Associate Programs Newsletter #157

I was overwhelmed by your enthusiastic response to last week's article, "Five mistakes affiliates make - and how to fix them".

I'm glad the article was useful.

The most common response was: "I know I'm doing some of those things wrong." I hope you're fixing them.

This week I examine five more things affiliates do wrong - mistakes which
could be costing you income.

CONTENTS:

1. Have you "quit your day job" yet?
2. Five MORE mistakes affiliates make
     - and how to fix them
3. FindWhat alters URLs by mistake
4. WebWizards filed under "Web hosts good"
5. How to read your ebook on a PDA
6. Affiliate tracking software review
7. Microsoft program good in parts
8. Business.com switches to Be Free, and other news
9. Useful new resource: ClickBank profit calculator
10. Thought for today: The people who succeed
11. NEXT WEEK: How to hunt down super affiliates

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====================================
1. Have you "quit your day job" yet?
====================================

I love it when I receive e-mails from people who proudly announce that they've quit their day job and are now earning a full-time living from their Internet business.

I know exactly how you feel. You're bursting with a sense of achievement. You feel so great, you just have to tell someone.

You've "sacked the boss" and you're going to make your OWN decisions from now on.

It feels good, doesn't it? (I did it in December 1998.)

This week, Joanna and I have been setting some new goals - personal, health and financial.

One of my major goals for this year is to receive more e-mails from people who say: "I've quit my day job."

I want to help more people quit their day jobs - or help them make a good living from the Internet while keeping their existing job.

To achieve that, I'm going to help you by giving you a lot more practical, useful, money-generating tips, and links to useful resources.

If you've already quit your day job and would like to help me in this campaign, I'd love to hear from you:

allan AT AssociatePrograms.com

=====================================
2. Five MORE mistakes affiliates make
     - and how to fix them
=====================================

(For PART 1 see:
Five mistakes affiliates make.)

Are you doing the same tired old things over and over?

It's time to try something new.

If you keep repeating actions which fail, you'll continue failing. If what you're doing isn't working well, it's time to change it, to move out of your comfort zone and try something new.

Here's something you can do. You can syndicate your columns or tips all over the Net to other web sites. Imagine how that would boost your image, your traffic and your sales.

Each web site publishing your column simply puts two lines of JavaScript code on its page at the location where your column is to appear.

All you do is paste your column into a Syndicator form and click a button. That one button click automatically updates all syndicated web site pages.

You don't even have to create the script. Acclaimed CGI expert William Bontrager has done that for you.

You can learn how to syndicate your content here:

http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/willmaster-scripts

Try new techniques.

Are you building a business on a foundation of sand?

Are you promoting questionable products and services in the hope of earning high commissions?

Or are you building something of VALUE? Are you creating a business you're proud of?

Even if it's a small site, build a USEFUL, strong web site, one which provides valuable information and helps people. Not only will this give you a great sense of achievement, it will do wonders for your marketing.

If you build a site or write a newsletter which helps people, your readers will do a lot of your marketing for you.

They really will.

I love it when I see my sites mentioned on other web sites, in newsletters, in mailing lists and in books. I love it when web sites link to mine.

For example, Nathan Power is building a useful resource with http://www.PayPerClickSearchEngines.com , the first directory of pay-per-click search engines. Most of the links to it were created simply because web site owners like it and want to recommend it.

Ralph Wilson's WilsonWeb - a massive, valuable Internet marketing resource - earns links the same way. Such voluntary links are pure gold. People see the site recommended, visit it, and add a link on their site, and so on...

Such a site takes time to build but after a while momentum builds. If you're the expert in your niche, you'll be interviewed for articles in newsletters and books - and those articles will attract more interviews for more articles...

All those links and favorable mentions don't just boost your reputation and sales, they help boost your ranking in search engines such as Google.

Build something useful.

Are you selling ONLY other people's products?

It is possible to earn a living that way, but such successes are rare.

Create your OWN product. Then you can use affiliate programs for back-end sales. That works well because someone who has just bought a product is often in the mood for buying a second, complementary product.

When you create your own product, you control your destiny. You control how it is marketed. You control how much profit you make. Neil Shearing's newly revamped "Internet Success Blueprint" - http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/scamfree - tells you how to do it, how to create an ebook, illustrate it, and sell it, with or without a merchant account. Neil describes, step-by-step, how he earns his living online.

If you need help with brainstorming to come up with an idea for your info-product, I highly recommend "Make Your Knowledge Sell" - http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/myks - which also lists hundreds of places to promote your ebook. It's fantastic value.

