Hello Affiliate pop pickers, and a very happy new year to the lot of you!  I hope you had a great time hanging out with your nearest and dearest.  I’m still holidaying in New Zealand, hence my lack of posts over the festive season.

It’s at this time of year that we see a lot of posts either talking about how an affiliate business has gone during the previous year, or about  industry predictions for the year to come.  I’ve decided I’m not too interested in exploring any of that on this blog.  I feel that in these uncertain economic times what I am going to do myself in the coming year is more important that what others will be up to, and that what I plan to do in 2009 will define my success FAR more than what I did in 2008!

So to help me keep my affiliate gravy train on track during the economic doom and gloom, I’ve come up with some New Years resolutions to shape my approach to work during the next 12 months.  In January 2010 I’ll see if I’ve stuck to them!

My Resolutions

• I will focus my marketing activities with networks who have taken the time to know who I am. This isn’t about ego stroking, its about security.  I also know these self same networks are far more likely to make sure I get paid if things go tits up, and to help me if I need some direction with promotions during difficult market conditions.  In case anyone is interested, Webgains, Paid on Results, Affiliate Future, and Linkshare are top of my “To Do” list.  Agencies who I currently think highly of are RO EYE and Existem.
• I will use my time more effectively by defining quarterly progress targets based on a conservative estimate of what I can get done in a day, and planning my activities several weeks in advance.  This might also stop me from overworking and neglecting my husband.  With that in mind…
• I will get better at not working on my days off.  This will probably make me more productive on my scheduled work days as I do have a distressing tendency to bore myself with the internet if I’m involved with it too many days running.
• I will focus my activities in areas I know I can make money – I will do this by testing, testing, testing, and then testing some more before I put in shed loads of work.  Sometimes I’ve been caught out by the assumption that something I’ve tested in one way will work in another. i.e. Direct to merchant success does not immediately mean an affiliate landing page arrangement will work so well.
• I will get better at asking for enhanced commission rates – A Scottish work ethic can sometimes do you a disservice.  I have had a tendency to not ask about enhanced commissions for volume in the past, thinking I need to work hard first thus shooting myself in the financial foot.  Merchants tend not to want to pay extra for volume they’re already getting.
• I will outsource some activities rather than trying to do everything myself – Sometimes you just gotta let go.  With that in mind, I’ve just signed up to the ContentNow link building service.  I’ll be letting you all know exactly how it pans out in due course (no pressure Kieron and Simon!!).
• I will take my own advice and start some mini sites about new areas that interest me so I can get a feel for new markets and opportunities.  With that in mind, I’ve already started a new blog site all about solar panel products.  Apart from researching this new market, I find the subject matter very interesting so it’ll help me stay fresh and enthusiastic about affiliate marketing.
• I will venture into new countries to make me less vunerable to changes in the exchange rate. This is causing me some issues right now as Sterling is up and down like a mad thing. At the moment my income is worth 20% less than it has been because of the weakness of the Pound agains the Aussie dollar. With that in mind, I’ve already managed to create the beginnings of a very healthy revenue stream in Australian dollars (with a merchant I remembered to negotiate an enhanced commission structure with!).
• I’ll try and encourage Duncan to feel the same passion I do for affiliate marketing by getting him involved in some sites that interest him personally.  At the moment he has a good understanding of the process, but I think the love of the job is eluding him because he’s a step removed from the sharp end of the gig.  Apart from anything else, its ridiculous that he’s not using his knowledge and passion for diving (or any of the many diving related domains I’ve bought him!).

I think that’s probably enough in the way of new years resolutions to keep me going for a little while.  I feel very positive about this coming year and think I can ride out the recession with a bit of hard work and organisation (not pissing off on holiday for 3 months at a time will also help!).

Whilst We’re On The Subject, Here is a Small List Of Personal Resolutions.  I Will…

• Finally learn to cook something beyond my one-pot specials from my student days.
• Introduce myself to all of my new neighbours.  Then invite them over for a drink!
• Employ a gardener so Duncan doesn’t spend every weekend mowing and weeding.
• Get better at sending birthday cards to my friends children.
• Offset the carbon from all the flying I do
• Compost things rather than sending them to the landfill.
• Plant a vegetable garden.
• Not shoot the local Bush Turkeys when they dig the above up.
• Be less afraid of spiders.
• Get better at saying “NO” to people.  Even if it upsets them a bit. (If you see me in 2009 and you think I’m smiling too much, ask me the reason for this one. I can guarantee you’ll soon be telling me to “turn that frown upside down” or, in extreme cases, passing me a box of tissues.)
• Buy myself a new car.  It won’t be a BMW or a Porsche so don’t expect a “look at my new bling” post.  I don’t drive enough to justify a “super affiliate car”!
• Take some time out every week to do a bit of art and craft.
• Count to ten more often
• Eventually get around to changing my name to “Mrs McKenzie” on bank accounts and similar.
• Pay off 20% of my mortgage.

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2009 for all of my friends, family, and of course all you fabulous blog readers (some of whom are also in the first two categories!).

• Happy Affiliate New Year!!
• Outsourcing is The New Black – What a Difference a Year Makes!
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