Another thing that’s been running through my mind of recent times is the preoccupation with “Super Affiliates”. Why is it that the majority of folks who take any more than a passing interest in our industry suddenly leap into the air like people posessed and proclaim in loud and confident voices: -
“That’s it! I’m sick of working for the man!! I’m going to be a SUPER affiliate!!!!” **Cue superhero type music, and imagine our proud and happy protagonist in a pair of red underpants and his mum’s best turquoise tights**
So look, being serious here, I do understand why people find out about chaps such as Amit Mehta of Titanium Amex card fame, Jeremy Shoemaker with his adsense check for $132,994.97, and our very own Kieron Donoghue who spends the debt of a small African country on PPC every month. Of course they’re hugely inspirational…
But ask yourself these two things If you’re an aspiring affiliate, or are just starting out along the long and weary road to the turqouise tights…
1 ) Is affiliate success necessarily going to be achieved by emulating other people?
No.
The reason all these guys earn money faster than they can spend it is because they are unique and can see money making opportunities where others don’t. If you seek to emulate them, it won’t make you as successful as them. Merely a second rate copy… and you still won’t have a clue how YOU can make money, only what other people are up to.
2 ) Honestly, what’s wrong with being merely “Pretty Good”? Have a good think about how you’d define success in real terms. Doubling your salary? Working 2 days a week for the same money and having time to spend with your family?
Personally speaking, I’m not a super affiliate in terms of turning over millions of pounds a month (and that’s what I reckon a real super affiliate is)… and I’ve no desire to be. What’s the point of the affiliate lifestyle if you can’t take them 5 or 6 holidays a year? Furthermore, my Duncan intimated to me last night that (my) preoccupation with money bothers him a little bit sometimes.
Have you thought about whether your current partner wants to wake up next to Sir Alan Sugar instead of you tomorrow morning?
Pretty Good Affiliate is an A-OK job description too in my book!
(n.b. anyone who knows me really well will no doubt be aware there’s bound to be another word in that job description. But in the interests of decency, I’ve left it out! )
November 20th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I agree… there is nothing wrong with being an A-OK Affiliate, infact sometimes its better for the industry. Many newbies maybe inspired by the super affiliates (a term a detest and continues to put me off attending so called Super Affiliate Seminars), but its also the case that us A-OK affiliates get approached by new people to the industry asking for our advice too.
I would envisgae the advice I provide, maybe somewhat more useful to a new person, than the advice they may receive from a ‘Super Affiliate’. I would imagine the advice they offer, maybe of more use to us A-OK Affiliates.
“Your” Duncan is right too. It’s too easy to get lost in your own little materialistic world where money has no value. My attitude changed a couple of years ago, just as I started in AM, after being redunanct. Then it became apparent that I no longer needed the latest gadgets and gizmo’s, as long as I had money to eat and pay the mortgage - after that, everything else is a luxury. Some of the best things in life are free anyway - it costs nothing to walk up a mountain in the Lake District and take time out at the top to reflect and admire the views the world has to offer.
Some people will never be satisfied.
Some people will inspire others.
Some people will gloat on how much they make.
Some people are happy with what they have in life.
Being happy in life, doesn’t mean you no longer strive for success, it just means that it’s less important in the grand scheme of things.
That said, I’m off to re-join the hippy community :o)
PS - you aren’t married yet, so less of the “MY” Duncan!
November 20th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Absolutely Chris, I think you’re dead on with everything you are saying there. The inspiration of this wee blog bit was Duncan and I having a late night chat over a nightcap last night.
I was sitting harping on about how much I wanted to increase turnover cos I’m back working full time and said “are you not excited by that?” He said, “Well, no. Not really. We have enough. More than enough. Aren’t YOU happy with that?”
Which was food for thought!
Interestingly, Duncan WAS brought up in a hippy community. Hence, he is the yin to my materialistic yang.
nb.. I’ve very nearly got the registrar booked. That’s as near to “MY” as I need to get all presumptuous!!
