Convert Your eZine Browsers into Buyers

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by Marie Williams

MONEY SPINNER. Affiliate programs allow you to earn a sales commission by promoting products and services for other online companies. All you have to do is add a website link in your ezine and you're in business.

BE THE SNAIL - NOT THE HARE. Don't be in a hurry to join a whole load of programs - promoting any old thing in your ezine won't go down well. You need programs that add to, rather than dilute, the quality of your newsletter. The absolute key is to ensure that your affiliate's presence looks like it's a natural part of your ezine -- and not something that's just been tacked on as an afterthought.

SPARE A THOUGHT. You need to think a little about the kind of products and services your subscribers will be interested in. If you publish an ezine for writers, for example, you can easily recommend books, writing software, stationery, and critique services etc. Your affiliate program(s) *must* appeal to your subscribers before you can hope to make any sales.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Any reputable affiliate program will give you all the FAQs before you join. If it's not free, it's probably not worth joining. Why should *you* pay to promote someone else's product?

ASK BEFORE YOU SIGN:

* How long has this company been in business? Think twice if they're very new.

* When and how do you get paid? This is especially important if you live outside the US.

* How are your referrals tracked? Will you still get credit for a sale six months down the line?

* How much commission will you earn? Think about how many sales you will need to make in order to earn the income you're hoping for. If you sell just one product/service to every 100 subscribers, you'll be getting a pretty good return.

* Are affiliate stats provided? These show you how many sales you've made, and how much interest has been generated.

* How many tiers does the program have? A one tier program will pay you for sales that you alone make. A multi-tiered program, however, will pay you for the sales that your referrals also make.

OFF TO A FLYING START. For anything on affiliate programs visit: http://www.associateprograms.com This website is especially useful if you're stuck for the right products to promote.

ON THE RIGHT TRACK. When you've joined several programs, you'll need to keep track of which ones are working for you. You can do this manually with spreadsheets or automatically with affiliate software. I use paper. Whatever your preference, the point is the same. Why waste time on programs that don't work?

POWER PROMOTE. Stick to promoting just one product at a time -- you'll get far higher results. Here are some quick ideas for promoting your affiliate programs: a product review, a personal recommendation, an article, or an ad -- either in your ezine or someone else's. The more creative you are, the more sales you will achieve. Simply copying standard ideas won't get you far.

AFFILIATE MASTER. If you're serious about earning money from affiliate sales, you must read the free Affiliate Masters 5-day course. It tells you everything you need to know and more for creating a strong and successful affiliate business. Plus it shows you step-by-step how you can apply original techniques to your campaign. An absolute must have: mailto:tamssitesell14@sitesell.net

CONVERT AND SELL. The right affiliate programs can provide a small income for many an e-publisher. And, before you start to sell your own products, you should try your hand at affiliate sales. Why? Because this will provide you with all the training you need to convert your browsers into buyers.