My notifications started going off this morning!
I'm really not a popular guy on the chain these days, so it was either spam tagging or someone was actually trying to get my attention. It was thankfully the latter. And it was from 
Phew!
Not tag spam!!!!
And then I saw 
Earlier today, Leo Dex introduced their brand new referral program. (You can read about it here on the official blog post!)
And because it has an affiliate marketing angle, the epic community that is Threads on LEO, thought of me right away. Honored to be held in high esteem :) In all seriousness though, I was intrigued at how my name got thought of because given my history, I was one of the first guys the community thought of.
Now before you think this is a 'bragging post' it's not at all. But it's an example of something I think can help anyone that's looking to get into the affiliate marketing / online marketing gig. Now look, let me be clear on something....I pretty much retired from my online pursuits a few years ago. So I might not be aware of all the new techniques and strategies that make affiliate marketing pop these days.
So what could I possibly help people with when it comes to this stuff?
People.
Focus every second of your time in relationships online, and you'll never lose.
Let's unpack this statement and if you have been following my posts for any amount of time, you'll know it's something I believe in with all of my heart.
When you get started in online business / affiliate marketing you may have VERY high expectations for whatever you are building or promoting. Here's the truth of the matter, most online projects fail. And fail miserably. And it's a combination of factors, and almost like you have to account for it over the time you spend building.
Projects come and go all the time. That's why staying power in that industry is far and few in between. Because new entrepreneurs get all excited about a project, and poof, it might disappear or fall into oblivion. However if they would focus on what truly matters, things usually work out.
People. They focus on the relationships. They understand that the relationships they form with others is what has the staying power. Not so much which project is hot and which is not. The community is always king.
After time, that relationship blossoms into...The T word.
Trust.
So that when something does pop up that you think your circle can benefit from, they will take your suggestions with respect and trust. And that's not saying everything you promote will be the next biggest thing. However when you do your research, evaluate the project and become a product of your product...Your circle TRUSTS you.
So let's recap.....
I've failed a TON! It's part of being in business for yourself. And I'm not saying everyone loves me. Heck I've got a few that watch my every move, ready to spit venom at me even to this day. However, the relationships I've worked on over the DECADES is what matters to me most. Not the commissions. Not the income. It's always been about community for me.
And even if I'm not Mr. Affiliate Marketer anymore, it was always remain the most important thing for everything I do online. Work on building trust, add value to others, and then you can sleep very well at night :)
As for Leo Dex.....It's got my pretty excited to jump back into things lol We'll see what the future brings.
