How I Make Money without Doing a Damn Thing

Content Updated: October 16, 2019

Want extra income? You are not alone!

Given the opportunity, most people would love to make more money… especially if it didn’t involve getting another job! Well… good news… you don’t have to be a seasoned online entrepreneur to know about programs to make money online. Heck, if you have even ONE social media profile like Facebook, you’ve seen plenty of ads as you scroll through your personal newsfeed… everything from Squatty Potty to Poo Pouri (YES! Those are REAL products that sell a TON!).  

And the reason you’re seeing ads like that and others is because your personal profile matches a targeted ad campaign that was created to find the average Joe that’s been shown to be interested in those types of products.  Now, I’m gonna break this down a little bit easier for you…

You don’t have to be an ad guru.  You don’t have to know demographics.  You don’t even have to have your own product to sell to get in on this action if you’d like to make extra money on the side.  Yes, I’m serious. Listen to how this works… it’s called affiliate marketing.

What is affiliate marketing?

You go see Bob the mechanic. A lot.  Because you’re a hard-driving kind of guy who’s into mudding and off-roading at the lake. And Bob takes care of every puddle and pothole that mistreats your baby, your truck, right?  You think Bob’s great.  Because he never tries to oversell you services you don’t need, he’s not pushy, he charges fair prices, gets your vehicle up and running again in a reasonable time, etc.  He’s an honest, hard-working business owner who delivers a great service you need and you appreciate the relationship.

In fact, you love Bob so much you tell your best buddy about Bob’s services when his transmission goes out on his truck.  Turns out, your buddy is impressed with Bob, too.  Bob gets a $2,000 transmission job because of your referral.  Bob says, “Hey, I really appreciate you referring your buddy to me.  If you have any more friends you can refer to me, I’ll give you a referral fee for any work it brings my way.”  So your buddy’s $2,000 transmission job just earned you a 20% commission and future commissions for any other people you refer to Bob.

This, my friend, is how you can make a very nice income online, all day, every day.  I do.

Can affiliate marketing make you money?

Within six months of working on my own affiliate marketing strategy I was making $1,000+ per month in residual income.  And you can, too.

How do I find the best affiliate marketing programs?

Now, I realize not all products or services will be as easy to find and promote as Bob’s Mechanic Shop.  But there are websites that can help with that part… websites like Clickbank, Commission Junction, and ShareASale come in to save the day.  These sites exist to bring products and services TO YOU so you can choose items you are interested in learning about, trying out, and then promoting if you decide.  They’ve taken the work out of vetting companies so you don’t get scammed.  You can rely on their expertise and best practices to find worthy products to promote.

The #1 secret to affiliate marketing success

The most important thing you’ll need to keep in mind to be successful at affiliate marketing is remembering who you are. What do I mean by that?

When I first got started in affiliate marketing, I chose my email service provider to promote and earn affiliate revenue with for the first time.  Because in MY world, working with online entrepreneurs, a powerful email marketing platform is a NECESSITY! And it just so happens I use the best email marketing software around.  So I started promoting it to all my clients, to peers, to anyone who would listen, really.  And it worked…. it’s still working and growing every month.  

The next product I started promoting was a landing page software program.  Because again, most online entrepreneurs NEED a landing page program to capture leads for their business. The particular company I refer has a sizable affiliate payout every month.  PLUS, you don’t have to USE the product to promote it and earn a commission. BONUS!

And the reason I make money with affiliate marketing is because I know who I am online.  I know who pays attention to what I’m doing.  I know that people recognize my expertise and will seriously consider recommendations I make when it comes to online services. Because I run a successful digital marketing business myself and have been in the trenches using lots of tools. And I have lots of experience to base my recommendations on, so it’s not just lip service to make an extra buck when I refer someone to a product.  I only promote tools I use day in, day out in my business.  They’re tools I am very passionate about.

This is why I say, you need to remember who YOU are.  Because who you are is going to determine who your audience is and what types of products and services you will naturally be able to successfully promote.  

Quick-Start Tip to Help You Make Money Faster

The fastest (and easiest) way to make money with affiliate marketing is to start with what you already know and love.  What kind of products and services do you ALREADY use that have affiliate programs?  You’d be surprised!  

• Tried an online meal delivery service and love it?  
• What about the printing site that did your last batch of business cards?  
• Even the organic seed company you bought your heirloom tomato seeds from…

… they ALL have affiliate programs.  Granted, you might not make a LOT of money with a bunch of small orders.  But I have ways, my friends.  I can take those small ideas and craft a solid plan for you to start generating a substantial rainy day fund.

But, it’s a long term game. It’s not money overnight.

If you’re interested in learning more about Affiliate Marketing, click here to read Affiliate Marketing 101: The Nuts & Bolts With Real Life Examples. Or if you’ve been throwing around the idea of using Amazon Associates to grow your nest egg, you might want to read this blog post and think again.

But if you’re ready to seriously commit to making a more passive-ish income, check out my Secret Sauce to Affiliate Marketing Training Bundle…

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. To read my Disclosure Policy in its entirety, click here.  Thank you for supporting my site!