Tags: Affiliate Marketing, Criteria for choosing product
Criteria for choosing an entry-level product
Now that you’ve got a list of all kinds of possible entry-level products, it’s time to decide which ones are worth promoting. Here is the checklist of criteria I use to decide:
1. Is this a QUALITY product? This is your HIGHEST priority. If possible, purchase the product yourself to see what it’s like. At the very least, do thorough research.
Read reviews, check consumer sites like Epinions.com, or get in touch with the merchant.
Remember, if the entry-level product is poor quality, bye-bye upsell.
2. Will you get CUSTOMER INFORMATION for each sale? This is your other HIGHEST PRIORITY. You’d be surprised at how many affiliate merchants make it difficult, if not impossible, for you to know WHO bought something from you. Remember, you can’t DIRECTLY upsell customers if you can’t send them a follow up, like a thank you note or a satisfaction survey. (Note: Actually, there ARE ways to acquire customer information BEFORE a sale occurs - but that’s an advanced technique, so let’s keep it simple for now.)
3. Is this a LOW-RISK purchase? Remember, your goal is to make an initial, quick, stress-free sale - for both YOU and your CUSTOMER. Try not to offer something your customer will agonize over. Look for money-back and satisfaction guarantees. And don’t offer something that has a high potential for returns, problems, etc. In general, you’ll find that going with established merchants with big web sites, brand names, and lower-priced items means less risk - and a quicker initial sale.
4. Is the price LOW enough? The whole of idea of an “upsell system” is to offer the highest priced products LATER - not now. The more expensive the entry-level product, the tougher it will be make an initial sale - and the longer you’ll have to wait to offer a higher-priced item. I try to look for entry-level products that cost under $100. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with offering a VERY low-priced item -such as a magazine subscription - as an entry-level product, as long as you know who your customers are.
5. Can you find ways to make this product RELEVANT, USEFUL, OR EXCITING to your target market? Sometimes you find clever, cute, or cool products that you simply fall in love with. Or you’ve found a neat product related to one of your own hobbies or interests. But remember, your goal is to fill a need or solve a problem for
