Why I Think You Should Sell Supplements As An Affiliate
Your clients are going to buy them, so why not sell supplements as an affiliate?
Selling supplements as an affiliate can become a lucrative second income for ambitious martial arts instructors and fitness trainers.
But, there are other reasons for recommending nutritional supplements to your clients that go well beyond increasing your income.
After 25 years in the martial arts and 10 years in the fitness industry, I’ve come to the conclusion that all martial arts instructors and fitness trainers need to know and understand proper nutrition and supplementation.
Why? So you can recommend safe and appropriate products to your clients.
Here’s what brought me to this conclusion:
- We all know vitamin supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet… but I’ve found that despite whatever nutritional suggestions I give them, my clients are going to buy nutritional supplements – that’s a given.
- Many of the supplements they find on their own are of poor quality, and some can be harmful over the long-term (examples would be diet supplements with high levels of stimulants, as well as male “testosterone boosters” that contain synthetic hormones).
- Therefore, I believe I owe it to my clients to offer them a safe alternative in the form of quality supplements that will enhance and not harm their health.
Why Not Get Paid For What You Already Do?
Many of you may already be sharing your favorite nutritional products with your clients. So, if you’re already doing this, why not get paid for what you already do?
Certainly there are a lot of programs available to trainers and martial arts instructors that provide you with a way to earn commissions when clients you refer purchase products. However, not all of these programs are created equally.
Drawbacks to Traditional Nutritional Supplement Affiliate Programs
There are plenty of nutritional supplement reseller and affiliate programs to choose from. However, there are often hidden drawbacks to many of these programs:
- Many of these programs use tracking cookies on their sites to track referrals. This often results in you losing commissions when your client cleans up the “junk” files on their computer. So, even though you referred them to a site to buy a product, you still miss out on getting your referral fee.
- Most companies only pay you for the client’s first sale. So, unless you stock the products in your facility, you only get paid once. Also, these companies have no mechanism in place to reward you if your client refers one of their friends to purchase the product – which can mean a significant loss of potential income and sales.
- Some programs require you to carry product on your shelves, which can lead to lost profits when products expire. Also, this can be a hassle, as you have to order products, price them and stock them in your facility, and then try to clear them out before they expire. Also, it means you have to deal with returns if a customer doesn’t like the product.
- Often these programs sell some high-quality supplements, along with some that are, well, not so great. This creates an ethical dilemma, as you have no control over what the client buys from the affiliate link once you send them to the site.
- And finally, companies that sell multiple products create another issue… that of confusing the client with too many choices. “A confused mind rarely makes a purchase.” Truer words were never spoken (remember that the next time you’re doing an enrollment conference). So, fewer choices lead to more sales, which in turn means your clients are more likely to try a product they derive benefit from.
So, how do you overcome these drawbacks? By becoming an affiliate for a company that meets all the above criteria.
My Own, Personal Preference In An Affiliate Program
Personally, I prefer to sell supplements as an affiliate of a network marketing company, since they are typically set up to help their affiliates avoid all the above issues.
However, most of these companies are, for lack of a better term, “cheesy”. And, although there are a lot of them that sell some decent products, no one wants to become the trainer or instructor who pushes an “opportunity” on their clients.
“…no one wants to become the trainer or instructor who pushes an ‘opportunity’ on their clients.”
Having said that, I have experienced success in the past offering products that were sold by a network marketing company that focused on the products, not the opportunity. But, as time went on my wife and I felt that some of their products were based on bad science, so we quit selling those products.
Yet, there was so much about the business structure of that company that I liked. Instead of competing with the local supermarket or GNC at prices I could never match, I was able to sell an exclusive line no one else had.
Plus, once my customers tried the products, I got paid for as long as they used them. And as a bonus, they’d often refer other people to my school to buy the products they liked.
So, I continued trying different companies and products after that… and while I’d occasionally find something I liked, I never really found anything with any sort of “wow” factor, that was also safe and backed by good research.
