Normally I would let a cheap little product slip by, but in this case, Joel Comm emailed me some promotion for a new ebook from Russell Brunson called Affiliate Evolution. With all the hoopla, I had to step in…

Just look at the claims for this product:

“Here’s Your Rare Chance To Legally Steal The ONE Secret That Has Allowed Me To Earn Over 254% Affiliate Commissions On Literally EVERY Product I Promote!

Why Settle For The Industry Standard Of 30-50% When You Can Get A Whopping 300% OR MORE By Simply Applying “The Commission Bump!”

So somehow this guy gets a “commission bump” and makes more money. I haven’t read the book (and there’s no way in hell I’m buying it,) but I’m 99% sure I know what the big secret is. And it’s so far from being a secret it’s crazy!

First, I’ve heard this “secret” quite a few times before. Second, it’s common practice in many, many situations besides affiliate marketing.

Here we go… the big secret is… drum roll please…

Ask for a higher commission rate!

Yep, that’s the big secret. It’s just like asking for a raise at your job. Exactly the same thing, just applied in a different situation.

It can work if you do it right, but it won’t work for everyone. Just like getting a raise, you need to be worthy of a raise.

For example, if you are a new affiliate and can’t send any traffic, and you go and ask for a commission increase, it’s unlikely you’ll get one. It’s more likely if you outline a plan for how much targeted traffic you can send, and then email the affiliate manager, but still, it’s not guaranteed.

Your best bet is to send some traffic to the offer, and once you’ve shown an example of what you can do, then you can negotiate a commission rate increase.

It’s a business deal, not a get rich quick secret. You have to look at both sides of the deal and make it worthwhile for everyone.

And don’t expect many people to give you 254% commissions. If you are promoting a free trial offer that costs $1 for shipping and handling, then you might get a commission of $2.54. But if you’re promoting merchandise through WalMart.com, you’ll get laughed at for requesting a 254% commission. (The base commission at most retailers is 1-5%.)

So yeah, this strategy can work if you execute it properly. But sometimes you’ll fall flat on your face. And it’s not exactly beginner-friendly. But follow the steps I gave you and you’ll be better off.

(Plus, look on the bright side - the worst that can happen is they say “no.” Unless they think you’ll be a nuisance, in which case they could kick you out of the program…)

I guess I might as well include a link to this product you should not buy. I think it’s a waste of time and a big waste of $10, but if you need a laugh, check it out.

Disclaimer: I could be wrong. There could be an actual secret in his ebook. I doubt it, but like I said, I haven’t seen the book.

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Few things are more annoying than setting up an affiliate site, only to realize that half the advertiser’s links are expired or point to an error page! I’ve had crap like that happen to me, and so has Rosalind Gardner.

And consequently, both of our problems stemmed from Linkshare!

Rosalind was nice about it, but I’m sick of being nice (ok, there’s nothing nice in this blog, but you get the point…)

Merchants, update the freaking links!

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This year I’ve been shifting my focus from Adsense income back to affiliate income, like I used to do before Adsense came about. I make a lot more money that way, even when I’m focusing on Adsense, so I’m not sure why it’s taken me this long to make the decision to go back! (especially with how fickle Adsense is, even with new competitors…)

So anyway, about landing pages. They’re a big deal, especially if you’re using Adwords to send traffic to your minisite that is pre-selling something. An email from Jim Edwards recommending a new ebook reminded me of this, so thanks Jim! (I didn’t buy the book, but I might…)

You need to get the visitor to take action. One action. Don’t confuse them with multiple offers and some Adsense thrown in for good measure.

What I have for you today is an example of a great landing page, in my opinion. I was doing some research on Google about being a stunt double, and one of the sponsored results caught my eye. Some kind of ebook about how to get started in the industry. I started reading the page, and in no time I was ready to submit my info, but then I realized I had fallen victim to a great work of internet marketing without even knowing it!

http://www.stuntworksecrets.com/

That’s the page. Simple yet effective. Check it out and maybe you’ll learn something.

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