Writing, Speaking, and Media

But what is Affiliate Marketing, really?

Businessmen making a handshake in the city.

At its core, affiliate marketing is simply word-of-mouth. It’s what people have been doing for a long time: recommending things they like, trust, or believe in. Long before affiliate links existed, this is how businesses grew, ideas spread, and communities formed.

Affiliate marketing doesn’t only mean clicking on a link to make a commission off your friend’s or associate’s affiliation. It’s more! It’s recommendations by friends you trust that may gain you more business or even exposure, something that money can’t buy.

When someone shares a great book, a helpful tool, or a life-changing course with a friend or fan, they’re engaging in this type of business. Asking someone to click on your link so you may receive a small bonus from an affiliate can be tacky. The most successful affiliate marketers understand this. Marketing has more to do with than money.

The power of marketing and the power of groups who market together is ultra-powerful. Think of a dire situation. Let’s imagine you and five of your friends are sailing and you start to lose control of the sailboat. Not a pleasant thought, I know. But let’s consider it. I am sure one of your friends would come in to help! This is what your product is like when no one knows about it: a sinking sailboat.

The power of marketing, especially when groups collaborate, is strong. It’s a way for friends to lift one another up, to help stop the ‘out-of-control sailboat that is sinking.’ Affiliates act as advocates for their friends or business associates, lifting one another up in the process.

They’re not just dropping links; they’re guiding their communities, holding events, rooting for you, buying your book, recommending your business – it is truly powerful. 

A trusted recommendation from someone you follow online can lead you to join a cause, sign up for a course, or try a new way of thinking — it’s about more than buying a product. In today’s day and age, especially if you are an author, it is critical.

Entrepreneurs, artists, and anyone in business all need a platform. A platform can consist of someone who is in your audience or even a potential buyer, for example. Your platform is what makes you stand out. Size matters.

With this said, I would like to introduce you to the way I do affiliate marketing. As a founder and creator, I’d like to introduce you to a group I began called “The Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group.” Here are three upcoming events I’d love for you to join via Zoom to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey! 

These masterminds are FREE. What can be better?

If you’re interested in joining one of my upcoming Zoom masterminds, here is the Mailchimp Email Campaign I sent yesterday. All Zoom info, passcodes, and information are included. Click on the link below:

Join us for our Exciting Upcoming Event(s), starting on Apr. 26 at 7:30 pm EST, it will be a Live Read Night with a Q & A!

Hope to see y’all!

~Zina Hermez, Founder of the Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group, Author of the books, Not Without God: A Story of Survival and Not Without God: Hope In the Storm, Long-time educator

Science & Physics

One of Elon Musk’s latest interviews!

https://www.youtube.com/live/tMdFGrnp5XI?feature=share

If you haven’t heard of Elon Musk by now, you must be living under a rock!🪨 He is the origin of PayPal, Tesla, and Space X, to name a few, and even Open AI! He recently paid $44 billion for Twitter.

Elon speaks French as well. Some believe he’s a genius; some believe he may be an alien. I think he’s human and a genius, indeed.

This interviewer asks Elon what’s driving him. He responds, ‘Companies still have a lot to do for their missions.’ He aims to reach sustainable energy and says, “We still have a long way to go.”

Another aim of his is to make life multi-planetary, and to extend life to beyond earth. He says that there is a chance that we are the only consciousness in this galaxy; therefore, we should “stop our light from going out.”

Elon continues that we have to explore the stars to know about the Earth and make sure that the Earth is good. He’s making transportation that can take us beyond Earth.

He goes on to talk about Open AI and Chat GPT. He called for a pause to open AI because he says that AI can be a real danger if used improperly. We have to be real careful, he concluded. But the most likely outcome (for AI) is positive, he assures us.

He got asked more questions about Twitter in this interview than any other topic; nonetheless, it was still a great one. I wanted to hear more about technology overall.

However, there was a Q and A session towards the end. One questioner, a child, goes on to ask about his latest company, Neuralink. That is mainly what I was waiting to hear about.

He answered: “Neuralink is going to be a fairly slow process because it will be done in humans. You will see it coming. There will be no surprises. Hopefully later this year there will be the first human device implantation. These are for people who have lost connection from their brain to their body, and they should be able to communicate as fast as someone who has a fully functioning body.” He revealed.

He then goes on to say, “If Stephen Hawking were alive today, what a profound accomplishment would this be?”

The way the audience treated him towards the end of this video (especially during the Q and A) reminded me of how they treated Paul, the apostle, whenever he walked into the room (as noted in the Book of Acts).

When you can solve an issue that will potentially heal millions and millions, I guess you would deserve that!

Watch the amazing interview at Vivatech! https://www.youtube.com/live/tMdFGrnp5XI?feature=share

About Zina

Zina Hermez has authored the Best-selling-book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival. Zina’s written several hundred articles and has taught thousands of students from all over the world from many different backgrounds and parts of the world. She’s appeared in Christianity Today, the Suite T blog, and the Southern Writers magazine among other places. Last August she created the “Writing Because I Can’t Not Write Group” meetings and workshops where aspiring and seasoned authors can network and learn together. Zina writes on faith, science, and overcoming adversity. She also likes to write about health and diet and loves to cook and bake. Her latest book, Not Without God: Hope In the Storm was just published last year.