Press Release Summary = Get started today by selling products for other sites.
Press Release Body = Q: I\'d like to start an e-business using affiliate programs, but I don\'t really understand how it all works or how I can make money. Can you enlighten me?
A: Prepare to be enlightened. There are a number of reasons why affiliate programs can be an excellent way to start an e-business. Before we dive into the specifics of your question, however, let me explain how an affiliate program (and affiliate marketing in general) works.
An affiliate program is just another way for a company to sell its products. By signing up affiliates who will market the company\'s products for a commission, the company can effectively expand its sales force and market reach without adding employees or overhead. The more affiliates a company has, the more people selling its products and the more revenue the company makes. An affiliate is an individual (or a company) that signs up with an affiliate program with the intent of marketing the affiliate company\'s products on a commission basis. An affiliate is not an employee or a contractor. The affiliate receives no perks from the company other than the right to market or resell the company\'s products.
Thousands of companies have launched successful affiliate programs, from Internet giants like eBay and Amazon.com to traditional businesses like Hallmark and AT&T. The very fact that these kinds of companies have launched affiliate programs tells you that a well-managed affiliate program can do much for a company\'s bottom line.
If you\'re unfamiliar with how affiliate marketing works, here is the process:
First, you sign up with a company to market its products. Signing up usually involves registering at the company\'s Web site or through an affiliate management site like ClickBank or LinkShare . The company will typically assign you a unique affiliate ID or tracking URL that you will use when marketing the product online. Next, you market the product from your Web site or through other means of online advertising. When someone clicks the link embedded with your affiliate ID, he or she is taken to the company\'s Web site to make the purchase. Using cookies or other digital tracking methods, the company notes your affiliate ID as the referring affiliate and pays you the commission if the customer buys. There are several advantages to starting an affiliate marketing business:
Startup costs are free or minimal. Many affiliate programs let you sign on for free, which means your only costs to begin your business will be the money you spend on advertising the product. Some affiliate programs do charge a fee, but those affiliate programs are typically the ones that provide you with additional tools and assistance to help start your business. An example would be if the company provides you with a customized Web site from which to sell, you will probably be charged a fee, though the fee should be a fraction of what you would spend to build the site and develop products on your own. You do not need your own product. Since you are marketing someone else\'s products, you don\'t have to create or manufacturer a product of your own, which is often a huge barrier to entry for new entrepreneurs. You have no distribution or customer service costs. When an order is placed, the company handles delivery and customer service issues for you. This is especially nice if you are selling big-ticket items that require special shipping and handling or specialized products that lend themselves to customer hand-holding. You do not need a Web site of your own. One nice thing about affiliate marketing is that you don\'t need a Web site from which to market products. Many affiliate marketers sell through Google and Overture\'s pay-per-click programs , which means that the customer comes directly from Google rather than the affiliate\'s Web site. It is my opinion that having a Web site will increase sales conversions since you can create a sales page that helps sell the product to the customer, but if you dont like to go through the hassle of creating a website or paying for your own hosting and domain, then you should consider companies like Google, Overture, or MTT to help you do your work . You don\'t pay until after you get results and/or sales. They basically do all your work for you, while you just recieve payments from your affiliated companies. You can quickly begin making money. One of the most appealing aspects of affiliate programs is how quickly you can begin making money. You can literally sign up as an affiliate and begin making money in minutes. The bottom line is this: You can make a lot of money with affiliate programs if you pick a good product with mass appeal and do your part to promote it. As with any new business venture, it\'s all about marketing.
2025
