Five Tips on Selling Affiliate Products

on Twitter
If you are into affiliate marketing, you can effectively increase your online sales with Twitter. Twitter is no more a site
for kids and teenagers. It is used by people of all ages all over the world and they take notice of what is happening.
When you look for Twitter marketing ideas for your affiliate products, you will find some basics that you need to cover.
The most important part of affiliate marketing on Twitter involves, of course, what everyone does on Twitter - sending
tweets. As you keep posting tweets with links to your affiliate page or website you will have more and more people
coming over to see what products you are selling. Of course, it is outright rude to be too direct all the time. ive
people information about related products and services and then hit their buyer!s instinct by slipping in a couple of
direct sales tweets.
ive people what they want. "ou can use various Twitter software programs to automatically add people to your
database whose likes match with your products. As you create a si#able database of potential customers, offer them
relevant information and then appeal to them using your best sales skills.
"our sales tweets should not order people to buy your products. ive them the benefits rather than the features. That
would incline them more towards your website and products.
ive them proper landing pages so that they don!t take too much time to decide. If they want comics, take them to the
comics! page and not your company!s homepage.
Ask your customers and readers to spread the word around that you e$ist. "our products and your business will get
the best e$posure through word of mouth marketing and retweets.
Whether you are into direct marketing or affiliate marketing, the basics remain place. %se them well and reap the
rewards.
&annah loves the freedom her Internet marketing career created in her life. Instead of punching the clock, she lives
by her wits. 'y competing against other marketers, she knows she!s really earned that paycheck.
5 Dangerous Pitfalls of New Twitter
Marketers
As Twitter continues to evolve into a ma(or driving force for online marketers, many mobili#e
their Tweets for the purpose of driving prospective new clients and customers to their offers.
'ecause Twitter is a social networking medium and not (ust a distribution channel for
promotional copy here are a few pitfalls that you may want to avoid if you!re new to Twitter
marketing. )any new Twitter marketers fall prey to these simple mistakes that invariably
sabotage their marketing efforts and dilute their Twitter followers.
1 - Using The Wrong Type Of Image On Your Twitter Profile -Why Are You Hiding?
If you!re trying to create bu## on Twitter and attract people to your offerings the last thing you
need is anonymity. *emember, Twitter is a +social+ network, therefore people are attracted to
following other +people+. If you have chosen an image for your Twitter profile that is not an
image of a +real+ person -preferably "O%., you have immediately rendered yourself
+anonymous. /eople like to follow other people not logos, animals or innate ob(ects. %se an
image of a person to personali#e your Twitter profile and attract others. Once people get to
know you, gently move them toward your product brand and product logo for branding purposes
but not a moment before.
- Using A !eneri" Twitter Page #esign $or Your Twitter Profile Page - A %ure %ign Of A
Twitter &ew'ie
0irst let me make something clear here... There!s absolutely nothing wrong with the default
Twitter page designs if you!re going to be Tweeting about what you had for dinner last night or
who you happen to think the most popular celebrity happens to be... however, if you!re trying to
develop a following for commercial purposes I!m afraid that (ust won!t cut it. Take a look at the
most popular profiles... they!re all personali#ed.
)ake the effort to personali#e your Twitter profile. )ake sure it is consistent with the message
and the theme that you!re trying to convey. "ou can purchase a customi#ed Twitter profile or
have someone actually customi#e your Twitter profile to reflect the look and feel of your
commercial offering.
A generic Twitter profile when used for commercial e$posure simply says one thing. +I don!t care
enough to create a personali#ed profile to brand myself or my business+. In the mind of many
+seasoned+ Tweeters it also suggests that you may not care enough to handle the details
re1uired by clients or prospects that may be considering you for business pro(ects.
