Yes, the title of this post is a spoof on Andrew Hyde’s well-publicized campaign against spec work. However, it is also a relatively accurate statement on my feelings toward affiliate marketing. So, despite a solid conviction one way or the other — evil or not — here are my thoughts on affiliate marketing in more-or-less random order:
- It’s a decent way to make a buck. There’s no disputing that affiliate marketing makes money… the foundations of selling good products, then deriving increased profit from other people under you selling those same products, are solid, and financially benefits nearly everyone. I raise my glass to any entrepreneur who works hard, and achieves some financial security as a result.
- Most affiliate marketers are good people. While I have my reservations about snake-oil salesmen, I’ve found most affiliate marketers to be pretty nice folks… good marketers, who use specific tactics and hard effort to improve their businesses over time. That’s something I value, and again, something I raise my glass to.
However…
- Who’s on the other end? It seems like in their rush to make profits, most affiliate marketers will sell just about any hot product. I’ve seen hypnosis to cure smoking addictions, 101 fantastic tips to do such-and-such, and of course, the pad that you strap on to shock your abs while you’re sitting on the couch not exercising. I don’t begrudge a good marketer for finding a customer case for their product, but who is buying this shit? Where is the customer, and if you’re such a smart marketer, can’t you sell stuff to smarter customers?
- Doesn’t it lack honor? While I recognize the value in making a good living, and recognize everyone’s right to do so in the way they feel is right, I can’t help but think that most affiliate marketers lack honor doing so. Most are willing to sell any product to any person, as long as the profits are right. They don’t seem to care if the product doesn’t work (do they ever?), and they don’t seem to care if they have to con their customers into buying it.
These are my thoughts. But they’re just mine, and really, they’re just off the top of my head. I’d be curious to hear what readers of this post think, especially if you’re an affiliate marketer, or have experience with the industry. Join the conversation in the comments section!
This is a question I get asked with some regularity… but the answer to one I’ve never put down on paper. So here goes. In short, while there are many potential benefits to be gained from blogging, it’s not necessarily a given that every company should put in the time and effort to build their own company blog.
First, the benefits… There are many potential benefits that blogging offers to businesses. A well-designed and well-written blog can help you improve your SEO rankings, attract new clients, communicate with your customers, and even contribute to knowledge base in your industry. It can serve as a center point for your companies’ community, as well as a fulcrum point to your companies’ sales mechanisms. That’s a lot of good things.
Next, the effort… It’s important to remember that even while blogging does have many benefits to offer your business, creating and writing a blog takes a good deal of time and effort. Quite simply, you only get back what you put in — I’d even argue that a neglected blog is worse than no blog — and the benefits of blogging are only available upon putting in this effort. Therefore, if you’re already overly busy (and most people are), I recommend you really decide to dedicate the time and effort required to blog, before you start blogging.
Plus, the fit… It’s also important to remember that while blogging offers many potential benefits to a businesses, they’re not a great fit with all kinds of them. Blogs work best when they’re direct and personal… offering a unique glimpse into the personality and message behind a business. If your business plan doesn’t call for this type of exposure, or you don’t feel comfortable putting yourself out there like that, I don’t recommend starting a blog. A tool, no matter how great it is, doesn’t work well when it’s not used to its full potential.
Hopefully after reading this post, you’ll have a better sense for what building and writing a business blog entails, as well as whether or not starting one is right for your business. By all means, if you think it is a good fit, I encourage you to start building one. If it’s not, well, that’s fine too; I trust that you’ll find other means through which to build your business. And of course, above all, don’t listen to the yahoos who always answer in the affirmative to the question that leads off this post.
YOUR INPUT: Anything I missed here, or anything you’d like to add? If you’re a small-business owner, do you have a blog? Why or why not?
