice is to create a resource pages for the topics where people really need help. Group together the articles on this subject. And then add affiliate links where they’re relevant.

Affiliate Marketing Strategies #29– Find Out What People Want And #30 – Follow a Problem & Solution Format

Okay, we’ve covered niche affiliate sites.

Now let’s talk about the importance of creating an authority affiliate site…

My best success with affiliate marketing happened when I started building authority sites.

Don’t believe me?

Starting in 2006, I focused on a single niche; ignoring all the other “opportunities.”

It wasn’t easy. But this dedication has led to a full-time income.

Only after four years, did I move into a second niche (my Steve Scott blog.)

I plan on staying here for the long haul because I’m a firm believer in the power of focus.

Simply put: One Niche = Full-time Income

Or as I like to say it: “One Niche to Rule Them All”

When you’re in a single niche it’s simpler to maximize the money you generate. For instance, you’ll get to:
• Learn the language and buzz words that prospects use
• Find out what really goes on in the mind of the customer
• Identify information gaps
• Reuse and recycle previously published content


• Spot new products that can generate additional income
• Network with key figures in a market to expand your reach
• Build a loyal group of followers who will listen to anything you say

This is just the tip the iceberg. The possibilities are limitless when you give 100% attention to a niche. It’s easy to make money when you’re completely immersed in one subject.

So let’s talk about authority sites and how they can be used to increase your affiliate income…

 Find Out What People Want

You might think this one is obvious. But a great way to make more money with affiliate marketing is to find out what people want. To do this, I recommend setting up a simple poll and ask your followers a few simple questions.

Get started by analyzing the posts, articles, and emails that get the best response. See which questions come up the most. Then use this information to survey the needs of your audience.

You can use tools like the WP-Polls Plugin or Survey Monkey to set up a simple poll. Just start by asking things like:

•      “What is your biggest obstacle with       ?”

•      “What is the one skill you’d like to master?”

•      “What is the one product that has helped you the most?”

You’d be surprised at how a few simple questions helps you find the perfect affiliate product to promote. People will go out of their way to tell you what they want. All you have to do is ask!

 Follow a Problemà Solution Format

Another key strategy is to talk about a problem and then provide a solution. There are three reasons why this is important:

First it demonstrates empathy. These words show that you understand their situation. You know what they’re feeling because you’ve been there yourself.

Next it creates agitation. Presenting a problem creates a sense of incompletion in their minds. It reminds them of something they still experience in their lives

–  Something that needs to be fixed.

Finally it presents the affiliate offer as a natural solution. You’ve already discussed their problem. Now you’ll recommend a product that fixes it. This generates sales because it closes a loop in their minds.

My point is: Talk about a problem and then offer a solution.

#31 – Focus on Benefits, Not Features

There is a trick to writing the copy for your affiliate recommendations. My advice is to focus on the benefits. This is the end result a person receives by taking action. These aren’t the features of the product.

Here’s an example of how one is different from the other:

See the difference between features and benefits?

The features are a list of a product’s attributes. The benefits are what a person experiences while using the product.

Affiliate Marketing Strategies #27 – Flipping Websites And #28 – Become a CPA Affiliate

Flipping Websites

Domain flipping is similar to what’s done in the real estate market. You buy a “fixer-upper” website, make improvements on it, and then sell it for a premium price.

In theory it sounds easy.  But you need a good eye for sites that don’t live up to their profit potential.          Look for sites that get traffic or rank high for a keyword phrase. But also try to spot one MAJOR flaw that’s preventing this site from really making money.

You don’t necessarily have to sell the website. What you can do is fix-up this website and turn it into another source of affiliate income.

The best way to get started is to check out the “Buy, Sell, or Trade” section of the Digital Point Forum.  Here you’ll see a bunch of listings and how much it costs to sell a specific domain. Also, Flippa is another good resource for buying and selling domains.

Plus if you’re already in a niche, check out the search engine listings for specific keywords. Probably you’ll find a bunch of sites that haven’t been touched in months – Even years.  Contact the owner and make an offer.  You’d be surprised at some of the valuable properties you can purchase for a few hundred dollars.

Become a CPA Affiliate

CPA (Cost-Per-Action) is a great affiliate technique that has the potential to become really profitable. Instead of trying to get people to buy a product, you refer “leads” to an existing marketing funnel. You make money for every referral that you make – Sometimes as high as a $20.

There is a bit of a science to CPA marketing.  For the most part, you’ll promote mass market offers like dating, making money, real estate, and losing weight. These markets are usually full of experienced affiliates who know what they’re doing. So do careful research before jumping in.

One trick I’ve seen people use is to build up a Facebook fan page around a specific trending topic. Like Justin Beiber’s new haircut. Get people to “like” this page. And then send these followers the occasional CPA offer.

AZoogle Ads is one of the better sites for CPA offers.  Again, I recommend you learn everything you can about this technique before getting started.