Newb Guide Pt 8: Taking Over The World
This is the final part of Nickycakes’ Newbie Affiliate Marketing Guide. If you have not read the other parts, go read them.
So, you did it. You set up tracking, got approved on some networks, picked offers, made landing pages, set up campaigns, and optimized until you started making some profit. Good for you. You might not be mentally challenged after all. But now what?
Hiring
Chances are, if you’re making good money, you’re likely spending a good part of your day testing and optimizing, as well as coming up with new stuff to promote. At some point, you won’t have much time left to do anything else, but may still have a desire to expand. This is when you might consider hiring outside help. You’ll probably need actual office space for this, which can be surprisingly cheap compared to what you’re likely making if you’re having any decent success to the point where you need to hire. There are plenty of places to find employees but your best bet is going to probably be local universities, especially if they have any kind of work study type programs where they can’t afford to quit the job or screw you over because their credits rely on them staying at the job. You may try craigslist too. Be careful, though, because in this industry it’s easy for a newbie to learn enough information to make it on their own and then just jump ship to do just that. Teach them exactly what you need them to do, and nothing more. If you’re hiring them to manage your campaigns, don’t even tell them what an affiliate network is, etc. Just show them exactly how to manage the campaigns, and how to create ads, etc.
Start a Network
What most people don’t know is that a good number of the bigger affiliate networks out there were actually started by affiliates who wanted to expand into other areas. Honestly, it doesn’t take much more than a directtrack license and a list of affiliate friends to get off the ground. It definitely requires hiring though, especially if you get big. You will likely need a full staff after things get rolling. Also, unless you want to give shitty payment terms to your affiliates, you better have a decent bankroll saved up.
A big misconception is that running a network runs almost no risk. Totally untrue. There is so much fraud going on right now it’s crazy, and the network is the one who ends up on the hook for that. Add this to the fact that you’re floating a lot of money while waiting on getting paid by the merchants and things could be disastrous if you’re not extremely careful who you let on your network. If you DO decide to go this route, please read this post if you want to stand out from the other thousands of identical networks out there.
Your Own Offers
You won’t find much info about this out there. Why? Because the barrier to entry is high and the people doing it already don’t want you to have a piece. At Affiliate Summit West this year, there was a table at club XS that ordered 30some bottles of Crystal…acai merchants. Setting up your own offers and doing it right, especially for a physical product rebill type offer can be HARD WORK and VERY RISKY. If theres anything legally wrong with what you’re doing, you get sued. If the customers aren’t staying on your rebill long enough for you to be profitable..you lose your ass. A million things can go wrong, especially the credit card processing, which needs to be rock solid, and even then if you fuck up at all, they can hold your earnings for months and months forcing you to close up shop. High risk for potentially very high reward. If this is something you’re interested in, good luck to you. You’ve got a long road ahead, but there may be lots of lambos and shiny stuff at the end.
Give Back
Don’t be a dick. You know you’re promoting shady diet rebill offers. Please give some money to a worthy cause. Yes, it’s a tax writeoff. No, you shouldn’t be doing it just because it’s a tax writeoff. Cakes has a soft spot in his heart for drug and alcohol treatment centers, and likes to contribute to those, but just pick something that you feel is a worthy cause and contribute some money every year. That is the sign of a true balla in cakes’ opinion. Honestly, which one of these statements sounds like you’re rolling in dough: “Yo I just dropped $100k on a watch.” or “Yo, I just fed thanksgiving and christmas dinner to every poor person in the city.” You got it way better than most people, so don’t forget where you came from.
What NOT to do
Don’t start a blog. Unless you love writing and are doing it because you love helping people and making friends, then just don’t. It’s rarely profitable for anyone.
Don’t share your secrets with anyone. Yeah, you’re excited that you have your first $1k a day campaign, now shut the fuck up about it for as long as possible. Someone will eventually see your ads everywhere and catch on and copy you but you can make plenty of money before that happens if you keep quiet.
Don’t be an asshole to other affiliates. There have been plenty of reports lately of affiliates reporting other peoples ads, or merchants calling the FTC about other merchants offers. If you do this kinda stuff, you’re a total douche who can’t make money in an industry where money pretty much grows on trees. Congrats on that. Be respectful of others or you will get shunned in this industry really damn quick. News travels very fast.
This will likely be the last part of this guide. Hopefully it was helpful.
Keep it real.
Nice ending to a nice guide – especially the charity bit.
The only thing better than the feeling of making lots of money, is the feeling of giving some of that money to help those in need.