(- You )onstantly Tweet Promotions And Ad*ertisements - The +ost $atal +ista,e Of All-
2ntering into the Twitter realm is like walking into a convention hall that!s filled with thousands of
people, with a multitude of interest. 3ome of these people may very well be interested in your
offers or services but some simply won!t be. Imagine walking into this type of environment,
totally new, with no relationship ties established. "ou then proceed to stand on a table and shout
promotional lines and persuasive statements about your offers in hopes to gain recognition and
e$posure. This strategy probably won!t go over very well.
Think about it, do you en(oy being bombarded with commercial based conversations by friends
and associates4 /robably not... right4 If you were to walk into that convention hall, stand on a
table and begin shouting about your great product, service or offering that!s e$actly what you
are doing. %nfortunately, this is the default behavior of most Twitter newcomers. This will 1uickly
get you tagged as a Twitter spammer. Avoid this behavior like the plague. )i$ up your tweets.
Throw in a little humor, a famous 1uote, a funny video and gently mi$ in your promotions. et
personal to develop new relationships that allow you to cultivate new prospects. *emember,
Twitter is simply an introductory medium. The final ob(ective is to encourage a visit to your web
site and ultimately to your opt-in form. &ere!s a better approach...
5o your homework... search for Twitter conversations that reflect +mutual interest+, then simply
approach a person or two, by contributing to the conversation. This approach lays the
foundation for reciprocal conversation which could lead to new relationships and ultimately more
business prospects.
5on!t make the mistake of bombarding the Twitter community with a constant string of
promotional Tweets about your products, services or programs. Twitter is first and foremost a
+social networking+ medium. A place to e$change ideas, e$change conversation and interact
with others on sub(ect matter that is of mutual interest. 5o yourself a favor and mi$ up those
Tweets instead of deploying a constant string of promotional copy.
.- You #on/t %hortening You U01/s 2hyperlin,s3 - 4When You Use A 1ong 1in, Your Tweet
%tin,s5554
This may come as a surprise to you but seasoned tweeters simply don!t use long %*6!s in their
tweets.
One of the most fundamental reasons is based on the simple 789 character format limit. If
someone wants to +*eTweet+ your tweet, an e$tra long %*6 may be a hindrance to doing so...
there!s simply not enough characters left to do so...
%*6!s that look something like this http:;;www.$$$$$$$$$;<<<<.aaabbbccc.html are simply a
dead giveaway that you are new to Twitter and probably don!t understand basic Twitter
eti1uette. %se one of the many free services available to shorten those %*6!s -like bit.ly., it!s
easy, simply and will rid you of the neon light that flashes on your forehead and distinguishes
you as a Twitter newbie=
6- You &e*er %end Than, You +essages To Your $ollowers
Once you began to gain followers, it!s always a good idea to send an instant +Thank "ou+
message to those who have >&O32? to follow you. %nderstandably, you may think that this is
to laborious but there are ways to circumvent the time re1uired to e$ecute this gesture. Try
automating the process with service like socialoomph.com which can cut down on the tedious
task of following up with new followers and save you lots of time. This approach can also start
the conversation.
Try following these simple suggestions and your initial Twitter e$perience will be much more
productive.
If you find this article helpful, I!ll make a deal with you.... Tweet this article, follow me on Twitter
and I promise to follow you back..... see how easy it is, you!ve already picked up a new follower.
-smile....
7 Essential Marketing Rules For Twitter
0ule 718 Planning +atters
One of the best metaphors for Twitter is that it!s a bar. %nlike 0acebook where you know interact
with !friends!, on Twitter you can engage with almost anyone. There are millions of simultaneous
conversations happening on thousands of topics. It can be overwhelming. It can also be
enlightening.
The open nature of Twitter is what makes it so compelling as a potential tool for business.
&owever, businesses that think they can create an account and start marketing on Twitter -or:
spewing sales pitches. are in for a rude awakening. ?ot only will that strategy fail, the Twitter
community could turn on the company and create a public relations nightmare for the business.
)arketing isn!t about pushing products. It!s about understanding market needs, analy#ing
competition, identifying the positioning !sweet spot!, building awareness and credibility,
developing and supporting a community of loyal customers and more. Twitter can be used for
any or all of these marketing ob(ectives. In fact, one of Twitter!s uni1ue strengths is its
!discovery! capabilities.
