5 rules for marketing passive income streams (without turning into a walking douchebag)

Can we talk about the "smart brand who makes money while they sleep" and "that person you instantly mute on Instagram” pipeline?

Because it is all too real.

The good news is, that you can absolutely market affiliate deals, referrals, and digital products without torching your audience’s trust, being freaking annoying, or sounding like a soulless salesman. Here’s how to do it practically and tactfully – you’re so welcome x

Rule #1: Build first, sell second.

Lead with value (not the link). Before you ever drop an affiliate link or pitch a product, make sure you’ve built actual trust and relevance. Share genuine recommendations. Give free advice. Answer questions. Show you know your stuff. Then, when you mention something paid, it feels natural, not calculated.

A practical tip? Post 3–5 genuinely helpful pieces of content related to your affiliate product before you ever link it. Think tutorials, how-tos, checklists—anything that shows you’re recommending from experience, not chasing a commission.

Rule #2: Story tell, don’t sell.

People buy stories, not sales pitches. Instead of “Buy my course, it’s on sale!!!” (no thank you), try, “When I started freelancing, I kept undercharging. This framework (linked below) changed everything for me” (hell yeah).

A good way to do this is with the “before and after” structure:

• Before (problem)

• After (solution + soft link your passive income product)

It's best to think of yourself less a seller and more as a case study in motion.

Rule #3: Make your links feels like bonus value, not landmines.

Your audience should feel like they stumbled onto a perk, not a pressure campaign. Position your links as optional upgrades, like “if you want to go deeper, here’s what helped me,” not must-buy-now ultimatums.

The smart way? Create a "Resources I love" page or a pinned post that’s your one-stop passive income hub. Mention it casually ("linked in bio" or "PS: my go-to tools are here if you’re curious") rather than forcing it into every post.

Rule #4: Let your content do the heavy lifting.

Passive income thrives when your evergreen content quietly sells for you. Create blog posts, videos, carousels, or newsletters that naturally weave in your passive offers, then let them compound over time.

Pick 1–2 core passive products, write a killer piece of evergreen content around each (like “The Top 5 Tools I Wish I Knew About Sooner”), and reshare it on rotation every few weeks. (Algorithms love repurposed content way more than they love you burning out trying to reinvent the wheel, duh.)

Rule #5: Talk about the problem MORE than the product.

There is nothing I hate more than a creator yapping on about buying their whatever. Blocked. The reality is, if your audience feels seen, they’ll trust your solution. Spend 80% of your time talking about the problem your passive product solves—frustrations, roadblocks, small wins—and only 20% talking about the actual product.

How? Make a list of 10 mini-problems your audience faces that your affiliate/referral/digital asset helps with. Use those as the base for quick, punchy posts.

So, what did we learn today? Sell soft, earn hard.

The people who win with passive income aren’t the loudest; they’re the most consistent and trustworthy. So be helpful. Tell stories. Share upgrades, not ultimatums. Make buying from you feel like a favour they’re doing themselves, not a favour they’re doing you.

-Sophie, Writer