Over the last couple of days I have been looking at ways to improve my website. I know posting more often helps – and I am working to a routine on that front. Other areas included a new theme, removing a lot of the unnecessary clutter on the sidebar and perhaps creating a monthly newsletter.
The one are I have absolutely no experience with and feel somewhat helpless at times is in building a mailing list. Everywhere I look I see the words “the money is in the list”. Well hang the money, I just want a loyal group of readers who would be happy to receive a newsletter each month. Building the list is the only thing that has stopped me to date and being such a novice, the last thing I want is see my money going down a big hole with no return.
To cut a long story short – I went searching for list building advice and everything led back to Aweber. That’s fine, I checked out their site and everything ‘sounds’ good. The problem is, it is a monthly subscription. Now this blog doesn’t make $1 month so spending $19 (I know it’s not a lot, it’s just the principle) is not an investment – it’s an expense that needs to be considered.
So – now to the affiliate marketing angle. As a buyer, not seller, I often wonder what price a product would sell for if it didn’t rely on affiliate marketing. For Aweber, they pay 30% or a little over $5 per sign-up. Being a cheap-skate, I would rather pay the $14 each month instead of the $19. Small dollars I know. However I was looking at a different program over the weekend that cost $70 per month. It had a 50% affiliate payout.
To my mind, that means I am paying an extra $35 each month over the true worth of the program (if the owner is happy to accept $35 each month then that is its true worth). Like I said, it all adds up. suddenly you’re paying $2oo per month when it could be as low as $100 if there were no affiliates.
It’s just my little rant for the week. I understand that sellers need affiliates to spread the message and that affiliates need the income to survive. Now here is a question for everyone involved in affiliate marketing.
Can I register as an affiliate marketer – clear my cookies, then buy through my own link? As least then I get the affiliate selling fee (effectively a discount). Your suggestions would help?
