The name of the game in marketing is revealing innovative ways to trigger desired emotional responses from consumers. Across various mediums, from TV and radio to print and web, marketers invest a hefty portion of their budget carving out specific and intentional content that will do just that. The same skills are required when cultivating a mindset as an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting a product through including links within native content, such as reviews, blog posts, and videos. The key ingredients to being successful are perseverance, organization, risk taking, navigating self-doubt, and looking for small wins.
Persevere
One of the biggest mistakes affiliate marketers make is believing that affiliate marketing is a sure-fire way to get rich quick. With this illusion en-tete, the incorrect mindset arises. As new technology transforms the space, affiliate marketing will only become more and more of a science, requiring constant analysis, tweaking and testing to determine the most effective strategy for converting consumers. The inevitable delay in achieving overnight success elicits the clear need for a perseverance-based mindset as an affiliate marketer.
Get Organized
For the majority, affiliate marketing is a side hustle. The thing about side hustles is that, more often than not, it has to be actively managed (and built) – often on top of normal daily workload for another full-time job. Balancing both a full-time career as well as a side business, for example affiliate marketing, is only feasible with a high level of organization. Whether it’s designating a specific place in your house for affiliate marketing work, dedicating a separate computer for just affiliate marketing efforts, or simply creating a meticulous digital calendar including every deadline for both full and part-time jobs, maintaining a superbly organized workflow will allow for continued motivation and success as an affiliate marketer.
Take Risks
True for both life and for affiliate marketing, the idea that gets put into action will always be more successful than the one that doesn’t. While it’s easy to say, “Go out! Be a risk-taking entrepreneur” with extra money lying around and no strings attached, that is not the reality for most people carrying out a side hustle. But having a full time job and other responsibilities aren’t game enders. This is why affiliate marketers must always be comfortable taking risks and following up on good ideas they have. What separates a marketer from a maker (and we all want to be change makers nowadays) is the ability to transform risk from a liability into an asset. In this ever changing digital economy, those brands, companies and public personas that execute boldly and differently (i.e. that are able to cut through the noise), reap the highest rewards. Why should this be any different in affiliate marketing?
Eliminate Self Doubt
Last but certainly not least, as an affiliate marketer, self-doubt must kick itself to the curb. Doubt is the intangible arch nemesis of business success, regardless of the role or industry. But this uncertainty is intrinsically human; some might wonder if it is even possible to dispel. Luckily as the startup space forges ahead and entrepreneurship explodes into the mainstream, a surge of research in the conquering of self-doubt has surfaced. According to studies, three mindset shifts have to occur in order to drive out the doubt: 1. growth mindset, 2.Non-competition mindset, and 3. attitude certainty mindset. First, the growth mindset will facilitate inner understanding that improvement is possible and perfection is an illusion. Second, a non-competition mindset disrupts the desire as a marketer to compare with others and therefore will disrupt any potential feeling of inadequacy. Third, the attitude certainty mindset will create a personal value system that will keep motivation high.
Look for the Small Wins
When starting out, you have a limited budget, so it’s important to look for the small wins and put your resources into those opportunities. Break down the big goal into smaller, more manageable objectives so that you don’t get fatigued over the long haul of building your business. An added benefit to the approach of looking for the small wins is that it can support you in keeping a firm grip on spend and ensure you don’t waste any money. Every penny counts, so take the approach that you must succeed with the budget you have; that way, you are bound to make it work. You have to believe you can do it, and that means closely monitoring the results. An important part of that is tracking your data so you know where to best spend your money. Without tracking you are blind and you are most likely wasting money. etc
Affiliate marketing isn’t a zero sum game, there are lots of different ingredients required that contribute to long lasting success. But one thing is for certain; nothing will slow progress, in life or in affiliate marketing, like a negative mindset. Set the foundation for a successful life as an affiliate marketer by building up perseverance, organization, risk taking, driving out doubt, and looking for small wins.