If you have just started to look around for an opportunity to move from “exchanging hours for a pay check”, to building something that can benefit you long term, then this will be of interest to you. I will be giving a simple explanation of how to earn money online without selling anything.
Don’t believe this is possible?
Read on – your eyes may be opened to a new way of thinking!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of these links. Please be assured that there is no additional cost to yourself by doing this. Please read my disclosure for more information. Thank you.
What is your “WHY”?
Where do I begin? There are so many reasons why someone’s current circumstances are no longer what they want for their future. You may be just starting out on your journey into the world of work. You may now be a stay-at-home-parent, or perhaps you might just be bored with your career after so many years doing the same thing.
Some people, however, are super ambitious and understand that there are great opportunities to be had in the digital world!
Everyone has a “WHY” they want to enter this world of making money online.
What is YOUR why?
Knowing this will help you focus on the specific direction you need to take to achieve your goals.
For me, I had been working 40 years since I left school, and decided that I wanted more freedom to enjoy life, working from anywhere I wanted to be. Only having 25 days holiday a year was not really cutting it anymore!
Here’s what I found
Not everyone necessarily wants to be selling online, and all that goes along with it.
After looking at many business models that would fit with my criteria of allowing me freedom of time and location, I came across AFFILIATE MARKETING.
This is something I could get my head around: that I could understand from the outset.
It also benefits from the fact that there is a very low barrier to entry, meaning it was very low risk, if I later found that it was not for me.
I was never going to lose a fortune! I could, however, potentially make a very good passive/semi-passive income for the future. Awesome!
So, what is Affiliate Marketing?
A recommendation
If you are ever visiting London on your travels, and have a few days to spare, Richmond-Upon-Thames is beautiful. It has a lovely village feel about it.
There are magnificent views of the Thames stretching out in front of you from the top of the hill. You can even take a leisurely walk along the river, where you can find riverside cafes, if you want to just spend time relaxing with a drink of an afternoon.
For the evening, there is an abundance of great places to eat, and very welcoming local pubs.
There, I’ve just given you an appealing recommendation for Richmond-Upon-Thames. Free!
One step further: Refer-a-Friend.
Me: Hi Chris, good to see you again. Which mobile supplier are you with? I may be able to save you some money every month.
Chris: Really? That would be good. What you got?
Me: You’re with Vodafone, aren’t you?
Chris: Yes, They have great network coverage in my area.
Me: That’s perfect, because I have a ‘Refer A Friend Code’ for a company that uses their network, so you’d get the same great coverage you currently enjoy, but for a much lower cost per month, and no long tie-you-in contract. What’s more, if you sign up using this code you’ll benefit from a little bonus when you open your account with them.
Chris: Brilliant! I’m just out of contract, I’ll have a look.
Me: Good move, here’s the code. ABC*******
Chris: Cheers mate, I’ll check it out as soon as I get home.
Me: No worries. Happy to help.
So now, not only have I given you a recommendation you can benefit from, I have also given you a little bonus! You could always save it towards a day out in Richmond! 🙂
This time though, I have also gained a little, because the company I referred you to gives me a little bonus for the referral as well.
It’s a ‘Win-Win’. Everyone gains! Great, now let’s take it to another level entirely!
So, affiliate marketing is what you’re here for!
In its simplest form, this could be thought of as a massive expansion on the ‘Refer A Friend’ scenario.
If you were to produce content of some description, that was available to view by literally billions of people on the internet, and this content had links to offers related to this content that people had been searching for, you would have provided value for them, and made their lives easier.
They now have a direct link to something they want, be it a product, a service, a subscription, or some other resource.
You have also done a favour to the businesses supplying the links. You have put their product or business in front of their customer, for which they will give you a referral commission.
So you haven’t really “Sold” anything. You have, however, given their customer the path to their product. More like contextual advertising, maybe?
Whatever content you produce, can then go on creating these referrals, for years in some cases, thereby producing a passive/semi-passive income stretching into the future! Now we’re starting to see the real potential in this method, right?
What’s possible?
If you decide to take this exciting journey towards being in control of your own working life, it will take some work, but it is absolutely possible to replace the salary you may currently be achieving.
At this point, just think of the possibilities! You could just run it as a “Side Hustle”, and improve your standard of living.
Maybe, take a sabbatical year off (I like to think of it as an adult gap year).
Or you could change your life completely, and become a Digital Nomad, working from wherever!
This is not a “get rich quick” scheme. You have to be prepared to do the work upfront.
The process – Step by step
There are various ways to promote products and services, but this is the method I have chosen, as it has amazing support from an affiliate marketing business started in 2005, so masses of experience!
I have a review of this business, which you can view by clicking here.
This platform has all you need, from building a website , to keyword research, to content creation, to affiliate programs.
Don’t worry about any lack of experience, as there is comprehensive training, and you can start at no cost to yourself.
What is your niche?
Niche
“A niche in the market is a specific area of marketing which has its own particular requirements, customers, and products”.
By building a body of content around a specific central theme, you can gain an engaged audience for your work.
If you have a specific interest, something you’re passionate about, or want to learn about, this can be a great start and you can build a business around that subject.
There are literally thousands of different niches, as there will always be people looking for something specific, and everybody has different hobbies, needs or passions.
The job here, is to engage a group of like-minded individuals, with a specific interest, and make your content available to them.
A few good questions to ask yourself when choosing a niche are
- What am I good at?
- What am I experienced in?
- What skills do I have?
- What do I care about?
- What could I find out about?
- What am I interested in?
The website
By building your own website, you will have a home for your content. Don’t worry, all the training you’ll need will be available. You can start from zero experience, just like me!
Add some valuable content
Your niche based content could be in the form of an article, a blog, or reviews of certain products, or courses, or training. Whatever it is, give your readers something of value to them.
Add some affiliate links
Within your content, you can include some, but not too many, affiliate links. How you do this will all become clear within the expert training, which you can start for free. You can literally earn while you learn!
Where do I find the affiliate offers?
The excellent platform I use for my affiliate marketing is Wealthy Affiliate, and through them you can find many companies that have affiliate offers for you to utilize within your content.
Don’t worry, you’re in good hands!
There is a very active Wealthy Affiliate community on hand to offer support, motivation, and answer any question you may have, myself included.
Is it for you?
There you go! You now have an overview of what affiliate marketing involves, and how to earn money online without selling anything.
Hopefully you are now super-pumped with the idea that you can design your own future, and make money online!
WEALTHY AFFILIATE REVIEW (2020) – Affiliate Marketing For Dummies Or Experts?
Wishing you much success……….
From The Desk Of – THE INFINITE AFFILIATE
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