How to make money with affiliate programs.

How to make money with affiliate programs

Successful web entrepreneurs earn thousands of dollars monthly with affiliate programs by advertising using their website. You choose the merchants for whom you want to advertise and join their program. There usually is no cost to sign up. An affiliate Program (also called associate, reseller or partnership program) is a revenue sharing system used by companies to market their products and services.

There are different types of pay plans:

Pay per sale: Refer a visitor to the merchant's site and she makes a purchase, you get a percentage of the sale.
Bounty: You get a one-time payment for the customer you referred.
Pay per click: you get paid for every visitor you send to the merchant regardless of any sale or purchase.
Pay per lead: You get paid a one-time fee for a lead for the merchant.

Two-Tier: You get commission on direct sales and also on sales generated by associates you recruit up to two levels down. You simply refer other Webmasters to join the affiliate program and then you get commission on sales they generate from their web site, that is in addition to the commission on sales you generate directly from your web site.

Sometimes merchants pay you a one time bounty for referring other Webmasters to the affiliate program.

Advertise by placing merchant "banners", "buttons" or text links on your website. Visitors at your website will click on the links to purchase items from merchants. Product ordering, shipping and payment are all handled by the merchant. You get paid for sending them customers.

If you already have developed a website, then choose programs that relate to the existing subject of your site, or choose programs and develop new web pages that are designed to promote the product(s).

Things to consider: Can you join without buying the product? How often will you get paid? Do you get credited for a sale if people come back in month to make a purchase? What is the pay plan? Is there access to sales statistics?

How to join affiliate programs

Here are a list of the major affiliate programs. Just click on the banner to check out each program and sign up.

B Fast

Refer-it is one of the premier directories of affiliate programs.

Spree

Plug N Go

Web's Biggest Directory of Associate, Affiliate Programs

Affiliates Directory <http://www.affiliatesdirectory.com/> helps you find the latest and best Affiliate Programs, Associate Programs, Partner Programs and Referral Programs. They have thousands of affiliate programs.

Cash Pile <http://www.cashpile.com/> has a large directory of affiliate programs. There is also a list of banner exchange programs and marketing sites to help you increase traffic to your site.

AffiliateWorld.com has prepared a number of articles for webmasters on affiliate programs. It also has over 400 selected programs you can join. Affiliate World has prepared a number of articles for webmasters on affiliate programs. It also has over 400 selected programs you can join.

Atlnetwork.com is a large, easy to navigate directory of affiliate programs.

Clickquick.com provides in-depth reviews of affiliate and pay per click programs. All the links are organized by category and listed alphabetically.

Make Money Now has a large list of affiliate programs, and also provides information on banner ads and credit card processing.

Get a list of two-tier affiliate programs at iboost

Tips for success with affiliate programs

1. Select affiliate programs from well known established companies that have a reputation for delivering quality products and/or services. Ask for references and testimonials before joining if you are unsure. Any reputable affiliate program owner will be happy to give out names of people to contact if they have nothing to hide.

2. Choose programs that pays you 10% or more on your personal sales, and ideally ones that pays residual or recurring commissions. Those that pay on your additional tiers are even more attractive, as this becomes a way to build residual income over time.

3. Create your own Website. It is a good idea to create your own web page on your domain which links to the website the affiliate provided for you when you joined their program. Prospects are more likely to buy from a web site they know and trust, rather than the obvious reseller. Bringing the prospect to your web site will give you the opportunity to offer a further endorsement of the product or service before sending the prospect on to the affiliate's website. This strategy also serves a few other purposes as well: you will have the opportunity to request the prospects e-mail address for your opt-in list; introduce the prospect to any other affiliate programs you may be promoting; and give you a more professional appearance.

4. Get or create an opt-in mailing list. No other promotion will serve you better than obtaining our own opt-in e-mail list. This can be done by creating your own newsletter or e-zine.

If the thought of publishing a full blown newsletter overwhelms you, then think about creating and maintaining an email broadcast instead to obtain opt-in subscribers. Everyone has either a special interest, skill, or talent that can be put into a tips email daily or weekly email broadcast. This is all you need to get your opt-in list started.

5. Generate traffic to YOUR WEBSITE not the affiliate's website. Having your own website will give you more opportunities to influence the prospect into becoming a buyer. Most buyers do not buy on the first message. Having buyers come to your website from an ad you placed instead of linking directly to the affiliate's website, is providing you with one more opportunity to sell the product or service using an endorsement.

6. With all the competition you have from other affiliates selling the same product and services that you are, it is a good idea to differentiate yourself by adding value. This can be done by offering something free with the purchase of the product or service. Generally a free subscription to a newsletter, a free report, or an ebook can generate enough interest for the prospect to take the extra step and click on your link.

7. Say it in a different way. Almost every affiliate program offers their affiliates ad copy to use when marketing. In this highly competitive market you cannot expect to draw the interest of many "would be" prospects by serving up the same ad copy they are seeing day in and day out from ads placed by fellow affiliates. A good affiliate knows their product and all the features and benefits associated with it. It is the salesperson who takes the time to learn everything there is to know about the product or service they are selling who has no trouble coming up with original compelling ad. This ad expounds upon the features and benefits of what they are selling and entices the prospect to look more closely.

Affiliate Marketing Mastery by Paul Barrs is an indispensible resource for making money with affiliate programs.

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