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Volume 1 Issue 2
September 2012 Published the 15th of each Month Greenway Capital Publishing
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NEWS
DFW Network Marketing News
Editor’s Desk What Makes Sense During a Down Economy
As we move towards the end of the year, we are seeing some but not much improvement in the economy and job creation. During the past two quarters financial reports have been positive overall, meaning that there is much good news to share. However, as we all know, challenges remain for many, and the politicians are still searching for solutions. The thinking of the masses is often influenced by what may be the primary media topic-and the number 1 topic at the moment is jobs. Creating jobs is a good thing, but, if you can’t get a job, what are you going to do? Unfortunately millions of Americans will put their faith in the hands of politicians and corporations to put them to work, rather than putting themselves to work. If one-million Americans started a home-based businesses, that would be enough to cut the unemployment rate by almost half! Now, suppose these one million people employ one person, this would get the unemployment rate down to less-than five percent, simply because one million peopled decided not to rely on politicians or corporations to create jobs. Even this is possible it won’t happen, because too many people “fear” starting a business because they worry about what if it don’t work, instead of thinking about what if it do work. Why do you want to own your business? New ventures start based on different reasons: Your company forced you into early retirement and you now have the opportunity and time--or maybe you’re just bored. You lost your job and you see an opportunity to offer your talents to other companies as a freelancer. You want to have control over your life and spend more time with your family. Whether the motivation is the burning desire to change the world one sale at the time or to put food on the table for your family, it has to be strong and all-encompassing. When you start planning your business, the most important consideration is assuring that you can pay your personal bills while you build your
Introducing the DFW Network Marketing News! We want to welcome you to the DFW Network Marketing News! Our mission is to be the definitive resource for network marketers and home-based businesses nationwide to grow their business, income, growing themselves. The ink isn’t even dry and we are already taking a leadership role in the Multi-level Marketing industry. We are so excited to have such big names joining us to teach, coach, mentor and inspire. Each month you will meet in the Flying Eagles section, networkers that are playing the MLM game well. You will also learn from some of the Greatest in network marketers in the industry, If you don’t know what network, multi-level, or affiliate marketing is, you are missing out on an opportunity to earn an unbelievable part or fulltime income, regardless of your education, age, race, or any other factors that may prevent you from achieving your income and financial goals. Or, if you have doubts or suspicions about the industry, you
Continued Next Page
Page 2
September 2012
will have a change of heart after reading a few issues of the DFW Network Marketing News! Just like a lot of other misunderstood concepts, multi-level marketing has met opposition in the past because of a popular bewilderment of what it’s all about. The multilevel marketing history is fairly straight forward but matters got confused in the general public’s mind when illegal pyramid and Ponzi scams were produced close to the same time. In truth, multi-level marketing, also known as internet marketing or MLM, is simply another sales model that first came out in the 1940’s. A company called California Vitamins realized that all of its new sales representatives were mates and family of the existing sales drive, the cause being that they needed the product at wholesale cost. The management also identified that it was far simpler to create a sales force of a lot of people who each sold a few of the products than it was to find a few people that could sell a
large amount of products. Therefore they replied to what was happening by planning a sales compensation structure which encouraged the sales staff to turn satisfied clients (frequently family members and friends) into sales delegates. The corporation rewarded them for the sales created by their entire group of sales representatives. And the multi-level marketing history was made! In 1956, Dr. Forrest Shaklee joined in the multilevel marketing concept to offer a broader distribution of the solid food supplements he had developed. And then in 1959, previous NutraLite sales representatives Rich DeVoss and Jay Van Andel initiated the Amway Company as the American Way of advertising products. It was a great until the concept got in to some bad hands that started to miss-use it. Believe it or not, one of the first examples of this came in the form of chain letters. The letters promised substantial profit if you would send a cent or a buck to the person at the
Are you tired of being broke? Then you should listen to the Up Your Income radio show on FishbowlRadioNetwork.com each Thursday from 5pm to 7pm and learn how to increase your income working from home. Tune-in every Thursday at 5pm and learn proven ways to change your financial destination and your life.
