Popularity: 8% [?]

Do you sometimes feel like you’re waiting around for someone’s approval?   When it comes to affiliate marketing you can sit and sit and sit waiting around to be approved for affiliate programs.  Over at Commission Junction I’ve got 2.  I’ve got one sitting there from January 2006.  Umm.. that’s 2 years of waiting!  Then I’ve got another one that’s been sitting there since December 2007.  I’m sorry I just don’t understand.  You spend big bucks to use their affiliate program to promote your services.  You then do not bother checking the potential applicants?  How does that work - I mean how would that be a smart marketing idea by the companies that are using CJ.  I just don’t get it.

There are other programs out there where I’m still waiting for some sort of feedback, and I decided to pick on a couple from CJ… since I was just in there a minute ago checking my clicks, etc.  Realizing that I’m STILL waiting for those yahoos.  I mean - if I’m setting up a site offering what they have, and I depended on them - perhaps because they’re super exclusive… I’d be sitting around with an empty site - hoping that they’d approve.  Luckily for me that’s not the case and there are other affiliate programs available.  But what if there wasn’t… what would you do?  I suppose I could go knock on the door of the affiliate program’s email and say “hey whazzup?”.  But I haven’t … it hasn’t gotten to that point that I care enough.  But past the email - is there anything we can do?

I guess the next step if we don’t get an email back is to go directly to the source - that being Commission Junction and asking that they intervene and see what’s up with that affiliate program.

It’s a frustrating game… the waiting game.  Has anyone had the same sort of dilemma with any affiliate program they’ve come across?

Another thing that kind of bugs my butt is those affiliate marketing programs that phone and then want you to return the call to be approved.  I had one of those recently as well.  I emailed them - to tell them it’s easiest to get a hold of me through email.  I don’t answer my phone all that much to “unknown numbers”.  Sorry I don’t.  I have yet to hear back from the person I emailed.

Yes, that’s frustrating too.

I’m starting this week working on a new domain I picked up - and it looks like there might be a bit of potential with it.  I have to find some good content to use/create and then put in the links.  It should be interesting

Popularity: 7% [?]

Whoa, where has time gone? I’m looking at my calendar in disbelief! It’s already the 22nd… I know when we get older time is suppose to go faster, but this month has disappeared. Hello… can I get the past 2 weeks back?? Or not… LOL. The past week has been mucho mucho stressful in my day-work-job thing. Let’s just say things are on the line and I’m sitting around having chest pain from the stress. Yes. It. Sucks. So I’ve been in scramble mode keeping my shit together and not going crazy.

But that’s just it, on the other hand my side project has taken off - it’s not super crazy busy, but it’s more than I’ve ever had before. This makes me so freakin’ happy.

I call this the ying/yang of my life. Always trying to balance it all out. So in the process of the chaos - I’ve been losing track of time and here I am. In the past few weeks, I’ve not really managed to do anything with my affiliate sites - BUT I have been putting pen to paper when the ideas strike. When I’m on the computer, rather than wasting time I’m writing it down to get back to it later. If I find things online and I don’t have my book with me I use Todoist.com - this is a handy site, that helps keep track of things. I like it because I can just pop links in there to see later, also to have an idea of what needs doing with my sites. It’s handy… it’s online… and I won’t go losing those notes. Very handy - if you’re looking for an online organizer/to-do list this might work for you. Did I mention - it’s free.

Another thing that has happened since I’ve been away from here is that jcCommerce has gone and done a very awesome thing with his Secure Delivery product. You can now offer an affiliate program on the products your selling. jcCommerce does a great job explaining what they’re doing - so I’ll point you over in that direction for more info.

I’ve been using Secure Delivery for a while now and I can very honestly say it’s great! I’m not just saying it - I really have used the product, and it works. I’ve had no complaints from people who use the download link/secure delivery way of getting their product.

The new affiliate program I think will really help me take my ebook that I’m offering to a new level. If people enjoy what they’ve read - I mean why not offer them a way to make their money back promoting something that they enjoy - and also it helps with my marketing. Since I have a very, very small budget - I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of different ways to promote it. Since it’s such a tight niche too, it’s not like I can offer this to just anyone either. It’s a really hard call for marketing the ebook, but now I have a way to do it, where everyone wins. I like that idea.

So if you’re looking to sell things online - and maybe down the road you’d like to do an affiliate marketing deal with it, this might just be what you need.  Check it out and let me know what you think. I really like it, but I’d like to hear what you think too.

Other than that, the past couple of weeks have been crazy - not a lot to show for it, but I’m getting back on track. Did up a mini to-do list and I hope to get a lot more accomplished in the next week… *fingers crossed!*

Popularity: 9% [?]

You might have noticed if you visit my site (I’m talking to you RSS feed reader-types) that I’ve set up one an advertising space on the top right-hand side to offer squares for sale. I’m not thinking this will be overly popular - since I think this sort of advertising ship has definitely sailed. But I liked it and wanted to try it out here because Rebitran had built a widget for it. Very easy to install and I like widgets… and I like to check things out. So here it is. You can set it up so you can request whatever amount for the spot. Currently I’m running each square for $1/month. Cheap… don’t you think? Well, add it up and there’s $15 a month in advertising for me. If it ever became very popular I would increase the price, but right now I’ve got one sold and 14 more to go.

So when setting up the widget - all information is sent, but the financial end of things has to be worked out on a seperate basis. It’s not built into the widget.

So I’ll give it a whirl.

Has anyone found good advertising ideas that work on let’s say your harder to convert sites?

Popularity: 5% [?]

Beginning January 1, 2007, your Amazon Associates payments will be monthly instead of quarterly, paid approximately 60 days after the end of each month.

Finally!  I am now happy :)  Not to say that I’ll be making $100 a month with them, but if I do I don’t have to wait the full quarter like before.  So for some of you out there who are using Amazon as an affiliate program - and doing well at it.  This should come as a bit of a relief.  They’re finally getting with the 21st century

On the other hand… they are now charging $15 instead of $8 for US affiliates who still get these cheques.  I’m thinking that would be motivation enough for US based affiliates to go to digital bank deposits.  Maybe that’s why they’re doing it?

…and from their newsletter it appears that the Gift Certificates were a success and now they’re extending the 6% referral fees through to March 31, 2007.

So if you’re doing alright with Amazon - then this should be great news.  If you’re considering Amazon as an affiliate - this should be great news.

Now if only it were “that” easy to make $100 a month with them…. LOL

Popularity: 6% [?]