Affiliate Marketing Help

The steps in affiliate marketing are simple. Finding the right program is what can be time consuming. The following is a plan that should give you the affiliate marketing help you need to get started.

Step 1: Join a major affiliate network. You can join cj.com, linkshare.com, shareasale.com, or Clickbank.com. Then browse through the products they offer and find something you would like to promote.

Step 2: Start driving traffic to your affiliate link. You can use the “Google Cash” method to test several markets in a very short period of time. Simply use Google Adwords to advertise the affiliate product you are selling, and for the destination URL, put your affiliate link.

Step 3: Create a website around the profitable programs from Step 2. Create a simple 5 or 6 page website and start sending your traffic to the site instead of straight to your affiliate link. On the site, attempt to capture the name and email address of visitors and encourage them to click your link while on your site.

Step 4: Begin marketing the affiliate product via email. Aweber.com is a great solution for gathering names and emails, and then marketing to your subscribers. In your communications with customers, not only should you promote the affiliate products you are selling, but start asking them what products and services you could sell them outside of the affiliate’s offerings. Ideally ask them what they would be willing to pay for them.

Step 5: Once you find an affiliate program that made money from Adwords from step 2, is still profitable and grows your list from step 3, and gets great product and service requests from your list in step 4, you are ready to start selling your own products and services. If you can, try to take pre-orders to minimize your risk before developing something. Once you feel good about the risk level, go ahead and create the product or service and start selling it with the Adwords ads in steps 2 & 3 and to your list from step 4.

Step 6: When you have your business up and running, begin exploring new ways to drive traffic to your site and start testing the offers you put in front of those visitors. Improve your process over time and you will have turned a low risk marketing effort into a proven and profitable business.

Is Affiliate Marketing Just Another Name For MLM

It is generally accepted that MLM or Multi-Level Marketing is just another term for Network Marketing. But it is less known that Affiliate Marketing is merely a modern offshoot of this tried and tested concept. The huge growth in the Affiliate marketing industry is due in large part to the application of MLM techniques where members are paid commissions on sales and a percentage of the sales earned by members recruited into their downline.

Often MLM companies have gotten bad press. In the past, and even today, there are many instances of Ponzi Schemes, Get Rich Quick scams and other techniques to get honest people to part with their hard-earned cash. The problem is that these scams have tarnished the Network Marketing Industry. Affiliate Marketing must be careful to remain reputable, in particular due to the volatile nature of the Internet.

However not all MLM/Network companies are bad. In fact, I would even tend to say the majority of them are quite the opposite. But the difficulty for the Layman is identifying a company that they would be willing to sacrifice time and in many cases money for.

Many "Network" Marketing Companies are now calling themselves "Net" Marketing companies, which further blurs the traditional business models that have come to be regarded as the norm on the internet.

How can we define the distinction between Network Marketing and Affiliate Marketing? Is there any difference anymore? Strangely enough, it appears that many of the people becoming involved with Affiliate programs are those who would have nothing to do with MLM programs. Even less with any kind of Matrix or Ponzi scheme.

There are several key points to look for when considering whether you will be dealing with a bona-fide organization. The first and most important is this: Will you be paid for selling products/services, or is the commission received only for recruiting new members into the organization?

It is fine to receive commissions on sales, but consider the ethics of promising a huge income to someone only for recruiting them into a shallow dream of constant downline building for profit. If you have to pay to join the organization, make sure that you are getting something in return. Don't be fooled by promises of "Ground Floor Opportunities". Never pay for a position, only products or services.

Look for a company that can provide you with what you need to get started quickly and with no cost to join. Make sure they offer plenty of ready made materials that are free for members. Also ensure they give good and ethical advice about how to develop the business.

Next, what is the potential size of the market of the products or services you will be promoting? Is the market still growing? There are literally millions of products out there needed promoted. On the other hand, many of the markets are flooded. Identify growth areas. Find a niche. And stick with it. Use the tried and tested techniques provided by your upline, whether involved in Affiliate Marketing or MLM.

Promote the products that you use yourself. It is much easier to be enthusiastic about something you use as opposed to something you are merely pushing for profit. Sales will come to you much easier.