Tuesdays’ post, “What Bugs You Most about Affiliate Programs?” received a LOT of feedback in the Comments section.
Some readers replied to the question and posted their pet peeves about affiliate programs.
Others reported being inspired to know that others share the same challenges.
Lastly, some were discouraged by my admission that affiliate marketing can be difficult and at times cause headaches, frustration and extra work.
Were YOU one of those who became discouraged? If so, please read the following…
What worthwhile endeavor have you ever undertaken that was a total cake walk – ie. without a moment of frustration? Think about your college, your job/profession, marriage and/or child-rearing experiences.
Which of those has been perfect?
Hmmmm… just as I thought. Life is fraught with varying degrees of difficulty and frustration.
So, why would anyone expect that building an affiliate marketing business should be any different?
The ‘problem’ does not arise from the difficulties that we deal with as affiliates. The ‘problem’ comes from expecting that the affiliate marketing venture should be perfect and easy.
Expectations = Disappointment.
Actually, expecting challenges is the only way NOT to be disappointed. And to succeed in a BIG way, we need to welcome and embrace the challenges. Challenges are an opportunity to learn and improve your skills.
Discouragement and self-doubt are the enemies. Don’t give them the time of day. Does that seem impossible? Well, taking on that attitude is not only possible, it’s essential if you truly want to succeed.
For example, I regularly get frustrated with things/people/situations in this business, however, I NEVER get discouraged.
What would be the point? What would I do to support myself instead? Learn how to cook and open a restaurant?
Considering my 3-Alarm lack of talent as a cook, now that WOULD be a challenge.
What if I was just starting out and didn’t know how to light a gas stove? Would I get discouraged and give up?
No… I’d seek instruction. Alternatively, I could use the microwave, gas barbeque, Coleman stove or the fire pit.
Do I get discouraged and give up when I burn my lunch? (See picture of burnt chili above.) 
No… I simply put the pot of burnt stuff in the sink to soak, then get out another pot and another can and start over again.
It might take me longer than the average bear to learn how to cook – and that ‘restaurant’ might become a ‘diner’ instead. However, if that was a goal to which I was truly committed, I KNOW I could and would make it work.
The point is very simple.
Success is all about attitude. To succeed, eliminate discouragement as an option and accept challenges as opportunities to learn. Ask questions until you understand the process and then take appropriate action to move forward.
Believe it – do it – and you WILL succeed!
About Rosalind Gardner
Rosalind, if you should ever want a house guest who can cook, in return for a share of your affiliate earnings, just give me a call.
My made from scratch chilli has already been exported to several countries! Great post.
Hi Pamela – I’ll keep you in mind. Houseguests who can cook are the best kind.
Ros
im inspired..and discouraged coz actually i dont have any credit card to used..im only a student and im unemployed..i really want to try this program,but i dont have any money to start..im so desperate..pls help me..
Hello Mylen - My best advice to you… get a job. Earn some money. Desperation is not a place from which you can successfully start a business. – Ros
Hi Roz, ….And seldom is heard an encouraging word and the sky is not cloudy – it’s partially obscured 3 miles inet viz – and you are a beacon for my marketing navigation, so THANK YOU.
The frustration for me comes from re-doing the frequent mistakes in code placement (3w inet html school helps me alot) and my 1,934,622 blog position. Really believing it will improve, I’m starting a new blog-TNBHealth-this week, again following your SAH guide.
Hey David - My pleasure. (Funny, my dad used to sing that song a LOT! I could hear his voice as I was reading your Comment, so thank you!
Our travel blog, Roamsters.com, had a similar rank and it’s up to 125,977 just by regular posting and a few links in from Google Adwords. Just keep at it… do some social networking. It takes using a lot of the marketing methods to build up a site, especially if you’re not using PPC advertising. – Ros
Good Morning Ros
I love your closing statement that success is all about attitude.You could not have summed it up any better.
onward and upward
Steven Wilson
Good morning Steven – That it is… LIFE is all about attitude. You can love it or hate it – but its easier and more fun to love it. – Ros
Hi Roz,
Watt’ up with your chili?
I should spend less time trying to be clever and more time with tag and ping. Frustrated, yes but not discouraged with no names yet on my aweber list nor comission checks from CJ,Clickbank or Joebucks. I build the field of dreams and they will come. Thanks for encouraging words.
David – You could also try a smaller PPC engine (eg. Enhance Interactive) to bring in some inexpensive clicks and newsletter signups. – Ros
Hi Rosalind,
With that picture so close to the phrase: “What Bugs You Most about Affiliate Programs”, I first thought it might have been a pot of bugs:-)
Anyway, your post strikes home for me. I tend to be slow at recovering from setbacks.
Hi Marc – OK, an award-winning photographic I am not either.
Glad the article itself made sense and helped you out though! – Ros
Rosalind,
I appreciate all that you do for the internet marketing industry. Your sites and info are perfect for a beginner or a pro.
I’m a beginner and have been studying and reading about the internet marketing business now for about 7 months. There is somewhat of a learning curve when you are starting from scratch, but it is a fun and rewarding process. The old saying of success is 90% attitude and 10% know-how is soooo true.
I have found out that trials and struggles don’t build character, they reveal a person’s character!!! I’ve had a very struggle-filled life so I’ve had to learn that the hard way… So, I just want to say to anyone who is discouraged… just believe in yourself and never quit trying. Because the only way you can fail is to QUIT! Even if it takes you a little longer to master of the internet marketing skills, that’s ok… it will be worth it in the end!!
