The Top 3 Foolproof Ways to Fail at Affiliate Marketing

Very few people who enter the affiliate marketing arena actually earn enough money to support themselves financially. The large majority of marketers fail quickly for a myriad of reasons. Here’s a look at the top three ways you could follow in their footsteps if you aren’t careful.

1. View affiliate marketing as the smooth road to a pile of quick cash. This is the quickest way to fail. Affiliate marketing is anything but a Get Rich Quick scheme. Just like anything else worth doing, you have to put your time in, especially if you are just starting out. We all know affiliates who seem to have plenty of time to browse social media, golf, or take relaxing vacations to exotic locales. They make it look easy, don’t they? Guess what? More likely than not, they’ve earned those rights over a long period of time. So will you, if you are willing to give it all you’ve got right now.

2. Pick categories you could care less about. It’s a simple case of money vs. passion. If you sell within categories in which you have no personal interest, your enterprise will fail. Your lack of enthusiasm will pervade every part of your business, from your marketing campaign to your customer service. But sell something you love, something you’re passionate about, something you believe in, and watch what happens. Your passion and enthusiasm will naturally infuse your business with energy. Your marketing efforts will come across as genuine, and your business will grow. And during those tough times (and there will be tough times), it is your love of what you do that will keep you from giving up.

3. Stop growing your brain. Down the road, you might reach a point where you think, “I made it! I can put things on autopilot and relax.” You might begin to think that you know all there is to know about the industry. This is the point at which you will stop learning, and in this business, that’s dangerous. Affiliate marketing is a fast-paced, ever-changing, competitive environment. To be a top contender, you have to be willing to engage in continuous learning. Keep reading, researching, testing, thinking, brainstorming, and networking. New information and ideas pop up every day. To have any chance at success, you have to stay on top of what’s going on in your industry.

So, let’s place these tips in a more positive light. If you dream of joining that elite club of affiliates who make a sustainable living in this business, you must:

*Realize it’s not going to happen overnight. Blood, sweat, and tears are in your future.

*Love what you sell. If you fall out of love, find another interest.

*Educate yourself every day and always.