The Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing

Your Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing in 2025

Discover the 7 THINGS You Need for Success

(inc - what you're not being told, how to get started, stuff you really need to know & why you don't need to plaster yourself all over social media)

affiliate marketing for beginners
Feeling overwhelmed with all the noise about Affiliate Marketing?
laptopmums
Wondering if you can make it work around your family?
laptopmums
Worried about Tech or Social Media?
laptopmums earn online
Is it even the right online income generator for you?

Not so long ago I had the same questions, but I was ready to try anything to get me to the life and income I dreamed about and to be there for my family on my terms.  I was determined not only to be the mum my girls needed and deserved, but also to re-discover the capable, confident, income earning woman I'd once been in the military.  I don't know where she went, but somewhere along the line of life, motherhood and circumstance, she'd gotten a bit lost, sceptical and broken!

I'd never heard of Affiliate Marketing, but I knew that doing something online would give me the freedom I was looking for.  I had no idea it would ultimately lead me to a far more fulfilling life than I'd ever had before.

What has found you here with me now? (seriously, comment below or drop me an email if you relate!)

Whatever bought you here - I'm so happy you found me, because hopefully that will mean I can save you the time and money I wasted in overwhelm, frustration and scepticism, searching for answers to the questions I had when I discovered  the power of Affiliate Marketing.​

I (actually me, not AI!!) put this complete guide together to share  THE 7 THINGS  I wish I had better understood during my search.  It's a bit of a long one, but my goal is that this will be the only article you need to read before you start – so there’s lots to cover!

At the end of this article you’ll be closer to understanding how you too could create a life of freedom and flexibility around a business you love, so you can be there for the people you love and also do more of the things you love! I really hope this article will help you make the right decisions.

 

(And if you're not a big reader, you might like VIDEO 2 (Affiliate Marketing) of this free 4 part intro course that walks you through all the ways to earn an income online)

Are you ready?

Let's GO! >>>

How Affiliate Marketing took me from being a Broken Ex-Military Mum to a Successful Multiple Online Business Owner.

 

I'm Jennie, and my family are the reason I'm here.  I'm a real mum, running a real business, earning a good income - but it's been a real journey (feel free to skip this bit, if you're just here for the info!!)

I served in the Royal Air Force for nearly 23 years before leaving to focus on being a mum.  I still wanted to work - we did have a mortgage to pay, but knew I didn’t want to have to ask a boss for time off when my girls needed me.

My au pair had been the one who was there for school performances and sports days, you don't get those days back - it was my turn to be there and I figured being self-employed was the only way to do that.  I had a big passion for fitness so after re-training, I launched a PT and post-natal bootcamp business.

 

Then Life Happened 

I scraped by for a few years and was able to be the present (albeit mostly broke!) mum I’d hoped to be, but then things at home changed.  Too long for this article, but over a 5 year period we moved house 4 times and I suffered a big injury.

My fitness business bit the dust and my mental health went down hill as I struggled to rehab my injuries and keep the family together through the chaos.  Through our moves, I’d tried to take my fitness business online, but as I was AWFUL with tech and not a huge fan of social media, I just couldn’t get it going.

I simply didn’t have knowledge to build the courses and sites, the skills to market it, and the ‘following’ to be seen and that left me with little energy or time to actually deliver my ‘stuff’!

Towards the end of this period as we began a renovation job on our latest home, I came across some training showing complete beginners how to work online. The free intro course I stumbled across showed me I didn’t need any tech knowledge, and there was no selling my soul on social media and I could start completely from scratch, with no ideas of my own.

So (with some scepticism at first!) I decided I had nothing to lose by checking it out and ultimately investing in some education that at the very least, would improve my skillsets.  I followed step-by-step training to build an Affiliate Marketing business, and I LOVE IT!  It’s been hard work, but it’s been the most rewarding (mentally and financially) thing I’ve ever done.  I can fit my working schedule around the family and take days or weeks off at a time knowing that the systems I’ve put in place work for me 24/7.

Life today​

I’m earning more money than I did as a military officer and that is increasing month on month as I improve my skills and re-invest in mentors and more advanced training.  And you know what, now that this is working, I’m using these skills to rebuild my fitness business in a whole new way (and I can now afford to pay others to do the tech stuff – which I can do myself now, but prefer to spend time with my family instead!!)

I just wish I’d come across an article like this YEARS AGO.  

Anyway, that’s enough about me for now, let’s get to the nitty gritty….

1. What Actually is Affiliate Marketing ?

This is my fave Pizza joint in the WHOLE world - they probs owe me a $ or $$ in recommendations!! (in Carslbad, CA )

Affiliate Marketing is BIG BUSINESS - it hit $8.2 billion in the U.S. alone by 2022.

It's a goldmine for anyone prepared to do some work - is that you?

The basics...

When was the last time you had a great meal out?  

