Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to generate income from your email list – without creating your own products, handling customer service, or even making a single sale yourself. But there’s a problem.

Too many people do it wrong.

They bombard their audience with spammy links, promote shady products, and burn trust faster than a bad marketer burns through ad spend.

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to sound too salesy,” or “I don’t want my audience to feel like I’m just pitching them,” then you’re in the right place.

Today, I’m revealing the exact playbook for making affiliate sales without annoying your list.

Want to get more sales from your email marketing?

Before we get started with today’s episode, we’ve put a little something together for you.

It's really cool and it's FREE (yes, it's cool and free – we're nice like that). We all know that subject lines are important to get right and are a leading measure of your open and click rates – but writing them can be a challenge.

That's why Kennedy has spent months training an AI to write powerful subject lines that is beating top copywriters' subject lines 80% of the time in A/B tests – and you can get access to it here.

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Affiliate Marketing Isn’t Scammy – If You Do It Right

A lot of people hear “affiliate marketing” and instantly think of dodgy online schemes, hyped-up garbage, and empty promises. And honestly? They’re not wrong – if you’re looking in the wrong places.

But affiliate marketing doesn’t have to be shady. When done ethically, it’s just recommending products you already believe in and getting rewarded for it.

Think about it – your audience is already buying stuff.

They’re signing up for software. They’re taking courses. They’re buying products and tools to help them grow. So why wouldn’t you recommend the best ones and earn a commission when they buy?

The key is to only promote what genuinely helps your audience.

The Two Golden Rules of Affiliate Marketing

Before we dive into strategies, let’s get one thing straight:

If you want to do affiliate marketing without annoying your list, you need to follow two rules.

Rule #1: Only Promote Products That Truly Help Your Audience

If a product isn’t helpful, don’t promote it. Simple.

Every time you send a recommendation, you’re cashing in on the trust you’ve built with your audience. If you send them to something that’s junk? You lose credibility – and credibility is the hardest thing to win back.

So before you promote something, ask yourself:

• Would I use this product myself?
• Have I tested it?
• Would I recommend it even if I wasn’t getting paid?

If the answer is no, don’t touch it.

Rule #2: Test Everything Before You Promote It

Imagine someone clicks your affiliate link, buys the product, and then… it sucks.

They get terrible support. It doesn’t work as promised. They feel ripped off.

Who do you think they’re going to blame?

Not the company. YOU.

Your recommendation is a reflection of your brand. That’s why you need to test everything first.

If it’s software, get a trial and play around with it. If it’s a course, watch the lessons. If it’s a service, talk to the provider.

And if you find bugs, issues, or misleading marketing? Don’t promote it. It’s not worth the damage to your reputation.

Where to Find Affiliate Products That Make Sense for Your Audience

The best affiliate products fit naturally into what you’re already doing.

Here’s how to find them:

1. Fill the Gaps in Your Offer Suite

Look at what you offer—and what you don’t.

For example:

• If you teach Instagram marketing but don’t have a course on email marketing, recommend one.
• If you sell a course on copywriting but don’t offer done-for-you services, partner with an agency.
• If you coach entrepreneurs but don’t have a business community, find a mastermind to promote.

Your audience already wants these things. They’re going to buy them somewhere—so why not from your recommendation?

2. Partner with Done-For-You Service Providers

If you teach something but don’t do it for clients, this is gold.

For example:

• If you teach SEO but don’t offer SEO services, partner with an SEO agency.
• If you sell a branding course but don’t do logo design, find a designer to recommend.
• If you teach social media growth but don’t run ads, refer people to a Facebook ads expert.

Your audience gets the help they need, and you get paid without lifting a finger.

3. Promote Software Your Audience Needs

There’s software for everything these days. And many of them have great affiliate programs.

Think about what your audience uses daily—email platforms, funnel builders, AI tools, graphic design software, etc. If you already use a tool, check if they have an affiliate program.

Even better? Create tutorials showing how you use the software. It’s an easy way to drive sales without feeling like you’re pushing a product.

How to Promote Affiliate Products Without Annoying Your List

Now that you’ve got affiliate products to promote, here’s how to do it without sounding pushy.

1. Use Stories, Not Sales Pitches

No one wants to read a boring email that screams, “BUY THIS THING!”

Instead, tell a story about how the product helped you.

Example:

• Instead of “Here’s an affiliate marketing course. Buy it!”
• Try “I used to think affiliate marketing was spammy—until I discovered this course that completely changed how I do it. Here’s what I learned…”

People connect with stories. Make them feel like they’re discovering something valuable—not being sold to.

2. Offer an Exclusive Bonus

People have options. If they see the same product promoted by multiple people, they need a reason to buy through your link.

The easiest way? Give them a bonus.

For example:

• If you promote a webinar platform, offer a PDF with your best webinar strategies.
• If you promote a course, give them a private Q&A call with you.
• If you promote software, share your best templates or settings.

Make your offer too good to ignore.

3. Don’t Overdo It

If every email is an affiliate promo, your audience will check out.

Balance promotions with value-driven content. Teach, share insights, and build relationships. That way, when you do promote something, people will actually care.

4. Give People an Opt-Out Link

Not everyone will be interested in every promotion—and that’s okay.

Instead of making them suffer through multiple emails about something they don’t want, give them an “opt-out” link.

Example: “Already bought this? Or just don’t want more emails about it? Click here, and I’ll stop sending you reminders.”

This keeps your audience happy—and reduces unsubscribes.

5. Always Disclose That You’re Earning a Commission

It’s legally required to disclose affiliate relationships.

But more importantly, it builds trust.

You don’t need to make a big deal about it. Just add a simple line like:

“I may get a commission if you buy through my link, but I only recommend products I truly believe in.”

Transparency makes people feel safe buying from you.

Affiliate Marketing Done Right = Happy Audience + More Sales

Affiliate marketing isn’t about selling – it’s about helping.

When you recommend products that genuinely solve your audience’s problems, they thank you for it. And you get paid in the process.

So take a look at your business, find gaps in your offer, and start integrating affiliate marketing the right way.

Your audience (and your bank account) will thank you. 🚀

🎯 Subject Line of the Week!

Every week, we highlight a killer email subject line that grabs attention and gets opens like crazy.

This week’s winner is: “Wait… did you mean to do that?”

Why does this work?
✅ Curiosity overload – The reader has to open to find out what they did.
✅ Feels personal – It sounds like an inside joke or a mistake they made.
✅ Creates urgency – Nobody wants to ignore something they may have messed up.

How can you use this?
Try it in a sales email, a webinar reminder, or even a re-engagement campaign.

Got a subject line that crushed it? Let us know, and we might feature yours next! 🎤

Related episodes

3 Buyer Triggers You’re Ignoring (And How They’re Killing Your Sales!)

How to Use ‘Memory Craving’ to Make Your Offers Irresistible

[CASE STUDY] From Email Burnout to 10X Sales: How Karishma Transformed Her Marketing in Record Time

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This is hands down the most predictable, plug-and-play way to double your earnings per email subscriber. It allows you to generate a consistent sales flow without launching another product, service, or offer. Best news yet? You won't have to rely on copywriting, slimy persuasion, NLP, or ‘better' subject lines.

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