Introduction
Affiliate marketing, is a times tested proven business model, it is used by nearly every large organization associated with the 
moving of goods or services and provides a very healthy income, for those who do it right. You only have to look at companies like Target, Walmart and Best Buy, who are successful at Offline Affiliate Marketing. These companies take a product from a supplier and sells it to a customer. The seller, Best Buy makes money on the sale and the manufacture has multiple outlets in which the product is sold. The advantage to the seller is no cost to manufacture, development and warranties.
The advantage to the manufacture is multiple outlets in which the product is sold.
Online Affiliate Marketing, is very similar. The Affiliate Marketer offers a product to a customer and makes money on the sale. The Affiliate Company has multiple outlets in which the product is sold. Both benefit from the sale.
The advantage to the Affiliate Marketer is they don’t have to develop the product, no inventory, no shipping and no warranty claims. The Affiliate Company has an advantage in that they don’t have to hire sales people to sell the product, they have a ready made “seller” who is commission based.
A Few Draw Backs
While this sound great, there are some draw backs. The Affiliate Marketer makes a commission on the sale of the product. Commissions can vary from 10% all the way to 100%. Choose the wrong commission structure and making money with affiliate marketing can be long. Affiliate Marketers tend to look at a quick return for their marketing efforts. Affiliate marketing does take time and effort in the marketing side to get customers buying your product.
Another consideration, is the Affiliate Company. Choose the wrong company and your reputation is on the line.
But when you consider that by marketing a proven product on your blog, website or other means of marketing, and knowing the time consistency, earning a very decent income is possible and in fact many online professionals use affiliate products to grow their business.
Your job is identify the types of products that people need, want and must have, then ensure that your products/service match their needs. Add in to the mix multiple levels of people marketing this and following a proven system. You have the potential to earn a very significant income, in less time than it takes to build up, just one network marketing business.
And remember, the only cost to you is the marketing side. In most cased with one sale you have covered the cost of advertising. But again a word of caution. Don’t go crazy on the advertising until you see how the product sells. As said before, choosing the wrong product to the wrong people and it can get costly. Budget and don’t go over the budget until you see how the product sells.
How Much Time?
Finally, determine how much time you have to devote to your affiliate marketing. It does take time to get noticed but once done the income is awesome. As mentioned, affiliate marketing is a great business model for large companies the same is true for the home based business owner. It can build fast when you know how. It is a forgiving business model in the fact that even done wrong many affiliate marketers make money but maybe not what they expected.
Because you don’t own the product, you are capable of finding another Affiliate Company and promoting that product either in addition to or by itself. For example, a good friend has promoted as many as 2o different product over the course of 6 years. With a couple, he has make over a 6 figure income. With a few others a decent income and with a couple nothing.
Gaining the knowledge and experience he now picks and choose the product he wants and to who he targets the products for.
While there is no ‘designated’ rule book or definitive course on affiliate marketing, that I have found to be any good on this subject (there are hundred of books and gurus who will tell you different) I have found them either out dated or confusing. The best course of action, if affiliate marketing makes sense is to jump in, make a few mistakes, get the knowledge and follow a few tips and advice from someone who is in the mix.
Summery
This is a short introduction and my hopes is that I have at lease sparked an interest in Affiliate Marketing. Over the next five weeks I will have more detailed articles on the various subjects of affiliate marketing. Again, my intent is not to confuse, offer hundreds of worthless pages of content, but to give you a few ideas, lessen the mistakes, get the knowledge for you to build from.
And if all this makes sense to you…you may just like to join me in some of the most advance and proven affiliate products.
I have found affiliate marketing easy, fun and very rewarding.
Look for the next series in this course….“What Is Affiliate Marketing” in which I go into greater depth.
Until then, great marketing
