Affiliate marketing is a proven way to make some good money. It is no surprise why so many people have jumped into affiliate marketing for some extra money or even as their main source of income.
The mistake most affiliate marketers make is that they solely rely on marketing products online, rather than looking into other marketing possibilities that are in the “real” world.
Just because a business is based on the internet does not mean that a person cannot take advantage of some offline marketing strategies in order to give their income a boost. Believe it or not, there are still some people who do not have access to the internet or who do not go online often. These people are an untapped market and that market should be also be pursued.
Offline methods can be simple. There is no need to go spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on marketing in order to expand your area of influence. Radio or television commercials are not required to get good results, though those who can afford them can make a killing.
Some simple ideas for offline marketing could be branded promotional items (think T-Shirts & bumper stickers), telling others about the product or placing inexpensive ads in the newspaper.
The main thing about offline marketing is that it is limited and therefore should not be the only marketing method used. The internet is too big to ignore the rest of the world when marketing, but offline marketing can be effective and a great supplement to online marketing.
Affiliate product marketing offline may seem silly. However, it really is a good method. Most people do have internet access and they will be willing to check something out if they are told about it and it sounds interesting. Many people are simply intimidated by the internet, but if they hear about a good product they will likely look it up.
As with most businesses, affiliate marketers must remember that they should be building relationships with potential clients and customers. It’s not simply about having a spare business card to drop in the local gas station’s bathroom. You should be having real interactions with real people, not just leaving a breadcrumb trail for them to follow back to your blog or website.
Think outside the box and look for ways to interact with people who would be interested in the products you offer. If you’ve nailed down a specific niche, such as dog training, go to places where people take their dogs and start some conversations. What you do for a living is bound to come up at some point and you can then lead them towards your niche site in a more natural and friendly way by offering them your business card or branded promotional item.
If you do participate in offline marketing as an affiliate, one thing you must have in place is your own website or blog that you can point your leads to. An affiliate link simply won’t do in an offline situation where you are speaking to someone about your line of business or what kind of products and services you offer.
Having a well-rounded website that showcases all the ways in which you can help someone in your niche and gives relevant, interesting information is imperative, even when marketing offline. This will give them something to go back to, even after your offline time with them is over, that will allow them to get to know you and learn how you can help them at their leisure.
While online marketing is typically the preferred method of marketing for affiliates, don’t forget that there are many people in the world who could benefit from your products who may only learn about you out in the offline world. Meeting these people can greatly increase your range of influence or at the very least, give you a whole new circle of friends.
