Internet Affiliate Marketing 101 - Its All About Relationships


So you've found the perfect affiliate program, you've signed up and they gave you a website....now what? "They" say that "all you have to do" is drive traffic to your site...but you don't have a clue where to begin...

Never fear, Affiliate 101 is here...here's a list of a few simple, free or inexpensive tasks you can accomplish today. Details follow, first just the list:

1. Send emails to friends and family;
2. Make new friends on the internet;
3. Print out and distribute posters, business cards, and/or postcards;
4. Write articles and post free ads.

First of all, don't panic. You don't have to do ALL of these, just whatever you feel comfortable with. But I do heartily suggest that you push the envelope a little on your comfort level...

Email Friends and Family: If you're uncomfortable with contacting family members (they CAN be your sharpest critics) first scan the options, maybe one of the less obtrusive ones would work.

Be sure to write ONLY to friends. Anything else will be considered spam; any worthy company will drop you like a hot potato when they receive legitimate spam complaints.

Consider the friends and family you might write to and decide the best approach for each:

1. The Second Opinion Approach: save this for the hard nuts to crack, flatter them with "I've signed up for this opportunity and would really like to hear your opinion..."

2. The Beating Around the Bush Approach: "I'm making some extra money doing this biz, do you know anyone who might need a few extra dollars?"

3. The Direct Approach: for those close friends that you KNOW could use some financial miracles in their lives... you can lead with the business opportunity or with the products. I think it's Avon that has a nice promo these days, "products you can buy and sell". Simple and to the point...

4. The Chummy Letter Approach: just write a letter to a friend as you usually would and casually mention what you are doing, that it's on "wait and see", or already is making you a little money, or whatever.

5. The No-Mention Approach: just add a signature to all your emails that includes your website's URL and your email address, maybe the name of your company. Subtle, let's them explore if they want.

Getting to Know You...

How do you currently meet people on the internet? Game chat rooms, forums, opt-in email lists, Yahoo groups, messenger services...these are only a few ways to meet people. Many sites such as Yahoo, AOL, or ICQ let you create a profile including favorite websites, etc. While direct advertising is often frowned upon or prohibited, usually signatures at the bottom of posts is allowed. Many friendships formed in forums and chat rooms lead to email and website exchanges.

Stuffing Envelopes...

Printed fliers can be distributed everywhere you go, posted on your car...be creative. Include a business card or flier in every piece of mail you send including bills, on tables in restaurants, in phone booths, stick them in business books in the library. Make it fun! If you have mailing addresses rather than email addresses of anyone who might be interested, send them a flier or postcard.

Become a Famous Author

Anyone can write an article, everyone is good at something or has an experience that would help someone else out. Article writing helpsbuild trust and over time will brand your name and drive traffic to your website. And it's free. Submit your articles to individual webmasters and editors as well as article directories.

Banner Swapping and Text Linking

Some say that banners are not very effective in getting traffic to your website, but hey, it's free and it doesn't hurt to try. It's best to spend some time finding a high traffic site or two and not fill your site with banners. Text links are still your best bet.

There you have it, lots of good ideas for beginning promotion of your website.

I'll leave you with one more thought, something to come back to and mull over as time goes on...Spend some time on this one...

Find an online entrepreneur that you truly admire. There are lots out there, but there will be someone that really rings true for YOU. Maybe it's this person's style, or background, but something makes him or her stand out in your mind. Think of something that you can do FOR this person, and pursue that thought. Joint ventures...more on this later.

About the author: Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com.


