Affiliate Income:Affiliate Success Checklist

1. MAKE SURE THE PRODUCT BEING OFFERED MATCHES YOU

If your passion is embroidery, you probably won't do
too well with car parts sites. Stick with what you know
at first and, once you learn how to promote on the
Internet, move on to different products.

2. CHECK IT OUT

Don't just jump in because it's easy. Ask yourself this
question; is the product or service you are affiliating
with something you would bring to your best friend? If
not, you may want to keep looking.

3. TALK TO CURRENT AFFILIATES

Ask for a list of happy affiliates. Ask them some key
questions such as did they get the help and support
promised? Are they being paid on time? You get the
idea.

4. THINK LONG TERM

If your first arrangement doesn't pan out, don't give
up. Many people on the net are making excellent incomes
with affiliate programs. You can too.

5. GO FOR QUALITY

Make a checklist of everything you want, find two who
meet the criteria, and go all out with those two.
Remember that it will be your reputation on the line.

6. HOW WELL DO THEY SELL?

You need to ask how well the product or service you
will be promoting 'converts'. Conversion is simply the
number of people per 100 who buy something.

For example, at the Directory of Ezines they convert 8 of
every 100 visitors to buyers. They know this because they
do the hard work of analyzing there traffic and sales,
and have for 10 years now.

This is the hard work that affiliates never have to do,
which is why being an affiliate is so much fun! You
make the money but don't have to do the copy writing or
figure out conversions or any of the back-office stuff.

For most established products you will promote you can
expect this number to range from .5% to about 10%.
Anything higher or lower and you need to be careful
about them telling you the truth.

Also, be aware that 'hot' products convert well while
they are hot but conversion drops with time. So be sure
to get *current* conversion figures.

7. WHAT IS THE COOKIE DURATION?

Most affiliate programs track using 'cookies' that are
set on the visitor's machine. You need to know how long
this cookie lasts and if it can be overwritten.

The reason this is important is that it will change how
you market.

If a company has a short cookie duration then you want
to focus on ads that make the sale now. If they have a
long duration you can use other methods (like banners)
that are more passive.

You also want to know if the cookie can be overwritten.

If it can, then someone who first learned about product
X from you, but clicks another link to buy, will not
earn you the commission you deserve.

Neither of these factors are good or bad (Amazon has an
incredibly short cookie but people still make fortunes
as affiliates for them) but are worth knowing.

8. DO YOU EARN 'BACKEND' COMMISSIONS?

This means do you get paid when someone you refer buys
a second product? This is vitally important. People
often buy two, three or more products from one site.
You should earn commissions for every product they buy.

9. DO YOU EARN RENEWAL COMMISSIONS?

If you send someone to a site where they pay a monthly
or quarterly fee, do you get paid every time or just
once? You should get paid every time.

10. DO THEY SUPPORT YOU?

Most people don't know, or have the time, to write ads
and create banners or graphics. You should expect the
program you join to provide these tools as well as some
training on how to sell their products.

Affilaite Checklist