Well, steady sales comes from steady traffic. Instead of 1000 hits in one day, and then 50 hits the next, try to do around 500 hits per day.

In other words, focus on a steady increase in traffic, as opposed to huge, short term spurts in traffic.

Which traffic sources give you short term spurts?

• Stumble Upon
• Ezine Articles
• Facebook

All these three are great traffic sources, and should be used to help you with your overal marketing strategy.

However, for long term, steady traffic, you need to absolutely focus on search traffic. Now, many marketers claim that spending too much time on search is futile, as when the Search Engine changes your algorithm, it will effect your rankings.

My argument is – how much will they change their algorithms? Titles will still be a huge factor in determining rankings.

Search Engines will not deviate from the basics. The whole idea is to help users find relevant content.

And if your content is relevant, then you will always hold those rankings. So the real key to internet marketing success is to be really good at a content development.

How do You get good at Content Development?

It’s more of an art than a science. But for those “scientists” out there, here are a few tips:

• Focus on bullet points. If you are unable write full, clear sentences and paragraphs, then bullet points will suffice.
• Make sure your audience can understand you. There are no grammar rules in blogging, just common sense.
• Learn english if english is not your first language. English is the language of the world. Strive to improve.
• Write first, SEO second. Once you get into the habit of writing on a steady basis, then you can focus on keyword research.

Alternative Forms of Content

I’m not good in front of the camera, and I sound funny. So I do not do too many podcasts or videos.

However, I’ve tried them. Podcasts and videos are a very popular form of media. Most people will rather watch something than read it.

So if you have a great personality that comes alive in front of a camera, then you may just want stick to Video Blogging.

On the flip side, if you have a great “radio voice” then stick to podcasting.

From here on end, just use the SEO and Marketing techniques in my Free Manual and start making consistent sales!

So, how much money did I make this month? $1581.14. I’m getting close to making 2 grand, WITHOUT a huge product launches. I’ve come to realize that a huge product launch will help you make a lot of money, but it’s futile to rely on just one major launch.

Major launches only come out maybe 1-2 times per year, however product launches come out almost every week. In the past month alone, there were about 3 product launches, and at least 5 promos that I participated in.

Not all of them were super lucrative for me. But even if a promo helps you earn around $100, that’s still great for your monthly total. Anyways, lets take a look at April and May 2010:

So based on these stats, I’m thinking I can boost my income at least 10%, or $1739.25. However, there were a lot of sales made for members sections and partial payments. For members sections, I would get a percentage of the sale as long as the individual stayed in the members section.

However, for the partial/deferred payment, the individual usually payed a trial amount – like $5 – and then would pay the rest in 21-30 days. As long as customers don’t cancel, I should be seeing all those commission payments coming through in June.

My estimate is $326. 34 in rebills. Add that to my previous forecast, and you get $2065.59. So I’ll finally surpass the 2 grand mark without a huge product launch. If a huge product launch does come around (it is, after all, the summer), then I can make even more money!

Lets compare last year and this year:

So last year, I only made $129.87 in the entire month! Now that’s a huge improvement! But more importantly, take a look at my average income. This year, my monthly average income is $1208.82, compared to $198.72 last year.

June 2009 is highlighted because I made the most money that month last year. Meaning that I should be able hit some pretty good numbers this month overall. The second highest is October. Also realize that I didn’t start SERIOUS affiliate marketing until May 2009.

The point is that anyone who is serious can easily make around $100 their first month. Then you just use the momentum to build up your affiliate marketing business and blog, as I’ve done.

I want to take this time, now that I have your attention, and talk about one thing: back links. A lot of my survey responses were focused around how to get traffic and back links. The back links part…I have no idea.

People link to me on a daily basis. Some of the sites are legit, others are automated adsense sites. But the bottom line is that here I am and I don’t know anything about building links. I haven’t had any formal SEO training, and I’m getting 20,000 hits per month with an Alexa ranking of 328,700.

That’s why I keep telling to start a blog around something they know about and enjoy. It makes the whole process easier. Just use the SEO and keyword research tips I shared with you in my free manual, and keep writing.

