People will reach out to you. Your content will land with someone who's been searching for exactly this — someone tired of shallow spirituality, disconnected from organized religion, or hungry for something that ties it all together without making them pick a team. When they message you, how you respond decides everything.
The number one mistake affiliates make in DMs: jumping to the link. Someone says 'this sounds interesting' and instantly gets 'here's your affiliate link.' The conversation ends right there. They got pitched, not heard — and they can feel it.
When someone reaches out on their own — because your content landed — they're already warm. Your only job is to not cool them down. Ask a real question: 'What brought you to this? Have you been exploring this kind of thing for a while?' Let them tell their story. Then share yours. Then, when it fits, mention the course.
Order matters. The person who asks questions first, listens for real, shares their own experience second, and mentions the course third will always beat the person who leads with the link. Not because they're more strategic — because they're more human.
Always recommend the free course first. This isn't a tactic — it's honesty. The free course lets people make up their own mind before spending money. When you point them to it, you're respecting their choice. That respect builds more trust than any pitch could, and it means that when they do buy the paid courses, they've made a real, informed decision.
People who find the paid courses after taking the free one buy at much higher rates — because they already know the quality. The affiliate who recommends the free course first makes more sales over time, not fewer.