Pat Flynn’s Affiliate Marketing Guide – What Are They and What Can You Gain?

Anyone who has ever thought of making money as an affiliate has heard about this guy we are about to discuss. I first knew about Pat some years ago while listening to a blogging podcast and what a wealth of resources he is. Pat Flynn’s Affiliate Marketing guide is simply a loose term I used to define a collection of information products that he personally handcrafted for people like you and me. 

What are they and how can they benefit your business endeavor? Let’s dive into the details. 

But First, Who Is Pat Flynn? 

When Pat got laid off from his job as an architect in 2008, he didn’t know much about running an online business. All he had was a bunch of notes published in a blog, helping people in the same profession to pass for a specific qualification paper called the LEED exam. 

Then, when he compiled and sell the notes in the form of an eBook, it happened. In the first month, he made almost 8K and after running his business for a year, he achieved 6 figures in income earning. The Smart Passive Income blog was born the very same year, trailblazing the industry with stories of success (and failure), marketing strategies and how-to tips. 

On the much inspired entrepreneurial blog, there isn’t anything to learn about architectural designs. Instead, he’ll be teaching about constructing a sustainable business using affiliate marketing as the main foundation. After all, 85% of his income derives from sales commissions, so that practically makes him an expert on the subject matter. 

Pat’s blog has evolved over the years and there are many things going on. Some are products he’s affiliated with (web hosting, software and etc.) and some are products of his own. The guides I am about to share are all his creations that can be accessed digitally and they are divided into free and paid resources. 

So here goes. 

The Free Stuff – Who Doesn’t Want Them

#1 – The Epic Guide to Affiliate Marketing (eBook) 

This 100+ page PDF is jam-packed with a lot of good stuff. It’s not only created for the beginner’s level in mind but also has a lot of practical tips for those who have been in the field for a while.

The content will bring you back to the very beginning of Pat’s online career, how he made his first commission and case studies where you can draw guidance from. The copy can be accessed in exchange for an email address. 

Divided into 8 chapters, you’ll be learning about; 

• How Affiliate Marketing Works (the pros, the cons and doing it the right way)  
• How to Start Affiliate Marketing (building trust and using the soft pitch technique) 
• Affiliate Marketing Tips (32 practical tips for success) 
• Affiliate Marketing Case Study: ConvertKit (how to promote a good product and earn passive income) 
• Avoiding Affiliate Marketing Mistakes (4 biggest mistakes to avoid) 
• 12 Tools to Accelerate Your Affiliate Marketing Success
• Affiliate Marketing on Amazon (how to promote strategically as an Amazon Associate)
• Taking Your Affiliate Marketing To The Next Level (access to more free training) 

Upon completing the 8th Chapter, Pat will lead you to two more free training which I’ll be explaining more down below. 

#2 – Affiliate Marketing the Smart Way (eBook) 

This PDF guide is more like a summary of the previous eBook. To get the copy, you either follow the link or subscribe with your email.

It’s only 11 pages long and offers a quick reference on the marketing strategies and rules as an affiliate. The format is much easier to digest than the first one but still delivers the core message nevertheless. 

There are 10 key points in total which will cover; 

1. Confidence in your product recommendation
2. Honesty with your audience
3. Treating the product like your own
4. Finding your core product
5. Create a resource page
6. Helpful marketing tools
7. Tips for using affiliate links 
8. Offer bonuses 
9. Establish a relationship with product owners
10. Consider other products (both digital and physical) to be affiliated with

#3 – Affiliate Marketing Masterclass (Webinar) 

This on-demand pre-recorded webinar is the second training offer following the first guide book. It’s also a prequel to a more extensive program that will be offered through the paid training which I will talk about shortly. The 1 hour plus video is designed for all levels of marketers, focusing on the following key topics; 

• Common Anxieties About Affiliate Marketing (fine-tuning your mindset and thinking out of the box) 
• Mistakes to Avoid in Newbie Affiliates (from choosing the wrong product to promoting it as your own) 
• Points Product Testing (identifying problems, promise, proof, personal experience, and promotional strategies) 
• Passive and active strategies for promoting products without being sleazy
• The affiliate marketing secret weapon (to make more money, stand out and get more organic traffic) 
• FTC and Amazon rules to abide (to prevent your affiliate account from getting banned) 
• Case studies that you can copy and implement on your own. 