Keep blogging, and figure out what you’re good at. The information is out there, for free. Are you good at article marketing, link building, writing content, youtube marketing, social bookmarking, facebook, or twitter?

There are hundreds of different ways to make a sale. Keep experimenting, reading, and studying, and you will achieve your goals.

Anyways, back to the analysis -

So, I’ve only increased my traffic by .97%. .97% increase in traffic equals a 7% increase in sales. It’s quite obvious to me I know how to CONVERT traffic, but I just need more of it. At this point, perhaps simply writing on my blog isn’t enough.

I plan to do more guest posts, article marketing, and introduce more higher end products. I will also take another crack at social media. I haven’t decided whether I’m going to rely on twitter, social bookmarking, or facebook.

Perhaps facebook, since I’m more active on it as it is. I will have to study what trainers such as Craig Ballantyne, Funk Roberts, and Mike Mahler are doing on Facebook.

I want to end this analysis with a huge victory. The last time I posted, I stated that my income had stagnated at around 300-400 dollars per week and I wanted to break past the $500 level. Well, I’ve done it!

Check this out:

Yes! It’s actually past $600. I just hope I can keep this steady. I’m also experimenting with a new way of positioning the products that I promote on my blog using this simple to develop spreadsheet, designed to help you feature your top products at optimal locations.

I used to just place whatever product was last sold at the top of my side bar. But I realized that this was a huge mistake! I started this experiment on Wednesday, so…yea look at those stats starting Wednesday.

Will get back to you soon!

Latest Screen Shots - Not Bad

Each of these pages offers a different benefit. However, the main idea is that you still need to see the product before you can write a believable review.

How do you go about doing it? Do you really need to purchase every single product that you review? The short answer is…no. So then, how do you write a review without actually seeing the product?

Starting out, I wrote reviews without seeing the product. It worked.

However, one day I contacted a vendor who’s product I was promoting, just to ask them a question about their product.

A few email messages later, they sent me a copy of their product. I was extremely excited to get a free copy of the product. Sure, I felt special. But that was when I realized the power of being an affiliate.

Vendors need us just as much as we need them. However, at that moment, I did not think to ask vendors for a review copy of their product. I just went on and depended on vendors to send me a review copy as I promoted a product.

Not anymore. I’m much more proactive about my business. In fact, just this past week I’ve contacted at least 10 vendors, and was able to get review copies of 8 products.

A good vendor will be happy to send you a review copy, or at least a sample of their product. But, there are some things you must keep in mind:

Tip #1: It Helps If You Have a Website

The moment vendors see my website, they know I mean business. They see all the product images on the sidebar. They browse through all the in-depth product reviews I write.

Vendors Know I Mean Business

They can see this site gets traffic. If they want to double check, they just go onto Alexa.com and check my traffic rank. But, you don’t necessarily need a high-traffic website to get free review copies.

If you don’t wish to spend $110 per year on hosting and domain name (which comes out to less than $10 a month), then you can use a free blogger.com blog.

However, any business is an investment. And I’d rather you spend your money on setting up a decent looking blog rather than on PPC. I still haven’t conquered PPC marketing, and I’ve been doing this longer than you (I’m guessing).

Tip #2: Be Nice and Be Honest

Don’t send out an email and say, “May I please have a copy of your product?” On the flip side, don’t say, “It would be really nice of you to please, maybe, if possible, but you don’t really have to send me a review copy.”

Be professional, but be honest. If you’re a beginner, say that you’re just starting out and you want their product to be one of the first products you promote.

I just Think this Image is Cool

Here is a sample email template for individuals who already have a few products on their website:

Hi (Vendor Name),

- (Your Name)

Here is a sample email template for individuals who have no products on their website:

Hi (Vendor Name),

#3: Look for Brand New Products

There’s a four-month window you should be familiar with: 1 month before the product is launched, and 3 months after the product is launched. Three months after a product is launched, there is very little guarantee that the product will be able to give you sales.