What do you want to accomplish4 What are your goals and how will you know that you!re
successful or going the right direction4 "ou can start *ule @A before having these fully
completed, but you need to have your Twitter ob(ectives nailed down before you start tweeting.
0ule 78 1isten $irst
*emember how we said Twitter is like a bar4 &ow would people react if you walked into a bar
-or coffee shop or other public place for sociali#ing. and you started shouting about whatever
was on your mind4 'est case they!d ignore you. )ore likely, you!d be thrown out - and maybe
never allowed back.
The same applies on Twitter. 5on!t spam. *elevance is essential. The Twitter community is
(udge and (ury. It can be difficult to recover from a bad reputation so it!s best not to get one in
the first place.
If you!re (ust getting started on Twitter, be sure to listen -read. for a while before you start
posting or replying. There!s nothing wrong with being a voyeur. 2ven if you!re already on Twitter,
take a step back and (ust listen once in a while. 5o it on a fairly regular basis. Twitter is evolving
1uickly.
3o what are you !listening! for4
- What are the hot topics, most popular links from tweets, or most popular users4
- What are the types of tweets that get re-tweeted most4
- What are the users in your industry or target audience tweeting about4
0ule 7(8 $ind Your 9oi"e
When you were listening in the previous rule, you certainly noticed many different styles of
tweets. If you didn!t, you should go back and listen harder.
While there is no right or wrong answer for what your Twitter style or voice should be, there are
definitely considerations to make before you start tweeting. "ou need to make sure that your
voice is appropriate for the ob(ectives that you are trying to achieve and the image that you want
to portray. "ou should document the characteristics of your chosen voice and why they are
important - this is especially useful if you will have more than one person tweeting for your
organi#ation or if you plan to hire ghost writers.
3o what are the characteristics that you need to consider4 One way to think about the
characteristics of your Twitter voice is to map out several vectors with different e$tremes on
each end then decide where your ideal position would be on each vector. 0or e$ample, do you
want your Twitter stream to be fully automated or fully manual4 /rofessional or casual4 It!s
unlikely that you!ll be at either e$treme, but the vector will allow you to easily visuali#e your
voice.
0ule 7.8 1oo, Ali*e
>reating an account on Twitter and leaving the default profile photo and background is a sure-
fire way to show Twitter users that you!re not serious about Twitter or the Twitter community as a
whole. There is no e$cuse for not investing in the small effort that it takes to create a rich profile
page and profile photo.
&ave a designer create something that integrates well with the Twitter profile page. The Whole
0oods and Bappos e$amples below should give you some ideas. 6ook at your competitors and
do something better= If you don!t have the skills in-house, there are plenty of freelance
designers that can create something totally custom without spending much. Of course you!ll
want to complete the profile information and include a %*6 - consider a specific landing page on
your website.
There are several couple schools of thought on profile photos. 0or businesses, more and more
logos are showing up. In our opinion, logos are not in the right spirit. Twitter provides a uni1ue
way for businesses to deliver a human touch. Our recommendation is to use a good 1uality,
properly formatted photo if you can. There are many articles on the topic. 5o a 1uick search to
get more information and suggestions.
?ow you!re ready to promote your presence on Twitter. /romote your Twitter user name on your
website, in email signatures, direct mail pieces, business cards, etc. If you are tweeting
regularly, consider displaying them on your website or blog. There are plenty of tools that make
it easy.
0ule 768 !row Your $lo",
3everal strategies e$ist to help grow your flock on Twitter. 3ome are a bit controversial. We!ll
save those for later. &opefully we don!t need to e$plain the benefits of having a lot of followers.
The real 1uestion is, +Are you attracting the followers you need to get to your goals4+
*ule @8 covered the first step. 6etting your e$isting customers and partners know how to find
you on Twitter will get you some followers. The second strategy is to follow companies and
individuals within your industry and;or region. 3ome will follow you in return. 'ut there are other
benefits.
