Watching other affiliates and learning from their success, or even more so their mistakes, is one of the best ways to improve your affiliate marketing skills and your business. Whether you are a newbie or a super affiliate, learning as much as you can, from as many people as you can, is one of the best ways to keep up on all of the latest industry trends and techniques. You never know who might have some great information to share, (regardless of their skill set) that can help take your affiliate marketing business to levels you never dreamed of.
So we decided to start a new series called “Meet An Affiliate” where we will be interviewing all types of affiliates (ranging from newbies, to mid-level affiliates, to Super Affiliates) so you can see how they started out, different hurdles they are facing or faced when they first started out, courses they recommend, tips and tricks, as well as a variety of other useful information.
So let’s jump right into it!
Our first guest on Meet An Affiliate, Thatcher Michelsen, has been doing Affiliate Marketing for about 7 years, is always looking for ways to improve his skills and hopes to reach the Super Affiliate status very soon. Read below as he talks about his experience in this industry, as well as offers tips to those just starting out.
How did you first get into Affiliate Marketing?
I learned about Clickbank from Mark Joyner back in 2002 and started promoting ebooks through ezine ads and online classifieds.
What was your first website?
In 1999 I built a website for my dads artwork and family business. http://www.woodhat.com
When was the first time you started making money online? How did you do it?
I first started making money online with my own product. I actually shot, edited and produced an instructional video on how to make a woodhat yes a hat made out of wood. This is what my father is famous for and you can checkout more about the video at the site http://www.woodhat.com/video.asp We are actually in the process of producing a new video this time its on how to make a wooden baseball cap.
What does a normal day look like for you?
I work really late into the early morning like 2 or 3am at least often later… So I don’t typically wakeup very early. No alarm clock just wake up when I feel rested, quick check my email usually on my phone on the way to the cafe while riding my long board. Grab a bite to eat and some good coffee to start the day off right. I do actually work at my computers A Lot probably more than I should. Many successful affiliate marketers would like you to believe that they only work a few hours per day to check their stats, etc…. it’s simply not true. This business like any business takes endless hours of hard-work creativity and execution.
How important do you think having a mentor is when you first get started in affiliate marketing?
Having a mentor is extremely important; not only when you are first getting started but now and forever you need a support network. No one person can possibly do and know all the things necessary to be successful in performance marketing. When I got started I was lucky enough to work a bit with people like Mark Joyner and Joe Vitalie. Today I am a member of Howie Schwartz Mastermind call and every week I get an incredible amount of value out of meeting with that group of successful Internet Marketers.
What is the biggest challenge you continue to face in this industry?
Keeping up with all the new “Bright Shiny Objects” this industry is vast and growing rapidly; there are so many distractions seemingly endless offers and ways to promote those offers. It is imperative that you find a focus and block out the distractions to the best of your ability.
Name 5 Guides/E-books/programs that you would recommend for people looking to improve their Affiliate Marketing business.
Affiliate Payload by Alex Goad, PPC Formula 2 by Gauher Chaudhry, PPC Classroom 2 by Amit Mehta, Hexatrack by Amish Shah, Tracking202Pro by Wes Mahler, SpeedPPC, SpyFu, MarketSamaria, Shoemoney Tools, ContentBully… I am currently writing detailed reviews on these programs and training courses, these will be posted on my blog.
What does the future hold for Affiliate Marketing?
I think that the future is bright for Affiliate Marketing. If you think about it it’s the perfect advertising model for everyone involved. The advertiser does not have to payout unless their is an action taken so it’s completely performance based. For the affiliate; media and advertising costs are low and the ability to target is improving every day. With low ad costs and high commissions on a low barrier to entry product or offer, its hard to lose.
What’s the first piece of advice you would give to someone looking to get into affiliate marketing?
It can all be very overwhelming, so take it easy, stay consistent, stay focused and accept the learning curve. To make a good living with performance marketing starting from scratch with no website could be very difficult you need to build up a website in a good niche that you are passionate about. If you are passionate about weight loss and you build up a quality blog/website, your genuine passion will show and it will attract traffic and produce conversions.
What’s the biggest mistake you made when you first started doing Affiliate Marketing?
Tried to launch into too many different niches all at once, like I said above you need to focus on one good one and make it profitable and the move on. I know super affiliates like Amit Mehta “PPCclassroom” who only launch into 2 or 3 new niches per year!
What’s your take on the new FTC Guidelines revolving Flogs and Fake Review Sites?
I’m happy with it I would like to see all the FLOGS shut down, they make the products look bad and they make the industry look bad. I think its important to bring some sanity to these spammy advertising techniques, sure they work well but they are not honest and its just a flash in the pan. I am more focused on building longterm successful web properties with honest marketing and true stories.
What’s your favorite Affiliate Marketing Conference? Why?
Affiliate Summit – They tend to have the biggest turnout and best speakers.
What’s your favorite book?
The Dip by Seth Godin
What blogs do you frequent the most?
EarnersBlog.com
AndyBeard.eu
NetProfitsToday.com
What’s your blog/website about? (Plug your blog)
My main blog http://www.RichAgent.com is all about Internet Marketing, moving forward we will specifically focus on affiliate marketing.
What do you look for in an Affiliate Network?
A good interface and quality process. The best offers with the best payouts.
What do you look for in an Affiliate Manager?
Experience, Consistency and Availability.
What is the best way for someone to reach you?
Are you an affiliate with some valuable info you’d love to share with our readers? Send me an email with your contact information and you never know, you might just be our next guest on Meet an Affiliate!
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Great post, thank you
wanna join clickbooth very much…:)
@Tvoops – Have you registered as a Publisher yet? If not, you can do so here https://my.clickbooth.com/signup/.
If you have any problems, or need help signing up feel free to email me at Eric@clickbooth.com
Very nice interview. I learn lots and wish to learn more from affiliates. Thanks.
Hey Aadil, Glad to hear you liked the interview!
We have a lot more coming from a variety affiliates that are doing some amazing things in this industry.
Let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions on ways we can provide even more value through this series. I’m all ears!
I like the interview. Keep them coming.
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