Affiliate Marketing Success

* Becoming an affiliate is free, low start-up costs.
* Work from a office, be your own boss (yet work hard and consistently to succeed).
* The opportunity to earn side income or even replace the job if you stick with it, can build a real home business with unlimited income potential virtually risk free.
* Very low business overhead investment, no product development costs, etc.
* NO hard sells or cold-calling! One of my favorites, however you DO have to work hard behind the scenes getting traffic and conversions, though in person referrals work, too
* NO shipping or storing of products - you don't even touch the product!
* Work a flexible time schedule that eventually allows residual and passive income, make money while you sleep or play.

* NO hard sells or cold-calling! Great, however you DO have to work hard behind the scenes getting traffic and conversions. The affiliate must take action in creating quality referrals and to promote them with smarts in order to GET the web traffic.

==> What affiliate marketing is NOT: <==
* Not a get-rich-quick scheme! There are tons of affiliate marketers out there who haven't made a dime - you have to WORK at it beyond throwing some links out there in a haphazard way.
* Not a guaranteed income. Affiliate income is commission-based on a percentage of sales, and that will fluctuate.
* Once you begin earning, the amount of paperwork, tracking, record-keeping that's ongoing. You'll develop systems for managing this, and unless you can outsource it, the paperwork of running a home business well enough to keep the IRS happy is significant.
* The learning curve! Yes, you MUST invest in educating yourself with quality mentors and training. Most affiliate marketers never make a dime, sad but true. Often they are led to believe all they have to do is throw some links out there and that's it. Wrong! There's much to learn if you actually want to succeed. The internet has become huge and over crowded with tough competition. As the saying goes... "Failing to plan is planning to fail. so DO find quality training and invest the time to avoid common mistakes.

The above list could be considered negatives IF the person trying to become an affiliate marketer believed otherwise. If you are aware of all the points above and can accept them as realities in the life of an affiliate marketer, then you just might be ready to affiliate with success.

If you are going to become an affiliate, then I'd recommend you do so only for products you have used yourself and know something about personally. WHY would you recommend this product or service? If you cannot honestly give a detailed answer to that question, then there's no integrity in recommending such. Can you describe specific benefits and features of your product in detail? If not, then some other affiliate can, and WILL do so...and that affiliate earned the sale.

The internet is already loaded with trashy affiliate pages that list link after link with zilch description nor details about WHY a person might consider such a product or service. I hope you don't buy from these people and the last thing you'd want to do is become another one of them. There's much more integrity in recommending a small handful of top products well, than to spill out a bunch of naked affiliate links. Naked? Yes, for if it is only a link with no real reasons for the referral, then it is naked, not clothed appropriately, and considered in poor taste.

Affiliate marketing has grown and become so common that a company trying to do business WITHOUT an affiliate program nowadays is missing out. This includes common storefronts that you might not have considered. They all need affiliates to promote their products! Here are just a few of the BIG brand-name companies that now use affiliate programs to promote their products online:

* Barnes & Noble * Dell * Discover Card * Dollar Rent-a-Car * eBay * Eddie Bauer * Gateway * Gap * KMart * New York Times * NBC * Old Navy * Patagonia * PayLess Shoes * PetSmart * SONY * Sports Authority * Staples * TimeLife * USA Today * Verizon Wireless * Weight Watchers

The list grows all the time. If you already use the services or shop at one of the stores above and know that business well, then that might be a perfect affiliate relationship. Also, just about ALL credit card companies now have affiliate programs. Direct someone to their webpage from yours and if they fill out an application, then YOU get paid. If same person gets approved for a credit card, then you get paid MORE! Best of all, this income is automatic and passive.

Rosalind Gardner is often referred to as the affiliate marketing queen! For good reason, since she has actively taught affiliate marketing since 1998. She is totally honest and trustworthy, will show you how to steer around scams and strategies that will just frustrate you. All of her materials - from her blog to website to ebooks are created in a style that is easy to read, personable, informative and always up to date. She teaches by example, doesn't just tell you what to do but shows by example. Study her and note how she actually does things, from the way she writes her website (Net Profits Today) to her blog organization to the way she sets up her office (see that on You Tube below). Learn more about becoming a professional affiliate with Rosalind.

Rosalind Gardner has published two books about affiliate marketing. One is much shorter and not nearly as comprehensive about the best strategies. You can also find her books in text elsewhere, but I don't recommend you do that for two reasons...
One reason is that they will not be updated. The internet changes on steroids, and by the time any book appears in print, there will be new issues that were not included. Her digital copies come with free updates. The other reason you might avoid buying her book elsewhere is that while you would spend around the same price, you would miss out on all of the the bonus items including the support, and that is HUGE! Rosalind's most popular book 'The Super Affiliate Handbook' is very highly recommended as a consistently popular guide to affiliate marketing for over a decade.

What IS a 'Super Affiliate' exactly? They are those at the top of the earnings tier because they've learned skills that turn the key, that make the puzzle pieces fit. Their actions are not random nor do they just promote 'any' product, they choose carefully in products and promotional efforts and stay focused and determined. Rosalind is the queen of affiliate marketing and teaches exactly how to become a 'Super Affiliate' for those willing to learn, and anyone can make that choice. Will you?

