Affiliate Buzz | Affiliate Marketing / Affiliate Programs / Internet / Online / Social Media Marketing - James Martell

Welcome to another edition of the Affiliate Buzz, where affiliate marketers have been coming to be inspired, informed and motivated to succeed since way back in 2003. Last week, James spoke to Brad Axelrad about his podcast, Face Your Dragon. This week, James and Arlene discuss their Local Web Marketing Agency and serving businesses local to you.

With SmarterLocal360 you can earn a living, have fun, and manage your own schedule by providing web marketing services to local businesses. Small, local businesses are always looking for good value web marketing because they need the traffic, but they’re often too busy running their businesses to do it themselves. In this episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James and Arlene explain what SmarterLocal360 is, how it works, and why you’ll want to sign up before space runs out.

Targeting the Right Type of Client

One of the keys of nurturing your growing local web marketing agency. Is choosing the right type of client to work with. It’s much easier to understand a single marketplace (or perhaps 2 or 3) than it is to try and understand all the markets at once, even in a small area. James and Arlene discuss what they look for when picking a clients. Some examples of clients they have worked with, and what it is about those relationships that make them successful. When using a Platform like SmarterLocal360  becoming Local Web Marketing Agency is easy.

Once you’ve established your target clients, what kinds of tools can you use to attract and retain them? Small business owners aren’t usually interested in the fine details of how your marketing plan works; they just want to know that you can deliver results. James and Arlene explain the types of things small businesses are looking for that will give them confidence in your ability.

Start a Local Web Marketing Agency using SmarterLocal360

Not sure exactly how to start a local web marketing agency. Then SmarterLocal360 is perfect for you.  Listen as they describe the key features of the program, including the “Local Market Domination Blueprint”. These professionally-designed materials. Show you the basics on how to outsource your labor to maximize your profits. They  also cover why SmarterLocal360 helps you keep it simple when it comes to delivering for your clients.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* What is SmarterLocal360?

* How to use outsourcing to deliver web marketing services to local businesses

* The features of the SmarterLocal360 package

* How to target the right type of client in your local area

* The types of clients that are most likely to want web marketing services

* Delivering results for your clients the simple way

* How SmarterLocal helps build your credibility as a web marketer

* How you can sign up to the SmarterLocal program

Resources

* Learn more about the SmarterLocal360 platform

* You can direct any questions to James at: (604) 542-0747

In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz, James interviews Brad Axelrad about his podcast, Face Your Dragon, and how he put together a first class show. Why you shouldn’t waste your time and money on producing video. How to attract exceptional guests and what it means to “borrow credibility”. Why your show should aim to give more than it gets. and to trust your instincts when it comes to podcast production.

Would you like to live a dream lifestyle, working from anywhere, even the middle of the jungle? Brad Axelrad is doing it. Of course, it didn’t happen overnight! Brad started his first business at 19, and while he made enough money to give him plenty of spare time, he was still tied geographically to his jobs. But now, he lives in Costa Rica, he’s just bought an RV and he plans to spend the summer touring the USA and Canada – and his lifestyle is currently being paid for by podcasting.

In this episode of the Affiliate Buzz, Brad tells James why he started in podcasting, how he keeps it going, and how he attracts top guests for interviews. They also discuss what makes a first-class show, and some top tips on how to either start one, or take your existing podcast to the next level.

Podcasting vs. Livestreaming

Why would anyone choose podcasting in today’s market, over livestreaming video? In the past couple of years, social media has been trending towards livestreamed video, especially since the launch of Facebook Live. But Brad believes that the future is in podcasting, and he explains to James why that is. James and Brad also discuss some key statistics about the growth of podcasting and how to create a first class podcast as a medium, and why every internet marketer should start a podcast.

How To Create a First Class Podcast

Sadly for all podcasters, podcasts don’t make themselves, and a high-quality show doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right help and quality content, over time it will bring a return. James and Brad talk about how he secures interviews with influential guests, and how enhancing his interviews with extra content brings the whole show together. They also discuss why you should trust your instincts and not try too hard to steer an interview.

How many people does it take to create a high-quality show? It sounds like a bad joke, but it isn’t; the answer is “as many as it takes”. Brad explains to James his process for adjusting the systems of how Face Your Dragon is produced, and why his team sometimes changes depending on the needs of the show, and how to create a first class podcast.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* Stats about how many people listen to podcasts, and how many they listen to on average

* Brad Axelrad’s “bucket list” lifestyle and how he got to where he is

* Why you shouldn’t waste your time and money on producing video

* What does it mean to “Face Your Dragon”?

