The purpose of promotion tools 101
If you ask a lot of people: What is meant by promoting something?
You will get a few different answers and most of them will be a variation of the following:
Promoting something means you are selling stuff!
Is this what you think it means?
Sorry,
Promoting something is presenting, reviewing and PRE-selling it.
Let us look at the (possible) chain of promoting something: (It doesn't matter, at this point, what it or they are...)
A display ad. (Google, Bing, Yahoo, it doesn't matter..) This is placed on a website for people to see and it presents, what?
It presents an idea (Hey, that is a neat way of doing...!)
It presents a product (Look at that, I have been looking for something like that...)
It shows something that some (many, hopefully) are looking for and it is displayed in such a way as to draw attention to itself. It does NOT sell as there is no payment processor there (nor should there be!) What IS there, because you placed it there, is a link to your website. Your website, not the affiliate link you have. (It is NOT time for that!) This true of a text ad as well.
An email that you write or are given by the affiliate manager for your use (that you have re-written for your purposes.) It also presents an idea and some helpful information about a problem that your niche readers will have and an answer to this problem (your product or service!)
This is NOT selling; The subect line gets them interested in the email and the email has ONLY one job and that is to get them to your website!
How about that artice you have posted on an article directory or a blog that you were able to get on another website?
Again, that presents an idea, a problem and a quick hint as to the resolution of that probem and, again, it is your product or service! This is not selling either, you have to get those interested in your product or service to your website so you can get them closer to a purchase, or sign up, or some other commitment that makes you some money, directly or indirectly. So, the purpose of an article or blog, other than those on your site is to get everyone TO your site.
The website has, as its main purpose, to engage, inform, review and PRE-sell the product you are promoting.
This is done by, again, presenting the idea about what a great answer this is to the problems they are having because they don't have it yet. There can be many stories about others that have 'found the light' and comparisons to other products.
But, again, this is NOT selling! This is telling people, just like they are your buddy, about something that can help them out.
That display ad, that text ad, that email and even that article are all put together and published to GET THE CLICK! (You know, the click we have been talking about; The one that leads to your website.)
Heres another secret that is not a secret: Your website's purpose is not to sell but to get a click too.
THAT click is to the ONLY thing that DOES sell that product or service!
That is the website that SELLS the product or service you are promting! (through the affiliate link you have gotten from them.)
By thinking about all of this, you can see that selling is not something you even want to try to do on ads, emails, articles or even your own site. Let the professional copywriters who design the affilita product's website do that.
Recent Comments
17
THanks for your insights Mickey, yeah selling is not for everyone, you can learn basic skills but a born salesman is a born salesman, we can only try to emulate.
Gary
Thank you for this very informative post Mickey. Our goal should be to inform and to help our readers.
Jerome
This is putting a product or service before the targeted customer in the best possible light so that THEY can make the decision to buy!
Exactly; You are making them understand what it is you are promoting and this is done by HELPING THEM.
Mickeyb
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Great information Mickey. My goal is to help, to inform, to educate or teach my audience in my own unique way that will lead to sales. Have a great week :-)