Why We Work With Companies Who Genuinely Care About Their Partners and Customers

What an unexpected trip to IKEA taught us about affiliate marketing, done-for-you services and the importance of choosing the right people to work with

We went to IKEA to buy furniture for our new home office.

We came home with a rather good marketing lesson! 🤣

And it reminded us why we’re so particular about the companies we choose to work with.

Let us explain…

An Unexpected Halloween Adventure 🎃👻

We had every intention of going to a Halloween party

Witches’ hats at the ready… and there may even have been a broomstick involved! 🧹🤣

But life had other plans

Instead, we drove to IKEA in Murcia, about an hour and a half from our new home in Desert Springs, Spain

We’re finally getting our home office organised after months of moving, unpacking and settling into our forever home

And we wanted somewhere lovely to work, surrounded by our books, memories and, eventually, a new magnetic vision board

Anyone who’s ever visited IKEA knows that a quick shopping trip rarely stays quick!

We spent hours choosing furniture, talking through ideas with the designer and imagining how our new office would look

Then came the inevitable question…

Who’s going to put it all together?

Now, we’ve assembled our fair share of furniture over the years.

But with Chris’s back playing up, and our time and health becoming increasingly precious, we decided to take advantage of IKEA’s assembly service

Yes, it’s an extra cost

And yes, we’re more than happy to pay for it

Because sometimes the greatest value isn’t what you buy

It’s what you no longer have to do yourself

A Brilliant Marketing Lesson From IKEA

Think about what IKEA has done

They understand that buying furniture is only part of the customer’s journey

The next challenge is getting everything assembled

And not everyone has the time, patience, ability or inclination to tackle a mountain of flat-pack furniture!

So IKEA offers a solution

From a marketing perspective, that’s a clever upsell

But here’s the important distinction

A good upsell isn’t about persuading someone to buy something they don’t need. It’s about recognising the next problem your customer faces and offering a useful solution

For us, that solution is worth paying extra for

And it got us thinking…

What if that additional help was already included?

Sometimes Done for You Is Part of the Package

We’ve been involved in online business since 2010

Over those years, we’ve seen all sorts of business models, products, affiliate programmes and marketing systems

And one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that the product or commission is only part of the picture

What happens after someone becomes a customer or business partner matters enormously

Are they supported?

Do they have access to the tools they need?

Is someone there to help when they get stuck?

Or are they simply handed a login and left to figure everything out themselves?

That’s why we’ve become increasingly selective about the companies we choose to work with

And it’s one of the reasons we value the support and resources available through both Home Business Academy and Amare Global

They’re different businesses, serving different needs

But there’s a common principle we appreciate in both

Helping people get started without having to create absolutely everything from scratch

Home Business Academy: More Than Just an Affiliate Programme

One of the biggest obstacles people face when starting an online business is technology

Websites, funnels, email marketing, lead generation, automation…

It can all feel rather overwhelming, especially if you’re learning something completely new

We remember that feeling!

When we started in our mid-fifties, we had plenty of business experience, but online marketing was an entirely different world

We had to learn

And we’re still learning today

That’s one reason we appreciate Home Business Academy

Alongside its business education and marketing tools, HBA offers done-for-you resources and systems within relevant programmes that can help reduce the amount of technical work involved in getting started

Rather than having to build every component from the ground up, members can access practical tools, training and resources according to the products they’ve chosen

And the community and coaching are important to us too

We enjoy helping others understand the principles behind building an online business, rather than simply giving them a tool and hoping they’ll work it out

Because here’s something we firmly believe.

A system can make things easier, but understanding what you’re doing still matters.

Done for you doesn’t mean there’s nothing left for you to do!

You can check out The Home Business Academy here

Amare Global: Support Beyond the Products

Our involvement with Amare began from a very different direction.

Health and wellness.

We believe that financial security and good health are both essential ingredients of a fulfilling retirement lifestyle.

After all, what’s the point of having more freedom if you don’t feel well enough to enjoy it?

But alongside the wellness products, we’ve also come to appreciate the support available to Amare’s independent brand partners.