)any tools look at the relationships between users -who!s following whom. and make
recommendations based on that information. As a result, following users with certain
characteristics can actually help you attract followers. enuine engagement -*ule @C. is also
key to gain followers and builds off of the users you follow. Another totally acceptable way to
gain followers is to follow interesting people. If you find someone who tweets interesting things
related to your business, see who she follows, and follow her.
Auto-following users based on them following you or using third-party tools -some listed below.
is where you start to get into a gray area. Tools are already starting to show up that look at the
ratio of followers to friends for ranking and other purposes. It!s probably not a good idea to get
your ratio completely out of whack. +0ollow many but don!t auto-follow everyone+ is probably the
best approach.
0ule 7:8 ;ngage !enuinely
6ook before you leap when it comes to Twitter. "ou are embarking on a (ourney. It can!t be
viewed as a one-time event. "ou have to nurture and support your efforts. If your initial level of
activity begins to wane, your followers will notice and will feel a sense of abandonment. 3tart
with a comfortable, sustainable level of engagement. 2ngagement on Twitter is like the inverse
of product pricing - it!s easy to drop prices and easy to increase Twitter engagement, but doing
the reverse is e$ponentially more difficult.
To get started, use search.twitter.com or another Twitter search method to see who is talking
about you, your brand or a keyword related to your industry. *ead up and then engage when
you have something informative to say. If you are looking for your user name you can only see
your replies in Twitter if someone starts a tweet with !D-your twitter name.! but sometimes
people will put Dyourname in the middle of their tweet. 'y searching +to:yourname+ it will find
any tweets that included your user name.
%sing common sense combined with *ules 7-<, you should be in pretty good shape. The more
time you spend on Twitter, the more efficient and effective you!ll get. 'elow are some tips
gathered from various Twitter users around the web on how to optimi#e your Twitter time and
avoid potential Twitter landmines:
- >lients like Tweetdeck and Twhirl make it a lot easier to manage Twitter and make you more
efficient.
- %nderstand and use direct messages -5). -private., replies -public. and re-tweets -*T.
correctly.
- "ou don!t have to read every tweet or reply to every 5), but don!t ignore them all either.
- %se %*6 shortening tools like Tiny%*6, tr.im and others for cleaner tweets and more
characters for you.
- >omment on others! tweets and re-tweet what others have posted to build your place in the
community.
0ule 7<8 Tra", Your 0esults
Once you have everything in motion, you!ll want to keep an eye on things to track your progress
and to determine whether it makes sense to spend more -or less. time on Twitter. "ou can easily
go overboard with measurements. &ere are our recommendations on the !must haves! and the
!nice to haves!.
In *ule @7 you set your Twitter ob(ectives. What do you need to measure to make sure you!re
headed in the right direction4 These are your key performance indicators or E/Is. Once you
know what your E/Is are, you!ll be able to figure out what tools you need.
0or e$ample, if your goal is to get visitors to your website and to sell a product, you!ll want to
know how many visitors are coming to the site from Twitter, how many of those visitors buy your
product and how your conversion rate compares to visitors from other sources. Web analytics
tools from "ahoo, oogle and others -see *esources below. can get this information for you.
Obviously this is simplified. "ou!ll likely have multiple goals and more E/Is for each goal, but it!s
important to understand what metrics you really need and why they are important - what do they
tell you and how can you use that information4 "ou!ll need to track your E/Is on a regular basis
and use them to make ad(ustments to your strategy as needed.
)on"lusion
Twitter is changing the way people communicate and search for information and it hasn!t even
scratched the surface in terms of its potential reach and influence.
Twitter can be used for fast, effective and ine$pensive research, customer support, public
relations, lead generation and more - but your efforts will almost certainly backfire if you don!t
follow the e$plicit and unspoken policies in this vibrant and rapidly growing community.