Create your own product.

Are you just SELLING instead of HELPING?

I hope you subscribe to John Audette's I-Sales Digest  [UPDATE: This no longer exists.]  It's an absolute MUST. There are many reasons for its success. One is that members of that community help each other in their posts to the mailing list.

John says that I-Sales Digest was the major force behind his success in building a multi-million-dollar business. The digest gives him an opportunity to build credibility, respect and trust while encouraging people to help others.

[UPDATE: John sold I-Sales Digest. It then faded and died.]

Is your web site or newsletter just selling, or is it helping people learn?

In his 138-page book, "Helpfulness Marketing: How to Charm Web Visitors to Buy and Buyers to Help You Sell!" Paul Siegel says that if you create a helpful, learning community you'll put people in the mood for buying.

His book may make you rethink how you do business.

The book doesn't contain affiliate links. It's just pure useful, helpful advice on how to build a community. And it's free until June 1.

All Paul asks in return is feedback.

You can get the book free here:
http://www.learningfountain.com/helpfulnessmarketing.htm

[UPDATE: The book is now being sold.]

Help people learn.

Are you learning from mediocre sources?

Because conditions are changing so fast on the Net, you need to learn fast and grab the opportunities which exist now.

One way to save time is to learn from Internet experts. You won't make so many mistakes that way.

Learn from people who are earning a very good living from Internet marketing.

Neil Shearing persuaded 10 Internet experts - some of whom are earning millions of dollars - to reveal what it takes to make huge profits on the Internet. These aren't "magic bullets". They're valuable insights for serious business-building. They could change the way you do business and change your life.

http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/diamonds

Learn from experts.

PART 3 NEXT WEEK:

Even MORE things affiliates do wrong - and how to fix them.

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=====================================
3. FindWhat alters URLs by mistake
=====================================

Keith Forster wondered why he wasn't receiving any sales last month from his links in pay-per-click search engine FindWhat.

He discovered that FindWhat - http://www.FindWhat.com - had made a mistake.

About April 3 some of his URLs had been changed from capital letters to small letters.

"This effectively made the URL invalid. Anyone clicking on my keywords would have got an error message," Keith says.

If your web host uses a UNIX or LINUX system, the URLs are case sensitive.

Keith was using Roibot.com redirections. For example:

roibot.com/w.cgi?IM10973_JS (correct)
had been changed to:
roibot.com/w.cgi?im10973_js (incorrect).

roibot.com/w.cgi?IM10973_ehobbies (correct)
had been changed to:
roibot.com/w.cgi?im10973_ehobbies (incorrect)

FindWhat acknowledged it was at fault.

"We do apologize for the case-sensitive issue dealing with a server update. This occurred on April 5th," Valerie Levesque of FindWhat told Keith.

"We have researched your account, approved the URL changes and are going to credit your account for the listings that were affected by the update... We will conduct an investigation into the other accounts possibly affected by our system update..."

If you have listings at FindWhat it would be a good idea to do a few random checks and see if your links still work.

=====================================
4. WebWizards filed under "Web hosts good"
=====================================

Way back in 1997, I think it was, Eva Rosenberg of I-HelpDesk
[UPDATE: Now defunct.]  surveyed web hosts and chose Rob Marlbrough's WebWizards.net.

I carefully filed away Eva's report under "Web hosts good", and I'm very glad I did.

AssociatePrograms.com is hosted by WebWizards.net. It provides unlimited autoresponders, CGI scripts, etc, etc.

He's not the cheapest, but I was once hosted by the cheapest web host I could find and know what a bad mistake that can be.

Rob provides a good service for a very reasonable price.

He's friendly, helpful, and very patient when it comes to answering all my questions. I recommend WebWizards.net.

He has just launched a two-tier affiliate program, which has some unusual features.

It pays the same commission - 15% - on both levels, to persuade affiliates to spread the word.

The FIRST affiliate to get the click-through earns the commission. So if you send someone to WebWizards and he shops around and ends up clicking on another affiliate's link, you'll still earn the commission.

It pays lifetime residual, monthly commissions and commissions on any future purchases by the customer.

Rob gives you a good price and friendly, helpful service.

http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/hosting

=====================================
5. How to read your ebook on a PDA
=====================================

Here's a handy tip for PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) owners who like reading ebooks in bed or while traveling.

David Jemison of http://www.LifeInAsia.com says he's subscribed to a number of Ken Evoy's courses and bought several books.

"I've downloaded all the books I've ordered, rather than pay for shipping the printed versions overseas.