#4 – The Smart Passive Income (SPI) – Podcast

Another marketing skill that Pat is really good at is podcasting and his award-winning channel is likely the pioneer in the industry. He’s been doing so on a weekly basis since July 2010 and has interviewed thousands of entrepreneurs and field experts in over 350 episodes. 

That’s a lot of work and experience that go behind the scenes! 

If you are looking for something specific, jump right into SPI 186 to learn about how to become a successful affiliate marketer. As for other topics, there are plenty of golden nuggets that are very much relevant to your online endeavors. I am sure you’ll find some useful solutions for your business situations and struggles. 

Each podcast is about 45 to 60 minutes long and can be easily assessed through the Android and iTunes app on mobile or desktop. So the next time you are stuck in traffic or just want to spend a productive lunchtime, subscribe to the channel and learn something new. 

#5 – Step-By-Step – How to Start an Email List (Video Tutorial) 

We always hear about the importance of building an email list, but how do you do it and if you already have one, are you executing successfully? If this topic evades you as much as it does for me, Pat’s Step-by-Step Email Marketing training may provide some insight into the subject matter. 

In this 6 part video tutorials, you’ll learn from Pat’s experience with his own list and how he uses ConvertKit – his recommended email service provider – to get the job done nicely. I have watched the videos and found clarity through the step-by-step demonstration. He does a pretty good job explaining the whole thing.  

These key topics will address some of your email marketing challenges. 

• How to Setup Your Email List
• How to Start Getting Email Subscribers
• 5 Strategies to Get More Email Subscribers
• How to Setup a Winning Autoresponder Series
• Tips for Sending Broadcast Emails That Get Opened and Make an Impact
• Segmentation and Triggers in Email Marketing

And that’s not all. After completing the tutorials, you are free to join the Email Marketing Challenge in which Pat will be providing step-by-step instructions to help you grow from 0 to 100 subscribers in the span of three days. It’s a challenge worth taking if you wish to see the effectiveness of his techniques. 

#6 – Build Your Own Brand (Online Course) 

This foundational course basically walks you through a new website set up for your affiliate business. It’s a good resource for beginners who are just starting to build an online presence but are not familiar with the technicalities like buying a domain name or creating a WordPress site. 

Built using the Teachable platform, it consists of a series of short video tutorials that can be easily completed within 5 days. Pat will be using BlueHost – his affiliate product – to demonstrate the process, but you are certainly free to choose whatever hosting company you prefer. 

Throughout the course, you’ll be learning to;

• Choose a brand name and set up your first WordPress site
• Setup the backend of a site like a theme, plugins and Google Analytics
• Create pages and a business logo
• Finding the right social media accounts for your brand and how to use them effectively.
• Write content and build your first email list.

By the way, if you want to have a peek inside WordPress without making any commitment just yet or simply want a risk-free method to tweak around plugins and themes, feel free to create a free WordPress site using the SiteRubix tool down below. 

#7 – Pat Flynn (YouTube Channel) 

Pat started YouTubing back in 2009 and currently has about 300+ videos on his channel. Besides using it to update on all his online activities (like doing interviews in a Tesla – literally :), the platform also hosts most of his free video tutorials on subjects such as affiliate marketing, podcasting, and email marketing. 

Whether you plan to use YouTube for affiliate marketing or just want to be in the loop of things, his fun and geeky personality will surely shed some light on how to improve on your product sharing and recommendation through videos. 

The Paid Stuff – Taking Your Business to The Next Level 

#1 – Smart from Scratch 

Remember that crazy business plan you always have in mind, but never really pursue? Well, this foundational course will help to dissect whether that business idea is valid or not.