Whether you are self-employed, a small business owner, a multi-national corporation or a
government agency - a high-tech company, a manufacturer or a coffee shop, Twitter provides
huge opportunities and risks.
Tweamr provides the research and tools to help ma$imi#e the opportunities and minimi#e the
risks. An e$panded version of this article is available as a free download from Tweamr.com. The
e$panded version includes additional e$amples, links to tools and checklists for each rule that
businesses can use to 1uickly and effectively implement a Twitter marketing strategy.
7 Siple Rules to Success on Twitter
%nless you!ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard of Twitter. It is a rocking hot
social networking site that seems to be to be used by almost everyone today. It!s on the news,
on the radio and on the minds of thousands of people everywhere, every single day.
There are many different types of people on Twitter. 'ut, most of these people are on Twitter for
a single reason. They want people to know about them. They want to connect with people. 6ots
of people.
5id you know that there are Twitter *ules for marketing and business success in what you do. I
am a marketer and have been for many years. In the last few years my business has been
e$panding by leaps and bounds, because of social media and the internet. 'ut, there are rules
that all marketers must follow if they are going to have success in the marketplace, especially
online.
&ere are the < %imple 0ules to %u""ess on Twitter8
13 The 0ule of 9isi'ility on Twitter5
"ou absolutely )%3T be visible on Twitter if you are going to get your message out to the
masses. "ou must spend time on Twitter and get to know people. "ou must put yourself
together a +Twitter 'lueprint+ and then work that bluprint every day. &ow many hours a day are
you going to be seen on Twitter4 &ow many people are you going to follow this week4 &ow
many times are you going to Tweet this week4 &ow many direct replies will you make4 All of
these things make you +visible+ on Twitter. 'e seen and be heard. 'e there on a daily basis.
3 The 0ule of a Powerful Twitter Profile5
Why would people want to get to know you on Twitter4 One of the first things they will check out
is your Twitter profile. What does it say, or better yet, what does it do4 5oes it make people
curious and want to get to know you4 5oes it make them smile4 5oes it make them think4 5oes
it make them see that you have value for their life and perhaps can help change it4
/owerful Twitter profiles are ?OT based on what is said in your profile, but on what your profile
5O23. 5oes it direct them to 5O something4 5oes it tell them you are a person they really
need to get to know4 /ut yourself O%T T&2*2 and tell the world why they need you as a friend,
and get them to take some action towards "O%.
(3 The 0ule of Twittering5
"ou )%3T use Twitter to market or to share your message. )any people regard Twitter as a
communication utility much like an email. It is not= Twitter is a method for you to build -
)233A2 '" )233A2 - 0O66OW '" 0O66OW - /&OTO '" /&OTO - FI52O '" FI52O -
your brand on Twitter. 2very time something happens with you, Twitter about it. 5on!t (ust look at
Twitter, get your messages out there and be seen. Answer the messages on Twitter. Thank
people for sharing their Tweet with you. This will show up on their Twitter and even more people
will see you. This will set you apart from most people on Twitter. Twitter is basically a billboard of
what you and your friends are doing on Twitter. 3o use it often and use it wisely. 5on!t forget
that everyone is watching what you say.
.3 The 0ule of Twitter &etwor,ing5
"ou are part of a Twitter and you have access to that huge network of people to become their
friend and business partner. "ou can live anywhere and have access to this huge audience.
There are literally thousands of people on Twitter that you could potentially meet and then get to
know and connect with. "ou can find local Twitterers as well. "ou will find that Twitter is a gold
mine of people to connect with and build trust with. This may lead to business down the road.
3o go Twitter now=
63 The 0ule of Twitter #ire"t +essages5
This can be an overlooked and rarely talked about Twitter tool. 5irect messages are part of your
+Twitter 3ystem.+ o to 5irect )essages in your sidebar. This is a list of people who are thinking
about you, talking about you, including you and connecting with you. This is a goldmine of
people that have proven that they are behind you and willing to make you a part of their Twitter
e$perience. /ay attention to your Twitter messages. Thank them for their thoughts and let them
know you appreciate it. *eply back to them whenever possible. The 5irect )essages are gold
and can be a prospecting Fault of valuable leads. )ake sure you stay connected to them.
