by Solange Lopes | May 18, 2017 | Career |
Please note this post may contain affiliate links.
Update: For just a few days, from Thursday, August 17th to Sunday, August 20th, 2017, you can get $28 off from the price of the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. Use the code AUGUST28SALE2017 to save on this course, but only if you purchase it using the one-time purchase plan
I’m all about finding ways to generate passive income as entrepreneurs, or even side hustlers, while simply blogging. Which is why I’ve always been fascinated with affiliate marketing. If you’ve never heard about affiliate marketing, in very simple terms, it’s a fantastic way to create income without selling your own products. Instead, you can use somebody else’s hard work and sweat to make some cash by simply recommending their products and services, and getting a cut of the deal! Pretty cool, right?
Just think about all the times you’ve told your cousin Amy or your friend Anny about that great brow waxing place, or this amazing software to do your taxes! You can actually take the same type of advice, spread it around your network, and make money out of it! If it sounds too simple to be true, well, keep reading…
When I started out in the world of blogging and online business, I frankly didn’t understand the concept. It sounded great in theory, but in application, it was a bit blurry. Until I took the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner.
If you’ve not heard of Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, she writes the Making Sense of Cents personal finance blog and website. I came across her work in my constant search for inspiring bloggers, and have been amazed at what she does, and the results she gets (she made $1 million last year). She famously publishes her six-figure monthly income reports (read her last income report), which by the way, she generates while traveling full-time! Oh, and did I mention she also makes over $50,000 in affiliate marketing income per month… So it’s no wonder that when I heard about her Making Sense of Cents affiliate course, I was immediately sold!
What’s in the course for you?
If you’re an online entrepreneur or blogger, this course will teach you how to make money from affiliates on your website(s). If you’re already making some money, it will show you how to multiply the revenue you’re already making. If you’re like most bloggers and online entrepreneurs, you may be making very little from affiliate marketing. I know I was barely making coffee money…until I took this course!
What will you find in the course?
The Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is set in 6 modules including a total of 30 lessons, ad some pretty amazing worksheets and bonuses. In addition, purchasing the course gives you access to an exclusive Facebook community of entrepreneurs like you!
Here’s what you can expect from the course content:
- What affiliate marketing really is
- How to make affiliate marketing work for you
- How to pick the right affiliate products for your niche
- What disclosures are required before promoting affiliate products or services
- The one tool you need to master affiliate marketing
- How to build trust with your audience as you promote affiliate products and services
- How to create successful affiliate reviews
- How to get approved for affiliate programs
- The various strategies you can use to promote affiliate products
- How to leverage Pinterest for amazing affiliate results
What does the course look like?
Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a text-based course provided through the Teachable platform. So if you prefer a video format, this may not be ideal. I’m personally more of a reader so I actually enjoyed the format. The big advantage though, is that you get a series of extremely useful downloadable PDFs.
Additionally, each module is written in a very accessible way. No long paragraphs and convoluted sentences here. Instead, the content is simple and easy to digest. The course also registers your progress, and you have the option to stop and resume right where you left off.
Is this course worth the money?
At the time of this review, the course costs $197. If you already have a WordPress blog, you’ll be able to apply the principles taught in this course to take your affiliate marketing income, and even your traffic, up a notch. In only a week of applying the precepts of this course, I was able to multiply my affiliate earnings from measly coffee money (think a$1 and change) by about 40. Not bad for a start…If you don’t have a blog yet, you may want to hold off a bit longer until you have a WordPress platform you can apply these tips on.
This is an investment. Like any investment, you don’t want to waste money unless you’re ready to work hard. There are a lot of great strategies in this course. However, they require you to apply to the right affiliate marketing programs, re-evaluate your blogging strategy, re-frame your best posts, etc….which also means A LOT of work, and A LOT of time! So if you’re looking for a get-rich-quick blogging scheme, this is not it! You get what you put in…
If you ask me, it’s definitely worth the investment! However, I want to caution you against exaggerated expectations. This is for bloggers and online entrepreneurs who are ready to put in the time and effort to implement these strategies. While the content is easy to digest, implementing it is a whole ‘other ball game! Be ready!
