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1. I avoid recommending specific niches (large or small) because in the real world, certain people are going to have an easier time with some product/service lines while others may have a more difficult time marketing the same product/service line. I do sometimes recommend people try their hand selling things they like and are familiar with, because there is an obvious benefit to knowing something about what you are selling, but even then I don’t think that is the real key too success. In the end, I think something about who we are – and more importantly, subtle hints in the way we communicate and write (ad text, for instance) – make our ad writing efforts more or less appealing to certain people.

   It is difficult to predict, sometimes, what sets – and subsets – of people your ad writing style will appeal the most too, so in addition to marketing things you know (which obviously you have at least a slightly better chance of your ad writing style resonating with the demographic), I always recommend dedicating a portion of your time to marketing a new product line you are less familiar with. I have had some very pleasant surprises pushing programs I was unfamiliar with (and would never have been able to predict my ad style might resonate).

   Anyway, when people are just getting started and ask me about niches, I always point them instead toward programs like Amazon.com. It’s the affiliate program I cut my teeth on, and the experience was full of valuable lessons. You can try your hand at marketing almost anything (books, toys, music, credit cads etc..), and even the campaigns that don’t turn a profit can still help by pushing you closer to the next performance tier, and raising your commissions on everything. Amazon also brings the benefit of a recognized and trusted name.

   I usually recommend starting bids at around .10 for broad categories (i.e. books, toys, music) and .15-.20 when writing an ad for a specific product (i.e. Harry Potter book 7, Tickle me Elmo, American Idol CD). Watch the returns and adjust the bids up or down from there (depending on your margins) then focus like a laser beam on improving the ad text for those ad groups that are profitable, and turn off the ones that aren’t (unless they are close to break-even and might help you reach a performance tier. You won’t get rich (I don’t think) but you won’t lose your shirt either, and you’ll learn a lot about what you’re good at selling and what you’re not so good at selling. After a few months, if you are able to reliably earn a couple hundred or more a month, you can start looking for more lucrative programs in those areas in which you’ve had the most success.

   Comment by Administrator — May 31, 2007 #

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