:3 The 0ule of Twitter Pi"tures and 9ideos5
3haring photos and videos on Twitter is &OT. /eople love photos and videos. The Tweets with
photos and videos are the most looked at and watched Tweets on Twitter. )ake some videos
and upload them. %pload some photographs. ?ot only will they be seen, but they will also be
*e-Tweeted many times. This means that you can pick out Tweets you like and share them with
others. ?ow isn!t that cool4 It is called e$posure= It allows you to post a photo or video that you
like and then it sends it out for all of Twitter to see. It shares the image that you want and allows
everyone to see a glimse into your personal life. It helps people see you as a real person and
not (ust a website, so share some of your personal life on Twitter. 0ind interesting photos and
videos of others and send them out as well. /eople love to look at pictures and watch videos.
%se this to your advantage.It will build e$posure for you.
<3 The 0ule of Twitter %ear"h5
When you do a Twitter search, it is going to bring you a list of people who have a lot in common
with you. Gust go to search.Twitter.com and type in what you are searching for. "ou!ll find a lot of
other Twitterers who are Tweeting about what interests you. "ou can build a list in your own
area of e$pertise and then you can send Twitter direct messages to them. )ake sure they are
messages of value and interest. 3how them that you are an e$pert in this field. This gives you
huge e$posure. Whatever you do, like posting a message, uploading a video or photo, writing
and publishing an article, or (ust commenting on another person!s message on the Twitter, it will
show up on Twitter. 'e seen, and be seen often if you are trying to brand yourself on Twitter.
"ou need to establish relationships and build a community to market to. 'ut, if you are going to
market on Twitter, then you need to at least get a blueprint of how and when to do it. The H
*ules of Twitter hopefully gave you some ideas in your social media marketing. /lease let me
know what you think and what ideas you have.
79 Tips for 3alespeople Who ?etwork Online
1. Identify your target buyer. It could be sales managers, human resource
managers, recruiters. Make sure you locate the right person, otherwise your eforts
are wasted on non-essential decision makers.
2. Determine what groups or social communities your target buyer is likely
to participate in. Join the dialog and build a social and professional relationship.
he information you pro!ide can position you as an e"pert and someone they want
to work with.
#. Share information that you feel will be valuable to others. his is similar
to sharing useful information during a face-to-face networking e!ent. $inkedIn gi!es
you lots of opportunities to do this in the %iscussion section of their groups. $ook
o!er the discussions. &an you add anything that might answer someone's (ustion)
*. Sign up on other peoples sites. his is like asking for someone's business
card.
+. Comment on other peoples blogs and follow those blogs that gi!e you the
best information about your ser!ice, your customers or your industry.
,. Promote the good work of others. his is the -gi!e to recei!e. form of
networking. he more you promote others, the more !isibility you also recei!e. /ou
cannot be all things to all people, so why not share the lo!e) 0t a face-to-face
networking e!ent, this would be like introducing and praising one colleague to
another. his includes promoting your clients too, pro!ided you aren't breaking any
con1dentiality agreements.
2. Don't hit potential customers with your pitch right away. ake time to
build relationships with indi!iduals you meet online and ofer your information slowly
and tactfully.
3. Don't Spam your pitch or company information. 4eople hate spam and
they will ignore you. It5s like crying wolf. 6hen you ha!e something really important
to say, most won5t e!en bother to pay attention.
7. e kind. 8efrain from getting into petty arguments o!er social media. 9thers
will see the interaction and determine you5re not someone they want in their
network. If you feel you need to engage this person, email them pri!ately.
1:. !ake it o"ine. ;ocial media can make introductions to people you might not
otherwise meet. <y to asking someone to meet in person you ha!e a chance to build
a stronger relationship with a potential customer or business partner.