This is a guest post from AffiliateTips.com - an affiliate directory where you can find affiliate programs in most niches.

Even though affiliate marketing is a business that takes place on the Internet, not all of your efforts should occur on the web exclusively. This is a mistake that we see many people do and in this article we’ll explain the benefits of offline marketing and exactly how to do it in a successful manner. Don’t limit yourself to one marketing method – offline marketing can do wonders for your affiliate business.

The Joy of Word Of Mouth

One of the most powerful marketing tools, any marketing expert will tell you this, is word of mouth. It’s completely free, a good thing for any business, and if the word about your online business spreads among people who know each other you’ll be more likely to be able to refer new customers to your chosen merchant. Everyone that visits your site is a potential referral/customer and getting people to talk about your site is a golden opportunity to increase your earnings.

So how do you get people to talk about your site? Well, there are many different strategies and you can for example try to stand out in some way – this could be enough to create a buzz. Volunteer to speak at events that have something to do with the niche your active in and let people know about you. Always be prepared to take a discussion about the affiliate business!

Marketing the Old-Fashioned Way

Yes, some of the old-fashioned ways of marketing ones business are still very successful. Compile a contact list that will serve as a mailing list to potential referrals. When you’ve done this you should create a newsletter that is to be sent out to the people on your list. Of course, this isn’t entirely free but it’s a relatively cheap way of doing marketing considering what the results could be.

Another way of getting noticed could be in posting information on public bulletin boards. This is entirely free and you’ll be able to pin-point your customers perfectly. Say that you promote children’s clothing on your site; then it would be perfect to post a note at day care centers or at schools.

Advertise in the Paper

This is another way of promoting your site offline at a low cost. Contact your local newspaper or the classified sections and see what they can offer you when it comes to marketing space. It doesn’t have to cost much and you’ll benoticed by a large number of people. Let them know about your site and what you have to offer. If done correctly you should notice an increased number of visitors and in the end more commissions at the end of the month.

Many people overlook this highly effective marketing tool even though it can garner the attention of thousands. Take your time and create an appealing ad that both show what you’re about and a prominent link to your site.

Any of these offline marketing methods will do just fine and if you’re able to combine them that’s even better. Don’t underestimate the power of offline marketing just because your business is online!

Affiliate Marketing

I worked in sales for almost 7 years before finishing college and starting work as a programmer. I sold computers at Radio Shack for a short time, before taking a job selling doors, windows, kitchen cabinets, and appliances at a home improvment center. I was #3 in sales in my region when I worked at Radio Shack, and I sold the crap out of doors when I worked at Menards.  In those 7 years I learned a lot about how to sell things to people. I learned how to sell things to people that they didn't need or plan on buying beforehand. All of the things I learned in retail sales can be applied to affiliate marketing!

Buzzwords

I mentioned i was a top salesman selling computers when I worked at Radio Shack. How did I do it? Buzzwords. At that time "IBM Compatible" was a HUGE buzzword in the compter industry (LOL). I used that to my full advantage. At that time, at Radio Shack we sold IBM PC's. In order to sell MASS computers I gave people my standard pitch. Then what sent them over the edge into buy buy buy mode was to use the buzzword. I would tell them "These aren't IBM Compatible computers, they ARE IBM computers". Bam. Cheesy as hell, but it worked like a charm. That sentence made me a lot of money in sales commission. That same idea can be applied to affiliate marketing. Think about your niche, compile a list of buzzwords, and split test your landing pages to find which buzzwords convert to sales.

Incentive

Another important thing in retail sales is incentive. Now I mentioned I sold doors at Menards, but I didn't tell you that sometimes, the store actually LOSES money on a door sale. Now why is this? Why would they sell a product for less than it costs them to buy/make? Incentive, that is why. They can take that $18 pre-hung door that costs them $21 to make and splash it all over their ads in newspapers, on TV and on the radio. That brings people through the doors and onto the sales floor. Now your sales people can sell them the door, but also sell them paint, shims, sandpaper, a knob, nails, stain, and a hammer to install the door with. That is where the profit is!

In affiliate marketing there are incentivized offers. You can use do those, but I am saying to use this form of incentive a different way. Use it to increase your CTR (click through rate) on your PPC ads! The offer you are promoting (ie. the doors, knobs and shim) may not be free, but you can certainly offer your OWN free product (ie. the door) on your landing page in addition to the real product, which is the affiliate offer. That's gold money right there.

Next time, I will discuss 2 more retail sales concepts that can be used in affiliate marketing. Choice and Brands. 

Affiliate Marketing

Don't worry Cookie Monster, I feel ya. I like cookies enough to wanna drop an F-bomb once in a while too!

Affiliate Marketing