The first thing you should do is write out your affiliate marketing business plan with long range goals and a step by step blueprint on how to accomplish the tasks at hand.
We will use a 5 year plan for this exercise and our money goal is going to be making $10,000 (choose your own amount) per month at the end of 5 years.
This is part one of this series and will require an evaluation after the first year.
You will need to use the data from the analytics, email, lead capture, social media, YouTube, and any other info you acquire to start a more effective year 2 for you’re affiliate marketing business plan.
The first year will be the hardest part. This is when you’ll need to have a great deal of discipline, work real hard, learn many new skills, and get on some sort of schedule.
We are also going to take into consideration that you are working a full time job.
Affiliate Marketing Business Plan First Goal Is To Make $1000
When starting a new affiliate marketing business we want to spend as little as possible until we start make at least $1000.
At that time we can take half of that cash flow and invest back into our business in the form of advertising or tools.
So the first task is how are we going to make this $1000 and then create a monthly income?
Here is the plan to do just that. We will put together 4 (or just one with 4 x the content) niche specific websites to accomplish this.
You are going to need some great content that offers solutions to your audience and we want to be able to do this for free.
We are going to be using what we call sweat equity. Another words you put in the work for free and at some time in the future we will be rewarded.
It will take a lot of researching so that we can become experts in these four niches. So to start, the first website will be about the marketing tools we are going to use to accomplish this major feat.
Budget – Tools & Content Needed For Our Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
Starting out we are going to need some digital marketing tools to get our business started. This is where you do not want to spare the expense and go cheap.
We want the best tools but at the same time they must be affordable. Plus we do not want to have to switch products along the way.
In addition, the tools we purchase must have lasting power. We need them around for many years to come. So we are going to chose the tools that have been around and have an excellent foreseeable future.
If possible when you purchase these items you should buy them for a 1-5 year terms.
- Domain Name – 5 Year Term ($50-$60)
- Hosting – Month to Month or 1 Year Term ($25m or $250 yr)
- WordPress Theme – 1 Year Term ($228 yr)
- Email Service Provider – Month to Month or 1 Year Term ($19m)
Spend Wisely Until Your Website Makes $1000
Any type of images, logos, or things to make our website a little nicer will need to wait until we have a cash flow of $1000 a month coming in.
You can get access to free images with a little searching or providing your own with you’re smartphone. Naturally, we’ll also need a device similar to a laptop or desktop to make your job a little easier.
So to get our affiliate marketing business plan started we need to be able to fork out a couple hundred bucks and $19 a month or save money and check out this company that has all the digital marketing tools.
If you cannot afford that then start saving or use one of the fastest free WordPress themes until you can purchase the best theme that will help you build a conversion focused website.
You can also go with month to month hosting at the $25 a month. I know you can find cheaper hosting but it does not perform at the level as WPX hosting and the best hosting companies we recommend..
Don’t get cheap on your hosting otherwise it will cost you money down the road. So now you may be looking around a little less than $50 a month that covers email and hosting. You’ll still need to purchase your domain name.
Month One of Your Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
Everything that you just purchased like hosting, email service provider, and the WordPress theme is what your first website is going to be about.
This will give you experience in knowing how all this stuff works and being able to write about this stuff. You’ll be able to use story telling when writing your blogs.
It will almost be like a diary of what you are doing and how you are doing it. This is your story of how you are going to make $10,000 a month.
How you did it, step by step, the obstacles you faced, your successes, the hardships you endured, and your accomplishments. So you got plenty to write about.
Just think of your first year as a learning experience. Back to month one. Learn as much as you can about each tool you are going to use.
Research one at a time.
Spend a couple of days researching then sit down and write a blog about what you know about it and how it can help other people. You only have a few things to write about. Let us list them for you.
- How To Chose A Business Name (Domain Name)
- Chose A WordPress Theme
- How To Chose Fast Hosting
- Chose An Email Service Provider
- How To Chose A Niche
These are the same things we talked about earlier that you needed to purchase. You should of already be thinking about signing up for these tools.
You’ll need to write 2 blog post per subject and that way you’ll have some content on your website. Each blog post must have 1200 to 2500 words in them.
We will write an article for you so you know how to format your post. Choosing a niche will be another post that we provide.
Month 1 Writing Your Blog
We saved that for last. Writing about how to chose a niche is the last two blogs you will write during your first month.
It should of also gave you some ideas of different niches that you would like to get into.
The first niche we picked it for you.
It’s your journal on how you are succeeding or struggling during the time you’re trying to reach your goals.
Starting out you are just explaining the benefits of the tools you need, why these would help someone out, and how they have helped you.
