Whether you’re just starting out in affiliate marketing or you’ve been going at it for a while, one of the biggest challenges is picking the right product.
The vast majority of gurus will tell you to just go to Clickbank and select a product that has mid-range gravity. If it was that easy we’d all be bezzilionaires by now right?
Another common way is to get on everyone’s lists and start promoting upcoming launches. In theory you’ll dominate the market and get the bulk of the commissions.
But in practice it doesn’t really work out that way. Especially if you’re green.
I go a different route.
Here’s are my secrets to picking the best products to promote.
1. Mass appeal
You want to promote a product that is in high demand. Small niches are great if you’re in it for pure passion. I’m all for that.
But if your decision to get into affiliate marketing is so that you can make money, then my suggestion is to go where the money is. What’s the point of promoting a product that nobody wants to buy?
Think mass appeal. Everybody in the world wants to be richer, fitter, healthier, slimmer and so forth right?
Nobody wants to be sick or in pain or unloved.
So pick a product that has a large, hungry, buying market.
For example health, weight loss, relationships, making money online etc.
2. High Commissions
It takes you the same amount of money, time and effort to promote any product.
So why would you waste those precious resources on something that has a low commission payout?
Just think about it.
You have Product A and Product B. Same niche. Both great products that convert. But Product A has a commission payout of 20% while Product B offers 75%.
Which one would you choose to promote?
It’s a no-brainer. Yet many newbie affiliates make the mistake of choosing Product A in a 50/50 toss-up.
Always pick products that offer affiliates the highest commission payout possible.
3. Deep Sales Funnel
Now here’s one of the biggest secrets of them all.
You see, the big money is not in the first sale. The big money is in the sales after the first sale.
All the super affiliates make the bulk of their income from the backend.
So when you’re looking for a product to promote, check out the entire sales funnel first.
If you find a product that gives out 75% commissions to affiliates for a one off sale, that’s great. But better than that is if you find a product that gives out 75% commissions on the front end, and even more commissions on the backend. This is done through one, two or even three one-time offers.
The deeper the sales funnel, the higher your payout.
The top vendors will have their sales funnel optimized so that all you have to do is drive traffic to the front end sales page. The funnel will take care of the rest. And you can sit back and receive your cut for multiple sales from one customer.
4. High Competition
Yes, pick a product that has high competition.
I know you’ve probably been advised to do the opposite. That you should promote something that hasn’t even launched yet. So that you’re the first.
But remember when I said you put the same amount of money, time and effort into any affiliate marketing campaign?
Well, why would you risk all that on a product that hasn’t even proved that it can convert?
I don’t recommend investing your time and money in testing out a new product.
Look at it this way. If a product has a lot of competition, meaning that a lot of affiliates are making a lot of sales and the gravity is high, that means the product converts really well. And it’s making a ton of money.
5. Make Sure the Product is Good
This may sound weird. But to me, it’s one of the most important aspects of product selection.
I’ll only ever promote something if it has value and actually delivers on its promise.
Many marketers get so caught up in conversions and numbers they forget that there are actual people with very real problems involved. These people are in pain, whether physical, emotional or otherwise. And they are looking to you to help them.
So make sure the product is good.
Even if I found a product that paid out ridiculously high recurring commissions and had a super high conversion rate, if its contents sucked and didn’t have value, I wouldn’t promote it.
Be honest and have integrity.
If you wouldn’t sell it to your best friend, then don’t sell it to your customers.
Another reason why you should only promote good products is because you don’t want to trick people into buying a crappy product. Not only will you lose their respect, but you can be assured that they’ll never buy anything through you again.