Affiliate networks are sort of like brokers for many different companies. Get accepted into a network, then you are free to promote any of the products within that network. Some of the major networks are: Clickbank, Commission Junction and Linkshare. One big advantage of focusing on affiliate sales through these networks is that the record-keeping is done for you. Affiliate marketers must keep track of sales & income for tax purposes, and the networks will have it all stored in their database.

Some companies offer their own affiliate programs independent of a network like those above. This is fine as long as they don't ask you for a fee and provide you with the appropriate tools for promotion. Amazon and eBay both have their own well-developed affiliate programs independent of any other network.

Some affiliate marketers find it easier to promote products from only one network, such as Clickbank. Clickbank offers digital downloads only, rather than a physical product of any kind. Commission rates for the affiliate tend to be higher for digital downloads.

All of the programs work in a pretty similar way, and I'd rather choose based on my knowledge of the product itself rather than the source of the affiliate program. If I find a product I really value, then I will recommend it whether it is a network or individual. One reason many find that the networks are easier has to do with record-keeping, since the networks will have systems in place for that so the marketer doesn't need to create it themselves. Also there's less to learn and less websites to visit with it all in one primary place.

I began learning from Bob Jenkins many years ago when he was still teaching high school. His massive success and popularity online allowed him to transition to full time working for himself as a trusted mentor and resource for those who are developing an online business. Bob's talent as a teacher is apparent. He knows we all learn differently, and so presents his material in ways so that regardless of your preferred learning stlye, you will find it there. He uses mutlimedia of many kinds, and offers entire libraries of information (like the one below) at no cost to his followers. Bob is also a PRO at mindmaps, and creates them as a visual aid for simpler understanding and to check progress.

You are invited to the internet success library, where all the best tools and information are available in ONE place! Assembled by one of the few people I know online that I trust completely, fellow teacher Bob Jenkins. Make sure you check out this invaluable free resource if you are working from home to make money online. Click below to visit.

Internet Marketing Made Easy - Learn quickly from Bob The Teacher

Many (most) online review websites are junk, created only with an agenda in mind. For example, here's my review of X product and here's why you don't want it...yada yada yada...and then here's what you REALLY want instead. These sites started showing up a few years ago, and now they flood the internet. Few sites exist that give a truly unbiased viewpoint, one without an agenda in mind. Actual unbiased reviews that truly exist to be a real and reliable evaluation about a product, service, person or company are very rare. After steadfast searches for just that, I've come to rely on ... only one site ... Internet Marketing Report Card.

Why is internet marketing (IM) report card different? Why might any person go THERE instead of other so-called review sites? Because what you will find there is real and unbiased reviews, first of all. No affiliate links are allowed, let alone strong promotional language nor biased viewpoints. Reviews are done by independent staff, and comments are allowed there only from those with first hand experience with whatever or whoever is being reviewed, with no affiliate links allowed ever. That means there's no advantage to those interested in 'reviewing' a product or person just for their own gain. Membership is FREE!

Whenever I'm considering a new program or purchase, I check it out with IM Report Card FIRST. An excellent resource for those who make money online, for just about anything or any person related to internet marketing has been reviewed there.




I strongly urge you to go to IM Report Card and become a member, free. Then check their reviews before purchasing any product or service online to get the unbiased perspective of people, services or products.

See the reviews and testimonials about Rosalind Gardner from readers of her book at the IM Report Card site.

As a lover of art and inspirational words, there are a few favorite websites that I've followed for many years. I've read the books, received the newsletters and continue to do so because I find them of such high value. I've created lenses on Squidoo about two of my favorite artists: SARK and Artella. So I'm proud to represent them as an affiliate as well.



Then there's Mike Dooley of TUT fame, that stands for Totally Unique Thoughts. He's a writer and has created a most enriching web community that I've enjoyed for years as well as his books.



Members at tut.com believe that LIFE is the ultimate adventure because in the jungles of time and space our thoughts become things and dreams do come true! Join free and enjoy the many adventures here at TUT Affiliates

The Thrillionaire Community (not to be confused with trillionaire - think 'thrill' instead) is well-worth the time to explore. I include thrillionaires here for two reasons:
1) You really need to hear the inspirational story about Nik Havik, and how the 'thrillionaires' community started.
*2) Their affiliate program is one of the most well-developed systems I've seen anywhere. Whether you are brand new to affiliate marketing or more advanced, there's plenty to learn there in specific step-by-step videos about any topic related to affiliate marketing. The TRAINING there is 1st rate, and FREE just by becoming a trillionaire affiliate at no charge.



HIGHLY recommended! Got a Bucket List? Ever considered such? Then take your bucket list ideas to the thrillionaire community. You will be THRILLED!

You might have noticed recently some phrases on websites that indicate an income for the webmaster for sales. That is because this is now required and so it is beginning to appear on affiliate web pages, even though the site owners are not happy about having to do so. A short phrase such as this one will suffice for disclosure...'this webpage receives a small stipend for purchases originating here, thanks.'

• Internet Marketing Report Card


• Internet Income University Review


• Lens Promotion in Motion


• Female Internet Marketing Leaders