From the category archives:

random thoughts

Affiliate Marketing Is (not) Evil

by brianlburns on 26 August 2009

in affiliate marketing, random thoughts

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:

sleazy-salesman

  • 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.

6a00d834de49a769e2011279660f1428a4-800wi 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!

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Why Startups and Copywriting Don’t Get Along

by brianlburns on 2 April 2008

in random thoughts

There’s a growing distance between the startup world and the web-copywriting world. As the Internet changes, marketing and writing change along with it. Especially for young entrepreneurs and for tech startups – the new school, marketing is about going viral. It’s not about sales letters, or search-engine optimization (I wrote about that a couple days ago), it’s about people liking your stuff, and bringing other people there (for the fun of it). Now, this isn’t to say that writing’s not important for the school… because it still is. Just that they need a different sort of writing. A sort of quick-and-clean copy that gets to the soul of the company, and hands it to the viral-visitor. No more… and no less.

Now, you’d think that the numerous copywriters of the world could do this… that they could write good startup copy. But, they can’t. Problem is that almost all of them are part of the old school. They’re still writing sales letters and press releases. They’re writing B2B stuff that’s supposed to appeal to middle-age secretaries, and 60 year-old executives. Not writing B2VC copy that’ll get a money-man excited about your product, and not writing good front-page copy that converts viral visitors.

The new school requires a new type of writing… the old school isn’t doing it. It’s as simple as that, and it’s sad too. Sad because a lot of new startups aren’t realizing their brand potential, and sad because I have to read the copy they produce without professional help (which they need). This blog is designed to help the writing be less-atrocious (or even good), and to help close the new school/old school gap. (Much) more on the subject in a couple days.

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