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Your Younger Self (46)

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If you could go back in time to when you started out with Affiliate Marketing what would you tell your younger self ?

What advice would you have liked to have when you were just starting out ?

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I had a decent sized starting budget from graduation money and funds I saved up from my internship a year ago. Should've stuck with paid traffic the whole time rather than bouncing back and forth between SEO and paid traffic constantly. Eventually I would've made things work. I don't regret the path I took though...that SEO knowledge will definitely come into use down the road.

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Don't spend all your money on Affliction tshirts, Evisu jeans and eating at fancy restaurants - that never ending supply of money you found is going to dry up soon. Haha

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You just made me feel old and out of the Loop .

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i would go back to 2008 and tell myself to run acai on google.

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I would go back in time and tell myself to start sooner.

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I wouldn't change a thing

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To diversify traffic and niches so that if you lose one source you have another to fall back on.

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I'm 28, and some days I feel like a senior citizen in this industry. I just have good taste in clothing. :P

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I would tell myself to find another way to make money.

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List building and lead gen for my own funnels. Consistent front end lead flow is wanted by all advertisers, thats why the pay pubs well for it. Guys that can drive so many leads to someone elses offer have skills many never will.

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Where do you live in NJ ? I live in Central NJ .

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too hit it hard when you have a working campaign

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I'm in Central NJ too. Shoot me a PM.

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Why is that ?

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Because this industry is dirty as hell with what have you done for me lately attitudes and networks telling you to keep wasting your money making them rich and you too (maybe) one day will be baller.

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Whoa! You really ARE angry!

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You've seen nothing yet Don't get Alex started on this topic.

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I'd love to see a seperate Angry Russian rants thread!

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I would go back to 2005 n make bout 100m.

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It's all lies. Alex is really like Barney the Dinosaur. Or Elmo.

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Just check Mr Green's blog a bunch of my rants are on there.

There's tons more that dont get posted cause they may ruffle feathers lol

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I'm guessing you a referring to a 2am rant at a food court in Melbourne

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What you say is true but you're also being a hoe about it.

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Hoe? Please elaborate?

If you want to calll me out than do it, but just remember I don't front like many in this industry who profit off you staying up late night "grinding" or whatever ganster terminology is popular today.

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I would avoid the usual time wasters like digital point (all the time), warrior forum (sometimes) and not get on a tonne of Guru lists that ultimatley lead me to jumping from magic bullet to magic bullet.

And finally just realise that after your past all the bull shit and avoiding nay sayers, if you are prepared to actually treat it like a job, its not really all that hard, the hardest bit is just remembering to keep taking action, if you have a new idea just try it everytime, because for evert few times you fail you could hit gold the next time.

I also heard a quote recently that I thought was great, something along the lines of "winners lose far more than losers" meaning they keep trying and failing until something works, I think in this industry and any time as an entrepeneur you need to just keep going and just know you can achieve anything you set your mind to and if you want it bad enough you will get there, this is deffinatly a mindset that has grown on me over my 2 years in IM and one I would liked to have had from the very beginning

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I said you were technically right about what you said, so yay, what am I going to call you out on? But I called you a hoe because you're bitching about it, the industry sucks, it's shady, yeah, and? I don't even want to get into how everything else sucks too, I'll just leave it at that the point that you're not doing shit but contributing to the negativity of nature of it by bitching about it.

And yeah I know I'm being pimped, since you do like "ganster terminology", that would be one... But then again, are you, and so is everyone else who's an affiliate. But then again, so is everyone else in the world. That's fucking life, you just have to balance out and pimp more than you're pimping.

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This won't end well.

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I'll go make some popcorn.

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You my friend are the reason the aff networks and ad networks make bank. Keep yourself ignorant and maybe you'll make it. "Hang in there kitty"

Point about just bitching and adding negativity... check my posts... I've added heaps of value to this forum and the community. Unlike some people I wont put on rose colored glasses and say everyone will make it. It's not bitching its telling n00bs how it is!

In fact, I will go as far as to tell most n00bs this isn't for you find something else. Fact of the matter is only a few will go full time, and fewer will ever reach their dreams, and its not because they didn't hussle hard enough. There is a core set of skills and talents you need to get ahead and no amount of learning or wasting money will get you there.

So if you want to fool yourself into believing that your reality is 100% in your mindset and within your control, then I'm afraid its already too late.