Open the Window at the Right Time, and You could be Looking at the Solution to all your Financial Problems

This is the biggest mistake newbies make. They try and sell products with a high gravity. Yes, high gravity means that lots of affiliates are making sales of the product.

But high gravity also means that it’s been around for a while. Very few vendors are able to get 100+ gravity within a few weeks. So, keep a look out for brand new products.

This is also the time when vendors start looking for affiliates. They want lots of affiliates sending traffic to their site 1 month before the product is actually launched.

You really shouldn’t start promoting a product that’s not going to be released for another 3 months because if you send traffic to the website, and the vendor is capturing emails, then you have 60 days to make a sale, or else it won’t be credited to you.

1 month before is the best time, since the buzz about the product will be at it’s peak. On launch day, you can easily grab 5-10 sales for a high end product, or 20-30 for a lower end product.

There are three ways to seek out new products:

Method #1: Instant Affiliate Accelerator

Antone Roundy has a product called the Instant Affiliate Accelerator. The product helps you perform a lot of affiliate marketing tasks such as delivering bonuses and creating squeeze pages.

But, the product didn’t really work for me, so I canceled my membership. However, they kept me on their newsletter. Antone’s weekly newsletter is a great resource to find new products.

He focuses on four types of products:

#1 – Rising Stars

Reminds you of Kindergarten

These are products that have seen a boost in their sales, gravity, and are offering high commissions. They also see low returns. Usually, these are the products that have just experienced a huge launch.  This is where you want to choose most of your products from.

#2 – Falling Rocks

These are the products that are doing poorly in the Clickbank marketplace. Their commissions are not that good, sales are plummeting, and refund rates are rising. It’s not uncommon to see a product a rising star one week, and a falling rock the next. If a product you’re promoting is on the Falling Rocks list, abandon immediately!

#3 – Dinosaur Killers

These are the products you want to avoid like the plague! The focus is mostly on refund rates. The market has clearly rejected the product, and if you’re promoting them, it’ll damage your reputation.

#4 – New Products

This is just a list of brand new products. This is where you will most likely find a product that is about to be launched. Most of the new products are still in the testing phase.

I’ve also found vendors of new products are the most difficult to convince to give away a free version of their product. This is because for most this is their first product, and they are not seasoned Internet marketers yet.

Method #2: CBengine

If you do not want to sign up for Instant Affiliate Accelerator (I think there’s a 14-day free trial), then you can simply use the myriad of free Clickbank – tracking websites such as CBengine.

Is this your Goal? Then do your Research!

These websites will give you listings of brand new products, and specific information about the product. Frankly, I don’t use the websites too much, so I can not tell you how best to use them.

However, I thought I’d mention them.

Method #3: Relationships with Vendors

I advise you to get on the mailing list of as many vendors in your niche as possible. Now, I’m not talking about their affiliate newsletters. I’m talking about their customer newsletters.

Most good vendors will have an op-tin form on the front page of their site. Get on that newsletter. This is because most vendors stick together, and you can get a sense of an upcoming product launch if all of a sudden you’re getting emails from a vendor promoting someone else’s product.

In addition, some of the vendors who’s products you’re currently promoting will eventually create a new product in the future. If they know you by first name, and if you’re making them at least 3-5 sales per week (very doable), then they’ll most likely contact you and inform you of an upcoming launch.

There are more than enough methods here to 1) help you choose the right products and 2) to get your hands on a review copy of the product you’re promoting.

Getting a review copy will also help you make a better decision on what products you want to spend more time promoting. I feel kind of guilty not promoting a product once I have a review copy (unless the product is an absolute piece of junk, in which case the vendor should be punished for being so lazy/sinister (whatever you want to call it)).

Can you Imagine this Lady Writing a Fitness eBook?

But on a side note if you come across a product that you do not agree with 100%, then write a review of it, put it on your site, and let it sit there. If the vendor asks you why your sales are low (which they won’t, ever), then you can just say you’re trying your best.

Of course, this strategy is only useful for people who have a guilty conscience. If you don’t care, then you don’t care. Sometimes not caring is better for your business.

For more Clickbank Marketing Tips, check out my free eBook, The 2 Grand Per Month Clickbank Formula (click here).