That is, until two months ago when I stumbled across Max International.
What I Am Currently Offering My Own Clients As An Affiliate
I had tried all the berry products, juices, and multi-vitamin pills, and quite frankly I was not impressed. Then, while doing research for an article, I came across this company selling a pill that was supposed to boost your body’s production of glutathione.
They didn’t really over-hype the product, but instead simply offered a lot of research and education regarding glutathione production and how it benefits the body to have more of it available. I was intrigued, tried it, and found that it did in fact help me quite a bit with my joint discomfort and energy levels. So, I looked into it further, and here’s what I found out:
Roughly three years ago, Steve Scott (the guy behind the Total Gym) teamed with with Bill Guthy and Greg Renker (the guys behind Pro Activ skin care) to market a nutritional supplement researched and formulated by Dr. Robert H. Keller*.
Steve Scott was admittedly skeptical at first, but after speaking with Dr. Keller he decided to try the product for himself. (You can listen to Steve tell the whole story by clicking here.) Mr. Scott subsequently decided to back Dr. Keller in marketing the product, and since that time the company has expanded to offer two additional products to their line:
MaxGXL – The glutathione “booster”, Max WLX - a non-stimulant weight loss supplement, and Max N-Fuze - a once-a-day liquid multi-vitamin supplement.
Why I Think This Is Worth Looking Into
As we all know, the economy in America is changing rapidly. Due to that I strongly believe that cultivating more than one income stream is a smart way to protect yourself financially in these changing times.
And as I said at the beginning of this article, by recommending quality nutritional supplements you’re providing a valuable service to your clients. They will ask you what supplements you take, and it certainly makes sense to provide them with an answer that is mutually beneficial.
Having said that, I know a lot of people hate network marketing. And, I understand why – because of the image that many of these companies have.
But, consider this:
- Warren Buffett trusts the business model so much, he has invested heavily in the industry. In fact, his company bought The Pampered Chef a few years back, and many more Fortune 500 companies are quietly investing in network marketing companies and adding network marketing divisions as well.
- Donald Trump endorses it as a viable business model. He even recently promoted a network marketing company’s products and services on an episode of The Apprentice (it was a video phone sold by ACN, a network marketing communications company).
- Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and The Cashflow Quadrant fame endorses the network marketing industry as a viable means of building a “B Quadrant” business (if you don’t know what that is, read Rich Dad, Poor Dad as well as Why We Want You To Be Rich by Kiyosaki and Trump).
I don’t want to turn this article into a big argument for network marketing. However, I do suggest that you keep an open mind, and realize that there are some really good companies out there that have a lot to offer – with Max International being among the best of them.
In Closing
So, if you want to sell supplements as an affiliate in your school, just be sure you’re offering something that is safe, that is backed by good research, and that you can feel comfortable sharing with your clients.
Whether you decide to go with a conventional affiliate program, or to become an affiliate with a network marketing company… that’s up to you. So long as you keep your clients’ best interests in mind, and use some common sense in choosing a program, both you and your clients will benefit from your decision.
—
Mike Massie is the author of Small Dojo Big Profits and runs a martial arts business coaching website for new instructors and small school owners, StartingAMartialArtSchool.com. Click here to visit Mike’s Max International site.
* Sadly, I was informed by Max International’s corporate office earlier today that Dr. Robert Keller passed on late last Friday. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family – by all accounts he was a decent man and a dedicated physician who truly cared about his patients. I know that I for one am thankful for his research, the results of which have had a significant positive impact on my health, and I sincerely regret that I won’t have the opportunity to meet the man to thank him in person. – MM
-- Mike Massie has owned and operated martial arts schools and fitness studios for most of his adult life. A lifelong martial artist, he is the author of "Small Dojo Big Profits", runs the Martial Art School Alliance International (MASAI) business coaching website, and is the creator of The Self Defense Black Belt Program (TM) and Fighting Fit Boot Camp (TM). For martial arts business coaching, visit http://martialartschoolalliance.com.