Side note, I really don't have anything to bitch about, I make money, I travel, I eat well, but that doesn't change the fact this industry is grimey as hell and "if" i could go back in time I would tell myself exactly what to expect and who knows maybe I'd be trading stocks instead.

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LOL, I like The Angry Russian's posts, anyone else?

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I'm the reason? Okay. Sure. Pretty ironic to call someone ignorant, yet you base your whole knowledge on me off couple posts on a forum, but yeah, I'm the ignorant one.

You're adding value to a paid forum that you're admin on, how revolutionary man, why didn't I think of that one before? You absolutely are bitching, in fact you sound like you're having awfully hard time with the industry.

N yeah, most people won't make it, and how is that different from just about anything that matters, ever? I mean, no fucking shit it's not based on hard work, tell me, what exactly is? This is the way everything is, not just our "shady" industry.

Oh shit, great thing I didn't read your whole post at once, because if I had, I would have just laughed it off and not responded at all, my fucking god, yes you'd be trading stocks, now that's a clean clear cut no bullshit industry, maybe there you could put on rose colored glasses and tell "n00bs" they'll make millions.

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And honestly, I'm not trying to argue with you, I know that you know your shit when it comes to the industry, and really enjoy your bits on mrgreen.am etc, so I really wasn't looking to get off on a wrong foot with you, my original post was more of a joke, but some things do have to be addressed. I do think you send a wrong message to a lot of people who might be new and just starting off in the industry. Even though ones who are experienced and do this full time, we know better.

But look. I agree, not everyone is going to make it, this is a cut throat industry, yeah, so most likely if you do this, you'll fail. I've been telling people for a long time to keep their day job for as long as they can, cause even if you do reach success in this industry, it's still short lived. But to imply that your success is not based on hard work, mindset, and that you need some special powers called "talent" to make it, well that's just fucking crazy dude.

You'll need talent to be innovative and set new standards, do things nobody else does, start trends, that type of deal. Absolutely. However, let's face it, most of this industry is about taking other people's ideas, there's nothing wrong with that, that's how the world is anyway. So I definitely think the talent part is bit skewed. Mind state, well, if you think you'll eventually make money, undoubtedly you'll come across something stupid that works and you'll make lots of it. And if your mind state is right, and you're realistic, you'll know it won't last forever so you'll save your money, which is also mind state. The right mind state will help control the urges to do stupid shit once you do have some money, and you'll be able to make a clear cut decision to when to flip that money into something bigger. At this point, you have accumulated enough skills to do basic stuff like clone other people's campaigns. That's where your saved money comes in. Then you do need most of your right mind state to be persistent enough and find what works.

Of course I just made it sound like we're robots and this is 1000x easier than it actually is.

It's fucking hard man, but it doesn't require magic powers. It requires persistence and self control, that's it.

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please close this thread..

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Keep it clean and on topic guys.

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Wow, talk about opening cans of worms..

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I dont know. I think a good 'catharsis' from both sides are useful.

BUT,

I suggest this.

Instead of attacking each other. How about you attack and defend EMPIRICALLY the ideas you espouse ???!!!

as Sergeant Friday would say... "Just the facts, ma'am."

Just a thought

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IMO, you're both intelligent individuals with obviously different outlooks on the industry.

Aside from the verbal jabs against each other you've both shared some poignant views and insights on the reality of our industry, where its been and where it may be headed.

Quite refreshing IMO to have a gut check once in awhile.

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I'll agree to disagree.

Just got to Syndey and wayyyy to beat to do a point counterpoint. Plus no matter what you say, or I say obviously well always disagree on a few key points.

1. I do think there is a core set of talents you need to make it in this industry, and no its not learning programming or CSS. Those include ability to recongize patterns, risk management, and a mathematical mind. These traits although can be enhanced through practice, some people will never excel at and therefore will have a hard time in AM.
2. I do think there are WAY too many asshats who pump bull shit to n00bs about how this industry is great and everyone will make money. This industry is absolutely shady. Obviously there are worse industries like maybe gambling, porn, but I would say this is up there from everything including shady networks to shady advertisers to shady marketing practices. At some point you absolutely have to let go a bit of your moral sense to make things work. I've met very few people who can look me dead straight in the eye and tell me there's not some element of their business practice that isn't shady, whether its decieving consumers, jacking images and campaigns, or knowingly sending shit traffic to advertisers.
3. Mindset is not the key to making it. I've failed even when I'm super optimistic, and I've had my biggest camps when I was a complete pessimist. There is nothing about my mindset that makes me money. Its pure luck! Yes I said it, and I tell people all the time. Keep throwing shit up against the wall and something might stick. The more shit you fling the better the chance that you'll find something worth your time.