More Resources

How to Become a Super-Affiliate
Did you begin your affiliate marketing business like this? You surf the internet looking for an internet marketing product you can affiliate with and sell (even though you know nothing about internet marketing), sign up for the program and get your link, and then visit traffic exchanges and safelists, advertising your affiliate site. At the end of the day, week, or month, you wonder why you didn't sell one product.
5 Ways to Promote Affiliate Programs
After having chosen several programs to join, you probably realize that customers won't knock on your door - you have to come to them. By promoting your affiliate programs successfully, you build your own success!So what should you do to promote your affiliate programs? Here are five methods which have succeeded for millions and can succeed for you, if you choose to follow the same steps as those millions before you!#1 Create your own marketing affiliate program materials.
Affiliate Marketing - How Ezine Ads Explode your Online Profits
So we're looking at E-zine advertising. Just a quick overview - ezines are basically email newsletters, but most don't redirect to a site, they just leave the full text content in the email.
Are You Being Ripped Off By Clickbank Merchants?
I see affiliates from two perspectives.Firstly as an affiliate, I see myself as a business partner to those merchants that I promote.
Affiliate Marketing Secrets that You Can Use
Affiliate marketing is a very hot topic on the web right now. Not surprising when you consider the fact that a vast majority of successful online entrepreneurs make their money from affiliate schemes and programs.
Economic Recession or Not, You Must be Creative to Survive
Are we Really in an Economic Recession?Some US statistics seem to indicate we are heading into one. If we are heading in that direction, what should we online marketers do about it?Should we panic and give up our web sites, or just accept that we will get less business, and let it go at that.
Make Money Online With Affiliate Programs
If you have wanted to find a way to make money from home without all the hassle of selling products out of your own home yourself, perhaps you should take a look at affiliate programs.Affiliate programs are an excellent way to make money from home.
Affiliates: 3 Things You Should Own Though You Dont Own A Product.
1. Your Own web site:Most affiliates put a redirect link directly to their affiliate product.
Keeping Your Sub-Affiliates From Quitting
One of the biggest if not the leading problem for internet marketers is keeping your affiliates from quitting. The time and effort that has been put forth to get your affiliates can seem like a waste of time if soon after joining your program they either opt-out or become inactive.
Affiliating Correctly - Only Work With the Winners
You need to do a bit of research on which affiliate programs you choose to work with. Why work hard to make $10 when the same amount of work could have netted you $100? Choose your affiliate relationships wisely.
Three Easy Ways to Become a Super Affiliate and Earn Cash Quickly
If you want extra cash every month, you have to read this. You can start a part-time or full-time business simply by developing an affiliate network on the Internet.
Why Super Affiliates Succeed
Ever wonder why the super affiliates are raking it in and you're still struggling with affiliate programs?Okay, it is an advantage to have a web site with good traffic and a program related to the theme of the web site. It is also important to have a large list to which you can recommend your program.
Five Common Mistakes Affiliate Marketers Make
Affiliate Marketing is one of the most effective and powerful ways to earn a living online. Affiliate programs give everybody a chance to make a profit through the internet.
A Few Words on Affiliate Team Building
It might have been Vince Lombardi or some other famous coach who said, "There is no I in team." ( I was too lazy to look up the source of the quote;) I think that this is as true in business as it is in sports.
Affiliate Marketing - A Quick Overview For Beginners
It's simply a kind of marketing in the internet where marketers sell products or services of certain merchants. Those Internet Marketers earn commissions on sales.
Content Really is King
It is every affiliate's wish to have unique site content absent of any re-write or editing restrictions, effectively content with an "open license." Many sources do exist for content that can't be changed, but there are very few sources which allow an affiliate to manipulate the article and make it unique and specific to their site(s).
Affiliate Marketing - Join in on the Success of the 2nd Wave
What do I mean by '2nd Wave'? Let me explain:Can you remember the good old days when affiliate programs first came into existence in the mid to late 1990's? Everybody jumped in with two feet and put up dozens of affiliate links on their site with no real thought to what they were doing. We then wondered why we didn't make any money - not any real money that is.
The Key to a Successful Affiliate Program
Two Christmases ago I tugged on one of those paper crackersand after a small bang, out popped a piece of yellow paperthe size of a credit card.On one side was a riddle that didn't make much sense, buton the other side was an 'Inspirational Quote' that made alot of sense.
Making Money with Affiliate Programs - Part II
In this holiday season online shopping is hotter than ever! According to US Commerce Department online sales continue to grow with a robust 25-27 percent this year over 1992. Online holiday shopping at a rate of 10 percent is also considerably outpacing the 5.
Affiliate Marketing
Simply put, Affiliate Marketing is one of the most common forms of making money on the internet.Affiliate marketing was set in place by larger corporations and websites who realize that marketing smarter is better than marketing smarter.

