Notice I didn’t say, “Rolling in the dough and laughing all the way to the bank!”

NOT the same.  Not even close.

I’m going to wager that my definition of “rich” may be very different than yours.  And what brings happiness into each of our lives is very subjective.

Today’s post is an opportunity to shift your thinking and remove money, fame, fortune, and material possessions from the equation.

So when’s the last time you had a rich and happy minute?

If you’re not sure, here’s what personal development advocate  Lyman Reed wrote in his review of “How to be Rich and Happy” by John P. Strelecky and Tim Brownson:

Here’s an example:

Sitting in front of the T.V. because you’re dead tired from working a 12 hour day at a job you hate?  No Rich and Happy minutes for you (duh).

Watching Lost (R.I.P) on T.V. because you really love the drama, mystery, and intrigue – and don’t really care what your wife thinks about the fact that you’ve seen every episode at least three times?  Now those are some Rich and Happy minutes!

Frivolous?  I think not.

The point is that no one but you can decide what a Rich and Happy minute is. Since reading the book, I find myself asking “Is the time I’m using right now ‘Rich and Happy’ time?” If it isn’t, the awareness motivates me to find something more rich and happy to do.  Or think. Or be.

When you invest your time in ways that both rack up Rich and Happy minutes and move you toward your goals … that’s a double extra win!

Read more of Lyman’s review here: How to be Rich and Happy and Help Others do the Same and get the details about an extraordinary giveaway!

In part one and part two of this series, you’ve learned about different business models, how to zero in on your affiliate marketing personality, and the cool advantages of becoming an affiliate marketer.

In Part 3,  I want to share some expert tips on how to be successful by promoting and recommending other people’s products, programs, and services.

Tip #1

Dip Your Toe In First

Trying to start up too many sites and affiliate programs when you first begin as an affiliate marketer can mean you won’t have enough quality time and energy to dedicate to each one.  Beginning with one website and a handful (3-5) of relevant affiliate products will give you a chance to learn the ropes.  Once you have found the winning formula, you can repeat it over and over again.

Tip #2

Believe In The Products You Promote

Make sure you purchase and test any product you intend to promote before you begin to sell it.  By recommending it to your target audience, you are putting your reputation on the line! So making sure the product does what it claims is just good business sense.

Check out the company selling the product you are promoting.  Is their customer service up to your standards?  Is their site professional and easy to navigate? Will they treat your customers as you would treat them yourself?

Tip #3

Let’s Talk Money

Check out the payment terms of each affiliate program you join.  What percentage can you expect to get from each sale or will it be a fixed dollar amount?  Will you be paid only for the sale, or will you get commission for each sales lead you generate?  If an affiliate program pays out less than 40% in commissions, I wouldn’t consider joining.  Most pay 50% and some as high as 75%.  Now we’re talking!

Tip #4

Use The Resources In Your Affiliate Members Area

When you join an affiliate program, check your affiliate back office to see what marketing materials have been created for you to use in your promotional and business-building efforts.  These may include email marketing messages, text links, articles, blog posts, graphics, banner ads, Facebook updates, and Tweets for social media marketing.

Some affiliate program owners choose to email you affiliate tips and marketing materials over a 30-day period after you join their program in lieu of having these items stored in the affiliate members area.  In that case, you’ll need to create a file to keep those items handy.

Tip #5

Grab Your Megaphone

You can have a great website promoting high quality affiliate products and fantastic sales copy that would convince the most skeptical visitor to buy, but if you don’t have any traffic to your site, you are not going to make any money.  Successful affiliates spend around 75% of their time and energy on marketing – through e-books, articles, social media venues, classified ads, free reports, tips booklets, and blogging (my favorite).

The beauty of affiliate marketing is that anyone can do it – exclusively or as an addendum to your existing business.

See you for Part 4!

Prefer to listen to this post?

I turned a half a hundred seven years ago (all of you math wizards have now figured out my age).  Sorry.  There’s no prize involved.

Let’s just say I’ve “been around the block” a time or two and I have a fair amount of life experience under my belt.  I know the difference between right and wrong and I’ve learned that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

I decided to become an independent business owner and online marketer after spending almost four decades in the offline working world.  That’s okay.  I believe it’s never too late to follow your passion and design a life that’s right for you.

So, if you’re not moving forward in your business or you’re still sitting on the fence about getting started, what’s holding you back?

Is it that you’re not sure how to put together a business plan? (A short and simple plan is all you need).  Or is it that you think you have to spend money to market your business? (Not true! – You can market on a $0 budget).

Maybe you’re resisting because you lack some necessary skills (Don’t worry a bit – there’s lots of resources and easy action steps to follow).

Take it from this old lady …

There’s no better time than today to live your passion and purpose – profitably!

What questions can I answer for you today that will help you get started or move you closer to your goals as a small business owner?

What do you think is one of the biggest factors for someone making the decision to join your list, download your free offer, or purchase your products and services?  WHY do people consider you to be an expert in your niche and choose to work with you?  Well, I’ll tell you what it’s NOT.

Your prospects, clients, and customers don’t think of you as an expert because you’ve built a better mouse trap, drive the fanciest car, or sell an invention that scrubs their toilet while they sleep!

It’s sometimes a hard pill to swallow as a small business owner, but people don’t really care about YOU.  Ouch.

So what do people care about?  What do they look for that will absolutely cement you in as an expert in their eyes?

Third-party endorsements – oftentimes referred to as Testimonials or Social Proof.  People put a lot of weight on what OTHER people have to say about you.  They need to know that people JUST LIKE THEM are coming to you to find solutions to their problems.

