If you read other affiliate blogs you will know that there have been a handful of market leverage contests floating around. Uber Affiliate recently held one, where the entry was an article on the mistakes you’ve made as an affiliate marketer. I entered but didn’t win 
You can read about the winning posts here.
Below is the article I submitted, outlining 5 of the hundreds of mistakes I’ve made. 
I hope you learn something from them and don’t repeat them. They’re not so much mistakes as they are things I didn’t do … I call them the 5 not’s
1. Not Tracking
If you’re not tracking your keywords or where your sales are coming from, you’re flying blind. You will find the 80/20 rule at work here, about 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your keywords. Shave off the keywords that don’t convert and manage the ones that are.
2. Not Split-Testing
Split testing is easy to do, but few people seem to do it. From the ads and headlines, to the images and even domain names. Try to test something out new at least once a week. One of my sites collects opt-ins, I decided to test the placement of it out, and they literally doubled overnight. I’ve been a believer ever since.
3. Not Collecting Leads
You’ve heard it a million times, the money is in the list. Well there is a reason for that. Instead of building someone else’s business, start building your own. Collecting leads is the huge step in this direction, once it grows you can perpetually communicate with them and send them offers. Go ahead, learn email marketing, join aweber, pick a niche, build a site, and start collecting leads. Aweber is always sending out great tips on how to effectively use email marketing to maximize sales.
4. Not using the Content Network
When I first started my affiliate marketing journey, I read in many affiliate ebooks the content network has poorly converting traffic and is waste of time and money, so turn it off. I’m sure many of you have it off right now … well you’re missing out on tons of traffic, boatloads of it. Yes, it is a different beast, but once learned can astound you. Start learning it. And by the way, did I mention it is much much cheaper!
5. Not Doing Anything
This one takes the cake, how many of you have read countless ebooks, forums, blogs, etc … but fail to take any action? Instead of trolling forums, chatting up IM, or trying to come up with a post to outwit that moron on your lovable forum, outline a plan and start taking action. Knowledge without acting on it is really nothing. It says in the Old Book,
Lazy hands make a man poor,
but diligent hands bring wealth.
Get to it …
Excellent post Dave! I absolutely hear what you’re saying about the laziness. I think it’s especially true when you’re a newbie and haven’t seen any proof that making money through affiliate marketing is actually possible. Without that proof it can make you believe your efforts might be in vain.