One of the major keys to success in the affiliate business, or in any other business you start is to answer this question: why are you doing it?
This may seem like a stupid question, but really, do you have a clear vision of why your doing this business, and what your long term goals are?
I can tell you EXACTLY why I built this business:
#1
Ever since I was little I realized one thing about the job world: you could either work really hard putting in long hours and make a lot of money, or you could work easy hours and make a little money. In the first scenario you had a lot of money, but no time. In the other scenario, you had a lot of time but no money!
Let’s face it, if you trade hours for dollars you’re limited to how much you can make, since there’s only 24 hours in a day. But I knew there had to be a better way. Then I got involved in network marketing, probably one of the most difficult business models to succeed in, however, its really great crash course in entrepreneurship.
In my 3 years in network marketing these are some of the biggest lessons that were drilled into my head:
- Leverage: This is an amazing concept and what essentially separates the rich fromthe poor and middle class. In a job, you have no leverage, since you’re basically geting paid on your individual efforts. In network marketing for example, you leverage yourself by building a sales team, from who’s efforts you derive a small percentage. When your team gets into the 1000’s those percentages add up to a massive income. You’re leveraging the efforts of others. Do you know what you’re leveraging in affiliate marketing? You’re leveraging the internet of course, the most amazing network in the world. You have access to millions of consumers at the push of a button!
- Residual Income: I immediately fell in love with this idea, WOW, work once and get paid forever! What could be better? In a job you get paid for the time you put in, if you quit your job, your income stops. You know I could lock myself in a closet and say: “I don’t want to make any more money!” And guess what, my income will continue to come in month after month!
I got obsessed with the idea of leverage and residual income. Once I quit network marketing I was in search of the perfect business opportunity. Six months later I found ppc affiliate marketing.
What I really love about affiliate marketing is that :
1-you have leverage since it’s the internet,
2-it’s virtually residual income, if you set it up right, it only take a few hours a week to maintain an optimized campaign,
3-it’s easily scalable, that is you can go from $1000/day business to a $10,000/day business overnight, since you don’t need to increase inventory, hire employees, or rent more office space to do it!
Yes, it’s the PERFECT business. And since I had a burning desire to develop a residual income-so I could have time+money=lifestyle-and take advantage of leverage, I pursued this business with a passion.
It’s the ultimate lifestyle business.
#2
My second reason for doing affiliate marketing is strongly connected to my first, and was at the time my strongest motivation: I HATED my job as a research scientist.
I didn’t like my boss, and I didn’t like the work I was doing. In fact I would cut out early from work frequently, and even played hooky when my wife had a day off from school.
Once I started making some nice affiliate profits, I started going to work at 10am and coming home at 3pm. It was great, I missed all the Boston traffic!
Man was I motivated to build my affiliate business, I kept dreaming of the day I would never have to go to work, and it happened!
I’ll never forget it.
June 15, 2006…
freedom day - the happiest day of my life! The last day at my job, and my first day in the land of the living!
If you hate your job, then don’t let it upset you, make it your motivation to do the business.
And you’ll have your freedom day too!
So if you don’t already, make a clear vision for what you want. Write it down, think about it, talk about it, tell your spouse about it - and live it!
goal setting residual income