If you’re like me, you have quite a few different opinions on how to run a business (models, strategies, tactics, etc.), and sometimes they tend to blur together.
Lately I’ve found myself questioning the credibility of affiliate marketers, so I decided to start blogging to spread the word about adding legitimate value as an affiliate.
I have also been thinking a lot about how adding value is actually REALLY easy for us (Affiliates: People who love the Internet, and know every service/website you can imagine, for absolutely any purpose…all the time).
It’s easy for people like us to provide a service, in many ways:
- Save the visitor money by pointing them to a cheaper alternative
- Save the customer time by doing the research for them
- Telling them about a service that solves their problem, that they didn’t already know about
In the end, the industry we work in is based on commission percentage, CPA, search volume/demand, and competition.
While those things are all essential to our business model, and we simply don’t have the time or energy to crank out content and do all the things we do everyday without promoting affiliate programs, there is an easier way!
Here are my Business Models:
Both of these models allow me to stay focused on the same group of tasks, but also branch out to help people in my community and keep more stable income.
How do I do this?
I help local business owners get more value out of their websites as a consultant.
At first I was worried about being too spread thin building my own business while helping others, especially because I wasn’t sure how to bring in a steady flow of clients that provide a stable flow of cash.
After some tweaks to my strategy it dawned on me:
I can use my Affiliate Marketing skills for local business websites, dominating low-competition terms in the SE’s, and they’ll pay me every month!
Think about it: would you rather try to get ranked for “piano lessons for beginners” or “piano lessons charleston sc”? I know I know…the search volume is lower, but the key here is that business owners love to see themselves ranked in Google, and their conversions tend to be higher since their terms are geo-targeted.
It’s not always the case, but I’ve found that by charging a flat rate for some services, an hourly rate for design & site optimization, and a monthly fee to manage PPC & SEO campaigns, companies are happy to see their results improve on autopilot over time (which means we’re happy with a steady $500, $1,000 or more every month just for crushing it with some insanely-easy keywords)!
Point being:
Don’t hold yourself back by sticking with only one model like so many claim is the key. Instead find a way to strike a balance between your passions & talents and what puts food on the table.
There are countless ways to incorporate your favorite elements of one business model into another to earn more money, and as long as you’re not spread too thin, it’ll be more than worth it.