"However, I often want to have something other than my laptop with me for reading on a flight or train or just kicking back in bed...

"I've found a great program that converts PDF files into a readable format on a PDA. (The reader works on Palm OS PDAs, but I'm sure there's something similar for Windows CE devices.) The AportisDoc PDF Converter - Aportis.com - is free for personal use.

"Obviously, most of the formatting goes away in the conversion, and the resulting text is not as easy to read. But it's great for the price and being able to take 'Make Your Site SELL!' (and others) anywhere you go."

(You can get "Make Your Site SELL!" here
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/myss )

[UPDATE: After selling more 100,000 copies, this book is now FREE.)


=====================================
6. Affiliate tracking software review
=====================================

If you administer an affiliate program, Dr Ralph Wilson of would appreciate your help.

"If your company has experience with managing an affiliate program, please give me your quick feedback about the software you use," he says. "I'd REALLY appreciate it."

wilsonweb.com/survey/affiliate-software.cfm

[UPDATE: This survey is over.]

The more affiliate program managers who take part, the better the survey results will be.

=====================================
7. Microsoft program good in parts
=====================================

Among new listings in the AssociatePrograms.com directory, one which caught my eye is from Microsoft.

Shop.microsoft.com offers "all things Microsoft", including software, hardware and Microsoft Press titles.

In typical Microsoft style, the associate program has good and bad features.

GOOD FEATURES:
12% commission. You can link to individual products. Online stats. A well-known name.

BAD FEATURES:
Only U.S.-based companies are eligible to participate. It ships products only to the U.S. Referral fees won't be paid to associates until 45 days after the end of each quarter. No mention is made of cookies or return days.

Come on, Bill! You can do better than that.

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=====================================
8. Business.com switches to Be Free, and other news
=====================================

Business.com has switched its tracking from Commission Junction to Be Free. That's a major win for Be Free. However, I'm still waiting for Business.com to look as though it's worth the $7.5 million it paid for its domain name.

Be Free revenue up, staff down
befree.com/company/pressroom/releases/2001/042501.htm

QuinStreet, a rapidly growing affiliate network, now has more than 80,000 members:
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/quin

Conducent.com appears to have died. The main page is blank and other pages have disappeared.

CarClub.com has closed its doors because it couldn't raise the funds it needed to continue.

Although it still has an affiliate sign-up page at Antiquegumball.com/associates/ , the American Gumball Machine Co. cancelled its affiliate program "years ago".
For more details and affiliate outrage see the message board:
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/discus/index.php

UK affiliate network MagicButton.Net has gone into liquidation.

KB Toys has bought eToys' inventory at a bargain price.
ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/9292.html

E-Stamp has sold its assets to Stamps.com.
internetnews.com/ec-news/article/0,,4_754941,00.html

Priceline shares have soared as earnings rise.
nytimes.com/2001/05/02/technology/02PRIC.html (requires free registration)

Wine.com has slipped down the Internet drain.
dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010429/wr/tech_wine_dc_4.html

=====================================
9. Useful new resource: ClickBank profit calculator
=====================================

If you're using ClickBank to market your ebook, one small challenge you face is fiddling around with price points and affiliate percentages.

For example, if your costs are $1 and you charge $27 and pay 50% commission, how much profit will you make per sale?

Wayne Yeager, who sold UnclaimedDomains.com to internet.com, has written a little program to help - and it's free.

"I suspect a lot of your readers use ClickBank like me, so if you'd like to make this available to them, go ahead!" he says.

"I put it on 216.147.23.70/cbcalc.html and anyone can use it if they want. (Or they can just copy the source code and use it on their local computer.)"

Thousands of small businesses use ClickBank to market their ebooks and other digital profits because it makes things so easy.

You don't need a merchant account.

It has a one-time $49.95 activation fee, and charges a $1 + 7.5% fee per sale. There are no monthly fees.

http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/cb

(By the way, the answer is $10.98 profit per sale.)

=====================================
10. Thought for today: The people who succeed
=====================================

"My experience has proven to me that, despite common belief, the people who succeed in business don't do so because of what they know, but because of their insatiable need to know more."

- Michael Gerber, author of "The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most
Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It"
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/e-myth

=====================================
11. NEXT WEEK: How to hunt down super affiliates
=====================================

It seems that everyone wants to know who received the CyberRebate commission check of $461,498 for one month.

I can't tell you who it is, but I've figured out several ways of tracking down super affiliates. I'll tell you more next week.

(If you know some techniques I can add to the article, I'd love to hear from you:
allan AT AssociatePrograms DOT com )

All the best

Allan Gardyne