The Most Important Part…
Even more than helping you learn how to increase your affiliate income, what the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course does for you is make you re-evaluate your entire business strategy. You will not think about your blog or online business the same way after taking this course. Instead of randomly producing content with no aim, you will now think of what you put out as a mini-business of its own.
Why you should invest in this course
Not only will the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course teach you how to make money from your blog, even if you don’t have many page views or readers; but it will also help you establish a monetizing strategy for your blog early on. A blog strategy is priceless, as it gives you a direction to thrive in, instead of getting thrown in many directions at once. Which makes the $197 fee a pretty reasonable investment.
In addition, the bonuses you get are invaluable:
- Access to the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Facebook Mastermind community
This group is a wonderful source of advice and tips for successful affiliate marketing. Not only do you get to sit in on the powerful conversations taking place in the group, but you also get to expand your blogging and online network.
- Tips to get approved In Any Affiliate Program
These secrets of the trade will help you distinguish yourself from your competition and get accepted in some of the most competitive affiliate programs.
- Tips To Increase Your Pageviews
This bonus PDF includes great pointers on how to increase your page views, which in turn will help you make more cash with affiliate marketing. A win-win!
- The Pinterest Strategy to Help You Multiply Your Pinterest Visitors!
You can now ace your Pinterest strategy for free with the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. With the course you get invaluable tips on increasing your Pinterest following!
Now the best for last…
For just a few days, from Thursday, August 17th to Sunday, August 20th, 2017, you can get $28 off from the price of the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. Use the code AUGUST28SALE2017 to save on this course, but only if you purchase it using the one-time purchase plan.
Purchase the course HERE!
In Conclusion…
I hope my review of the Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course has been useful to you. Questions or comments? Leave a comment, or email me at corporate@thecorproatesister.com!
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | May 17, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
Time to celebrate the working dads in our lives! Father’s Day is fast approaching, and if you’re looking for gift ideas for the dads in your life, we’re sharing our list of gift ideas for you!
While we’re all about giving working moms their props, the working dads in our lives deserve some praise too! That’s why we’ve compiled a list of practical, fun, and all around cool, gifts for dads! So let’s give the working men in our lives the gift of swag, smarts and fun:
Hover Camera Passport Drone
Give Dad the gift of becoming his own personal self-flying photographer with the Hover Camera Passport Drone! This flying camera captures breathtaking shots in 4K videos and 13MP photos, by following you mid-air. It’s portable, easy to fly and safe to maneuver. Simply tap the power button, release and voila!
Hover Camera Passport Drone – Photo credit: iTunes.com
Amazon Echo
Nothing like a hands-free speaker you can control with your voice to make Dad feel like a king! Amazon Echo can literally play music, make calls, provide information, send and receive messages, and so much more, just by speaking instructions to it…Kinda like his own personal assistant…
Amazon Echo – Photo credit: amazon.com
Yeti Cooler
Backyard barbecue or fishing trip? No problem. The Yeti cooler is perfect for the working dad who likes to get away on week-ends, or just chill in the backyard over the summer. It features up to 3 inches of permafrost insulation, and is virtually indestructible.
Yeti cooler – Photo credit: amazon.com
Wireless Stereo Headset
For the busy working dad on the go, this LG wireless stereo headset with bluetooth capacity is perfect! Whether to hit the gym, or just to take calls on quick errands, it guarantees outstanding audio quality while being super comfortable and practical for everyday use!
LG Wireless Headset – Photo credit: amazon.com
NBA Leather Sherpa Trucker Jacket
Combine a classic leather jacket with an NBA theme, and you’ve got the perfect Father’s Day gift. This leather sherpa trucker jacket is the result of a collaboration between the NBA and iconic brand Levi’s, and a nice compromise between sportswear and fashion.
NBA Leather Trucker Sherpa Jacket – Photo credit: elle.com
Nintendo Switch
Most men have a sweet spot for video games, and the dads in your lie may be no exception! One of the hottest items in the video gaming world right now is the portable Nintendo Switch. It’s super practical, has detachable Joy-Con controllers that allows for multiple players, or can be played individually as well.
Nintendo Switch – Photo credit: amazon.com
Pro Chef Knife
Get Dad a Chef’s gift this Father’s Day! The Wusthof classic 8-inch chef’s knife is a classic from a top brand used by the most famous chefs worldwide!
