Are Affiliate Marketers All Crooks?

Many people shy away from the great opportunity that affiliate marketing provides because, frankly, they associate this type of marketing with ripping people off. They believe they are going to be pushing or “hyping” people into products those people don’t really need or want.

Yes, of course there are dishonest affiliate marketers. Just like there are dishonest teachers, doctors, lawyers, cooks, landscapers and (insert just about any job here). We can never get away from the fact that there are dishonest people in every profession.

But … Is affiliate marketing itself dishonest? My answer is no. I know that it has a bad reputation. I know that there are “work at home” scammers trying to get your money at every turn. That isn’t what affiliate marketing is.

With a recession starting, many people have a real need to make extra money without sacrificing their family life. Affiliate marketing is truly an opportunity to have the income you need from that part time job (and hopefully later full time) but still be in control of your time and your life. Most important, you can be in control of the results.

The most important principle you must let sink into your mind is that you are not “selling” anything as an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketing is really just another method of advertising. It is a particularly good form of advertising for businesses with good products, but no advertising budget. Now businesses of all sorts at all levels are using it.

It is up to the business and the product to handle the selling process. The affiliate marketers job is to creatively find out who needs the product already, where they hang out and look for information, then make sure those people know about the product. It really is that simple. Grasp that principle and everything else will start to make sense.

Tagged with: Internet Marketing

Filed under: Internet Marketing