I Am a Shameless Affiliate Promising to Earn From Qualifying Purchases

Last May, I got into a fight with a Twitter troll. Years before that, a dental hygienist persuaded me to floss my teeth. Oddly, those two stories together illustrate how I benefit you as an affiliate.

How do you feel when you see the words,

“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases?”

(Amazon, 2021)

Does it bother you? Does it sound like someone is peddling crap?

As you read the following stories, you will understand how I use affiliate programs for your benefit.

How to destroy a troll using the magic of “BIFF.”

First, let me tell you the story of my first fight with a troll on Twitter. Indeed, it was the first time I used BIFF outside of work. How powerful is BIFF? Imagine walking outside and waving your hand to make rain fall from the sky. That is how powerful it is. It looks like magic the first time you see it work.

The story began when a young fellow (“Dave”) distressed a young woman (“Alice”) with inappropriate direct messages. So Alice posted a screenshot of Dave’s messages on Twitter.

I wish all of the original tweets were still there because what happened next was incredible. But I will do my best to describe what happened. Almost immediately, a young troll (“Carl”) responded to Alice’s tweet by ridiculing her.

When I stumbled on the post, I decided to test out “BIFF.”

What is BIFF and why do you need it?

BIFF stands for Brief, Informative, Friendly, and Firm. A local judge presented BIFF at a seminar I attended years ago. After that, I used BIFF effectively against hostile opposing counsel. I also taught my clients to use it to tame their exes.

This is how it went. (Responses are abbreviated.)

1. Me: “Responding appropriately to attention-seeking behaviors is a skill.”
2. Carl: Posts this offensive meme:
   
3. Me: “Online reputation has value, so walking away isn’t always the right call.”

Carl’s next response was amazing. He made a mature, thoughtful point about Alice engaging Dave. Specifically, he said that she responded to him more times than she should have.

The troll was slain, leaving behind a young, intelligent human.

Does that sound too obvious? It is. It is as easy as balancing a basketball on your head. You do not have to be a gymnast, but it takes practice.

Why we need more troll slayers.

Who are the high-conflict people in your life? How would your world improve if you could magically pacify them? I want to live in that world too. That is to say, a world where trolls have no power so all of us humans can talk. That is why I promote the book BIFF: Quick Responses to High-Conflict People, Their Personal Attacks, Hostile Email and Social Media Meltdowns (Affiliate).

More people with BIFF skills means fewer trolls for us all.

Are you a troll wondering if you can learn the secrets of BIFF to defeat it? You cannot. BIFF is not defense. It is offense. It takes away your power.

Why do I not just promote the book? Why do I need a reward? Is it because I am greedy?

For those answers, read the next story.

How Betty became the best dental hygienist on the planet.

Now, let me tell you about my dental hygienist, “Betty.” Her job is not only to clean teeth. Betty is involved with the entire visit from start to finish. She has amazing skills and training.

Betty is especially talented at getting people to floss their teeth. How did Betty develop her talent? The same way we all develop skills.

• Training.
• Practice.
• Feedback.
• Rewards.

Betty practices her training to help me understand that I need to floss. Later, I come back for a follow-up visit. When I do, she sees that my gums are healthier. That is her feedback.

But the dentist also sees that my gums are healthier. My healthy gums improve Betty’s reputation with the dentist who praises her. That is her reward.

When I win, we both win.

When you win, we both win.

The products that I recommend on this website are all good for you. Some are more impactful than others but they are all transformative.

BIFF and Hypnotic Writing are like dental floss. They will make your writing healthier. “The Best Way to Say It” is like the dental hygienist. It is a writing system that you can use as a foundation for your own system. Or, you can use it as is.

How do you know these products are not crap? You are still reading.

Of course, I have no way to check your teeth.

Affiliate programs form my feedback and reward system. I want you to have healthy persuasion in your life. Like Twitter engagement metrics, I can tell how many people looked at dental floss but not who. That is my feedback.

If nobody uses my affiliate links (hundreds of people already have) then I have two options.

1. I could stop spending time on them.
2. Or, I could change how I promote them.

Either way, I would learn something.

On the other hand, if you (and a few others) decide to use my links, then you will improve your writing and I will get a cup of coffee.

Start by clicking the BIFF link below. We will both win.

References:

Amazon.com Associates Central – Associates Program Operating Agreement. (n.d.). Affiliate-Program.amazon.com. Retrieved April 1, 2021, from https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/operating/agreement?ac-ms-src=ac-nav

Eddy, W. A. (2014). BIFF : quick responses to high-conflict people, their personal attacks, hostile email and social media meltdowns. Unhooked Books, An Imprint Of High Conflict Institute Press. (Affiliate)

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