If you’re just getting your new business off the ground and you don’t have any testimonials yet, don’t worry.  Start by asking your friends, colleagues, and subscribers to your list to provide you with “A Toot Of The Horn”.

My youngest daughters are twins.   So the title of this article really caught my attention.  Enjoy!

Parents know it instinctively. To differentiate one from the other, they give their newborn different names. Most businesses beg to differ, and often end up giving the same name to multiple (and widely differing) products, without realising the negative impact on the brand.

Whether you’ve got a growing business or a well-established one, it’s important not to ignore that important law of physics. Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. This branding article
will show you why!

Why Brand And Line Extension Don’t Work

Heard of a cheese company called Kraft? You say Kraft and people say cheese. The amazing association of cheese with their name should have kept the company smiling for decades. But that didn’t happen. Like most companies, Kraft figured they had a great brand name that would extend to a whole range of foods.

So, they went and line extended into jams, jellies and mayonnaise among other food stuff. According to their reasoning, they were still in the food business.

Their Accountants Might Not Agree

In jams and jellies, the American brand, Smucker’s owns 35% share of the market. Kraft has 9%. In mayonnaise, Hellman’s owns 42% of the market share. Kraft has 18%.

Despite being a major cheese company, Kraft (amazingly) isn’t hitting the top of the charts. The only winner it has is called, not Kraft, but a cream cheese called Philadelphia, which has 70% of the market. By trying to be all things to all people, Kraft (like many others) has ended up with a great brand name, but few real winning products.

What Goes Through The Customer’s Mind?

Remember your cousin John, the lazy guy? Or your brother Bruce, the industrious guy? Or Diane, the smart one? If you grew up with a mental image alongside a name, the attributes of that person stick with you for life. One name, one attribute.

Most customers are exactly like you. If you say Honda in Japan, people think of a motorcycle company. If you say Honda in any other country, people think of cars. People don’t seem to make the leap at all. Once your product/service has a fixed attribute in their mind, it burns itself in. No matter what you try and do, it cannot be re-invented.

The movie Saturday Night Fever made tons of money. So, what did they do? They took the same formula and called it Grease. Same stuff, different name, but consistent profits. On the other hand, every sequel of most movies has consistently gone downhill. Sure, Rocky went the distance, but you have to question whether it fed Sylvester Stallone’s bankroll or his ego.

How Successful Companies Power Their Brands Forward

Know of Barbie and Ken? Your grandmother does and so will your kids. Barbie and Ken have never changed what they stand for.

They’ve outlasted the Ninja Turtles, the Cabbage Patch dolls and every other toy in sight. And will continue to do so in the years to come. That’s because Barbie and Ken stand for dolls with interchangeable clothes. Nothing more, nothing less.

That’s exactly what successful businesses do. They occupy a niche and they defend it. Look at publishing companies. They bring out a magazine, they call it Men’s Health.

Then they bring out another magazine and another one and yet another one. And every magazine is given a different name. Go to a newsstand down the street and have a look at the magazines. No magazine is all things to all people. Each one has a specific positioning, name and target audience.

The Problem With New Brand Names

It’s expensive to launch a new brand. That’s why most head honchos in companies take the safe route to extend their line. Besides, it’s not like line extension doesn’t work. It works fantastically well. Then it sputters, chokes and dies slowly.

This is because when brands are first extended, people are eager to try out new products. However, they soon tire of it and go back to the brand that defines clearly what they’re after.

How Creating A New Brand Can Help You Focus

Take a look at New Zealand today. There are two airlines from the same parent company. One is called Air New Zealand and the other is called Freedom Air. Air New Zealand stands for top class airline service, with all the frills. Freedom Air is zero frills.

All the tactics and the strategies can be worked out independently as they function (and exist) as two different companies. If Air New Zealand started an airline called Air New Zealand Budget, it would have watered the whole brand giving both airlines no identity of their own.

Less Is More

A niche can make you more money than being a generalist . Resist the urge to be sailor, soldier and candle-stick maker to everyone.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Surely, you’ve heard that. Now believe it and implement it.

Next Step: Read more Branding articles. Create your own branding strategy using these psychological tactics.

Article written by Sean D’Souza.
Wouldn’t you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas. Find simple, yet electrifying ideas,on website strategy, marketing strategies, copywriting, public speaking, article marketing, sales conversion, psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.

The bottom line is that if you aren’t utilizing Facebook as one of your main marketing platforms, you NEED to jump on board. Service professionals, authors, consultants, and other small business owners are realizing revolutionary results on Facebook.  So why shouldn’t YOU?

I know I’m looking forward to making a big splash on Facebook and I hope you’ll join me and my friend and colleague, Jessica Swanson, the “Shoestring Marketer”, for a Free Profitable Facebook Marketing Webinar this Thursday, February 11th.

As an extra special bonus, you’ll receive a link to the video recording, a downloadable PDF workbook, and a step-by-step action plan.

Seats are limited so I suggest you RUN, not walk to register for this complementary event!

Hundreds of passionate bloggers have signed the Small is Beautiful Manifesto.

The manifesto and the image above were created by Jen Lemen and Rachelle Mee-Chapman.

THE SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL MANIFESTO:

• We believe stories are valuable, no matter how many people read them.
• We believe following your passion is more important than watching your site meter.
• We believe in the handmade, the first try, the small start, and the good effort.
• We believe that Small is Beautiful.

Join in this tiny revolution.