Did you recommend that restaurant to friends and family? 

Did they try it out to?

Ace – you’re halfway there. 

Now imagine that you’d asked the owner for a code word specific to you.  Now every time your friends have a meal and use that code word when they book, the owner would give you a % of their bill and it wouldn’t cost your friend any extra money at all. This commission-based business is how affiliate marketing works.  The owner is reaching new clientele through you that they have not had to market to themselves.

Now take this idea online.  

  • You’ve used a fantastic service or product (physical or digital) and you’d like to shout about it.
  • You ask the business owner for a unique code embedded in a hyperlink (an affiliate link).
  • You promote the product/service through various channels using that link *(we will come back to this bit, it’s the part nearly everyone gets wrong!
  • You get a payment, every time someone buys the product through your link.   

Not every business has an affiliate programme, but increasingly more do as they see the value in this way of getting their products and services seen by a wider group people. 

2. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Stuff you need to know. 

Let’s start with the good stuff….

  • Freedom & Flexibility: This is why most people, including me, find their way to Affiliate Marketing – for the unparalleled opportunity to live the life of a ‘digital nomad’.  Whether you are young free and single, or a busy parent, you get to choose your hours.  All you need is a laptop and internet connection.
  • Passive Income Potential:  Earn in your sleep! This is why I LOVE this life. Once you have set up your marketing systems you can earn an income 24/7.  I got my first sale whilst I was open water swimming!  Even better than that, with the right guidance, once you have established your systems and you see things working, you can scale things up for uncapped income potential.
  • No previous Experience or Special Skills: This is what surprises so many people (and what they don’t believe!) is that the right course and mentors will take you literally from where you are now, today even, with no online skills to launching a profitable business in as little as a few months (no, not overnight to 6 figures!!).

  • I also thought I’d have to plaster myself all over social media every day, but along with many people in our community, I was happy to see that’s not the case!  You can, but there are other ways to build an audience that trust you.
  • Low Risk, High Reward:  With affiliate marketing, there's no need to invest in expensive inventory that takes up space or that could go out of date. You simply promote online products or services that you believe in and earn a commission on any sales that result. 
  • No Pressure to Recruit:  With affiliate marketing, there's no pressure to recruit others to join your team (aka MLM/network marketing).  You can focus on promoting products that you believe in, based on your personal interests, and build your own brand.
  • Control:  As an affiliate marketer, you have control over the products you promote, with the option to focus on High Ticket offers that will give you the biggest returns *(more on that below).  You also get to use the marketing strategies you prefer from free options like blogging, social media and influencing to paid ad placement.
  • The Digital Goldrush:  Many people worry that they’ve left it too late, or the competition is too high, but with an estimated 3 billion shoppers online in 2022 and more every year, there has never been a better time to up-skill.  There are still only a tiny, tiny fraction of people that work online and more than enough for those that are committed to make it work.  You only need a small audience to earn a very comfortable income.
  • Skillset:  The online skills you learn on your journey can be used in multiple ways and digital skills are more desirable than ever in the market place. You’ll be highly employable if you ever decide to enter the workplace or go freelance. 

The Bad

  • Competition:  Affiliate marketing is becoming a very popular way to earn income from home, which means that there can be a lot of competition in some niches. You will need to find unique ways (and AI is making this so much easier) to differentiate yourself.
    Learning proven strategies (like the one I talk about in point 6) make it so much easier to be heard over the noise.
  • No Control over the Product:  As an affiliate marketer, you don't have control over the product or service you're promoting. This means that if the product doesn't meet the customer's expectations, it can reflect poorly on you as the affiliate marketer.  It’s therefore important to pick your products carefully.
  • Commission Cuts:  Some companies may reduce the commission rate for their affiliate marketers over time, which can impact your earnings potential.  It’s essential you work with an established business that looks after it’s affiliates and has clear guidelines.
  • Fluctuating Income:  Your income as an affiliate marketer can fluctuate depending on the performance of the product you're promoting, changes in the market, and other factors.  So again, you need to choose companies you trust and that perform well.

(Happily, there are MILLIONS of companies and when you align yourself with several that you love, you’ll have multiple income streams.)

  • Who can you trust to help you?: If you look on just about any company website, you will see the option to become an affiliate.  It doesn’t cost anything to join, but then what?  Great if you have thousands of followers, and a good understanding of how it all works, but what if you don’t?
  • How do you set up the systems?
  • Track your income?
  • Market the product?
  • Build your audience and actually create a business you love?
  • How do you got from earning a few pennies to earning thousands?​

Trusting your gut

Like me, you may have already been down numerous rabbit holes trying to work it all out, or bought books on how to make it work, and still be left overwhelmed.  I wanted to build a profitable business to pay off the mortgage and to give my family ‘experiences of a lifetime’, every year and not just promote a few links on social media for pennies.