November 20th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Hi Kirsty,
A good point well made.
Nobody likes someone who’s obsessed with money. It’s important to sit back and weigh up what’s important to you and what your definition of ’success’ really is.
Having said that I do think it’s important to aspire to achieve great things and make the most of your life, but it doesn’t have to be a purely financial.
November 20th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
I think its all relative.
a few years ago when I was 250k in debt I looked at anyone with a job that made more then 40k and was wishing I could just get that far… Now I am doing pretty good but I am not satisfied. I get lumped in as a “entrepreneur” or a “Super affiliate” but tbh I do not really like those labels. Most people that call themselves that are douchebags.
My perspective has changed a bit. I have a daughter and a great wife. I went from 1 to 5 employees and will probably hire more in the next year. Overall I make less (respectively) but I have much more time to spend with my wife and child.
Good post
November 20th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Well, there you go. Even the “super” affiliates don’t necessarily wander around with the Superman theme blasting silently away inside their own heads… despite their website logos!!
A fair point too about feeling unsatisfied with progress. I often do, yet I’m doing better than I ever have. Where will it end! Perhaps when I get a family of my own…
November 20th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Awesome post Kirsty! I love your blog and keep meaning to add it to
Affiliate Marketing BUZZ.
This post just earned you a spot.
Going over to add you right now before I forget again!
Thanks, Linda
November 20th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
When you get a family of your own, I suspect money may become even more of a factor
Yes, as Shoey says many of the Super Affiliates dont associate themselves as such, after all there are many key performing affiliates in the UK that fall into the same category such as Duncan, Kieron etc. All of these guys are essential to the industry and have been extremely successfull in what they do, and would probably cringe as being labelled an underpant wearing hero.
I suspect the label may have been created by the networks, agencies or merchants.
Shoey also backs up my point of simply by being happy, doesn’t mean you stop striving for success as he mentions lack of progress. No matter how large or small you are (in terms of AM, not height!), it’s still frustrating when you see you are making no progress.
You simply need a measured life because it’s no good having all the money in the world and being lonely. Then again, you dont want to head down the route of being skint and 27 kids at your feet. Striking a nice balance is essential, but I find is ever more difficult to achieve.
Anyway, back to my new logo
November 20th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Whilst making money is great, and obviously we all need it - I find work life balance much more important.
A few years ago I was forced into affiliate marketing on a full time basis earlier than I anticipated, as I wanted to spend more time with my Mam who was seriously ill. It was then I decided that yeah, life is too short and no matter what I’m never ever going back to a “real” job where I’m tied to office hours and can’t spend quality time with my family and friends.
So for me affiliate marketing was a means to an end - and it still is to this day. This is why I haven’t gone down the route of the UK “Super” affs like Duncan, Jamie etc and opened an office and employed staff. While I respect them for going down this route and prospering, its just not for me. What I love about working for myself, by myself is that if I don’t want to work one day then I won’t. For example I’m the only Dad who goes to my daughters school each and every day to pick her up, its a great privilege to be able to do that and I’m so happy I can.
So yes by all means we should all strive to be successful and grow our businesses, but not at any cost. Remember whats important in your life and focus on that, not the money.
November 21st, 2007 at 1:17 am
In my experience, affiliate schemes are vastly overrated. I had one partiicular product i was promoting on my site for almost six months - and not a single sale. Other products, in comparison proved more popular.
Overall, though, I would have to say I would have probably made more money if I got paid for every time a visitor clicked on a link rather than have it on payment by results basis.
Regards
November 21st, 2007 at 2:43 am
Hi Kirsty, you said “my Duncan intimated to me last night that (my) preoccupation with money bothers him a little bit sometimes.”
He does know you’re a Scot doesn’t he?