Wusthof Chef’s Knife – Photo credit: amazon.com
Skincare Kit
Who doesn’t love a man who takes care of his skin? This Father’s Day, spoil the dads in your life with the Clinique Daily Age Care for Men kit. He’ll thank you, and you’ll love it!
Clinique for Men kit – Photo credit: sephora.com
FreshBooks Software
Encourage dad to be more on top of his business finances with the Freshbooks software! This small business accounting software makes billing so much easier and painless!
Freshbooks software – Photo credit: freshbooks.com
I hope this guide has something for the working dad in your life!
Cheers,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | May 16, 2017 | Find Your Purpose, Start Your Business
Have you been dreaming of building your own business? Are you hustling in your side business before and after work, creating your empire on the low? Are you ready to transition from employee to entrepreneur?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you’re already going through what I call the shift. It’s that mind shift, that transition, during which you move from having an employee mindset to an entrepreneur mindset. And truth be told, it’s a scary, intimidating and quite challenging kind of shift…
Ask any entrepreneur out there, and they’ll probably tell you that one of the biggest obstacles to shifting from being an employee to an entrepreneur is not necessarily the money, or the commitment, or even the support. It’s the mindset.
After all, it’s more than about just creating a business. It’s an actual spiritual and emotional transformation that takes you from an established way of thinking, to a new, ground-breaking mentality. It’s leaving behind the belief that you should be dependent on a paycheck, the approval of bosses and co-workers, and a somewhat stable, albeit political environment> It’s plunging into a world of calculated uncertainty, a world where you must trust yourself to thrust yourself forward.
When I started my side hustle, I had no idea what this entailed. I thought it was cute to write blog posts and dip my hustler toes into the entrepreneurial pond. But even as a side hustler, you start realizing that in order to put yourself out there, in order to market and promote whatever it is that you have to offer to the world, you must first change your mind. You must first get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and kicking the fear out the door. For one of the first times in my life, I came face to face with the fear to even put my name on my work, the fear of others’ perceptions, and ultimately the fear of failure and being laughed at…
Entrepreneurship, in whatever capacity or form it shows itself in, is risky and fear-inducing. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling lemonade in your backyard as a kid, writing your first book, or hustling to market your brand after-hours.
It took a lot of looking at other successful entrepreneurs, a lot of reading books written by other entrepreneurs, and a lot of uncomfortable soul-searching, nervous twitching and chocolate eating to start even scratching the surface of understanding this shift. And the reality is, there are even few entrepreneurs out there who acknowledge and talk about this switch between the employee and entrepreneur mindset.
One of the few entrepreneurs whom I’ve heard discuss it and acknowledge is Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad book series and franchise. In his books, he often refers to the emotional and spiritual work needed to make the transition from employee to entrepreneur. It’s easy to think that it’s all about getting the money, the right investors, the perfect business opportunity. But there’s more to it…
The more you’re able to change your mindset from employee to entrepreneur, the more you’re able to ensure your success. The more you can enjoy the transition and thrive in it. Here are 7 switches you can start making today to go from employee to entrepreneur in your mind first:
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Employee: “I’m afraid so I must conform” vs. Entrepreneur: “My fear fuels me”
Being an employee also means being a part of a system. And let’s be real, very often, if not most often, being part of a system also means being part of a certain way of doing things. It may be how it’s done in your company, or in your department, or even in your group. Which also implies a certain underlying sense of fear if we do not conform…But we don’t admit the fear often enough to start realizing what it makes us do…
However, being an entrepreneur means first and foremost admitting that fear is definitely involved. But it’s also learning to use that fear as fuel instead of as an obstacle. To use the fear as energy to create more, work harder and innovate more.
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Employee: “Mistakes are bad” vs. Entrepreneur: “My mistakes make me succeed”
The more mistakes you make as an employee, the closer you may get to getting fired. Right? Mistakes are not very popular in the conventional world of business. They’re perceived as costing money, time and energy. So we see them as bad and try as much as possible to stay away from them. Even if that involves pointing fingers and shifting the blame…
But an entrepreneur knows to value mistakes as the pathway to success. It’s only when you make mistakes and learn from them that you can improve and get better. Didn’t Michael Jordan famously say: “I’ve failed over and over in my life, and that’s why I succeed”? Oprah was fired at 23, depressed in her early 30’s, and faced seemingly insurmountable life challenges. Edison invented the lightbulb only after about 1,000 attempts. What does that tell you about the power of mistakes and failing?