bottom and many did just that. Although these letters actually started and were thankfully shut down before multi-level selling was born, they later bred similar schemes which we know as pyramid or Ponzi schemes. These prohibited activities require giving members commissions for hiring other members. Nonetheless, no product or services is offered as it is by legal MLMs. In 1974, Senator Walter Mondale declared pyramid and Ponzi scams to be the state’s number one buyer fraud. And that is when it became rough for multi-level marketing. In the mid 1970’s, because they’d no real clear appreciation of what internet promotion was all about, the federal Trade Commission started to point all network marketing firms. In 1975, the FTC filed a case against Amway, on the reason the company was an illegal pyramid and that its refusal to sell its productions in retail stores made a restraint of trade. Four years and millions of greenbacks later, Amway cleared their name. In 1979 the FTC eventually ruled that Amway was not a pyramid, that’s its cash was generated from the sale of its products, and the FTC acknowledged network marketing as a legal distribution system. The MLM industry does have an interesting history and MLM companies are run in a way that is completely different from other busiContinued Page 7
DFW Network Marketing News
NEWS
This Month’s Business Tip Start Small, Look Big, and Think Big
In today’s business world
it is an established and
designed for your busi-
Upgrade your contact infor-
you can use to make your
these steps. If it enhances
it is easier than ever to start
experienced major competi-
ness
mation
small business appear like
the user experience then
a business for under a few
tor, just by spending a few
Branding and company
Yourname@hotmail.com
a fortune 500 company.
great, if not, perhaps
thousand dollars. And with
dollars.
identity are important to
doesn’t make you look
However, remember to
reconsider. It is, after all,
the success of any business
like you’re from a big
always take your custom-
all about your customer.
the use of technology it’s
When it comes to
even easier to project the
competition, there are def-
and this singularly simple
company. Most hosting
ers in mind when making
image of a business that
initely a few tricks and tac-
tool will help you create an
package come with email
these decisions and taking
is large and professional.
tics a small business can
image. In business image
addresses, use them.
For example; you can have
employ to look big. Why
is everything. This can be
yourname@yourcompany.com
a toll-free phone number
would you want to do that?
done for less-than $100.
looks much better. And the
with various extensions, you
Size tends to instill con-
Make sure your web-
can send professional look-
fidence in consumers; if
site is clean and polished
phone number.
ing postcards on-line, get a
you’re big then you must
A well designed website
Automate
professional website, busi-
be successful, right? Well
radiates professionalism.
Automate your phone ser-
ness cards, accept credit
we won’t delve into that
There are a lot of messy
vice and your customer
and debit cards, produce
argument but what we can
and unprofessional websites
service with easy tools.
your own web-commercial,
show you is how to make
out there and then there
Phones can be automated
and advertise for less than
a small business look big
are amazing websites that
with a virtual assistant
$2,000! This is amazing
online.
are clean, easy to navigate
or by using a system
considering just twenty
Change your sole propri-
and jam packed with valu-
like Grasshopper which
years ago or less there was
etorship to an LLC
able content and resources.
screens, answers, and
no-way possible to start a
Communication System
forwards calls
business and have access
that can make a big differ-
This is particularly useful if
automatically based on
these resources for such a
ence. Your company name
you are not available to
your preferences and
small amount of money.
shows up in your online
answer your phone all day.
settings. Autoresponder
In today’s business world
This is a minor change
same goes for your tele-
signature, your communi-
You can get a toll free
services, live chat and
it’s not about how much
cations, and on your web-
number for a small fee each
other automated assis-
money you have, it’s about
site and people notice. LLC
month – vanity numbers
tance help customers and
how much guts you have.
stands for Limited Liability
cost a little more but they
prospects get their ques-
Regardless of the size and
Corporation. Plus, this type
can provide an image of size
tions answered quickly
age of your business you
of formation will protect
– 1-800-call-now! This can
and it provides an image
can present your new and
your personal assets.
be done for as-little-as $10
of size and responsibility.
per month.
There are many tactics
small business as though
Get a good logo
Editor’s Desk
From Page 2
new venture. Before you start your business plan, work on your personal finances. Review your household spending to determine how much you need to make from the business. This exercise is also a good time to determine if there are expenses to cut back or eliminate. You must include your compensation in the business plan from the beginning because it
will impact the amount of capital you need to fund the business. It makes perfect sense for anyone that’s struggling to take their future into their own hands rather than depending on someone else who’s only concerned about their political future or their stockholders equity.