* How to attract exceptional guests

* What it means to “borrow credibility”

* Why your show should aim to give more than it gets

* How to trust your instincts when it comes to podcast production

* How to put together and manage a production team

* Why should an internet marketer start a podcast?

* How to put together a first class podcast

Resources

To find out more about how to Face YOUR Dragon, putting together a first-class podcast, and start building a dream lifestyle, simply click on one of the links below:

The Face Your Dragon podcast

The Face Your Dragon website

Take the Courage Quiz

 

In this week's edition of the Affiliate Buzz, James Martell welcomes Luke Kling to the show, to discuss the tools and strategies you can use to start building your own massive following from multiple channels.

Luke is the marketing director for PeerFly, the fastest-growing affiliate network in the world, and he won the coveted 2017 Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for Affiliate Manager of the Year. Luke and James talk about his history in the affiliate marketing business and how it led him to where he is today. They also discuss how PeerFly’s custom platform gives publishers on his network a competitive advantage. Finally, Luke explains to James the tools he has developed for building a following on Facebook and Twitter, and why the most important thing you can do for building your own massive following is to provide value.

Building an Audience by Providing Value

What value do you provide to your audience? Your goal should always be to provide something better to your followers than what they currently get. If you can provide good value, through content, or even offers, then your list will grow. Luke and James discuss why it’s crucial to provide value first, and only expect to see the benefits later.

Luke also explains to James some ideas for providing value, and how marketers can use multiple channels to attract and retain followers.

Building Your Own Massive Following

There’s a good chance that you could be marketing your growing social media channels better. FPTraffic.com and Rewst.com are two tools that Luke has developed to help affiliates identify growth opportunities on their social media channels. Luke explains to James how they work, what they cost, and who might benefit from them.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* How Luke got his start in affiliate marketing

* What is PeerFly?

* Why should affiliates use PeerFly?

* Why it’s important for marketers to grow as many channels as possible

* How can affiliate marketers provide value to their audiences?

* The first steps to take to building an audience

* How FPTraffic.com can help marketers manage multiple Facebook pages

* Why using Rewst.com and a virtual assistant could grow your Twitter audience massively

Resources

Luke Kling's Website

Contact Luke Kling:

Twitter: @LukePeerFly

Facebook: lukepeerfly

PeerFly:

FPTraffic:

Rewst:

In this episode James explains how ordering custom graphics enhances his business, and how he uses affordable freelancers to do it. Your graphics are the first interaction you have with potential customers, but are you using yours to their full potential? Learn why the old way of hiring a designer is outdated.

Your graphics are the first interaction you have with potential customers, but are you using yours to their full potential? In an online business, there are dozens of places that you can use coordinated imagery to reinforce your brand, including Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, not to mention your website. Even offline, your business cards, letterhead, and envelopes can passively promote your brand each and every time you interact with a customer. In the “old days”, it could cost thousands just to commission one piece, but with modern websites like Upwork and Vistaprint, you can achieve the same result for a fraction of both the price and the effort. In this episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James lays out why you should invest in ordering custom graphics, what to expect from outsourcing your graphics work, and how much you can expect to pay.

The Case for Ordering Custom Graphics

How many different ways do you interact with your customers? Social media is only one aspect of how you communicate. Chances are, you’re also using e-mail marketing, electronic brochures, opt-in offers on a website, and more. Each of those interactions is an opportunity for you to present a coordinated vision of your brand that reinforces your brand image.

James also presents a case study: client John McNamara of DolphinWorld.org is currently setting up his website, and wanted to create a brochure to send to potential customers, which would explain what they get when buying a tour with him. James walks through the steps of how they used freelancers to create the brochure, and he also tells us how much you can expect to pay for a similar project.

Fully Custom Work: It’s Easier (and Cheaper!) Than You Think

There are several reliable websites today where you can purchase a WordPress theme to use. Many of them can feel “over-built”, however, as they try to be everything for everyone. Just because you can turn on every plugin, doesn’t mean you should! You may find that a fully custom theme may be better suited to your needs. James walks us through the process of hiring a freelancer through Upwork. To design a custom theme, including how long it takes and what it might cost.

It’s not just WordPress themes that you might want to customize, however. What about booklets, business cards, or postcards? Hiring an inexpensive freelancer to design a coordinated graphics set for your business is simple when using platforms like UpWork.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* Why the old way of hiring a designer is outdated

* How to identify all the different types of graphics you need

* The advantages of presenting a brand using coordinated graphics

* Step-by-step how one customer used a freelancer to design a brochure

* Why you might choose a fully custom design for your website

* Using Upwork to hire freelancers

* How Upwork works

* Using Upwork designers and Vistaprint together

Resources

Dolphin World

UpWork

VistaPrint

In this week's episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James Martell talks with serial entrepreneur Reed Floren, about how he translates his skills in list-building and other affiliate techniques into making real money online. How to identify what your niche market should be. Where to start when building your own email list, and how Reed recovered from his AdSense account being shut down.

