[skyjoe76]

Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective and powerful ways of earning some money online. It gives everybody a chance to make a profit through the Internet. Since these affiliate marketing programs are easy to join, implement and pays a commission on a regular basis, more an more people are now willing in this business.

However, like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls in the affiliate marketing business. Committing some of the most common mistakes will cost the marketers a large portion taken from the profit they are making everyday. Here you can avoid three common mistakes.

Mistake number 1: Choosing the wrong affiliate.

Many people want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. In their rush to be part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. This is the kind of products that the program thinks is “hot”. They choose the product that is in demand without actually considering if the product appeals to them. This is not a very wise move obviously.

Instead of jumping on the bandwagon, try top choose a product in which you are truly interested in. For any endeavor to succeed, you should take some time to plan and figure out your actions.

Pick a product that appeals to you. Then do some research about that product to see if they are in demand. Promoting a product you are more passionate about is easier than promoting one for the sake of the earnings only.

Mistake number 2: Joining too many affiliate programs.

Since affiliate programs are very easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiples of affiliate programs to try and maximize the earnings you will be getting. Besides you may think that there is nothing wrong and nothing to lose by being part of many affiliate programs.

True, that is a great way to have multiple sources of income. However, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time will prevent you from concentrating on each one of them.

The result? The maximum potential of your affiliate program is not realized and the income generated will not exactly be as huge as you were thinking initially it would. The best way to get excellent result is by joining just one program that pays a 40% commission at least. Then give it your best effort by promoting your products enthusiastically. As soon as you see that it is already making a reasonable profit, then maybe you can now join another affiliate program.

The technique is to do it slowly but surely. There is really no need to rush into things, especially with affiliate marketing. With the way things are going, the future is looking real bright and it seems affiliate marketing will be staying for a long time too.

Mistake number 3: Not buying the product or using the service.

As an affiliate, you main purpose is to effectively and convincingly promote a product or service and to find customers. For you to achieve this purpose, you must be able to relay to the customers that certain product and service. It is therefore difficult for you to do this when you yourself have not tried these things out. Thus, you will fail to promote and recommend them convincingly. You will also fail to create a desire in your customers to avail any of what you are offering.

Try the product or service personally first before you sign up as an affiliate to see if it is really delivering what it promises. If you have done so, then you are one of the credible and living testaments aware of its advantages and disadvantages. Your customers will then feel the sincerity and truthfulness in you and this will trigger them to try them out for themselves.

Many affiliate marketers makes these mistakes and are paying dearly for their actions. To not fall into the same situation they have been in, try to do everything to avoid making the same mistakes.

Time is the key. Take the time to analyze your marketing strategy and check if you are in the right track. If done properly, you will be able to maximize your affiliate marketing program and earn higher profits.

[ianternet]

very good article, and agree to all

[alchemist]

Very good points. I would also say that a lot of people fall down in affiliate marketing because they try to market the product directly. The best affiliate marketers (you see this time and time again) tend to sell their affiliate programs on the back of something else they are promoting. This could be free but useful information or even their own product/eBook etc.

[crush]

All the three points are to be followed by every affiliate so as to earn credibility.

[MpyreDzirez]

You forgot the biggest mistake of all!...you slightly mentioned it, but then went on to something else.

You first have to learn how to market and research. If you think you can just guess a great product to promote...you are wrong!

Go ahead don't listen to me. Just keep listening to yourself that you are a business prodigy and can predict what people are buying. You will struggle for months and then either quit like a loser or finally learn how to market and research.

it's hard for a newbie to wrap his mind around "how to market" but what it means is how to find out what a targeted group of people want to buy. You have to do this everytime otherwise you will be constantly fishing with the wrong bait.

Example:
Me and my wife were going to Hooters (chicken wing restaurant) the other night. Weh n we pulled up I just wanted it to be a simple meal. She started talking about wanting this special thing on the menu instead of wings. That was ok but would of made us pay an extra $7. No big deal but every dollar counts this time of year.

Now me and my wife hadn't been to this restaurant in a couple months as we don't have one near where we are living at the moment. (We were out of town visiting old friends) She mentioned this sandwhich which is here favorite. So I tried to sell her out of buying that sandwhich and just sharing wings with me.

I started talking about how we hardly ever get to eat here, so we should just get wings as thats what they are famous for. I actually sold her more on the idea of the sandwhich...because I did not think of the marketing research first. Had I researched her true motives I would have found that....thats exactly why she wanted to get the sandwhich instead of the wings...because we haven't been there in an eternity.

If I had known this information first then I would have said..."Honey we will be back in town during christmas you won't have to wait very long to get that sandwhich...lets just keep it simple tonight and share an order of wings." That would have sold her on my idea perfectly.

This is an example of why market research needs to be done first. Without it you could be promoting the wrong product and even if you did magically pick the right product to promote...you could sending the wrong message about it.

Listen and succeed or call me a tard a fail...I don't care either way.

Onwards and Upwards,
Justin Brooke

[pam225]

I am 3 months new with affiliates and everything you mentioned here is true. I have put time into promotion and marketing my website, and I am supporting myself on my income that I am generating (I lost my job 3 months ago...based no CA wage scales, live in PA...couldn't make the cash I was making before I was let go). LONG STORY!

Anyhow, concentration on one or two programs is necessary AND where to promote is the key.

Happy New Year!!

Pam

[johntan]

Hi,

Here is my two cent, most affiliate do not view their affiliate marketing as a business. Because it really take time, effort and money to build a business. Affiliate that treat affiliate marketing as an hobbie will never succeed. So keep in mind that view it as an business, treat it like a business and you will have a right start!

[Gary-E]

Point number 3 here is excellent and not to be overlooked. The average affiliate never seems to invest in the actual product themselves and so rely on the sales pitches to draw their reviews and opinions from.

Affiliate marketing is a brilliant way to create income, but I would like to stress a point that it doesn't matter whether or not you have a good product. The product is quite irrelevant. If the sales pitch and the marketing is good enough then regardless of product you will make money (and probably will get a lot of refunds too if the product really is crap). But in my opinion, it is the marketing that brings you cash - not the great product.

The advantage of a great product is that virally you would get a lot of attention.

Look for a product you would buy. Something your interested in, and something that makes you want to buy. It's much easier marketing something your interested in as apposed to marketing something you just want to make money from.

Gary

[greggomatic76]

I agree with you all on Pt #3, when i first started out I tried to promote products I had never read or used, my reviews were lame until I actually did. Good point and great article.

[Satch]

Thats a great article.

One of the keys I think is definitely knowing the product you are promoting. If you know the product then you know the type of person who is going to buy it, if you know the type of person then marketing it is a lot easier. You also know how to answer any potential questions from visitors to your site asking about the product you are promoting.

Another point I would add is that many people give up to quick. Its a lot harder to stick with it, the hardest part is getting going! Unfortunately many affiliates fall at the first hurdle.