It makes perfect sense not to set and rely on others when it comes to your financial future. It make sense to start a business when all else is failing. Ray Williams – Publisher/Editor
September
2012
Page 3
FLYING EAGLES
DFW Network Marketing News The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies Company 1. Amway 2. Melaleuca 3. USANA 4. Nu Skin 5. Isagenix 6. Forever Living 7. Herbalife 8. Legal Shield 9. ACN 10. 4Life 11. Advocare 12. 5LINX 13. Xango 14. Mannatech 15.Morinda 16.Shaklee 17. Arbonne 18. Nature’s Sunshine 19. Synergy WorldWide 20. Nikken 21. Freelife 22. Neways 23. NSA Juice Plus 24. Sunrider 25. GNLD
Page 4
September 2012
Time In Business 1959 - 53 Years 1985 - 27 Years 1992 - 20 Years 1984 - 28 Years 2002 - 10 Years 1978 - 34 Years 1980 - 32 Years 1972 - 40 Years 1993 - 19 Years 1998 - 14 Years 1993 - 19 Years 2001 - 11 Years 2002 - 10 Years 1994 - 18 Years 1994 - 18 Years 1956 - 56 Years 1980 - 32 Years 1972 - 40 Years 1999 - 13 Years 1975 - 37 Years 1995 - 17 Years 1992 - 20 Years 1970 - 42 Years 1982 - 30 Years 1958 - 54 Years
Here’s the Nexera Five-Factor Formula we used to make our selections: 1) The company must be a selfdescribed Network Marketing, Multi Level, or MLM company. 2) The company must be in business for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2012.* 3) The company must have a Google Page Rank - GPR. A scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best. 4) The company must have an Alexa Rank - AR. Here the smaller the number the better. 5) The company must show up in Google Trends - GT. All Regions.
Courtesy of Nexera LLC
DFW Network Marketing News
FLYING EAGLES
Network Marketer of the Month Each month we feature individuals who are up and coming in the network marketing industry. This month we are featuring Willie Hobdy a dynamic network marketer who is building his income by helping consumers save money on prescription drugs, in addition to helping individuals earn extra income. Mr. Hobdy, a retired USAF veteran has eleven years of business experience in the media industry and well known for training and mentoring others in the business.
N
etwork marketing mentor and National Presidential Marketing Director for Neylandville Healthco, Willie Hobdy, has proven to be a leader when it comes to helping other people reach their desired financial goals. Through his approach and techniques, he has proven that he is an up and coming leader in the MLM industry. In his search for a way to earn some extra income, Willie decided to get involved in network marketing. In his search to join a company he researched several companies while educating himself so that he could better understand how the industry functioned before joining a company. During his search Willie discovered that there are many things that one must understand in order to be
Willie Hobdy, National Presidential Marketing Director for Neylandville Healthco.
“Nothing beats the feeling we get when people walk up to us with tears in their eyes and says ‘thank you for giving me that card,” says Hobdy.
