Do you need a list to be successful in Affiliate Marketing?

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but I've had a good look around and I think it's going to be really helpful.

I hope I'm posting this in the correct section - apologies if not.

I have a question that I wonder if anyone can answer please?

I have been involved with affiliate marketing for a couple of years.

I know that many people talk about the importance of having a list.

Well, I had a list of 500 people which was built primarily through JV Giveaways, and although I kept in contact with them via a monthly newsletter and regular emails, they were extremely unresponsive and never took up any of the deals or product offers I sent them. (I also used to send them freebies, information, personal reviews and recommendations and advice, so it wasn't as though every time I contacted them, it was with details of something to buy)

Anyway, as a result of this, I cancelled my Aweber account and have begun to concentrate on selling affiliate products through my Amazon blogs.

Since I started doing this, I have earned more in affiliate commissions from sales in two months than I did in two years. Nothing huge, but sales all the same.

My question is, do you think it's really necessary to have a list to make a regular, decent income?

I'd be grateful for any opinions or advice please.

Thanks,

Regards,

Sherrie

A list can earn you a lot of customers if you take the time to develop a relationship i.e friendship with your list. I know making those calls and getting to know the list members takes time but the long term benefits can be very rewarding. Good luck

revenue4u
Hi revenue4u,

Thanks for your reply.

I spent a long time trying to build relationships with everyone on my list, but unfortunately, to no avail.

My real question was though -

Do you think it's necessary to have a list to build a regular, decent income, or is it possible to achieve that purely from affiliate marketing with no list?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who may have knowledge or experience of this.

Thanks again,

Sherrie

In testing to see if list building is so important like everyone says, here is my own take on this.

It is not that important. The most important is to bring in a good amount of traffic and get good conversions.

To make money online you need:

Targeted traffic.

Conversions.

If you get those 2, you will be successful.

I don't have much of a list. I am with Tal on this one. I think if you do build a list , you should simply use it to send out special deals or offers that your affiliates are promoting, or depending what your niche is an educational newsletter will work, but call them? hell no. That's why I am in AFFILIATE marketing rather than NETWORK marketing - so i DON'T have to talk to people.

SherrieB: My question is, do you think it's really necessary to have a list to make a regular, decent income?
The short is, "Yes!"

Having a targeted list that is responsive is one of the surest ways to generate a decent income on a consistent basis. It takes time and deliberate strategy to reach that point, but once you get there, the benefits can be extraordinary and last for a long time.

Of course a list is just one of several methods you should be using to generate traffic and income, but it's one method that gives you significant leverage when it comes to cost, efficiency and conversions.

Hermas

Hi talfighel, mountainmom5 and A8ch,

Thanks for your replies, which have answered my question very thoroughly!

It's interesting to hear different viewpoints - I know that the only way to learn anything properly is to do it for yourself and see how it goes, but it's very helpful all the same to have input from people like yourselves with experience in this field.

Thanks again for your advice,

Regards,

Sherrie

Is it necessary to have a list to make a regular decent income.

In my opinion, the answer is "no" it is not necessary. There are many people who make money online without using email lists.

Hi guys,

I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have a list to be successful with affiliate marketing. As you proved already SherrieB, you can make money just by driving traffic to your blogs with offers on them.

I do think it's great to have a list though, but as mentioned above it should be a targeted and responsive list.

Unfortunately when you build a list primarily of people who've only joined because they got something for free initially, the chances are they are continually looking for something for nothing and not in the buying frame you need them to be in when promoting offers to them.

A well respected Internet Marketer told me that it's better to sell a short report or e-guide for as little as $1 rather than give it away, since the people who join your list are actually "buyers" rather than freebie seekers.

Chrissy

Hi dmitch 31 and Chrissy15,

Thanks for your replies - there's a real divided opinion on this subject, so I'm grateful for your feedback.

Cheers,

Sherrie