12 Responses to “Why I Think You Should Sell Supplements As An Affiliate”
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I know this is a long post so please bear with me.
Mr. Massie makes a convincing argument but I have to disagree with some of his conclusions. A lot of what he talks about looks great on paper but does not hold up as well in real life.
When I was younger I watched a debate between two presidential candidates. I was deeply troubled when I found myself agreeing with both candidates even though they had opposing view points. That is when I learned the importance of having a basic premise. No matter how sound the logic seems to be if it is contradictory to your basic premise then it will flawed at its core. That is not to say your basic premise may not be flawed and need revision. A point of reference helps when trying to make an educated decision, that point of reference can always be changed.
In addition to teaching martial arts full time for over 25 years I have also worked for almost 3 years as a personal trainer. I found the time I invested in promoting supplements would have been better spent in other areas. Promoting supplements works best in high volume venues like a gym, high performance venues like professional competition or to those motivated for health or appearance reasons. The vast majority of students in most schools are either kids or adults with a hobby level commitment. Targeting them as clientele is limited at best.
I was exposed to multi-level marketing several years ago when my former instructor tried promoting supplements in our school through a well known organization. The logic that was used on me was, “If you found a gold mine, wouldn’t your friends want you to share it with them?” Sounds great but it was a disaster. We alienated students and after we exhausted all our viable prospects it was like we were pumping a dry well. The same time and energy we spent focused on building our residual income could have been spent teaching martial arts. And isn’t that why they came to us in the first place?
I do believe having multiple sources of income is a great idea because it helps to diversify and stabilize a business. But what is the best return on your time and money? How much money is made from residual checks from supplements and how much is made from school merchandise? I can double my profit when I sell a school shirt but I can’t with vitamins. I can also sell school shirts to kids and adults with a hobby level commitment. Not to mention the addition advertising I receive when they wear my shirts in public.
The martial arts is a health oriented business so promoting supplements seems like a good fit, but it just does not work out that way. It does not work out well because it goes against human nature. If it was proven that doing ten push-ups a day could extend your life by ten years most people still would not do it. That same flaw in our personalities is why people smoke, drink, do drugs and otherwise abuse their bodies even though they know it will kill them eventually.
As instructors we need to be knowledgeable so when a student asks we can give accurate advice, but no one likes to have something pushed on them. Even if it is well intentioned.
Thank you for letting me air my opinion on the matter.
Hi Mike,
I like the article. It is a topic worth discussion for sure. I especially agree with your closing paragraphs. Way too many people get carried away with the promises of the gold at the end of the rainbow (including me when I was a young “whipper-snapper”…haha).
Teachers should make learning nutrition an important part of their professionalism. Then the logical progression into selling these products would make sense…
Hi Brent,
Yep, too many people get caught up in making a buck, and don’t look at what they’re selling. Like I said, I’ve quit carrying/promoting product lines, because I didn’t like some of the products the company promoted.
Just look out for your clients – that’s always the best policy.
Mark, you make some good points, but you’re arguing logic with the wrong individual…
First off, I know several trainers and also some martial arts instructors who make a portion of their income from selling supplements… but they aren’t pushing an “opportunity”. Sounds like your old instructor had his priorities mixed up. You have to ask yourself what your selling, and why. If you’re just out to make money, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons anyway – a point I made clear in the article.
But, before I start rationalizing a perspective based on third-party observations, let me approach this from another perspective, using the same logic you apply in your comments above…
I know some schools that work very hard to sell their students on getting their black belts, and rush them through the ranks.
And why do they do this? Because they are trying to train future staff, so they can open more (*cough* black belt mills *cough*) schools!
By your logic, that must mean that the very activity of teaching martial arts is bad, right? (One apple in the barrel is rotten, therefore, all of the apples are rotten.) I think you can see my point.