successful in network marketing, compensation plans, training, networking, product knowledge, and many other things. He wanted to put his time in something that he felt was worthy of his time and energy, and he decided network marketing was it. Base on his research he was sure he had found his “true calling,” an industry that would allow him to reach his personal income goals while helping other people do the same. All the factors are there, he says, for potentially earning “a large income” - a low barrier to entry, a turn-key system, training, mentoring, motivators, meeting like-minded people, and the ability to become financially independent.” Any business model missing any one of these factors is not a good candidate for someone trying to enter into a business with “no business skills or training.” Because of the economic conditions and lack of jobs, not just in America, but throughout the world, he believes the network marketing industry is where people seeking additional income or financial independence should be taking note of. Hobdy’s company, Neylandville HealthCo is a national
distributor of Free Pharmacy Discount Cards. More American adults lacked health insurance coverage last year than in any year since Gallup and Healthways started tracking it in 2008. The uninsured rate has been increasing since 2008, climbing to 17.1% in 2011. “My team has 50 million persons across the United States that need help with their monthly prescription expenses and we are committed to helping them,” Hobdy says. “Here at home in Texas, seven million Texans are uninsured and paying full price on their pharmacy prescriptions.” As distributors, Hobdy and his team literally handout Free Pharmacy Discount Cards and encourages doctors, dentists, churches, associations, charity organizations, companies, and local governments to provide their members with free access to our Free Pharmacy Discount Cards. The Free Pharmacy Discount Cards are NO COST, pre-activated, no paper work, no sign-up,
there’s no catch, it never expires, and everyone qualifies. The card covers the whole family and you can even share it with friends. The Free Pharmacy Discount Card is accepted at over 60,000 in the US and includes the big ones like Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgrens, Sam’s and Albertson’s. An individual need only present their Free Pharmacy Discount Card to their pharmacist along with their prescription and save up-to 85% off the price of their prescription. There are a lot of people who have to make that critical decision every month‘Am I going to keep the lights on today, or eat today - or am I going to go down to the pharmacy and get this medicine I need to help me live.’ “Nothing beats the feeling we get when people walk up to us with tears in their eyes and says ‘thank you for giving me that card,” says Hobdy. “They are impressed by the amount they save.” Other interesting facts are: The number of uninsured people stood at 49.9 million in 2010 from 49.0 million in 2009. Hispanic Americans continue to be the most likely to be uninsured, with more than 40% going without health coverage in 2011 according to Gallup. In Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, more than 25% of the residents are without health insurance. To get a Free Pharmacy
Discount Card immediately in your hands go to: discount.rxdiscount123.com/ hta222. You can also mail a request to: Free Discount Pharmacy Cards, PO Box 24, Greenville, TX 75403 or call us 903-268-7390 and we will send you or your group up to 50. And, they will pay the shipping. Combined with his knowledge and experiences, he wants to help other people reach their personal financial goals and objectives. He intends to teach other people how to increase their income through network marketing. To be a part of Hobdy’s team call him direct at (903) 268-7390. A business with a system Hobdy is one of the very small groups of individuals who have chosen to take control of his financial destination rather than relying on someone else to provide him with the type of income he has always wanted to earn. He is also one of those individuals who devote his time to helping others succeed in their business as he continue to build his business. His story begins almost two years ago when his business insight revealed that the production possibilities frontier had been reached in his media
marketing industry and several companies, he decided to take the leap of faith. Despite initial criticism from others. Initially, seeing net-
working marketing as a way to earn a couple hundred dollars per month, he realized the potential was much greater when he earned more than he had expected, despite his limited knowledge and experience in the industry. “I was surprised that I was able to earn so much money working my business part-time.” Since then, he has increased his income to the level of most college degreed professionals. Willie believes strongly in the in the power of the mastermind principle and having the mentors. He feels it’s vital to surround yourself with people who share your aspirations or who are already successful in fields where you want to get results. Through combining hard work and a positive mind set with consistently applying his new gained knowledge and skills, Willie Hobby continues to build his network marketing business and help others do the same. He believes that anyone who has a desire to earn an above average income can do so with network marketing. Mr. Willie Hobdy can be reached at phalconstar@sbcglobal.com
business. After carefully researching the network
September
2012
Page 5
OPPORTUNITY
DFW Network Marketing News
Internet Marketing Last of Two Part Series Internet marketing is one of the fastest growing online industries. What is Internet marketing, exactly? This form of advertising utilizes the Internet to promote and market products, services, websites and businesses to online consumers. Using a variety of techniques, Internet marketers are able to earn money directly though online sales or generate a commission by marketing products for other merchants. In fact, many people earn in excess of $10,000 monthly via internet marketing. For many businesses, online advertising is the key to drawing in new customers and succeeding in the competitive online market. Effective online campaigns can quickly increase your brand recognition, online visibility and sales revenue. Before you get started in Internet marketing, you need to learn some of the basics of this rapidly evolving industry. The following are just a few of the major types of Internet marketing that have proven effective for online merchants, Web marketers, and website owners. What is Search Engine Marketing? Search engine marketing (SEM) refers to a series of techniques and strategies used to improve the website visibility in the major search engines. Theses techniques might involve pay-per-click advertising campaigns, submissions to online directories, link exchanges, and search engine optimization (SEO). The Benefits of Search Engine Marketing While search engine marketing may seem daunting to beginners, the potential benefits of an effective SEM campaign are too valuable to overlook. Many marketers have seen their sites rise from the very bottom of the search listing to the very top thanks to successful search marketing. Achieving top search results and high visibility is vital to your website’s success. The majority of website traffic comes just a few major search engines, including Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you want to reach out to a specific audience and gain valuable site traffic, learning a few useful search engine marketing techniques can dramatically improve your chances for success. Types of Search Engine Marketing 1. Pay-Per-Click Campaigns Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing campaigns are one of the fastest and most affordable ways to increase the visibility of your website. Using advertising services such as Google AdWords, you can create text link ads that will appear on relevant websites. This type of contextual marketing is a valuable way to gain visitors quickly and to target a specific audience.
