Now if you are just joining me, you’ve missed a lot! I previously gave a confession regarding my lack of computer skills, my new job as affiliate program director requiring me to use them (and learn new ones), and my need to educate myself on affiliates and exactly what they do. After reading TOS’ FAQ, I decided that becoming an affiliate to make some extra income (especially with the holidays on their way) seemed easy enough. After all, I was already promoting TOS products I loved through emails and my blog, and now I would get paid for it! I joined the affiliate program—which was surprisingly easy--but now I had to figure out how to get people to my blog . . . followers and E-friends.

If you own a website, you can simply add our affiliate links and people come to you. But what if you have no patrons or have a blog like I do? How do you make E-friends and future customers? Personally, I don’t like to sell things to ANYONE—ever. Ugh, the pressure and possible rejection! (Remember the Boy Scout popcorn deal in part 1? That is one of MANY examples!) I figured affiliate sales would be different than regular sales though—after all, TOS items were products that I liked, personally used, and didn’t mind promoting.

I put the question, “How do you make E-friends?” on my personal blog, (remember, I had no friends or comments originally) and Nancy and Gloria had some great ideas: (I feel so loved and am so happy—I have comments now!)

1-Attach your URL to everything: signature line on your email, facebook, twitter account, even your Christmas cards. That way every message you send out will be an opportunity for others to visit you.

2-Read others' blogs, comment, and add your blog URL to the signature. Let them know that you're adding them as a friend, and ask if they'll add you too.

3- You can also try visiting friends of your friends or blogs that other friends mention.

Those were awesome suggestions and really got my mind going. Next, I thought:

If I were a follower of my blog, what type of site would I like to follow? Definitely a site that was fun, inspirational, and encouraging—a site that I could trust. Also, one that was updated frequently with new sales and freebies.

Who do I want to be friends with? Someone that has similar beliefs and ideas. I would read up on a potential E-friend and make sure she is someone that I really want to be friends with. If I don’t agree with her attitude and views, I won’t add her.

I have decided not to obsess on the number of E-friends that I have. I believe that if you write motivational and uplifting blog entries, people will enjoy reading your blog and will want to be your friends, just like in a normal friendship. Add some freebies and discounted materials from TOS to the site, and that is like icing on the cake!

Are you a pro at being an affiliate? Please share some of your success stories here! We need to support and encourage each other in ALL of our homeschooling and life adventures!

I’m off to work on my blog . . .

UPDATE: I am super excited to now have nine E-friends! Thank you to all who visited me. It is so encouraging when people comment on my blog, because it makes me feel like I am making a difference in the homeschooling world! Stop by my blog and leave a note and your address--I would love to come visit you! Good luck on your affiliate adventure—and blog, blog away!

Are you interested in becoming an affiliate? TOS is offering an incentive for you to join—any new affiliate in the month of October can get any TOS E-Book valued at $12.50 or less for FREE after one month of participation! Join TOS’ affiliates program here and then email me at callin@thehomeschoolmagazine.com with your name, website or blog address, ShareASale ID, and which TOS E-Book you would like. One month after you sign up and send me the email, the store will send you the E-Book for free!

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