How to Nail Down a Need, Then Compare Affiliate Marketing Programs

Jeremy Lytle

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Affiliate marketing is an excellent way of immediately setting up shop online. You don't need a big bankroll to seed your business. You don't need to have your own store, products, customer service, or money-handling operations. You don't need to invest in expensive product websites with spectacular graphics, great copywriting, or ordering pages.

However, you do need to know what to sell. And you do need good, honest, and reliable affiliate programs for what you choose to sell. So here are tips on how to first nail down needs, and then carefully compare affiliate marketing programs so that you can find ones that are right for you.

- Nailing Down Needs – First you need to determine a market and determine how you are going to sell to this market. Explore forums you are already visiting. Study needs that arise in chat rooms, your email contacts, your offline and online business associates past and present, neighbors, and any others who may constitute a valid market. It is very helpful to find a market group with whom you are familiar so that you will already have a sense of their needs. Get a list going of all these people and grow it—experienced marketers know that "the money is in the list" – you may as well get yours started right away! Make a new folder on your computer to copy email communications and other info for sales use later.

- Next search through these contacts you have gathered together and see what their "needs" are. Friends may need seasonal items like holiday cookbooks, winter driving tips, info on holiday travel bargains, etc. Opportunity seekers may be looking for the means to grow their web presence, build traffic or expand their ad campaigns.

- Take these "needs" and start to address them with your affiliate marketing strategies. Type in the item(s) you would like to sell + 'affiliate program' into your favorite search engines, and start a folder with affiliate programs to consider.

- Compare: sign-up terms for each program (Is there is cost? Do you need to make a purchase the item first? Or a monthly minimum purchase?). Take this information into account against any budget considerations you may have. If you can't afford to buy anything upfront, including a sales kit, website package, etc. don't. Instead, start with free programs like Clickbank, where you can sign up for no cost and sell items you find there."

- Next compare earnings & payout info – what amount will you earn? Choose those programs with higher percentages to make it worth your while. Plus compare payment systems, multilevel plans, and set up. Make sure the payment system is one you can use with the resources you have; for example, not all countries accept Paypal. And not all affiliate sales pay regularly; you may need to meet a minimum payout of $100 per month before you receive anything. (You don't want too high of a payout requirement when starting out.)

 So nail down a need, and then nail down affiliate marketing programs with great products that you will be proud to represent. Add excellent programs to your affiliate program portfolio, and cut the "dogs" loose. Soon, you'll be on your way to a profitable home business.

Help your friends and other prospects, and help yourself at the same time!

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