January 2010

• Best Converting Product: 19/1 (improved to 6/1 in February)
• Worst Converting Product: 152/1 (improved to 71/1 in February

February 2010

• Best Converting Product: 6/1 (no sales in March)
• Worst Converting Product: 74/1 (improved to 15/1 in March)

March 2010

• Best Converting Product: 2 products at 12/1 (Brand New Product Added)
• Worst Converting Product: 78/1 (Brand New Product Added)

From these stats you can see that I’m pretty good at increasing conversions. I actually stopped working on my top converting product because the product was extremely cheap, compared to other, less converting products.

So, if you’re looking for a point of reference for deciding when to abandon a product, then here are some good guidelines:

• If you don’t get a sale after 100 hops, then take a look at where the traffic is coming from.
  • For example, if you’re selling a product that teaches people HTML and PHP coding, then sending traffic to the sales page of people who are interested in general computer languages would be useless.
  • You want to instead focus on beginners. Start a blog offering free advice on creating your own website from scratch (obviously, you should know what you’re talking about). Then link out to a review page, or directly to the sales page at the end of each blog post.
  • Use the SEO tip I showed you in my free ebook to create your content. Submit the content to ezinearticles.com and link back to a review page. See what happens.
• If you still don’t get a sale after 100 hops, then create a bonus. Prominently talk about the bonus in your review page. Make an announcement on your blog.
• If you still don’t get a sale after 100 hops, conduct an interview with the author. Post this interview on your blog. Submit it to ezine articles. Submit it to social media websites related to the niche you are in.

After 300 Hops, if you see 0 sales after all this work, THEN abandon the product and move on. Learn from your mistakes. Swallow your losses, and move on.

On the flip side, if you’re converting at 300/1, and making around $30 per sale, then I think it’s a good idea to keep the product on your blog. Just leave it there. Don’t promote it anymore. If you get 3-4 sales a month, that’s still $120 in your pocket.

What are your thoughts? Is this a good guideline to use when deciding whether or not to abandon a product? Please post your answers to comments.

When most people see a whole bunch of zeros in their Clickbank account, they start to panic. They get depressed and then they start blaming others, such as Clickbank for not being successful.

Zero days are part of the game. That’s why it’s important to look at your results on a month by month basis, rather than a day to day business.

Lets take a look at some recent results, and compare it to what I’ve done in the past. Then I’ll show you exactly how to choose clickbank products.

As you can see, I had 3 days of no sales, followed by 3 days of great sales. Last week, I couldn’t break $100. This week, I’m closing in on $200.

That’s just the way things work, and you have to get used to it. Take a look at this chart:

This month’s goal is $2500. Last month, my daily average was $73.98 (sorry, the headings are cut off). January 2010’s Daily average was $15.73.

So, I’m doing better than January 2010, in terms of daily sales. And I’m only around $100 from beating January’s numbers.

I still have 17 days to go for this month. On top of that, there is a Product Launch and a huge promo going down this week.

So, this week seems very promising. In the last product launch, I did around $1400, as you can see from the first screenshot above.

I’m hoping to break past that. Worst-case, I’ll earn $500 from the launch. Launches are usually very lucrative.

Finally, lets compare my results from last year:

I have already blown past last years results! Woops, I forgot to update this month’s numbers. Anyways, you get the point.

Last month, I did 2087% better than last year. And last year I was just playing around with Clickbank and was still able to do close to $100 in a month.

So I don’t get why people are going around they can’t make a single dime from Clickbank even though they’ve been at it for 2 months.

You know what, I know why. And this is the Idiot’s Tip to Choosing Clickbank Products: START WITH SOMETHING YOU’RE INTERESTED IN.

Lets just assume music is a “profitable niche.” But, I would not to good in this niche simply because I don’t know anything about it.

Even though I’m a great writer, there is no way I can fake it! I can’t write content about music and make it sound believable, not matter how much research I do.

But the most important thing is this: I won’t be motivated enough to actually work hard in order to achieve my financial goals because I’m not enjoying the niche I’m in.