That includes company-provided websites, product information, marketing resources and materials to help partners share the products and business.

Again, the principle is similar.

You don’t necessarily have to start with a blank page and create everything yourself.

There’s infrastructure already available.

And there’s a community of people sharing knowledge, encouragement and experience.

For us, that’s important.

Because building a business should never mean feeling that you’re completely on your own

Check Out Amare Global Here 

The Code is NEU

💡 An Affiliate Marketing Tip Worth Remembering

Here’s something we’ve learned from more than 16 years in online business

The commission might attract your attention, but the company behind it should earn your recommendation

It’s easy to get excited about an affiliate programme offering attractive commissions

And of course, earning an income matters

That’s why most people start looking at business opportunities in the first place!

But we believe there’s a much more important question to ask

What happens to the person who buys through your recommendation?

Do they receive genuine value?

Is the product or service appropriate for their needs?

Are they supported if they have questions?

Does the company stand behind what it offers?

And perhaps most importantly…

Would you feel comfortable recommending that company to someone you genuinely care about?

Because when someone buys through your recommendation, they’re placing their trust in you too

And your reputation goes with that recommendation

A commission may be earned from a transaction

But trust is built over time

That’s why we look beyond the commission structure when deciding who we want to work with

Why This Matters Particularly After 50

When the financial crash of 2008 turned our retirement plans upside down, we had a decision to make

We could keep working indefinitely in the traditional way and hope things somehow improved

Or we could learn something new

We chose the second option.

We were in our mid-fifties, with successful careers in accountancy and management consultancy behind us

But we knew very little about building a business online.

And our first mentor was just 27 years old!

Imagine that… two experienced businesspeople learning an entirely new way of working from someone young enough to be one of their children🤣

But we were willing to listen and learn

And that decision opened up possibilities we hadn’t previously imagined

Sixteen years later, we’re still here

Still learning

Still building

And still helping others see what’s possible for themselves

One thing we know is that people approaching retirement don’t necessarily want another demanding full-time job

Many want to create additional income while keeping time for family, travel, health and the things they enjoy

That’s the thinking behind our Hybrid Retirement Lifestyle

Work A Little • Live A Lot • Leave A Legacy.

And it’s why systems, support and practical resources are so important to us

Not because they remove the need for effort

But because they can help us use our time more wisely

The Companies We Choose Reflect Our Values

We don’t believe every business or affiliate programme is right for everyone

And we certainly don’t believe there’s a magic system that guarantees success

Building an income takes learning, consistent action and patience

But we do believe the companies we choose to recommend should reflect the values we want to bring to our own business

Integrity

Customer care

Useful products and services

Practical support

A willingness to keep improving

And people who understand that relationships matter

That’s why we choose to work with businesses we feel confident standing behind

Not simply because of what they pay

But because of what they offer the people who place their trust in us

The Real Lesson From Our IKEA Adventure

We didn’t set off for Murcia expecting to write a blog about affiliate marketing

We just wanted a lovely new office!

But as we thought about our decision to pay for the assembly service, it reminded us of something important

People value businesses that make their lives easier

Sometimes that means offering an additional service for a fee

Sometimes it means including helpful resources, tools and support as part of an existing package

And sometimes it simply means being there when someone needs a little guidance

For us, the principle is the same

Look after people

Help them solve real problems

And don’t make life more complicated than it needs to be

Especially when time and health are two of the most precious things we have

Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a new office to look forward to…

And absolutely no intention of spending the next week deciphering flat-pack instructions! 🤣

Work A Little • Live A Lot • Leave A Legacy.

Chris and Susan

Living the Hybrid Retirement Lifestyle

Disclosure: We are independent affiliates and brand partners with Home Business Academy and Amare Global. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases or referrals. Resources and services vary by product, membership and market. Building a business involves effort and risk, and income results are not guaranteed.

Thank You

Thanks for reading today’s blog

Why We Work With Companies Who Genuinely Care About Their Partners and Customers

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It’s Fr.ee 😀 to talk and we’re not going to “sell you” just answer your questions and give you some clarity on what’s next because nothing would give us more pleasure than seeing you succeed