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A Guest Post: Affiliate Marketing- How to Save Time and Money by Finding Good Affiliates


This is a guest post by the folks who have embedded the link entitled computer support.  It is a computer support firm “down under”.   Their ideas and advice are  worth considering.

One of the biggest problems for people looking at affiliate marketing opportunities is trying to tell the good deals from the crocks. That’s easier than it looks, but it has to be said at this point that there are risks. Some affiliates are effectively worthless wastes of time and effort, and their “returns” would be laughable if they weren’t so disappointing. Some use ridiculous software that could have you getting computer support (and/or counseling) on a regular basis; others have excellent software that can run your affiliate shop seamlessly. Some are basically pyramid scams; others are bona fide businesses with extremely good payment schemes.

Affiliates- What to avoid

There are a few telltale signs of an affiliate to avoid:

·         Strong emphasis on getting others to join: The best affiliates just don’t do that. They may have referral schemes as incentives, but that’s about it. The “joiner” affiliates tend to be long on talk and very short on substance.

·         Any affiliate which advertises itself like a “Make a billion in bed” scheme: These absurd things are full of stories about “our fantastic product” that made multi-millionaires out of a group of people that look like an FBI Most Wanted list. Somebody living in a cave in Peru did well out of the affiliate scheme and naturally recommends it to everyone on Earth. To add some extra credibility, there’s no actual indication of what the product is, after reading about 3000 words. Forget it.

·         Vague information about any affiliate’s terms and conditions: Real affiliate schemes are real businesses. They don’t waffle about their terms. They use standardized agreements. If you see anything less than this standard, move on. You can find better business anywhere.

Appealing little collection of options, isn’t it? These things are poison. The best case outcomes in these situations are likely to be memories you’ll be able to wince about for the rest of your life.

Software as a cue to get out of the frying pan

Another good indication of a truly hopeless affiliate scheme is, ironically enough, the software. The best affiliates really do provide a full suite of software which runs well and can help you track your earnings, hits and anything else you need effortlessly. The crocks provide you with software which gives you a great opportunity to spend time talking to your computer repairs people on a regular basis, trying to find out what’s gone wrong this time. It’s strange but true that these guys will spend a fortune on hype, and a few cents setting up decent software which will actually do anything.

If you’re finding that your “software” is about as useful as a flamethrower when your house is burning down, take the hint. All the affiliate deal will do is cost you time and therefore money, and cost you hard cash sorting out the problems.

Research- The key to dodging the crocks

Always check out any information you can get about any affiliate and their products.

If you see a lot of:

·         “We’re not a scam, really we’re not” articles or posts online

·         Complaints about non-payment

·         Complaints about a lot of hassles with the affiliate

·         Complaints about products

·         Better Business Bureau reports


Avoid these guys. The best affiliates do business, not litigation and PR, to make their money. Check and keep checking until you’re sure you’ve found a good deal.

Getting good affiliate deals really isn’t all that difficult. Just play safe and look out for the crocks.

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