What recession?

So, I’m not exactly a prolific writer but hey, I’ve been busy ok?

A little over a year since my first post, and looking in hindsight at what I set out to achieve, and how, I have to say if I haven’t already achieved my goal, I’m pretty damn close.

As we head into the twilight of 2008 the world is quite a different place compared to when I started this blog. We’re surrounded by the fog of economic doom and gloom relentlessly amplified by the media and, largely as a result of the actions of irresponsible and greedy dimwits running financial institutions, millions of people are staring down financial oblivion or, living in fear of it.

My life too is quite different, I have a Son, I have given up my day job and, like I set out to do, I have a business that I can run from anywhere I have a Laptop and an Internet connection. I’ve moved my family out of Sydney, bought a new house on the mid north coast of Australia where the air is clean, the beaches are beautiful and there’s not a traffic light in sight. I haven’t taken a drop in income at all.

The business, in the most generic sense, is affiliate marketing, based around our network CogentAds.com , we’ve grown to a million dollar operation over the past twelve months and already have a million dollars worth of business in the funnel for 2009. Which, by the way, is there for our affiliates to share.

Why am I telling you this, and what is it’s significance in regards to the global financial crisis? The common denominator is fear, and the need to do something about it.

In my ten years in the corporate IT industry I don’t recall a time when the possibility of losing my job wasn’t imminent. Whether it was because of mergers and acquisitions or the persistent reduction of cost, the fear was always there and I decided to do something about it, no one else was going to do it for me. I started my Affiliate marketing career, the corporate position rapidly became one I could do without, and therefore the fear of losing my job, and the consequences, had gone. More about that in a future post.

If there’s one theme we’re hearing over and over again in regards to the current financial crisis it’s that it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Doesn’t that make you feel really comfortable? If there ever was a time to do something constructive about fear it’s now, and guess what, no one’s going to do it for you. I’m not about to get into a deep and meaningful description of the intricacies of affiliate marketing in this post but I am trying to plant a seed in your mind, that affiliate marketing is a very viable option, if you have the aptitude, for weathering the financial storm or making a serious full time living.

CogentAds.com is primarily a Cost Per Action (CPA) network, which means that our affiliates are generating income by producing sales leads which is somewhat easier , as opposed to sales. We have affiliates who are happy generating enough to cover their cost of living expenses and supplementing the income from their jobs, and we have some who are doing tens of thousands of dollars a month.

Advertisers, in economic downturns, are increasingly concerned about the return on investment from their advertising budget and see the affiliate marketing value proposition, where you only pay for results, as a very attractive option. I believe that this will be even more so in the coming year.

Now, if you find yourself going into the new year with a sense of financial anxiety it might just be time to start thinking outside the square. Consider affiliate marketing as an option, find out all you can about it. If you are internet savvy – you actually found this blog so I bet you are – there’s a lucrative option waiting for you. Here’s just some of the things I enjoy as a result of my choice;

• I work from home or anywhere I have my laptop and internet.
• I get to see my Son grow up through all the little changes you’d miss if you’re at the office every day. He gets to see a lot of his Dad.
• I earn good money.
• I surf every day, when I want to.
• We don’t have to spend money on Child Care unless we want to.
• We can go overseas whenever we like for as long as we like because I can operate the business from anywhere.
• On walk to work Fridays I only have to walk up the stairs to my office.

There’s something for you to think about in all this doom and gloom, remember that there’s always opportunity to be found in adverse situations. You just have to find it.

Enjoy the festive season and good luck for the new year.