Making Real Money Online

Reed Floren is a course developer, list-building expert, and high-ticket coach.  His first big online venture was 117christmasgifts.com, where he got a foundation in list-building and joint venture brokering, and has built up from there. In this episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James and Reed discuss that first venture into online marketing, how he overcame adversity early in his career, and how building his own online business allowed him to work remotely from anywhere.

What Can List-Building Do for You?

Two of Reed’s early successes were building large e-mail lists quickly. He tells James how he helped build a list of 50,000 in 30 days, and, buoyed by that success, how he built one on his own that reached 3,500 in just seven days.

First of all Reed used several techniques, including list-building and joint venture brokering. Most noteworthy he built up a business that was on track to make $30,000 per month. Google slapped. James talks to Reed about what led up to that happening, and how he built himself back up from such a devastating blow.

James and Reed discuss how success in online marketing can help you work from anywhere. Reed has worked from internet cafes, airport lounges, a Winnebago RV, and even from the back of a car. Listen in as they talk about how valuable it can be to have the flexibility to work remotely.

Your Niche Market and Building Your First List

Identify your niche market is key to making real money online. It is counterproductive to cast a wide net at first rather then target a specific demographic. Reed explains to James some options you have for niche markets, and some ideas for where to start.

The key to all of Reed’s activities online is in generating of a good e-mail list. One where you know it’s populated with good customers. According to Reed. Money not in the list itself. There is in the relationship you have with your list. Part of that is identifying your niche before you start, but part of it is also knowing how to go about growing your list with the right people. Reed suggests to James some strategies to use to cultivate your e-mail list and get the most out of it you can.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* Reed Floren’s early career in online marketing and the lessons he learned

* Where the money is in an e-mail list

* How Reed recovered from AdSense account being shut down

* What it looks like to run an online marketing business from literally anywhere

* How to identify what your niche market should be

* Where to start when building your own e-mail list

* Tips on cultivating your e-mail list and making it productive

Resources

Reed Floren

In this episode James talks with Jennifer Myers Ward, CEO of Ebove & Beyond grew from just Jennifer on her own, to an award-winning agency. What defines a good OPM (outsource program manager) or agency, and how to “put yourself in the customer’s shoes” when trying to grow online revenue.

Ebove & Beyond is a boutique marketing agency that, through their dedication to each and every client, has enabled their clients’ affiliate programs to grow by triple digits year on year. In 2017, they won the prestigious Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for OPM/Agency of the Year. In this episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James and Jennifer discuss what makes a good agency, where to start when helping a brand in increasing site conversion rates, and what tools ebove & beyond uses to maximize results for their clients. Jennifer also explains why she loves e-mail marketing (when it’s done right) and her biggest tip for increasing conversion in affiliate programs.

The First Step to Increasing Site Conversion Rates

According to Jennifer, it’s the responsibility of an agency to align themselves with their clients’ brands as best they can, in order to grow their business. That’s while keeping the brand equity intact. One of the first steps she does at ebove & beyond is to put herself in the customers’ shoes, and go through a client’s website blindly.

James and Jennifer discuss what to look for on that first run through a client’s e-commerce website.  Why clients themselves can’t always see what issues might be lurking. They also discuss the importance of “gut feel” experience, and metrics. When it comes to analyzing a client’s offering.

As a bonus, Jennifer also explains to James why she loves e-mail marketing, and what it looks like when it’s done right.

Increasing Conversion Through Affiliate Programs

Jennifer’s top tip for increasing conversion through affiliate programs is that brands should diversify their portfolios! It’s a common trap loading up your campaigns with coupons or loyalty sites. The reason being success of those type sites can change dramatically, and quickly.

Listen as Jennifer lays out for James. How brands can look beyond the obvious for affiliate marketing opportunities, and find out what aligns with the customers.  She also gives James some examples of the types of channels brands can use to attract customers.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* How ebove & beyond grew from just Jennifer on her own, to an award-winning agency

* What defines a good OPM (outsource program manager) or agency

* How to “put yourself in the customer’s shoes” when trying to grow online revenue

* The tools that ebove & beyond use to help them deliver results

* Why e-mail marketing done right can be a big win

* How to diversify your affiliate marketing portfolio, and why you’d want to

* Examples of “beyond the obvious” affiliate marketing channels

Resources

Contact: Jennifer Myers Ward:  [email protected]

ebove & beyond

Hammacher Schlemmer

Steiner Sports Memorabilia

Dylan’s Candy Bar

In this week's episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James Martell talks Preston Holland, Director of Business Development for BrandVerity, to discuss protecting your paid search campaigns, and how both advertisers and affiliates can benefit from help in monitoring their paid search.

