Just last week, I wrote a blog about why affiliate marketing works. This week, I’d like to continue along this thread (as this income stream can be so beneficial) and provide tips on how to be a successful affiliate marketer.
Tip Number One: Talk as if you’re talking to a friend.
When you talk to your friends and share products with them, you do so in a way that doesn’t come off like you’re selling. Think about the last time you found a great new:
- Juice bar
- Yoga mat
- Hair care product
- Podcast
Whatever that thing was, when you shared it with your friends, I’m willing to bet it didn’t feel sales-y.
Tip Number Two: Use video.
Whether it’s IGTV or YouTube or Instagram Stories, use video. Video is so much more engaging and it gets people to pay attention.
Tip Number Three: Talk about the pros and the cons.
Let’s be honest, there is no such thing as the perfect product. I don’t care if you created it yourself and you spent years building and producing.
So, when you’re talking about all the ways you love a specific something, I highly recommend to mention why it, also, may not be valuable to some.
Tip Number Four: “Hey, guys!”
We don’t want to refer to our audience with a generality. You hear it all the time:
- “Hey, everyone!
- “What’s up, y’all!”
- “How’s everybody doing?”
These greetings are super impersonal and remind your people that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of others also watching the very same content.
When using affiliate marketing, we want to come across authentic and speak to our audience like they’re our best friend.
Tip Number Five: Vary the way you promote affiliate links.
Take, for example, some food product I may happen to be an affiliate for. Sometimes I’ll:
- Chat about the benefits
- Talk solely about how yummy it is
- Post a picture of the product and ask people if they want the code
Basically, use different styles of promoting the product!
If all you’re doing every single day on your Instagram Stories is promoting a certain product the exact same way, people are going to get bored and stop paying attention.
Tip Number Six: Treat your affiliate promotion like a product review.
You know those un-boxing type videos, right? Where the host (often on YouTube) will talk about:
- The way the product is packaged
- Major and minor features / aspects of the product
- How the product is marketed
- What’s listed on the packaging
Hence, rather than trying to sell, you’re just sharing logistics about the product.
Tip Number Seven: Remember that this isn’t selling.
It is not your job to sell and move product for this company. You’re just recommending. By doing so, you’re serving your audience. The reality is you’re doing your peeps a disservice by not promoting X product. You love it for a reason, right?
For a crucial bonus tip and far more details / anecdotes on the tips above, check out The Build Your Tribe episode below:
And don’t forget to subscribe to BYT for weekly episodes dedicated to your business growth!
