Do you (like many online marketers) struggle to break even – let alone make a profit?

Have you fallen for the hype that surrounds new techniques and promises of ways to make “easy-money” online?

I did too.

By the time you finish reading this, you will have learned 5 ways to turn your traffic into money without having to dig into your pockets.

Is Traffic Generation Enough?

Generating traffic is one factor in creating a successful online business – it is not everything. (Never thought you’d hear me say that, right?)

Hold on – let me explain.

Lead conversion is just as important, if not more.

Conversion is what brings you results.

Conversion is what makes your business successful.

Lead conversion is simple once you master it – but without it, your blog is unlikely to succeed.

After all, what is the point of spending hours writing posts, marketing, Tweeting, doing Facebook updates, creating videos, posting tutorials on YouTube and backlinking – if you can’t convert those leads into cash?

I know that sounds harsh, but let’s face it – we are all here to make money.

Traffic on its own doesn’t always mean conversions and sales.

Doing More of the Same

Right, so back to the problem with “online hype”:

We are taught to first create a blog, make videos, connect to all the social media sites, optimize the blog using SEO, do one way quality link building, and use an opt-in email marketing box to capture your traffic.

You’ve heard it all, right? You went out and did everything you were supposed to, but you are still not making any/much money.

You are not alone! This is the reason why many affiliate marketers fail and become despondent.

There are few things worse than following a strategy which fails.

So how do you turn this around?

Let me just tell you that I am not going to say you need to buy a bunch of expensive tools that are difficult to use. You will not have to sign up for a lengthy (and expensive) course.

There will be no need for hand holding.

Instead, you will follow these simple yet powerful techniques to convert traffic into money.

It’s a matter of a changed perspective.

Best of all, this approach WORKS. It worked for me and it will work for you!

I’m going to show you how you can add more YOU to your business – as YOU are the missing ingredient in making those sales.

Your readers want to connect with YOU – they buy YOU, not your product.

Does this make sense? Of course!

Before going any further, I want to make it clear that you still have to generate traffic using video marketing, social networking, blogging, etc.

Once you get the traffic, you need to start working on building relationships with your readers.

Here’s where you need to show your leads the care they crave, build the hope they seek and the guidance and assurance that they can reach their goals.

There is a catch though… you need to FEEL this. You cannot fake it.

How to connect with your leads

Here are some FREE ways to connect with your leads:

1. Webinars

Invite your prospects to Question & Answer webinars where they can ask questions about your niche market. This is a great way to establish yourself as an expert and to gain trust with your readers.

You can use Frebinar to invite leads, customize registration forms, collect user info and to follow up.

Note: Don’t beg or try to convince people by giving them too much information. Simply refer them to the appropriate sites and then let them make their own decisions. Avoid information overload.

For instance, I used to do a series called “Sunday Coffee with Ana“, which my readers always loved.

2. Free Company Training

Invite leads to attend a free weekly training session. This session should be something they can use whether or not they join your business.

Most Internet marketing companies host these telephonic sessions weekly. The sessions are usually recorded, which means that you can use them in future with your prospects.

3. Personal Calls

A personal call immediately after opt-in confirmation is an excellent way to build trust with your leads. This call need not be too long. You can use Skype, which is free.

4. Staying connected

Affiliate marketing is much like dating – the relationship has to be nurtured in order to keep it going and helping it grow stronger.

Stay connected with your leads using:

  • autoresponders and broadcasts (If you are not using them, you need to start now)
  • social networking
  • comment and email responses (Many online marketers fail at this most important step)

This should not take you too much time. However, even if it takes you an hour a day, it is a very valuable investment in your business.

Read more about what I think on the topic in this post:

5. Bonusses and Discounts

If you have spent any amount of time online, you will know that bonusses and discounts are all the rage. Valuable freebies are even more popular.

Great freebies include:

• PDF reports (made for free using Open office or NeoOffice)
• eBooks (made using Open Office and NeoOffice)
• MP3s
• Audio recordings (made for free with Audacity)
• Video Tutorials (using Jing for free)
…or any other valuable giveaway.

Did you see the post I just published yesterday? That’s a great idea on how to give away content and still get something in return – namely, traffic.

Lead Conversion Marketing Takeaway

These are just some of the excellent strategies that you can implement to build those essential relationships with your readers without it costing you any money.

Best of all, they can be implemented right away to increase your conversions today.

Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and do it now!

So tell me, how do you do to convert traffic into cash?