The “Give Back: Don’t be a Dick” paragraph is fantastic. Very classy.
“Don’t start a blog.” hahaha..
nice post cakes!
Your best post of the series! Congrats on your success and keep up the great work!
“You know you’re promoting shady diet rebill offers”…priceless
really love the key points of what NOT to do. Will keep that in mind
Cakes – this has been a great series. Kudos to you for sending it out.
“You’re a total douche who can’t make money in an industry where money pretty much grows on trees” – LOL! Great post.
Awesome post man, totally full of win
Nicky fuckin rocks.
Good stuff hombre. Come back to Boston.
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I forwarded this blog to my buxom wife, who was most disappointed at the lack of cake receipes or cupcake enjoyment guides. I on the otherhand, declare this blog a triumph! And have immediately forwarded it to queen to declare 5th May National Nichcakes day in your honor.
Great series of posts have enjoyed. I am nowmoving full on into intelligent affiliate marketing.
Hysterical. Thanks cakes.
I want to be on that table of acai merchants next year. I have the brains and the balls. Just not the connections.
Who do I have to talk to people?
Hey Nicky, definitely appreciate the guide. I’m gonna try it out and see what happens …
But incredibly generous of you to try to help newbs such as myself … big kudos
Hey your guide thank god its free lol I would of asked for a refund…..
Don’t hold back when telling us what not to do. Just come right out and give it to us.
My respect about you as a Super Affiliate has increased very high after readin this post..
thanks a million
Sandeep
“Don’t be a dick. You know you’re promoting shady diet rebill offers.” Love the donation suggestion – BUT are all the products through the affiliate networks you recommend really bogus and BS? I’m a girl with heart of gold, and a preference for living like I’ve got the gold stashed in my bank account. But I have trouble with the concept of selling something that’s ‘just’ a rip-off.
Hey Nick,
Excellent guide. I really enjoyed it throughout. Thanks for making it available to the public for free. You are much appreciated.
That is a must read article..
Well, that is indeed very helpful for the newbies who are just starting the business.
Yeah that was really a helpful guide..
thanks fr giving it us for free..
Looking forward for a lot of tips.
damn big homie…im a newb…but im making money already…just tryna get more and i like the tutorial plus i like ur delivery…im bugging off this affiliate shit…i did music for a minute and it sounds like u dudes get it in just like us…actually even more so cuz u dont have to worry about getting mobbed by fans at the supermarket…im all in…ready to go hard!! thanx
Thanks for a great guide.. i wanna take the plunge!!!
Your newbie guide is solid. I have literally no experience with affiliate marketing. Mad respect for making this public knowledge. Giving back is solid too. Respect.
You blog looks great man! Keep up the good work!
I just read the newbie guide and want to thank u for writing it its very useful info probably the first real usefull info I’ve found regarding this industry since I’ve been looking into it. So thanks a million and I’ll put into practice what I’ve learned here.
Thanks Nicky, great starter thoughts on entering the affiliate lifestyle. If you really want it bad enough, you’ll do whatever it takes to get there. +Repp
Good job man. Learned a lot. Your writing style is pretty smooth. Kudos!
Awesome guide! Thanks for taking the time. I learned a lot in a short amount of time. I'll be sure to sign up though your links.
For someone who isn't an affiliate marketer this was really terrific. Thank you for all of it. You are very generous-proving your own point that those in the affiliate marketing industry are indeed very cool people. Thanks man.
Thank you so much for this… you rock!
I am glad someone has talked about office space! Over here in the UK it can cost a fortune and then Business Rates are added on top. Plus furniture needed etc.
Thumbs up.
also liked the charity idea.
i really belive in it all my life,and it makes me real happy to see others also think this way and more then that promote this ideas! nice one cakes!
Nickycakes said it all huh. Read the whole series in a few minutes and learned more than in months lurking around IM world. Much appreciated.
Thnx Nick.
This guide taught me alot about affiliate marketing and gave me a sense of direction of what needs to be done to start. Thnx a million, I hope to meet you someday and personally say thanks for getting me into this.
damn, great guide. wish i’d read it 2 years ago.
This was great. Thanks so much! Well written, too. Made reading a dry subject quite enjoyable.
"Don’t share your secrets with anyone…."
uuuhhh…. well, thanks for doing just that. I learned a ton.
thanx for the info, nickycakes. so tired of the "make 1500 to 4500 dollars a month by signing up for 29,39,49.95" and getting the shaft in the end. been looking for the last couple of years for the free info on this biz and appreciate not having to pay for it.499933
Thanks for sharing this guide with us. It is a super helpful resource.