Will agree that it takes persistance, but again there are too many people I meet who keep blaming their mindset for why they fail. Maybe... just maybe you're not fucking good enough. Not everyone is Micheal Jordan!!! We aren't all winners. We aren't all special. Take a hard look at yourself and if you know you can fix or improve something then keep plugging away, but dont lie to yourself and think you're something you're not. You're only going to set yourself up for a big let down.

Just my 2 cents

@izmb We can continue arguing till the cows come home, but lets do it at ASW over some beers instead

DISCLAIMER: Yes I'm a mod, but I don't make a fucking cent off this forum, I do it for the love of the people I met in this industry (not the industry as a business itself). I don't have a blog, I don't have a list, I dont have a network, so unlike a lot of people I dont gain anything by perpetuating the "positive attitude" nonsense that keeps people spending money to make everyone else rich!

/rant

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man I want to reprint that response to soooooooooooo many blogs

just too fucking good not to give your post to just about everyone in this friggin industry. well said Angry Russian... well said!

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The Angry Russian does speak some truth(depending who you speak to of course), the no bullshit/sugarcoating could do a lot better use then the shit "gurus" sling these days. One of the reasons STM is a great community, if you join, you get the wisdom from people that have actually had success and you'll know from the get-go if you're right for this industry or not.

Shady or not, we're still making stacks in this business and that's what it is about. $$$

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Ok cool, and yeah I know you're not looking forward to me responding, and I'm not either. I certainly do agree with you, but there's a good reasoning behind everything you do point out. The reason the industry is shady is because it's very vulnerable, anybody can enter, anybody can easily spot the weak spots and exploit it. Obviously those who do take advantage of certain things make helluva alot more money than those that try to be legit. I just don't know how any other real industry is any different, shit, if I knew, I would be doing THAT.

The core talents you're talking about, yes absolutely, you do have to have basic knowledge, you have to know how to dribble the ball, but that's the same stuff most JOBS require also. Not everyone is Michael Jordan, of course, and you could have more talent than Michael Jordan and be LeBron James, but we all know the difference. And hell, while you probably aren't good enough to be absolutely best in the world, but, even the NBA has 400 other players who all make a million+ a year, while the odds still dont work in your favor, you're more alot more likely to find your place and just work with what you do have.

and Guru's job is to tell you that anybody can make it, there isn't a single person who actually believes that selling the idea of most not making it is going to work. Gurus know everyone's not gon make it, but, how the hell else are they gon sell it?

That's like bookstores warning people that something like 90% of books that are bought aren't actually read.

Or a gym warning people that their business model relies on locking you onto a contract but you never actually going.

This is business mate, and while there always will be people that will say something bad or have some kind of opinion, no matter what you do, you will have those aspects that don't morally sit right with someone.

But for now I'll take you up on that ASW offer. Good talk though, I think this was more intellectual than your average forum argument.

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If all people are doing is offer chasing and "grinding" the way most talk about it, then much of it is throw and stick.

But in regards to making money online through other avenues? Absolutely not. Too many guys that I've talked to in the CPA industry have this hard on for driving leads for someone else and not actually building anything of their own.

You learn some cool skills in CPA such as traffic generation. I always recommend guys to take the skills they learn in CPA and "build" something. Could be a product, a site, but ultimately something that caters to a specific group of people. I know that's vague as hell, but too many guys get caught up thinking CPA is the only way. Outside of cpa, margins are bigger, you can build something that gives you leverage... to me that's not luck.

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Alot of that grind is about finding stuff to throw on the wall. You definitely do increase your chances if you can make intellectual decisions. So, it's not about just throwing stuff up to throw it up. If you really want to talk about luck, you could argue that everything in the world is based on luck.

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Shit. This is the kind of stuff that never gets on any other forums except this one.

Two guys jawing at each other and tons of value STILL comes out of it on both ends.

Cheers guys.

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LMAO...You guys were fighting as though there was a Championship belt on the line..

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+1 win thread.

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