Preston Holland was last on the show in Affiliate Buzz Episode 448, talking about the right way to disclose an affiliate relationship. In this episode, he’s talking about BrandVerity, winner of the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for Tool of the Year. BrandVerity provides services that protect brands and ensure that their marketing partners are on-brand and compliant. Listen in as Preston explains to James how BrandVerity helps advertisers manage their affiliate paid searches, identifies conflicts, and helps protect against Black Hat affiliate activity.

The Problem of the Paid Search and Protecting Your Paid Search Campaigns

BrandVerity addresses one problem in managing the interaction between a brand’s own paid search, and the paid search being used by its affiliates. If not managed correctly, a brand can end up competing directly with its affiliates for the same marketing space. Search engines won’t help brands manage their affiliates, and doing it manually is prohibitively difficult.

BrandVerity use of proprietary technology monitors affiliate activity which reports back if there are conflicts. Help in protecting your paid search campaigns. James and Preston explore how big a problem these conflicts can be, and how using a tool like BrandVerity can help save you money by solving that problem.

Protecting Against Black Hat Hijacking

Black Hat hijacking still happens, It can be an issue particularly for brands that have regulatory concerns. It takes diligence and regular monitoring to protect against Black Hat activity, but BrandVerity can help.

James and Preston discuss what Black Hat hijacking is and why advertisers should be concerned. First of all what BrandVerity does to identify unscrupulous affiliates and ensure that they can’t dodge being monitored.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* Why brands need to know about their paid search versus their affiliates’ paid searches

* How big of a problem is competing with your own affiliates?

* What is Black Hat hijacking, and how serious is it?

* How brands can use BrandVerity to protect against Black Hat hijacking

* How does BrandVerity help advertisers monitor their paid searches?

* What stops affiliates from being monitored by BrandVerity?

* What sizes and types of companies can benefit from using BrandVerity

* How much time advertisers can expect to spend monitoring their affiliates

* Protect your paid search campaigns

Resources

BrandVerity

Welcome to another edition of the Affiliate Buzz, where affiliate marketers have been coming to be inspired, informed and motivated to succeed since way back in 2003. Last week, we showcased two essential tools for managing multiple WordPress sites. This week, James and Arlene are discussing how a unique business model helped them earn $1,200 commission on just one sale with VistaPrint Reseller program.

No matter what kind of printing you’re after, you’ll be able to benefit from one or more of VistaPrint’s services. They offer a variety of solutions for everything from business cards to apparel. But did you also know about their Affiliate and Reseller programs? You could use VistaPrint to help supplement your income, or even start up a new business! Today, James and Arlene outline what makes VistaPrint outstanding in the marketplace, and what you can do to start earning money with one of their partnership programs.

VistaPrint’s Services are Second to None

James and Arlene use VistaPrint for many of their printing needs. The quality of all their products is amazing and fast, and they’ve even saved money on graphic design by taking advantage of VistaPrint’s design service.

But it’s customer service where VistaPrint really stands out. Their attention to detail means that, as in James and Arlene’s case, if you’ve used the (inexpensive) design service but not yet placed an order, they’ll follow up. And if you’re not completely satisfied with your products, they’ll refund you then and there, with no hassle. James and Arlene discuss two clients with very different needs, and how VistaPrint’s customer service went above and beyond to deliver just what they wanted.

Revenue Opportunities as an Affiliate or Reseller

VistaPrint’s Affiliate program is generous: at up to 16% commission rate and an average conversion rate of 15%, it’s easy to make the decision to join. You’ll want to stay, in part, because of their outstanding in-house affiliate team, who are there to help make your affiliate experience smooth and rewarding.