More Affiliate Revenue Information:

Related Articles

Five Things to Look For to Join Any Affiliate Program!
Here's a really simple way..
6 Affiliate Mistakes Youre Probably Making...
Everyday I see more and more affiliates making the same mistakes. The worst part is that they're just doing what they're taught by the so-called "experts.
Affiliate Marketing: An Online Marketing Strategy
Everybody it seems can make money online. The simplest way perhaps is to make money online through affiliate marketing.
6 Things to Increase Your Affiliate Income
So you've signed up for affiliate programs, posted links around the net but you're still only making pocket change? Wonder what others are doing that you aren't? Below you will find 6 things that every affiliate marketer needs to increase their income.#1 - Your own Website:Build a website to promote the product.
WEBMASTERS - Earn Money With Affiliate Links
If you have a website with some traffic, you can make money by having links to merchants' online shops on your site.If someone goes through your links into the shop of the merchant, and buys something, you earn commission from the sale, between 5% and 40% depending on type of merchant.
Making Money Online With Affiliate Programs
If you are like most work from home internet business owners you want your web site to be making you as much money as possible. The choice of affiliate programs that you choose to promote on your web site will determine how much money you actually make, and the options to you are endless.
How To Build Website - Seven Steps For Building Optimized Websites For Affiliate Programs
The web has developed in such a mass marketing arena, that many offline advertisers are now coming online. This is the first sign that selling online will be a trillion dollar media in a couple years.
Top 7 Affiliate Marketing Tips for Newbies
When a newbie begins an online business, the temptation can be high to join most any affiliate program they see in the hopes of making extra money. Given the amount of products and services that newbie get presented with, and since newbie have a burning desire to make money fast, it is easy to see how the online newbie can get lured into joining a lot of affiliate programs without knowing if they should join them or not.
How to Choose a Reliable and Profitable Affiliate Program
There are literally thousands of affiliate programs on the Net. Here are eight important points that every affiliate webmaster should take into account when choosing a reliable and profitable affiliate program.
Multiple Income Streams From Niche Markets
Multiple income streams; exciting words, but what does it mean in every-day English?In the world of Niche Markets in Internet business, multiple income streams simply means having more than one source of income. This is achieved by making money from more than just one online business.
11 Awesome Ways To Explode Your Affiliate Commission
1. Start your own affiliate program directory.
JV and Grow Rich
To illustrate the concept of arranging simple joint ventures that can lead to exciting new business opportunites, I am including a short story and correspondence that led me down a grand path to a very successful deal that involves one of the most successful personal and financial achievement books ever written, not to mention partnering with a living legend.To start things off, in early July of 2002 I read "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill for the first time in my 36 years of existance on this spinning orb of madness.
Affiliate Communication
Communication is Key!When building an affiliate network communicating with affiliates is important for merchants to maintain a good relationship. An affiliate's web site targets visitors, who may not necessarily view a merchant's web site, and therefore expands a merchants market.
Choosing An Affiliate Marketing Program
If you are new to affiliate marketing, you are probably overwhelmed with the number of programs available out there for you to join and promote. This article will provide a guideline to help you choose the right affiliate program for yourself.
How Joint Ventures Can Catapult You to Success
Substantial opportunities for increased sales and profits are missed by not seeking out and implementing joint ventures.Strategic alliances also create value for the customer and save money and build future relationships for the partners.
You Have to Spend Money to Earn Money
It surprises me that many people fail to grasp this concept as they first set out to start their own businesses. Thanks to the power of the Internet, anyone who has a computer and an Internet connection can now START their own online businesses with little investment.
Are You Wasting Your Time In Pursuit Of Money?
There was a time when I had no idea how I could earn money on the net. I had just purchased my computer and got an internet connection.
Earn Top Dollar With Your Affiliate Monthly Income Stream
Virtually all online marketers have attempted lots of schemes and programs. Most online marketers have dropped a load of bread attempting to get going.
Your Own Affiliate Program
What better avenue to drive high quality and targeted traffic to your website than through your very own affiliate opportunity!Plus, you have dozens and dozens of other marketers promoting YOUR wares at no startup cost to you, and on top of your own promotional efforts.Another positive is that it is a win-win situation.
Ten Ways Affiliates Sabotage Themselves
If affiliate marketing is so lucrative, then why do so few ever turn a profit? Read on, and I'll tell you why.1.