After you completed your assignments we’ll provide you with some comments for your posts. So you have a total of 10 blog post to write. 2 posts on each subject.
This content is going to be your foundation for your website.
During this time-frame more than likely no one will be able to find your content because you will not have a good ranking score on the search engines.
But you never know.
When a website first start out it takes time to start getting some action. That is a good reason to dig in and learn your skills. As time goes along you will get better and better.
You will be gaining hands on experience.
We will also be providing you with feedback to assist you a little and keep you on track.
You will not use any type of affiliate links on your website at this time. The main thing here is to get some great content started on your website period.
You need this content to apply for affiliate marketing programs in a month or two. If you write more than 10 blog posts you did and excellent job.
More is good as long as the content is relevant and it offers solutions to problems.
Example; Why is your website slow?
Answer: You’re using a slow WordPress theme and slow cheap hosting. Those are just 2 reasons for starters.
Month 2-3-4 Starting A New Niche Website
All right you got that first website up and running with 10 blog post. We are going to let the first site take a break for a few days.
You should of got on some type of schedule by now.
Like working 4 days a week for 4-5 hours a day. Like we said this is not going to be easy. Don’t forget about the end results of making that $20,000 a month.
Month 2 is picking a new niche. Starting another website. Yes, you will need another domain name. During this month you will have the same goal of writing 10 blogs for your new niche website.
After you complete those 10 blog post you’ll need to also write 2 additional post for your first website.
That is a total of 12 blog post for month number 2. You have to keep adding on fresh content to your website.
Next up is month 3. Another new niche website. This will be website number 3. Again write 10 or more blog post for this site. Plus 2 blog post for the other two sites.
That will give you 14 blog post on website, #1 12 blogs on website #2, and 10 blog post on website #3.
Here we go into month number 4.
It that time again to start another website.
This will be the last one we start for quite a while.
So by now you should know the drill. Produce 10 blogs for this new niche site. In addition you’ll be required to write 2 blog post each for the other 3 websites.
Summary for The Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
- Goal Setting – Use Smart Goal Setting
- Figure Out Your Budget & Get The Best Marketing Tools
- Start a Schedule 15-20 Hours a Week
- Month 1 – Start New Website
- Write 10 Blog Post
- Month 2 – Start Site #2
- Write Total 12 Blog Post
- Month 3 – Start Site #3
- Write Total 14 Blog Post
- Month 4 – Start Site #4
- Write Total 16 Blog Post
You now have 4 niche websites. All with content. It’s time to find affiliate programs to use for each niche website.
You can apply for the programs that you like the best.
Hopefully for things that you use or have done extensive research on. Your affiliate marketing business plan is starting to come together.
During the last 4 months you should of finished the affiliate marketing workshop. Make sure you start to set up an email auto-responder sequence for any leads that you capture.
If you didn’t do this then you need to get caught up and get this finished. It’s month 5 and its time to get the loose ends tightened up.
Month 5 Is The Toughest Month Then We Move Forward To Months 6-12
Month 5 is the toughest month and you got to do what matters the most so you can reach your goal. This month is dedicated to getting everything in line.
It’s time to start getting some exposure in the search engines.
The next few months are going to be content producing months.
This is the time to review each article make any improvements, add on any affiliate links, making sure your email marketing system in in order and that you have 30 days of emails to send out.
In addition, you still need to write 4 blogs for each website. That is a total of 16 blog posts. 4 per week. It’s time to dig in.
You should be getting pretty efficient and have a system down by now. Do you have a format that you use for writing you’re blog posts?
These tasks that we are asking you to perform have been done by successful people. Actually the top affiliate marketers usually do more.
It just depends on how bad you want to have success.
Things come up and stuff happens. But some how or some way if you want to really make it, you have to put the work in.
Plus if you have been keeping up with the affiliate marketing workshop you have been building your brand on social media. So everything is starting to come together.
Frustration sets in because you want results fast.
This is the month that most people fail. Month 5 is the month that will make or break you.
Who knows, maybe you made a couple of bucks. 90% of the folks would have made absolutely nothing. It’s time to buckle up and put the nose to the grind stone.
Easy for you to say you’re thinking.
You been busting your behind for the last few months and have nothing in return. Remember, keep the end in mind.
When you started you had a money goal.
We used the figure $10,000 a month in 5 years. That gives us time to produce plenty of content.
But we are getting ready to start a 6 month challenge.
Months 6-12 of The Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
During the next 7 months we are putting the challenge into effect. We waited until you have improved you’re internet marketing skills.
Your still with us and we weeded out the quitters.
We are left with a few great people that really want to make this happen. True folks that know in their heart that they can accomplish their goals.
