Like The Hall of Nearly Great? Want to earn some cash? If so, you’ll be interested in our affiliate program. For every buyer you refer from your blog, email list, or wherever, we’ll pay you a $3 commission. If you run a website, our affiliate program could quickly out-earn Adsense and other advertising options. To sign up immediately, click here. Or, read on for more details…
The key to being an affiliate is the hop-link from your website to our website. Anyone who clicks on your link and buys our book will earn you a commission.
The basic requirements are simple:
- Sign up for an e-junkie account. It’s completely free, with no obligation.
- Connect your PayPal account, so we can pay you. (It, too, is free.)
- Place the hop-link wherever you see fit. There are a number of different link types you can use, all pre-coded and located here. Link from text or a photo within a blog post, or put one of a number of banners in your advertising locations.
- Profit.
Just a reminder: don’t add these links or banners to your live site until July 18th, when the book is available for sale.
Click here to become an affiliate for The Hall of Nearly Great
** FAQ **
Does it cost anything to be an affiliate?
Nope. And there’s no minimum sales requirement to start earning commissions. Sell one book, earn $3.
How much can I expect to earn?
It really depends: how many readers you have, how interested your readership is in the topic of our book, and how well you promote it. The first two are up to you. We’ll help with the third as best we can.
How are sales tracked?
When someone clicks on your affiliate link, a cookie is placed on their computer that remains for six months or until they click on someone else’s affiliate link. If they buy the book while the cookie is active, you earn the $3 commission. Your e-junkie account will show how many sales you’ve referred.
When will I get paid?
Payments will be sent by the end of the month following the month being paid. For example, if you referred 15 sales in August, you’d be paid $45 by the end of September.
How will I get paid?
All payments are made via PayPal. You will need a PayPal account in order to participate in our affiliate program. Your PayPal account is not used when customers buy the book, just when we pay you your commission.
What is e-junkie?
E-junkie is a company that provides online sales tools, such as payment processing, shopping carts, and downloads management. They also track referrals for affiliate programs. Ease-of-use is our favorite e-junkie feature.
Where should I put the affiliate link on my blog?
Probably the most effective spot is inside a blog post discussing the book. If readers become interested in the book organically, they’re more likely to buy it. It might also help to write a series of posts. You can also put our images in any advertising spots you have — banners in the header, squares in the sidebar, etc. (Links and banners are here.)
Can I promote the book with the same affiliate link in more than one location?
Yes, please do.
What if my blog/website isn’t baseball-focused?
You can still be an affiliate. Topics with a common demographic include other sports, fitness, technology, games, entertainment, etc. But feel free to try it anywhere. You never know.
Do you have any other materials to help sell the book?
Yes, you can point readers to download our sample chapter [this is not yet available], or excerpt your favorite few paragraphs. Marc and Sky are both available for email and audio interviews.
What if I don’t have a blog?
You might be tempted to post affiliate links on Facebook and Twitter, but it’s against their Terms of Service (which is probably a smart move in the long run.) Email is a good option, though, whether you have some friends who would like the book or you maintain a larger mailing list that would appreciate a heads-up. Some forums also allow affiliate links — make sure to check before posting. Another option, if you’re feeling bold, is to buy advertising space on others’ sites, using your affiliate link.
I really can’t use Twitter and Facebook?
You can’t include direct affiliate links, no. But you CAN talk about the book and link back to your website which includes an affiliate link. It adds a step to the process, but could certainly still be effective.
What’s the best way to present my affiliate status to my readers?
Be up front about it. Make it clear that you earn a commission from referring a sale. Misleading your blog readers, Twitter followers, or Facebook friends is a great way to lose their trust. But they’ll appreciate your honesty and helpfulness by pointing out a book they want to read. And the combination of both buying a good book and supporting your site kills two birds with one stone.
This seems weird, why isn’t it more popular?
Maybe you just haven’t run into it much. Amazon, the internet’s largest retailer, has an affiliate program to help it sell more products to people who want them. It’s a win-win. Affiliate programs are hugely popular in many online communities outside of sports. We don’t have the funds to hire a sales team or pay for a huge advertising program. Instead, we’re willing to pay anyone to help spread the word about our little book that could. No interview necessary — you’re hired!
Are there any legal issues I should be aware of?
Yes. And while it is your responsibility to be aware of all US law, we’ll point out a relevant one: you must reveal that you’re using affiliate links, earning a commission from sales generated by them (which is an honesty policy that is best for you and your readers in the long run anyway.) This disclaimer could be within the blog post, at the end of a post, in your footer, or on a dedicated separate page of your site.
Any other tips?
First, just go sign up for e-junkie. Simply going through that process will be educational.
Next, think about what would convince you to buy the book. Tell your readers why it’s so great. Talk about your favorite part. Share your favorite couple of paragraphs. Mention the authors and players your readers are most likely to connect to. Let them know you shelled out your own money for it and it was worth it (unless you haven’t, of course.)
Lastly, check out some of these resources:
How can I reach you with additional questions?
Email us at hallofnearlygreat@gmail.com.
How can I sell my own products using an affiliate program?
Sign up for e-junkie as a seller. If you follow this link, it will earn us a commission from e-junkie without costing you anything extra. We really appreciate it. (See how that works?)
Click here to become an affiliate for The Hall of Nearly Great
Click here for detailed sign-up instructions and link/banner code.
(Obvious disclaimer: we reserve the right to remove anyone from our affiliate program for any reason. This includes, but is not limited to, acting like a jackass.)