http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/internet/affiliate-programs/easy-start-affiliate-selling-how-to-make-money-from-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/internet/affiliate-programs/easy-start-affiliate-selling-how-to-make-money-from-home.html Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
It sounds great, doesn't it? Sign up as an affiliate, make money while you sleep?

Having looked into it, you may have found it was a bit more complicated, and that it could cost you money to start up.

You may have wondered how to find something that works for you.

Isn't it frustrating?

We all know that people are making money from affiliate selling. Some make a useful little income as a sideline, some make a living from it. There may be some people who say they are making more than they do. But affiliate schemes are big business on the net, not only because people are finding a way to boost or even replace their regular income, but because good affiliate marketing works. People are looking on the web all the time, to buy, to find information, to communicate. More and more companies and individuals are selling on the net, and they often turn to affiliate marketers to help them. A good affiliate marketer finds products people want, and builds a rapport with their customers. Good for the makers of the product, who reach more people for free; good for the affiliate who makes money without having to make a product or ship it.

But which one is the one to go for, if you are new to this, or have previously signed up as an affiliate for something that didn't work for you? What is it you are looking for?

Picking products from Clickbank and similar marketplaces, works well for many people. You choose the product or products you like, you sign up, you get promoting. You can do your promoting for free, so it just takes your time. However, you either have to be good at setting up all the systems you need (a website is useful, as is an auto-responder to send out all those e-mails to your enquirers). That takes time, and you need to learn new skills, or to pay someone to do the bits you haven't the time and patience for.

When you start out, there's always the question: 'Have I chosen some good products here?' Most people advise that you buy and try the product to make sure you are happy with it. Very good advice, but it is not everyone's cup of tea. Sometimes, you want something simpler.

We've all heard of 'plug-in' schemes, where it is all automatic, you don't have to build websites and systems. Yes, there are people who make money with these, but there are also people who spend an awful lot on their 'plug-ins' and advertising, and don't get much of a return. I was quite shocked to receive an e-mail from someone whose mailing list I had joined some time back, giving a figure representing the amount spent by affiliates who bought everything they were advised to, to make their affiliate business work. This was from someone who had been trying to draw me into the business for weeks, suddenly saying - 'Look, don't do that, do this....and it costs this much'. Well, I unsubscribed on the spot, and congratulated myself on not jumping in too quickly.

Is there another way?

Have you considered promoting products you can hold in your hands, rather than the electronic and information products that are so widely available? This is my area of choice, and just the other day I found another opportunity which appears very straightforward and easy to promote.

It ticks all the boxes for me: it is a product (in fact a range of products) that I am happy selling, I can see what it is, it comes from a company with a proven track record, and everything on the website looks straightforward. There is even a section devoted to explaining how to be an affiliate (See under 'Business Opportunity' and 'Affiliates').

This affiliate programme launched in the UK this month. I only just found out about it - being half-term, we have been on holiday. There is a special offer ending 30th May, so it is worth looking now.

Here's my link to the website, or you can read more on my squidoo lens (see 'About the Author'):

http://www.honeyjewellery.co.uk/83.html



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Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/internet/online-business/how-do-you-find-the-best-work-at-home-internet-business.html http://www.articletrader.com/internet/online-business/how-do-you-find-the-best-work-at-home-internet-business.html Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 -0500
All across the internet, people are telling you how much money they are making online. Some are selling their own products, others are affiliate marketers; some are in niche marketing, some prefer the internet marketing niche.

Some are telling the truth, some are very likely not. Almost everyone wants to sell you something. So how do you choose? What is the best way for you to run an internet business, working from home? Are you looking to assess how good an opportunity is, or building your own? Where do you get that essential juicy information, and stay up to date?

Well, those are the critical words. Stay up to date. Some things keep on working, so if they aren’t broke, we don’t need to fix them. Other things move fast on the web. Ways of finding and keeping customers are changing, and customers’ needs are constantly changing too. Before you put your heart and soul into promoting your product, or anyone else’s you need to know if people want it.

So what do customers want?

Searching out your keywords is still the big test of what’s hot. Get onto a keyword research tool (like the one on http tools.seobook.com) see how often your keyword, or string of keywords, is searched for every day. Over 20 searches a day is okay, over 35 is better, more is great. Then stroll over to Google and put your keywords in, and see how many pages come up offering you information. You want to be offering something that people are looking for every day, but one where you haven’t masses of competition. I look for under 30,000 pages for preference.

Whether you are staying in the internet marketing field, or checking out other niches, you need to narrow things down so you have the search demand and competing pages in a reasonable balance. Then you have a better chance of your potential customers finding you. Then you need them to choose your site over the others.

Pointing the Way – Helping Customers Find You

When I was new to internet marketing, wanting to work at home and generate some useful income, I came across the term ‘bum marketing’. Being British, I didn’t get it at first. Of course, it is getting your advertising for free. Writing an article like this is the classic example of a nifty bit of bum marketing. A content-rich, well-written article will fly round the web giving people information that they want. And you are usually allowed to put a little bit at the end saying who you are, what you do, and where to find your website. Yes, it’s a way of generating some traffic at no cost. Generally, helping others is a good thing to do, as long as you can spare the time. Help people and they will remember you, and they may also tell other people too.

Reputation, Reputation, Reputation – You Just Can’t Get Enough

We all know that in real estate, it’s location, location, location. Well, in internet marketing, your reputation is massively important.

Web stickiness and ‘Web 2.0’ social networking combine to spread bad reputations fast. Building and keeping a good reputation is helped by the same mechanism. When your customers like you, trust you and find your products good value – they will of course tell their friends, bookmark you and spread the word.

So treat your customers as you would like to be treated; offer them plenty of value, good products and throw in some freebies. Yes, freebies, good ones! These are among the rules for success on the web now. Build good relationships with your customers, and they will come back, and even bring others with them.

Bear these things in mind, and you will know a good niche or product when you see it, and you will have some idea of how to build your business. Look for businesses with lots of genuine happy customers, because that is the kind you want to build too.

Resource Box: Do you want to learn the new rules of internet marketing? If so, Lee McIntyre is the best man to watch. Down-to-earth, this ex-teacher knows his stuff, and tells you how to copy his methods. He made $7,230.95 in June 2007 before going full-time in August as an internet marketer. Interested? Visit: http://www.leemcintyrenewlsletter.com



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Chris is a new kid on the block. glad to be finding some useful tips and glad to share them.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>