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Employee: “Security is taking no risks” vs. Entrepreneur: “Security is taking calculated risks”
Security is a steady paycheck and a reliable 401k. However, employment at will says you can get let go without cause. And it has been proven that 401ks are questionable ways to save for retirement.
Where security in the conventional business world may mean getting a paycheck and saving, for an entrepreneur it’s a matter of taking calculated risks.
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Employee: “I must know it all” vs. “Entrepreneur: “I’m constantly learning”
Entrepreneurs are constant learners. Whereas there’s often an implicit requirement as employees to “know it all”, or at least pretend that we do, it’s important to start shifting your mindset to one where you’re not afraid to admit you don’t know everything. One where you’re open to learning constantly…
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Employee: “ I must be the smartest person in the room” vs. Entrepreneur: “I surround myself with people who are smarter than me”
Do you notice that successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to surround themselves with people much smarter than them? It’s about reaching a common goal rather than looking a certain way.
However, in many a corporate environment, in order to thrive, you may have to be perceived as the smartest person in the room.
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Employee: “It’s important that I look good on the outside” vs. Entrepreneur: “Who I am inside is more important”
Going out on your own entrepreneurial venture doesn’t just require an enormous amount of guts. It also requires a deep internal shift based on strong faith and a commitment to better yourself.
Unlike in situations when employees may have to look, dress or speak the part to be deemed worthy…
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Employee: “The goal is my next promotion” vs. Entrepreneur: “ The goal is the journey”
Look at most performance reviews and you’ll notice that the goals are clearly structured in terms of the next thing to do, have or achieve… The next promotion, the next advancement opportunity, the next raise, etc….
Yet the entrepreneurial journey is a process in and of itself. One that is built upon each achievement, each failure, each lesson learnt.
Have you made some of these switches in your own journey?
To Your success,
The Corporate Sis
by Solange Lopes | May 14, 2017 | Working Mom & Woman Tips
Welcome to episode #8 of the Working Girls Club podcast! In this episode, we’re all about working moms, and we’re discussing re-writing the rules around what it means to be a working mom in our day and age! As a working mom myself, I know the struggle is real, but so are the incredible rewards and the power to build our legacies and push the boundaries of what it means to be a working mama…Here’s to the badass, thriving, ambitious working moms who are taking over the world!
What you’ll learn/listen to/enjoy in this episode:
- How being a working mom today is so different than any other time before
- Why we owe it ourselves to shatter the ceilings around us and leave a legacy
- 6 rules to live, love and thrive by as a working mom today
- Plus: my review of ” A Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes and some deets on my first workshop
- Introducing a “Products and Recommendations” section on the podcast, where I discuss tools that I use and stand behind. Today’s recommendation is the Selz online content digital platform for all digital content creators and entrepreneurs out there!
Links:
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
Any feedback you’d like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!
Also, leave me a review for the WGC podcast on iTunes!
Your ratings and reviews are not only greatly appreciated, but they also help the show rank better!
If you have any questions, please email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
Finally, please don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes to get automatic updates!
Thanks so much for your support!
Until next time,
The Corporate Sis.
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by Solange Lopes | May 12, 2017 | Career
Welcome to our weekend chat feature! Got something you want to chat about? Post it in the comments below…
Sterling Silver Mom Charm Necklace – Photo credit: shopstyle.com
It’s Mother’s Day weekend (yes, we get a whole week-end), and of course we’re all about pampering Mommy with gorgeous goodies like this sterling silver Mom charm necklace from Nordstrom.
Loving the modern, laid back look of this handmade keepsake, w which is perfect for new moms or would make a perfect Mother’s Day present. This dainty piece is $85 at Nordstrom.
In a similar style, I also like this Shy by Se “Mom” rose gold necklace from Elizabeth&Charles.
Anything on your mind? Chat about it below.
Cheers to the weekend,
The Corporate Sis.
