When it comes to performance marketing, most people take an interest because they have been told that it is a lucrative way to earn money from home and eventually will allow for the marketer to quit his or her day job. While that may be true to some extent, the reality of performance marketing should be put out there so that people who are thinking about getting involved in it truly understand what they are getting into. One of the most frequently asked questions about performance marketing is “how do I get involved in performance marketing with little money or even no money and without using a credit card?” They are wondering, in other words, how they can begin to make money with performance marketing despite not having the money for the typical start-up costs.
The answer to this often asked question is that while it is not necessarily impossible to get into performance marketing with no money or credit card, it is extremely difficult. Or perhaps more accurately put, it can be done but the results are likely to be so miniscule that it probably won’t be worth your time.
Most people who do dive into performance marketing without a decent amount of start-up cash rely on search engines and free traffic generating methods like Craigslist and Backpage and the like. The problem with these is that they are very restrictive in their user policies and have several other drawbacks that make it very hard to generate any meaningful results. Performance marketing, at its core, is like any other business venture in that it involves a high level of risk for the investor. The vast majority of people who get into PM lose money in the initial stages. And as a result most who start don’t stick with it because of the ease with which they lose money in this venture. That said, if you are serious about getting into performance marketing, you should only invest money that you are confident you can afford to lose.
It is advisable that anyone looking to invest in a PM program should have between $1,000 and $2,000 set aside specifically for the expenses that are involved in making for a successful go at it. If debt is an issue in your finances, it is a good idea to eradicate as much of it as possible before you begin. If you do have a credit card, don’t use it for performance marketing unless you have the means to pay it off on time. And if you don’t have a credit card and you’re serious about performance marketing, then get one. Not all traffic sources accept PayPal, e-checks, or bank wires, so having a valid credit card or at least a debit card is strongly recommended. Without a credit card, you can expect to run into a slew of problems such as limited sources for traffic, since most of them require a credit card. Slow processing times can also be an issue because other forms of payment can take days or even weeks to confirm. Finally, you may be charged additional fees since many providers prefer credit card payments and charge a fee for those who don’t use them.
This isn’t an attempt to discourage anyone from performance marketing without money or a credit card. It is simply a reality check. But if you are determined and you believe you can make it happen that way, then go for it. But remember that you did read this article and were advised otherwise. Good luck!