Hard work and investing in your skills and knowledge is what differentiates the go-getters with an entrepreneurial mindset, to the ones that want to ‘get rich quick’.  I knew in my gut I was in the right place after the first intro workshop.

I wanted to learn the skills to run my business on autopilot, so I can be there when my family needs me or for when I want to head out for a jump in a waterfall!

So for me, that meant investing in a course (only click this link if you are serious about starting your business now) that would teach me how to do that step-by-step at the age of 49!!  I wish I knew about this when I left the military, but as the Chinese Proverb says… 

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, 

the second-best time is now!!” 

I’m not getting any younger, and I’m an old (ish!) mum, I wanted to learn fast, have access to all the shortcuts to success, work hard to get set up, and get results before my kids leave home

Affiliate Marketing - The Ugly:

Affiliate Marketing is a booming opportunity and of course scamsters jump in if there’s quick money to make, by preying on individuals like you and me who want to build something legitimate.  There are scams promising that you can make money overnight, or 6 figures in 30 days – you can’t.  So many courses, programmes and businesses will take your money, but never give you clear instructions, leaving you lost and out of pocket.  

Also, many companies, especially if they are new to this, offer poor returns, no resources for their affiliates and no support, leaving you floundering.

The way forward....

That is why I chose to align myself with an education company with proven track record, real people to talk to and all the support to make sure you set yourself up right from the start.  You can check out their free intro course below to see if it feels right for you. ​

 

OK, phew, that was quite a big bit.  

But this stuff is important to know at this stage!

3. How to Get Started with Integrity.

 

This is important to me. 

Growing up in a military family (that's me at 20 years old with family - my RAF Dad and retired Grandad!) and serving my country for 23 years, integrity is a word I live by and I do my best to surround myself with people who have a similar moral compass.  As we’ve already touched on, so many people are out to make a quick buck and have no qualms ‘over promising and under delivering’.  

My 2 Integrity Tips - 

  • Be a 'product of the product' - I would never market something I hadn’t used and that hadn’t made my life better. So this is where it starts for me and it should do for you too.  Only promote services and products where you are a ‘product of the product’.  I want to be able to talk openly and honestly about something I have personal experience with, like the courses I ultimately invested in to learn how to be an Affiliate Marketer in the first place.  (Once I had checked out the free introduction course that you too can access on the buttons in this article, it didn’t take long to realise I was in the right place).

  • Focus on your passions - What is it you love to do?  Are you a keen cyclist, runner, reader, photographer, cook, entrepreneur, swimmer, movie go’er, knitter or animal lover?  Are you passionate about the environment, politics, community, travel, outdoors, charity or family?  With the right training, these are all things you can build your own online or affiliate business around. 

 

You’ll soon be able to spot the insincerity of affiliate marketers who are just out there trying to promote high ticket products they have no interest in or have never tried!

4. Understanding High Ticket Affiliate Marketing (and what you're not being told!)

The 'big bucks' myth!

You may have heard about Affiliate Marketing from Tik Tok, Instagram or seen videos on YouTube.  From here you’re probably aware that companies like Amazon, Nike, Adidas, Walmart, Target and thousands more have affiliate programmes.  These are great for the influencer who can drop a link in socials and get tens of thousands of clicks earning a pound here and there – that adds up, but what about us mere mortals?!  

  • How long would it take to replace your income on a few pounds a day?
  • And how long would it take to build up a following like that?  (and frankly, who wants to spend all that time on social media - not me!)
  • Or how much would you have to spend advertising to make a profit?  

 

This is the stuff people don’t talk about - 'normal' people are unlikely to make the big bucks promoting small ticket items.

However -  finding and partnering with companies that offer High Ticket Affiliate Marketing returns, commissions can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars/pounds for the same amount of effort from you.  And when you align yourself with reputable companies you trust and have experience with, you become a trusted authority for your audience.  And when people know, like and trust you, they are more likely to try a product you recommend.

5.  The Fastest Route to High Ticket Success

When Covid hit, I was desperately trying to build my online fitness business and tinkering with affiliate marketing, alongside home schooling my girls, renovating our period house (we’d used up our budget and I was trying to do a lot myself!) and trying to stay sane.  

For 3 years I was running in circles and spinning a million plates until my back went again.  The 9 weeks I spent laid up, I decided to focus all my attention on Affiliate Marketing and temporarily shelve the fitness business as I couldn’t do much else than lie in bed and use my laptop.  I'd already invested in the best courses and the best mentors and it was time to fight the fear and actually get marketing!

 

affiliate marketing course

 

Success!

Then it happened, after years of being lost, I made my first High Ticket affiliate sale from a paid ad, no 'putting my face all over' Social Media required! I quickly made another sale, then the next, then the next and it started to snowball to today, when I can proudly say I paid for a great Christmas and we are off on a Luxury Cruise this year.