The goal is to help you find a winning business plan through 21 video lessons. It also comes with Q&A sessions with Pat himself during office hours and access to a private Facebook community. 

The cost of training = $249

#2 – 1.2.3 Affiliate Marketing 

This step-by-step video training program is all about teaching you how to make money ethically with affiliate marketing using a combination of passive and active promotional strategies. The free webinar mentioned earlier is the prelude to this course that comprises of 36 short video lessons altogether. 

At the end of the course, you’ll get a recipe book that basically teaches the logic sequence for promoting products like eBooks, software and online courses. Besides the clean-looking learning interface, you also get Q&A sessions with Pat and lifetime access to the student center.  

The cost of training= $699

#3 – Podcasting Courses 

If you are into podcasting, there are currently two courses being offered. The first is called Power-Up Podcasting which is a step-by-step to launch and grow your online brand. The second is called Amp’d Up Podcasting which is a more advanced course that teaches you how to automate, market and make long term profit from your audience. 

The costs for the two courses are as stated down below. 

• Power Up = $799 
• Amp’d Up = $999 

#4 – Pat Flynn Book Club (Review Site)

As a budding entrepreneur, you will be needing a lot of motivation to move forward and the most common source around are books. Since Pat is an avid reader, he has reviewed a growing number of inspiring books that revolve around the topics of Career and Money, Personal Growth and Health and Fitness. 

If those genres are your kind of thing, you can purchase the titles through his affiliate links on the Amazon bookstore or subscribe through Audible. I personally prefer audiobooks because they are more engaging and convenient for a busy person like me. It allows me to finish more titles – 2 to 3 per month – versus 1 every 2 to 3 months, if I were to read the physical book itself 

All my selection comes from Scribd, an affordable membership that offers unlimited audiobooks PLUS eBook, snapshots and online magazines. That means I can switch between listening and reading whenever I feel like it without having to pay extra. In fact, most of Pat’s recommendations can be found there too.

I signed up for this up at the beginning of this year and totally love it. They offer a very generous free trial for first-timers, so do check out the site if you like to have a peek inside the extensive library.  

What I Like About Pat Flynn’s Affiliate Marketing Guide

Unlike some marketing gurus (especially the shady ones) who hide behind their programs and never see the daylight of the internet, I like Pat’s transparency and eloquence in sharing his experience and expertise with all levels of audiences. 

Clearly, he has invested an enormous amount of time and effort into building a successful online business. The fact that he provides a large dose of free information through eBooks, videos, and podcasting for free, also makes him one of the most generous marketing guys I ever encountered online. 

What I Dislike

While most of the free guides are available all the time, there are time limits for some of his paid courses. When the doors are closed, enrollment will not be opened until a later date. So that’s a bit of a bummer. 

Plus, I don’t find most of the courses to be beginner-friendly because they don’t discuss much on free traffic generation using keyword research and content creation. Instead, you are expected to invest in additional tools such as an email service provider or landing page software even before you know how to create an audience. 

Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t to say that those tools aren’t good, but keep in mind there are monthly costs to commit for these services, on top of Pat’s rather pricey training program. Make sure to look into your budget and see if you are comfortable spending those fees with or without profits. 

In Conclusion 

Having followed Pat for a while in the affiliate marketing space, I must say that most of his guides are educational as well as entertaining. He’s certainly smart in what he does and actually offers a lot of free stuff before getting you to purchase any of his courses. Those free trainings are great for understanding basic concepts from a beginner’s perspective. 

If your affiliate business is already gaining some traction and you like to do something more advanced like email marketing or podcasting for that matter, his paid courses might be worth checking out. After all, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee so there’s nothing much to lose besides time. 

However, if you prefer something that’s more comprehensive – training, WordPress hosting, keyword tool, and community support – all in one place, then I highly recommend joining Wealthy Affiliate. This affordable membership platform has helped many people make money daily using free traffic from Google. 

If you like to be one of them, sign up for a free trial and I’ll guide you through the program. Please leave your questions/comments down below and hope to see you inside.