You’re certainly struck a chord there, I’m not keen on labels since I gave up working in London to look after our kids and was the ONLY dad in the playground back in 1990 when I was the token “house husband” and I didn’t get invited to coffee mornings either.
Happily the experience of raising kids has been amazing and my wife admits she’s missed out there and without that experience I doubt I would have discovered affiliate marketing so it’s all worked out nicely.
Like Kieron I’ve admired the tenacity of affiliates that took on staff and moved to offices but I’m happy to work from home without the added stress of having extra mouths to feed.
The best thing I did 4 years ago was start Tai Chi - it gets me away from my desk, clears my mind and helps keep me fit and it has helped me see that chasing money is no way to live a life and you’re lucky to have Duncan to your team.
November 21st, 2007 at 5:01 am
[...] program, I’d guess that there would be more super affiliates there (or at least some pretty good affiliates). Lots of people there are trying to promote Amazon products through 1997-ish websites cluttered [...]
November 21st, 2007 at 7:51 am
This was a great post, and it definitely hits home with me. I am a competitive person, with sports, life and money. But at the same time, just like I knew growing up that I was a good hockey player, and that I could play in the top leagues, I knew I would never be a professional hockey player. Instead I played hard, improved myself each year and had fun playing and I got to play through college.
Affiliate Marketing is the same in many ways. I know that I can be good at it, but I also know that I don’t have what it takes to be the best. I enjoy what I do with my sites, and to me that is all that matters. Making money is an added bonus, but to me it is all about the challenge of doing something new and doing it well. I am alright with being okay
November 22nd, 2007 at 6:17 am
Heck, for now, I’d just take a sucky-affiliate status, as long as I’m profitable— AT ALL!
November 22nd, 2007 at 8:46 am
The main reason I do this job is because I love it. I think anyone would be lying if they said money wasn’t a factor but it isn’t the main one for me - at least not in terms of trying to make millions just so I can be a super affiliate. I know the kind of money I want to be making to allow me to do things for myself and family and that is what drives me, not the thought of being Michelle, the Super Affiliate.
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
If a “Super Affiliate” is defined in monetary terms, how do you define a “Pretty Good” affiliate?
Jason
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:08 pm
[...] was reading Kirsty’s blog about What’s Wrong With Being A “Pretty Good” Affiliate? and one question came to mind. It was posted in comments and is either stuck in moderation or gone [...]
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:45 pm
That’s right. Money is not everything. I think we must see it like a way to get things, and not as a thing to get.
maybe this is not a correct english, but I hope you see what I mean
In french I would say:”L argent est un moyen, pas une fin”
Kind regards.
Olivier
November 24th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Hi Kirsty,
I’d have to disagree, from reading your blog, you are definitely a Super Affiliate!
November 24th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Lol, coming from you Amit… that’s a pretty good compliment.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Hi Kirsty,
Fantastic post and some really useful comments. I agree totally with you - being a ok affiliate is great and i feel what ever works for each individual is what is important. I would like to pose the question - how much do you have to earn to be an ok affiliate - i feel i do ok and am happy with what i turn over but would also like more! Maybe it is a sliding scale? Thanks Richard
December 24th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
[...] previously talked about how copying someone does not automatically mean you can duplicate their success and become a super affil…. I’d like to re-iterate that now. Make your new years resolution to come up with something [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 12:28 am
[...] How many full timers d’you reckon actually find that time to have a break, kick back, and let things take care of themselves for 3 or 4 weeks? Not many! There’s too much of an obsession with being a “super” affiliate and not enough on being “just good enough” [...]
March 4th, 2008 at 7:49 am
[...] I wanted to do something a little different. We all know I think it’s more than OK to be a Pretty Good Affiliate or even Just Good Enough… so I wanted to give a bit more insight into the life of a more [...]
July 7th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
[...] Again this is another beauty that’s well worth going for, and is achievable by everyone, not just ‘Super Affiliates’ or ‘Pretty Good Affiliates‘ [...]