These are the leaders that know deep inside what it takes. You are the ones that have the mentality to conquer your fears.
True leaders of the pack.
You are the ones that people will look up too and want to emulate.
You’re setting yourself up for success. That is why we are going to challenge you to do more.
Here is the plan for the next 7 months.
You have 4 niche websites. Each website needs to have 32 blog post, a home page, an about page, and a contact page.
Plus all the legal pages that are required.
That really isn’t that many blog post per month. Just a couple a week per site. Make sure you even them out.
In addition, its time to break out video. Why? Because you need to build a bigger audience and build your brand.
You Need Additional Traffic Sources
You’re already building your brand on one or two social media sites.
We highly recommend that you use YouTube for additional content.
Well, not really. You can use the content from each blog post that you wrote.
Just think, producing somewhere around 64-100 videos during the next 7 months will definitely start building your brand.
That snowball will start getting bigger and bigger. So, put your nose to the grindstone and get-er-done. It’s that time to make it happen.
So what happens after we accomplish all of these tasks? We’ll have a year under our belt. Stay tuned for part 2 of the affiliate marketing business plan.
Coming to a video near you. Subscribe to the affiliate marketing workshop and get the details of how to put everything together.
Summary for Toughest Months 5-12 of The Business Plan
- We Weeded Out The Quitters
- You Need To Have 4 Niche Sites With Great Content (32 Blog Post Each)
- We Started With Video (At least 16 Videos per Niche)
- Our Brand Is Building On Social Media
- That Gives us 50 pieces of content per niche website
- Each Website Has 1. Home Page 2. About Page 3. 16 Videos 4. 32 Posts
- Email Marketing – All set up & Building A list
- Lead Generation All Set Up
- Between months 6-12 search engines starting to give you some love
Goals for Year 1 for the Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
During your first year this will seem like the toughest time that you will encounter. It will take some very hard work and your ability to learn the skills that are necessary in order for you to succeed.
Scheduling and sticking to your schedule will develop good working habits.
You’ll need to also consider the time you need for your family. So staying up later and getting up earlier than normal will more than likely be the time that you get all you’re work done.
Just having the discipline and staying on track will become a major hurdle for most of you to overcome.
As long as you give it you’re all, you will accomplish at the minimum, having a couple of nice niche websites that just need more traffic to start getting more commission money.
You should have started to build your brand and have a good size following to get your business off the ground.
As far as money goals you should expect about $250 per site or a $1000 a month coming in from all four websites.
Multiply Traffic Sources Will Increase Your Income
You’ll notice that one or two of you’re sites will bring in more cash than the others.
That was the reason to have 4 different niche websites. One or two out the four should really start taking off.
You will also start to really pick up the marketing strategies that are working. Some blog posts will draw more traffic than others.
Social media and the YouTube videos will take time to build your brand to start drawing traffic from these places.
Just follow the affiliate marketing business plan and get those instructions from the free training course that goes straight to you’re inbox.
Stay in the know about how to get traffic to your website. We will be writing some detailed information about this subject in the coming months.
So lets get started and create that income level to reach your first small goal of making $1000 per month.
Then we’ll reevaluate the situation and make a few adjustments.
Keep moving forward to reach your 5 year goal of making that $20,000 a month so you can live a happy life style and do what you really want to do.
Conclusion to the Affiliate Marketing Business Plan
- It All Starts Right Between The Ears
- Use Smart Goal Setting
- That First Year Is The Toughest
- Use The Best Marketing Tools For The Best Results
- Build 4 Niche Websites
- Blogging – Give Your Site a Solid Foundation
- Build Your Brand – Social Media – Video
- Email Marketing All Set Up
- Traffic – Blogging – Social Media – YouTube
- Month 5 The Make or Break Month
- Month 6-12 Time To Dig In
- You have 1 Year To Accomplish All These Small Task
- Who’s Ready To Take The Challenge?
- Year 2 – It Starts Picking Up
- It’s Time For Paid Ads
- Year 3 – Your Almost There
You could build just a single niche website in a more competitive niche but you are going to need a whole lot of valuable content on your site.
You Want To Build Low Competition Sites.
That way we have an opportunity to chisel our way into the market. Maybe one or two of the sites will not produce what you had in mind.
Maybe you need more content for those sites or either drop that niche if it is not profitable. You will need to make a decision on that when the time comes.
This is just an exercise so you can make your own affiliate marketing business plan.
You can follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay in the loop. We will keep this free training going as a series to help you reach your goals.
Drop down below and leave a comment. It helps to build your brand by leaving comments. Stay tuned for the next article on choosing a niche.