That point being made, I totally agree with you regarding that your old instructor made a mistake. Pushing a network marketing business on your students isn’t just a bad idea – it’s freaking stupid, another opinion I made clear in the article.
However, just because a company chooses to market through word-of-mouth (hmmm… I wonder what would happen if martial arts schools stopped offering incentives to encourage referrals?) it doesn’t mean their products are “bad” or that they are a “bad” company.
Like I said, I didn’t want to make this an argument for network marketing, but I can’t allow someone to accuse me of using flawed logic and then go on to argue their points illogically.
I applaud your willingness to post opposing viewpoints. It adds to you credibility and gains you my respect. However, I was a little puzzled by your response to my post so I reread your article as well as my post and I am not sure if we are having the same conversation.
Based on your opening statement to this article I thought the discussion was on the value of selling supplements as an addition source of income. The points made in my post were intended to address the cons to your pros. I didn’t make a distinction between good or bad products, companies or marketing because I didn’t think that was the subject. I thought we were discussing the viability of selling supplements to our students. It is my opinion that selling supplements presents sporadic opportunities at best and is not a reliable source of income and the points made in my post were in support of this view and nothing else.
I think we both agree that looking out for our student’s welfare takes precedence over everything else and anything that is beneficial is worth doing. Can someone make good money selling supplements to their students without hounding them? Absolutely. Anything is possible, but not everything is probable.
Hi Mark,
Yup, I did misunderstand what you were getting at – my bad!
And, you’re right… I do WELCOME opposing views.
I guess I could have set up a system where no one could EVER disagree with me…
And I guess I COULD just delete any blog comments I didn’t like (geez, I don’t think I’ve ever had my blog comments on another martial arts blog deleted *wink*)…
And that would put me smack in the middle of the status quo – the place I hate to be the most.
Seriously, there are too many people in this industry who are afraid of IDEAS.
That’s because certain ideas are dangerous… to their monopolies and their incomes!
‘Nuff said – thanks for chiming in with your opinions, Mark.
I don’t think most MA schools are the place to be pushing supplements. Health and fitness haven’t been the focus of many schools that I’ve trained at other than the internal martial arts that I’ve done.
However, I’m personally moving away from pure MA teaching into fitness and kettlebells so this post is very timely for me. I will definitely consider selling supplements to students in my boot camp fitness and kettlebell classes because their whole point of being there is to lose fat and get in shape. It’s like hand in glove.
But i won’t use these network marketing supplement companies to do it. I don’t like their marketing nor their products. I only take a handful of supplements myself so I’ll only sell the ones i personally use and believe in. Plus, if it doesn’t work, I will have a lifetime supply of what I’m already taking anyway.
I’m practical like that.
Thanks for the nudge in this direction.
I know a lot of you feel the same way about networking and direct marketing companies.
I think there are plenty of other options for selling supplements besides network marketing.
Check out ProGrade – they’re an excellent company.
Mike,
Prograde looks much better to me. Thanks for the link. But i’m also looking at a nutritional program for my clients. Precision Nutrition seems worth looking into. Their materials are well-written and the info seems pretty solid. I like the fact that supps are part of the over-all nutrition plan.
I don’t know anything about PN, but I know the guys who run ProGrade, and they’re all good guys.
Plus, they’ll provide you with a TON of information to help you market your business and their nutritional products.
Mike,
Yeah Prograde looks great. All the fears i had about selling supps were answered by those guys. Very smart. And they had videos on youtube of their facilities. The $99 start up price is very reasonable too. Looks like a solid move for some people.
They’re good guys and smart businessmen as well.
Watch out for the peanut butter cravers – they’re addictive.
I took their other supplements for a while and I liked them – they produce a quality product.
But the Max supplements are the only ones that I have noticed an improvement in my athletic performance and overall sense of well-being while I take them. Never had the same experience with another supplement product – and since I’ve experienced some health issues these last few years I have been trying a lot of supplements.
So, you can understand why I’m all about the Max products now.