WHAT INTERESTS YOU?

The easiest way to make money in affiliate marketing is by promoting products and services that interest you. You can make money in categories that you know nothing about, but it’s always easiest to get started by promoting things you have an interest in.

For example, when I started in affiliate marketing I promoted online dating services. Before I began working as an affiliate, I owned and operated an online dating site. Because I was interested in online dating, and had a little experience running my own dating site, it was easy for me to promote other dating services. My previous experiences in online dating helped me to understand who the customers were, and what they were looking for.

No matter what your interests are, I can assure you that there is an affiliate program that caters to your interests. I went out to lunch with a friend of mine one time, and he asked me what he should promote. I asked him what he liked doing in his spare time. He mentioned that he was really into playing video games. I suggested that he could create a gaming website with video game reviews, and strategies for his favorite games. He could feature advertisers that sell video
games like Amazon.com, and WalMart.com on his website.

Action Item:

If you have not yet decided what you are going to promote, take a few minutes to write down some ideas. Think about the following questions:

1. What are your hobbies?
2. What are you passionate about?
3. Do you use a particular product or service that you are always raving about to your family and friends?
4. Do you have any special training or experience?

Real Life Example:

You don’t have to be an expert in your category. Simply having an interest or a desire to learn more about something is enough. For example, I didn’t know anything about Voice over Internet (VOIP) a few months ago, but I was interested in learning more. So I spent a few hours checking out different Voice over Internet providers, comparing features, and trying to understand the benefits of using Voice over Internet instead of a traditional phone line.

I even took it one step further and decided to try it out for myself. By becoming a Voice over Internet customer, I really started to understand what all the buzz was about. It was then very easy for me to create a website and start promoting merchants in this category.

It’s not necessary to buy or use every product or service you want to promote. If that were the case, I would have dozens of credit cards in my wallet. However, it is important that you understand the key benefits of each product so you are able to accurately and effectively market the product.