One of the biggest changes in the way I look at affiliate marketing today is that I no longer judge every campaign by one question:
“Did I make a sale today?”
Of course, sales matter.
We’re building a business, after all.
But I’ve come to realise that if the only thing I look at is today’s commissions, I could easily miss something potentially much more valuable:
The email list I’m building along the way.
In my recent posts, I’ve talked about how I’m continuing to build my ClickBank Profit Club business while Leanne and I manage two busy motels during our Snowy Mountains ski season.
I’ve also explained how I use the limited time available to me each day.
Now I want to explain why email list building remains one of my highest priorities.
A Click That Doesn’t Buy Isn’t Necessarily Wasted
Think about traditional affiliate marketing.
You get your affiliate link.
You advertise it.
Someone clicks.
They arrive at the vendor’s website.
If they buy, you earn a commission.
Great.
But what happens if they don’t buy?
In many cases, they’re gone.
You paid for or generated that traffic, but you may never have another opportunity to communicate with that person.
That’s why my thinking has changed.
Where possible, I’d rather turn that visitor into a subscriber first.
Now, even if they don’t purchase today, the conversation doesn’t necessarily end.
I have another opportunity to provide value and build trust.
My Subscriber List Is an Asset I Control
This is one of the principles that attracted me to ClickBank Profit Club.
I’m not simply learning how to promote an affiliate offer.
I’m building an email list at the same time.
That distinction is important.
An affiliate offer belongs to the vendor.
Their website belongs to them.
Their product belongs to them.
Commission structures can change.
Offers can disappear.
But the relationship I’m building with the people who voluntarily join my email list is something I can continue developing.
That’s why I think of my subscriber list as a business asset.
Every genuine subscriber makes that asset a little bigger.
Not Everyone Is Ready to Buy Today
This is another lesson worth remembering.
We sometimes assume that if somebody doesn’t buy immediately, they’re not interested.
But think about your own buying habits.
Do you purchase every product the first time you see it?
I certainly don’t.
Sometimes you want more information.
Sometimes you want to know more about the person recommending it.
Maybe the timing isn’t right.
Perhaps you’re busy.
Maybe you simply need to see the offer again before making a decision.
Your subscribers are no different.
Someone who joins my list today might not buy anything today.
That’s okay.
My job is not to pressure them into buying something immediately.
My job is to continue the conversation.
Follow-Up Is Where the Relationship Develops
This is where email marketing becomes so important.
Once somebody has chosen to join my list, I can follow up.
I can share another blog article.
I can explain what I’m learning.
I can tell them what’s working for me and what I’m testing.
I can provide useful affiliate marketing tips.
I can introduce them to another resource that might help.
And, when appropriate, I can recommend products and services I believe are relevant.
That’s very different from shouting:
“BUY THIS!”
every time I send an email.
I want people on my list to recognise my name and understand what I’m about.
Trust takes time.
This Matters Even More While I’m Busy
During our current ski season, I don’t have unlimited hours to sit in front of a computer.
Leanne and I have motel guests to look after, bookings to manage, staff to coordinate and the usual maintenance issues that come with running accommodation properties.
That’s another reason I like the idea of building an email list.
While I’m busy elsewhere, my autoresponder can continue following up with subscribers using emails I’ve already prepared.
That doesn’t mean everything should be completely automated.
I still want to write new emails, share my experiences and communicate personally.
But automation gives me leverage.
I can do the work once and allow the system to continue helping me communicate.
One Subscriber Can Be Worth More Than One Click
This is something I think beginners sometimes overlook.
Traffic statistics can look impressive.
1,000 clicks sounds great.
But what happens after those clicks?
I’d rather concentrate on building an audience I can communicate with again.
Imagine building a list of 100 subscribers.
Then 500.
Then 1,000.
Then continuing from there.
Now when you publish a new blog article, you have people you can tell about it.
When you discover a useful resource, you have an audience to share it with.
When you have an affiliate offer you genuinely believe can help, you don’t necessarily have to start from zero looking for traffic.
You already have people listening.
That’s powerful.
I’m Playing the Long Game
I’ve written about this before, and it continues to become more important to me.
I’m not trying to build an overnight business.
I’m building something gradually.
Every blog article is another piece of content.
Every email is another opportunity to build a relationship.
Every new subscriber adds to the audience.
Every campaign teaches me something.
And yes, every sale is welcome.
But I’m not going to consider a campaign a complete failure simply because someone didn’t immediately pull out their credit card.
If that campaign added genuine subscribers to my list, I’ve built something.
The Question I’m Asking Now
Instead of only asking:
“How many sales did I make?”
I’m also asking:
“What did I build?”
Did I add subscribers?
Did I create useful content?
Did I learn which traffic source works better?
Did people open my emails?
Did somebody respond?
Did I strengthen the relationship with my audience?
Those are all signs of progress.
The commissions matter, but they’re part of a bigger picture.
Build the Audience First
If you’re starting affiliate marketing, here’s one idea I’d encourage you to think about:
Don’t just build someone else’s business. Build an asset of your own along the way.
For me, that means my email list.
That’s one of the reasons I’m continuing with ClickBank Profit Club and continuing to put time into my online business, even during one of the busiest times of our year.
I’m building my list.
I’m following up.
I’m learning.
I’m creating content.
I’m promoting.
And I’m giving the process time to work.
Because today’s subscriber might become tomorrow’s customer.
But even more importantly, they can become part of an audience I’ve earned the opportunity to communicate with again and again.
That’s why I’m building my email list — even when I don’t make an immediate sale.
I’m not just chasing today’s commission.
I’m building tomorrow’s business.
To Your Success,
Graham Hill
