4 Pillars of a Successful Affiliate Website
By Derek Gehl

Today I'd like to "bust" a certain affiliate marketing myth that's been making the rounds since... well, since affiliate marketing started.

It goes something like this...

To be successful as an affiliate, just join any affiliate program, slap their banner ads onto a basic web page, and PRESTO, you've got an INSTANT web business that will make you money hand over fist!!

For the record, YES, you can make a LOT of money by marketing other peoples' products on the Internet...

... but NO, affiliate marketing is NOT a shortcut to instant wealth!

As with any other online business, building a successful affiliate site still requires research, planning, and -- here's that four-letter word I keep insisting on using -- work.

It's like building a house. The more solid the foundation is, the more stable the entire structure will be!

So if you're thinking of starting your own Internet business promoting affiliate products, here are four strategies you MUST follow to GUARANTEE you earn the maximum amount of commissions...

Strategy #1: Start By Finding A Niche Market

I've probably said this a million times, and I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face...

Do NOT get started by choosing the affiliate program you want to join!

Most people who start affiliate sites make the mistake of picking the products they want to promote first, because:

• they look fun to sell
• they think people will want them
• they offer the highest commissions
• they assume the products must be profitable, because so many other people are promoting them.

Trust me, you won't be doing yourself any favors.

You'll end up working around the clock trying to drive qualified traffic to the site, and failing miserably (and you'll likely drop a hefty chunk of change on pay-per-click ads in the process)!

So do your niche market research first...

• What are your interests?
• What kinds of problems are people going online to try to solve, within your areas of interest?
• Which of these problems seem to be neglected by most of the sites out there?

Identify a group of people who are desperately trying to find something online without success -- and then offer them that something. They'll be sure to snap it up.

Strategy #2: Make Sure Your Products Are Relevant and Related

Nothing frustrates me more than seeing all of those affiliate sites out there with banner ads promoting everything from cheap holiday travel to pet health insurance, steak knives to Internet marketing tips...

... all from the SAME page!

I call them "flea market" sites, and they're a complete waste of time!

Make sure that ANY products you promote are closely related to your niche, and closely related to each other!

Otherwise, you'll struggle to find qualified traffic for your site, and you'll have a heck of a time writing copy that directly relates to your visitors' needs.

But worse, you'll also risk hurting your credibility.

That's because, rather than look like someone who has the interests of your visitors in mind, and really wants to help, you'll look like someone who is out to sell anything to make a buck!

Strategy #3: Build A Strong Opt-In List, Then Establish Lasting Relationships With Your Subscribers

When you're an affiliate marketer, email plays a BIG role in your ongoing promotion efforts.

So make sure you start with a strong opt-in offer containing truly useful free information that's relevant to your visitors. Then, over time, continue to send even MORE free information, to start creating that bond.

The more you can PROVE to your opt-in list that you're a reliable source of useful information... the more you can train your subscribers to look forward to hearing from you... the more successful you'll be!

Not only will you build a rapport with your subscribers, you'll establish yourself as an expert in your field, making it easy to recommend your products, which brings us to my final affiliate strategy...

Strategy #4: Personally Recommend Your Products For Maximum Conversions

If you were in the market for a new television, would you be more inclined to purchase a particular model because you saw an ad for it on tv, or because a friend that you trusted recommended that you buy it?

You'd likely go with the recommendation, right?

And most people would...

... which is why plunking down a bunch of affiliate banners or links in a website, and then hoping that someone -- anyone -- will decide to click on them, is NOT going to make sales.

Remember, you've been building relationships with your customers through email marketing... they trust you... they view you as an expert... so now they're open to your opinion.

Take advantage of that to TELL them about the products they should consider purchasing... and why they should own them.

They'll actually appreciate the recommendations, and as a result, your conversion rates will soar!

While affiliate marketing isn't the "magic bullet" that will let you enjoy instant success online, it IS possible to earn substantial profits promoting other peoples' products...

... If you do this:

Start by clearly defining your market, and then build an information-rich website that your audience will WANT to visit. Be sure ONLY to include products that are relevant, and take advantage of your site to build your credibility and establish yourself as an expert.

At the same time, be sure to build a large list of qualified subscribers, and take advantage of email marketing to both build lasting relationships, and promote your products.

With the right planning and research -- and a reasonable amount of effort -- you'll be well on your way to a successful website recommending affiliate products.


To your success,

Derek Gehl

Online Retail Defies the Recession
By Chris Malta,
CEO Worldwide Brands

It's clear there's a recession going on. Costs of living are climbing, along with unemployment and bankruptcies.

But here's some good news...

E-commerce is thriving in spite of these negative conditions according to Forrester Research. And throughout the remainder of this year and beyond it's predicted to continue growing rapidly.

In fact, many e-business owners report increased sales over this same period last year.

Internet retailer Andreas Georgio, of AndreasInc.com, says, "[The recession] isn't affecting me at all. Actually, my business has doubled almost every year since I started."

Shawna Fennell, founder of 1Choice4YourStore.com, is equally optimistic. "I'm going into our Yahoo stores, and I'm thinking 'Where's the recession?'" she says.

"You don't see it unless you go into the local mall and there's nobody there."

Look for e-commerce to experience over $130 billion of growth in the next four years, says Forrester Research.

Their February 2008 report, The Outlook for U.S. eCommerce in 2008 and Beyond, projects that ecommerce sales will jump from $204 billion this year to nearly $335 billion in 2012.

Growth Factors

Offline retail sales growth has slowed to a near standstill. So why is eCommerce flourishing?

Forrester cites several reasons consumers are doing more and more of their shopping online:

• For convenience
  
• To research products online
  
• To purchase anything, any time

The research also shows that frequent online shoppers are unlikely to slow their spending any time soon.

Generally speaking, online shoppers have higher income levels than average consumers and are more insulated from the effects of recession. They also tend to be more optimistic about their financial futures.

Overcoming Online Challenges

This is GREAT news for your e-business!

But even in a recession-proof market, you still have to provide the kind of buying experience your visitors are after... or they won't be back.

Forrester Research suggests some key issues you need to tackle if you want to convert your visitors and get repeat business.

• Shipping charges
  The most common issue scaring customers away is higher-than-expected shipping charges.
  
  While you can't eliminate shipping costs, you can help yourself by NOT padding your shipping charges. Avoid lowering your product price by falsely inflating your shipping costs. Potential customers will likely abandon their shopping-cart, never to return.



• Back orders
  The second-biggest cause of online shoppers' dissatisfaction is back-ordered products. That's why you must constantly monitor your inventory levels and your suppliers' product levels -- particularly on your popular sellers.
  
  Some wholesalers allow you to watch stock levels on their website. For others, you'll need to call periodically to check their product status.
  
  Keeping a close eye on your wholesaler's inventory becomes even more critical if you're a drop shipper. After all, you're not the only seller dipping into their supply. So when you see they're nearly out of an item, protect yourself and remove the listing from your website until they restock.
  
  It's also smart to order a few of your best-selling items and keep them on hand. Then, if your supplier runs short before you can pull the item listing. you won't find yourself in a back-order situation.

If you can overcome these basic operational hurdles, you're putting your eCommerce business in a position to profit.

The Outlook for eCommerce

Your online business may very well be your best bet for beating the bad economy.

To learn more about the state of the online retail industry and the best ways to grow your e-business, sign up for WorldwideBrands.com's free 'Winning with eCommerce' video series