Hi DeAnne – VERY well said! Thank you! – Ros
I am feeling discouraged today. I’ve been planning an affiliate site for awhile now, inbetween parenting and working and today while researching on the internet I found a site almost exactly how I envision my own site. The menu I had planned was almost identical. I feel like I just hit a wall. I’m not sure where to go from here. I can’t imagine doing it better then what they did. It was really good! Any advise as to what to do now?
Thank you
Susan
Hi Susan - Try looking at it from the point of view that it doesn’t need to be better… just YOUR way. That in itself is BETTER than most of the generic crapola that is out there. Put YOUR slant on things. Tell it like you see it. Best of all, it is easier to work from YOUR perspective. Hope that helps! – Ros
I think these are great inspiring words to live by…
Great post!
Thanks expat!
Hi Ros,
You are sooooo right! You don’t get something for nothing. I think that for anyone that is willing to read and learn along with a LOT of experimenting to see what works and what doesn’t, they will eventually get there.
I am working on a couple of affiliate websites at MY speed along with working my REAL job and hopefully one day they will be more profitable than my REAL job!
Jane Saeman
P.S. I am an excellent cook and would love to invite you down to So Cal anytime for a little sunshine and great meals along with a little cooking instruction. If I can learn affiliate marketing, you can learn to cook!
Hey Jane - Thanks for the invitation! Not sure about taking cooking instruction though — I like having an excuse to have other people cook for me.
I am brand new at this and must be missing something! Why would a person take on more challeneges, frustration, possibly leading to discouragement just to prove a point. Life seems too short.
Surely in today’s envirpnment, with technology being what we are told it is, we should be able to have LESS of the above mentioned. Thus a more relaxed and fun life. Or are caught up in the big lie of MORE!!
Hi Grant - Why would one take on the challenge of becoming a surgeon or an astronaut? If that’s what one wants to do, it hardly constitutes getting caught up in the ‘big lie of MORE’.
My point (obviously not well made) is that life has challenges… and yes, although the technology nowadays is much improved over what it was when I started affiliate marketing (and had to trudge 9 miles to school everyday through 4 feet of snow) — there are still challenges. If there weren’t EVERYONE would be doing it. – Ros
Hi Ros,
Love your posts! You are always an inspiration to me.
I believe that your point was very well made … We get out of life what we put into it … and there’s no free ride.
I personally can never quite understand why people are still searching for “the easy way out” believing everything is a scam if it doesn’t bring them instant millions.
There isn’t one internet marketer out there that’s worth following that would say having an online business is piece of cake. All of you say that in order to succeed you have to pull up your sleeves and get to work …
I pay a lot of attention to what you say & to Perry Marshall regarding adwords. I am beginning to see the fruit of my harvest. It’s been a long journey & I still have a long road ahead of me, but I know I will succeed.
Cindy
Hey Cindy - Glad to hear that Adwords is working for you! You’ve worked for it!
– Ros
Yes Ros,
You are right, a right attitude is everything. A right attitude can bring us further than what we thought we can go. I am looking forward of being like you earning a full-time income online and doing what I enjoy most, helping people
John Tan
Hey John - You’ve got the RIGHT attitude. Start with helping folks out and the rest all just falls into place.
Ros
Am overly joyed about your approach to life. If you badly want something, go for it and get it. Am in a small country in the East of Africa, but guess what, I badly want internet marketing, and NOTHING can, shall or will stop me.
Many thanx Ros.
My pleasure, Alfahari. With that attitude, you will make it work! – Ros
Ros,
Thanks for all the great info. I have your Handbook and have learned greatly from it.
My question is:
How do you track conversions?
I promote affiliate programs through Google and Yahoo. Right now I have each keyword on each search engine going to a separate page so I can track where the actual sales are coming from. I can tell on the sale from the tracking code what keyword/engine it came from. This is getting out of control! Surely there is an easier way of tracking! Can you suggest something?
Hi Ros,
I live in a small town in Indonesia. It has been a year since my last company where i worked for was bankrupt. Meaning that until now i still have no job and I don’t have money to start an offline business. If i think and about it everytime, if i remember about month after month i’ve passed without doing nothing, it is really desperate me.. But thanks God, 3 months ago i found your site when searching on google. I just want to let you know that found your site is a gift for me.. I’m 100% inspired.. I’ve learned that there are hopes in life.. I can’t get stuck in one place and pooring myself without doing anything.. Even my country is not listed in clickbank, even aweber don’t accept clients from my country, even some merchants don’t accept an affiliate from my country, even i must face a thousand times of fails, i will get up a thousand times too.. Those things won’t stop me doing internet business. NO one can..
Thanks Ros.. Keep inspiring me..!
Hey Christo! Your attitude should be inspiration for many! – Ros
Any thoughts on The Rich Jerk and his free websites and info?
Thanks for being someone we can trust!
Rosalind…..
First, I wanted to say that you’re Super Affiliate Handbook is great. I had heard of Affilate Markeing before but wasn’t aware of all the income streams that you cover. Great job, excellent book!
The question, or concern, that I had was concerning my niche. I don’ t have any realy strong hobbies or interests at the present time, but I have always been interested in solar power. I know that the best affiliates are the ones who have the prouct and can speak from experienc, but as I’m renting a room
this isn’t so feasible. Besides doing some research and getting good content for my website, any other ideas?
Many Thanks,
Matthew Kuehnert