What is an affiliate?

An affiliate is a sales person who sells products via the internet. An affiliate is paid a commission for every sale that they make. Thousands of people make great incomes selling and promoting others products online. A company sets up an affiliate program which gives affiliates a unique URL that can be used to send traffic to their website. If a visitor from an affiliate purchases something from that website, the affiliate will earn either a percentage of the commission or a flat fee. The ability to make money online has helped many people. If you are tired of punching the time clock, disabled, or retired, or have any other desire to be able to work from any location- the Internet can provide an excellent source of income. Talk about Freedom!

How to Get Started?

You can promote through a new or existing web site. One of the first things that you need to do is to build a List:

BUILD A LIST

If you've been online for any amount of time, I'm sure you have seen it all. People will teach you how to create a webpage, and how to drive traffic; but what trumps all that is your list. No matter what happens online with Google's algorithms, a big list is what will help you be the most successful affiliate. You want to create a list of people who are interested in a similar niche. For example, if I want to sell information to aspiring internet marketers, then you are going to build a list of internet marketing hopefuls. A list is powerful. When you're selling a business, people won't look at what products you have, or how much money you've made in the past. The only thing potential buyers are interested in is your number one asset, your customer list. This is because the list is what gives your business an actual asset to make money.

SQUEEZAE PAGE

Set up a squeeze page. When people are searching for your information and product, you set up a page where they must enter their name and email address in order to get the information. Your squeeze page must have four necessary items:

1. An attention grabbing headline

2. A benefit list of why someone should give you their name and email address.

3. A call to action telling them what to do and why

4. An offer. What are you giving them in exchange for their name/email address? Remember the power is in the list.

Email LIST

An email to your list is an excellent way to promote a product. The people on your list will appreciate your recommendation. Make sure that you understand your list. Send those products and information that can really value them. In the email you will include your affiliate URL that if clicked will take them to the sales page. If they purchase from the sales page then you will get credit for the sale.

BLOG

A blog is a great tool that you should use in making money as an affiliate. A good way to drive traffic to your blog is to write 2 to 3 good content newsletters/articles each week. Instead of emailing your article to your list, post it on your blog. Write a short email for your list telling them about your article, and include your link to your blog in the email. You can submit your article from your blog to article directories to help drive traffic.

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Many affiliates make money reviewing other people's products and promoting the ones that they like. You could set up a product review site, or have a product review section on your blog. You would focus on driving traffic to your site or blog, and listing the pro's and cons about various new products. A product review page is easy, and can help you sell a lot of products if done correctly, and your list trusts your recommendations.

FORUMS & MESSAGES BOARDS

Forums are a great place to find active congregations of you target markets. Here are 3 ways to use forums to drive traffic to your website.

1. Purchase advertising space on the forum. Many forum owners have ad space at the top of their forums. It's a good way to find a targeted base, and drive traffic to your site.

2. Becoming part of the community can help build your status as an expert in that industry. Do not post blatant ads on the forums, but you can usually include a signature file that can drive people back to your squeeze page. If people appreciate your posts, they may look to you as an "expert" in your particular niche.

3. Forums and message boards provide an excellent opportunity to network with others in your particular niche.

It is important for you to differentiate from what others are selling. As an affiliate you are competing against several other affiliates, in selling the particular product or service. You must be creative in what products you promote, and how you promote them. What extra bonuses can you through in the package to sweeten the deal? Can you convince the seller to give your buyers an extra bonus? Choose the right products for your list. Yes, you will make a bigger commission on our higher priced products, but they are harder to sell. If you are starting out, look to promote some less expensive products. As you increase your sales, your list will be ready for the bigger, more sophisticated products. My old marketing teacher uses to say, read and read. Information and knowledge it's your best weapon to get success in the Online Marketing Business.