And it's not all about the money - I've found a confidence I never knew possible through the training I've invested in.  I've followed a proven blueprint that included discovering who I really am and what I can bring to the online world in a way that feels wholly aligned to my values.

I've not rediscovered the old me - I'm a much better version!

 

The Secret

Success came with the best resources, the best training and the best mentoring. The fastest route to success is consistent guided effort from the start; I messed up initially, don’t let that be you!! 

Below you will see a button to check out some free training. The same course that got me started in fact.  4 workshops that will show you the diverse and exciting opportunities to work for yourself online, including of course, Affiliate Marketing.  

*** I told you that integrity is my cornerstone, so I want you to be aware that these are an introduction to working online.  It’s unlikely you could build a successful HIGH TICKET Affiliate Business business (or any other type of business) from some free training, but this is your ‘due diligence’!  You’ll get an inside view of how all online business works, not just Affiliate Marketing *** 

You’ll get a feel for the community (that includes me) of amazing people around the world who are also on this journey. And hopefully you’ll a gut feeling that you are in the right place before you invest any time or money into a paid programme or mentorship.

​During the training you'll see an offer for a great starter programme, that will introduce you to this extensive world class education that not only includes High Ticket Affiliate Marketing training, but also e-commerce (selling digital and physical products), Amazon, Esty, coaching, consulting and of course, my favourite; High Ticket affiliate Marketing.

You will learn that it's NOT NECESSARY to be an Influencer, or to put yourself all over social media (unless you want to of course!)

6. The Secret Sauce you Need to Know

I'm sure you’ll have heard the phrase….

"If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life". (Marc Anthony)

I’m definitely all about that!

What I learnt, early on, is that to have success online, you need some SECRET SAUCE to stand out!

Most ‘untrained’ affiliate marketers use outdated, overused, ‘icky’ and often just plain dull strategies that make them blend into the online noise we face every time we log on.  Have you ever bought a product being recommended by someone you didn’t like much, or who didn’t seem to know much, or who wasn’t particularly passionate about the product?  

Nope?  

Didn’t think so! 

So, let’s talk Authority Marketing - the secret sauce to skyrocketing your High Ticket game.

Upskilling

Authority Marketing is a skillset you can learn that creates a shortcut to success. Imagine loving what you do and building an audience that want to hear from you because they can see your passion and they trust you.  I know you may be thinking that you’re no Jedi Master at anything, but what if I told you that building the skillset to be an authority doesn’t require you to have a degree in it, just a genuine interest in it.

What I have learned, and what you too can learn, is that Authority Marketing is the new way that the most successful high ticket marketers get heard above all the noise online.  It will bring you in leads and sales 24/7 on AUTOPILOT without having to get your face out on social media all day and without ever having to ‘sell’, chase or convince.  

Imagine this.... no more 9-to-5 grind, no building someone else’s dream, no asking a boss for time off, just you, your laptop, and a ticket to time & financial freedom. You’ll find out lots more about this in the game-changing free intro training you'll see buttons to. 🙂

and finally.....

7. Who's on your Team?

One of the biggest blows to me when I left the military, was the loss of camaraderie.   One minute I was surrounded by go-getting, intelligent, great humoured and generally like-minded souls.  The next minute I was a ‘solopreneur/mumpreneur’ alone and talking to myself!  Yeah, there were some lovely mums I would meet in the playground (several of whom tried to get me into their MLM/network marketing businesses; tried it, hated it!), and my clients of course, but when it came to running my business, it was a pretty lonely place. 

Finding my tribe

I invested thousands of pounds in courses and coaches and would briefly engage with some others on a similar path, or meet people at an in-person event, but I never felt I belonged anywhere and the engagement just never felt sincere.  I’ll stop there before the violins break out, but what I wanted to stress is that working online can be a lonely place without a ‘tribe’. 

Aside from the quality of the education, the coaches and the support, what has kept me in this current community for years now, is the people.  People from all over the world creating businesses they love.  People who want to spend more time with their families, people who want to give more back to their communities, high-fliers who want a new direction before (and after!) burn-out, and people who have stacked shelves and driven ubers to fund their learning for a new online life

I love this community.  My tribe of like-minded souls from every walk of life, at every age and stage of life, and from every corner of the globe, provide an unparalleled camaraderie borne from our shared journey’s into the online space.

And this is the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE between a failure to launch and a launchpad to success!  The people you surround yourself with.

If, after reading all of this (and if you’ve gotten this far, you must at least be a little intrigued!) you still think High Ticket Affiliate Marketing (or perhaps another online business?) is for you.  Then watch the 4 part free intro course – come and meet Stuart, the guy behind the education, meet some of the community and decide if this is the right move for you and your future. 

Are you ready to be the (laptop)mum your family deserves?

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Warmest wishes,

jennie edmondson

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