Kirsty’s Brain is Currently Offline Please Leave a Commission After the Beep. Beeeep!
Affiliate Annoyances Add commentsIf ever merchants needed a good reason to sort out their blinking well Xmas promotions before December 15th then this syndrome must be it. I’m sure I can’t be unique when I say I’ve had it with Christmas. In fact, I’ve had it with Christmas for at least two weeks but have struggled gamely on.
My brain is currently at the point where me simply sitting in front of a computer screen seems to induce me to contemplate my navel closely for several hours interspersed with the odd visit to Facebook or Twitter to talk a load of shit. This is in stark contrast to my usual feelings of energy and downright go getter-ness (another symptom is that I’ve started making up my own words).
Merry BuggerAllThisMass…
As I sailed out the door to the shopping centre at 10am this morning full of the spirit of “Bugger All This Mass” I said to Duncan; “I really don’t know whats up with me dear I really just can’t think straight.”
“What do you mean you don’t know what’s up?” He says.
“Eh?” I eloquently replied.
“You’re like this every effing year love!”
“I am?”
And it’s true. I am. There’s something about the push for Christmas trade that is incredibly exciting. But bear in mind that much like an over excitable 6 year old I’ve been getting myself all wound up for it since the middle of June and making sure I was going to do as good a job as possible in getting those affiliate pennies in at this very lucrative time of year.
And So My Dear Friends, This Tightly Wound Affiliate Coil Has Unsprung…
I must have done quite well with my festive efforts, because my “Cant Be Assed Mass” has arrived almost 20 days early. I feel as if I have now done as much as I possibly can for the big man in the red suit and as a result I’m like a balloon that’s been burst (by that over excited 6 year old we were chatting about a couple of paragraphs back).
I think my lack of motivation is in reverse proportion to the amount of money appearing on my screen when I log on to the networks each morning. The more thats there, the less I want to do! What little brain capacity that remains has been devoted to keeping an eagle eye on my margins. Much time is being spent analysing every single penny I spend and click I send. So merchants, it is now too late to grab my ear with your latest and greatest promotions. That ship has sailed and it’s captain is roaring drunk in the wheelhouse.
What Now?
Well, I’d better get my finger extracted from my derrierre and my head out of the clouds. Christmas might be all sewn up but January is still flapping in the wind. I’ve got a LOT to do.
The only thing I can think of is to take the rest of the week off, power down, power up Sunday night and hope the old spring gets wound up again to get into my January promotions.
So Merchants… Please Leave My Commission After The Beep. Anything Else Will Be Deleted. BEEEEEEPPPPPP!!
November 25th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I don’t know how much you earn, but perhaps think about why you started doing AM in the first place… assuming it’s the same for you as for me, that’s about enjoying the work you do rather than obsessing about earning lots of money.
If you’re making enough to be comfortable, does it really matter if you take it easy?
Dan
November 26th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Thanks Dan
One of the things about doing affiliate marketing is that sometimes for no reason you’ll hit the doldrums. I’ve no idea why it happens, but its been quite a while since it happened to me! I do love my occupation with a passion but sometimes I sit down and nothing happens. At that point I usually just go with the flow but try to look at ways of jump starting my enthusiasm.
The second part about taking it easy when you’re making enough to be comfortable is dead on – however there is a danger there that you’ll take it too easy and lose your edge.
For me personally? I am one of those people who likes to work hard. If I don’t work hard I start to feel guilty!
November 26th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Even if you did have a break, it sounds as if your conscience wouldn’t allow it for very long, so don’t worry too much about that.
Nothing wrong with working hard, as long as that work is productive. A change of direction, new project, new niche, etc are good ways to find some new enthusiasm.
Dan
November 27th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I know what you mean about the unexplainable doldrums. I’ve felt as if I’ve been sinking towards very young age depression a number of times. It’s just something that hits every now and then.
I work extremely hard normally 6 days a week and the stress of AM catches up on me even when I don’t think I’m being affected. It’s a constant state of mind, a lifestyle more than a job. Price you pay for financial and self-employed freedom, I guess.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I know that feeling of wishing you’d done more about Christmas. I mentioned it a few days ago on my blog. I also get that guilty feeling if I’ve not done enough work. I like to I’ll really be able to relax once I’ve got enough eggs in enough baskets. So don’t worry you’re not alone in those feelings.
As Dan said, a new project might be what’s needed or just a week off until some idea hits you and brings back your enthusiasm. I’m currently very excited watching the Christmas commissions increase working on stuff for a product that isn’t released for another 6 months. Maybe I should be focusing more on Christmas but this is more interesting.
November 30th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Hi Kirsty,
What do you think are good areas to go after in January? I guess weight loss/fitness are popular niches but is there anything else that is especially popular in the new year?
Thanks,
Joe
November 30th, 2009 at 2:13 am
@Dan – yep you are dead right. I know when I’m being productive and when I’m just kidding myself on, that usually sends me into a bit of a down period. As you rightly guess though, they never last for long. Enthusiasm soon returns.
@Finch @Adam – I think its something that happens to lots of affiliates to one extent or another.
@Joe – well gifts still buzz along nicely right up until Valentines Day with some peaks after that at Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Other than that, holidays go blisteringly well right through until Easter and then steady up over summer (still very good performance).
As for me – I’m feeling much better. The catalyst? A nice tough problem to do with Adwords incorrectly classifying some keywords on a top performing campaign of mine resulting in a 50% drop in traffic. Clearly I just needed something new to concetrate on as Dan said!