It’s the VistaPrint Reseller Program, however, where there is real potential for income, particularly for local services. VistaPrint Resellers get up to a 40% discount off the regular shopping cart price. James and Arlene describe how they leveraged the Reseller program to turn one client’s $3,000 print job into a $1,200 profit for them. They also suggest ways that you could use the VistaPrint Reseller Program to generate income from your local businesses.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

* What makes VistaPrint’s customer service stand out

* How you can save money on graphic design using VistaPrint

* How VistaPrint can provide a total print solution for your clients

* Why you don’t need to worry about quality when you use VistaPrint

* Why the VistaPrint Affiliate program is one of the best around

* How James and Arlene used the VistaPrint Reseller Program to earn $1,200 on one commission

* Ideas for how you can use VistaPrint in your local community to generate revenue

Resources

* VistaPrint Affiliate Program

* VistaPrint Reseller Program

In this week's episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James Martell showcases two essential tools (ManageWP and OptinMonster) to help you get the most out of managing multiple WordPress sites.

If you are an active affiliate marketer, chances are you're managing multiple sites at once. You may be managing several just for yourself, or for a combination of you and your clients. In either case, streamlining the management of those sites is essential. Today, James focuses on two areas: bringing your websites onto a single dashboard using ManageWP, and converting visitors into subscribers using OptinMonster.

Consolidate Your Dashboards Using ManageWP

Several months ago, James and Arlene consolidated all their sites into a more manageable system of servers and service providers. At the same time, they looked for an easier way to manage all those websites at once. Enter ManageWP, which brings all your websites into one place, on a single dashboard.

James discusses the features you'll want to make use of, including cloud backup, team collaboration, and integrated analytics. He'll also tell you why ManageWP makes it easier to keep your clients up to date.

Retain More Visitors Using OptinMonster

Did you know that up to 70% of the visitors who come to your sites will never return unless they opt in? Using a tool like OptinMonster can help you customize opt-in offers so that you can retain as many of them as possible.

James takes us through the key features of OptinMonster, which include customizable pop-ups, built-in analytics and A/B split testing, and a selection of opt-in offers that you can deploy on your sites.

Here's What You'll Hear

* Why it's a good idea to streamline multiple WordPress sites

* All the things you can do in one place with ManageWP

* How to use ManageWP to collaborate with a team

* How to showcase websites for clients and supply them with reports, all through ManageWP

* Why OptinMonster is a game-changer for managing your opt-in offers

* How to retain more visitors using smart pop-ups and other features

* How much you can expect to pay for both ManageWP and OptinMonster

Resources

The first step streamlining your websites and retaining more visitors is checking out ManageWP and OptinMonster for yourself.

* ManageWP

* OptinMonster

In this week's episode of the Affiliate Buzz, James Martell talks with Eric Nagel is Chief Technical Officer of F-M-T-C, and Preston Holland is Director of Business Development for BrandVerity, about the right way to disclose an affiliate relationship.

F-M-T-C which offers suite of powerful tools for affiliates and bloggers that allows them to easily tap into over 200,000 monetized, cleaned and categorized deals.

BrandVerity provides services that protect brands and ensure that their marketing partners are on-brand and compliant. They were also just awarded the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for Tool of the Year for 2017 Protecting Your Paid Search Campaigns.

In fact, Eric and Preston have both just returned from Affiliate Summit West and will share their highlights before digging into the particulars of FTC disclosures.

Why now?

The FTC Guidelines have been around for a while. Why are we hearing so much about them now? And why are so many, the vast majority according to research by BrandVerity, sites that are out of compliance? Many publishers simply don’t realize that rules apply to them. Advertisers too have been a little bit slack about having their affiliates reveal the relationship.

Here’s the bottom line. Honesty is the best policy. A clear, concise statement, acknowledging that you may receive money or products from companies mentioned in your post will ensure that you’re in compliance.

What won’t work? All those silly tricks – putting the disclosure at the very end of your post or bottom of your page so that the client won’t see it until after they’ve clicked on your links. Or putting your disclosure in light grey on a white background. Or using a microscopic font.

The good news is that being honest and straight forward doesn’t just cover your butt with the FTC. It can actually be done in such a way that it doesn’t have a negative impact on your conversion rate.

Here’s What You’ll Hear

Listen now as Eric, Preston and James explain:

* What the FTC requires affiliates to disclose

* Understanding the right way to disclose an Affiliate relationship

* Why affiliates need to disclose affiliate links and what other things need to be disclosed

* Where and how to disclose an affiliate relationship, including some concise wording from Eric

* What the risk is if you fail to comply with the FTC guidelines

* A free WordPress plug-in that will add a discloser to all of your posts (past and present)

Resources

Although they’re not lawyers, Eric and Preston have a lot of good resources to share on the subject of FTC compliance:

* BrandVerity’s White Paper (including a compliance checklist)

* Tricia Meyer’s resources on FTC compliance

* The WordPress plug-in that adds disclosure language to all of your posts

If you’d like to hear more from Eric or Preston, you can find them at:

[email protected] or on Twitter @EricNagel