It’s as simple as that. So in your quest to success with Clickbank and choosing products, FIRST make sure you’re in a Niche you enjoy.

It’s as simple as that. I go more into finding new products to promote in my free eBook here.

Last night I made a huge change to my blog. I put any blog post that resulted in a sale on the front page. How did I do that? I just looked at my CB transactions, and matched the dates with the blog post.

Now, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a blog post resulted in a sale, becuase I didn’t start putting tracking codes in until very recently. However, it’s a clue.

I also made sure those posts were actually decent. So, I think I have a nice spread of posts on the front page. By the way, there’s 50 posts on the front page.

This should be magic for SEO. In fact, I woke up this morning and found a sale. It wasn’t from my email list, so someone probably found my site through search.

The sale was from my side bar. Meaning that someone clicked on the product through the side bar and purchased it. That’s the magic of tracking codes – You know exactly how the customer got to the product.

But what you don’t know is what triggered the sale. My cousin asked me the other day about this. He gave me some ways to track this, but it didn’t work.

I’m not an expert in google analytics, and I’m going to spend some time to try and find an answer to this questions – “What actually results in a sale?”

- Is it a series of posts that they read?

- Are they looking for a review of that product?

- Where they already searching for that product?

A lot of my posts that are made through my email list can be easily traced back to a particular post. However, when it comes to search traffic – it’s difficult.

It’s going to be search traffic that’s really going to allow me to live the type of lifestyle that I wish to live. This thing needs to be hands-off.

Right now I’m putting in around 30-40 hours per week. Eventually, that number should go down to 4 hours. Most of the tools have already been set in place:

- High Traffic blog

- Targeted Maling List

- A selection of affiliate Products

So, it’s only a matter of time. I need to be smart, patient, and willing to experiment.

Last night I started a screenplay. It’s been over a year since I’ve written anything that is not related to Shah Training. It felt really good. I forgot how therapeutic scrpt writing can be.

Future plans are naturally to just keep working on Shah Training. The goal is to optimize the site for search. I want to see at least 10 sales per day just through search.

I just looked at my analytics and notice 33 hits from Google already. It’s 8 am so far. That’s not too bad at all. I usually so only 20-30 hits overall in the morning. RIght now my total hits are 87 from a variety of sources.

Alright, lets see what happens the rest of the day.

If you know about your niche, then you can easily spot a BS product just by reading the sales page.

The plugins I’m using are FeedWordPress and Twitter Poster. FWP is a powerful syndication plug in, which can pull content from almost any blog out there.

Twitter Poster tweets all your blog posts automatically. Hence, you get SEO and Twitter traffic almost immediately. Well, at least that’s the idea.

I’ll let you know if this actually works, as it’s only been up for around 50 hours.

But overall, I think the CB hoplinks system is trustworthy. I’ve usually seen crazy numbers when I attach a tracking code to the hop link.

Well, there can be a lot of reasons for this, and the economy is certainly one of them. But I personally don’t like to spend too much on the “why.” You see, the “why” is something we can’t usually control:

* Bad economy
* People leaving for holidays
* A niche becoming over saturated

There are probably a ton of reasons WHY patterns are so random. I think it’s more important to look at things you can control. Most non-successful affiliates sit around and wait for something to happen.

I know this because I used to be one of them. You need to literally be a go-getter. You need to be fierce. You need to say – ok OBVIOUSLY, what I was doing isn’t working, so what can I now do differently to jump start my income once again.

It’s a lot like weight loss. I’m talking about this because I’m in the fitness niche, own a well-read blog, and have gone through my own personaltransformation.

On the first week, you lose 5 pounds. Second week, you lose 3 pounds. And then you keep losing 1-2 pounds each week, consistently. Then all of a sudden, you hit a plateau.

The one who fails will be the one who keeps doing the same thing expecting different results (i.e. breaking through a plateau). The one who succeeds is the one who completely changes his approach and pushes himself into a new level of fitness (or marketing, in our case).

That’s how it works in EVERY endeavor that your pursue. So stop complaining and start working!