ries. While some free directories still exist, the vast majority charge a small fee in order to be listed on their website. How do these links help you? In addition to bringing in traffic directly through the link, these directories can help increase the profile and search ranking of your website. 3. Link Exchanges Another effective search engine marketing technique involves using reciprocal links with other websites to help boost the search profile of your site. When calculating the ranking of your website, most search engines take into account the number of other sites that link to you. Each of these links is considered a vote of confidence for your website. How can you establish more links to your site? Start by approaching other websites that cover similar topics. E-mail
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2. Online Directories Another popular search engine marketing technique involves submitting your website to available online directo-
Page 6
September 2012
the Webmaster about the possibility of exchanging links with the site. Most websites are more than happy to trade links, since they also stand to benefit. 4. Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization is perhaps the greatest and most effective search engine marketing technique. Optimizing the content of your Web pages to appeal to the major search engines is the best way to earn high search rankings and draw in new readers. Basic SEO techniques such as choosing keywords, writing content for the Web, and creating quality META tags are just a few ways to help your website reach the top in search engine results. While search engine marketing takes time, energy and planning, the results are well worth the effort. Overnight success is rare, so be prepared for some ups and downs on your journey to online success. With a little hard work and patience, you can establish a website that will be loved by search engines and readers alike. In our next issue we will talk about Affiliate Marketing, a system that allows anyone to make money from their home without any capital investments and little to no technology experience.
DFW Network Marketing News
DFW Network Marketing News! ness models. The industry started as far back as the 1800s with traveling salesman. In a time where transport was not available to everyone, these traveling salesmen would go door-to-door and offer goods that could not be purchased at the local store or were better quality. Back in those days there weren’t all that many stores either, especially in rural areas. Did you know that Avon started back in 1886 and today earns $10 billion in revenue annually and has over 6 million representatives worldwide? Alfred Fuller started the Fuller Brush Company in 1906, the company’s reps went door-to-door selling mops, brushes and cleaning products and they are still in business today, nobody has stopped cleaning since then! Born Sarah Breedlove also known as Madame C.J. Walker became the “first” female self-made millionaire in 1913 by employing over 1,300 African-Americans to sell her products door-to-door. In fact, some of her sales agents earned as much as $300 per week! Madame C.J. Walker’s company was the first African-American company to sell its products using the network marketing concept. Everyone has heard of Tupperware and after World War II the whole concept of home parties began with their products. A great social concept that brought women together and also earned
the hostess commissions for her efforts. The Mary Kay Company started about 20 years after that but still had the same home party concept. It continues today with Mary Kay and companies such as Pampered Chef whose representatives has successful businesses and can be found doing cooking demonstrations in just about every major city and in their own homes. We can go on and on about all the successful MLM companies that are out there, but the list is too long. But you can rest assured if there was anything fishy about a company that was started 100 years ago it wouldn’t be around today! MLM is the only kind of business model that allows everyday people to earn an income by promoting a product and even more by recruiting other people to do the same. Affiliate marketing is the only business that comes close but that only involves selling one product to one person at a time. We will discuss Affiliate Marketing in the September issue. All the companies above make healthy profits and some are not even regarded as MLM companies any more, they’ve become household names such as Herbalife, Amway, Mannatech, Nu Skin International and Mary Kay along with hundreds of others that are generating income for millions people worldwide. So if you encounter people who are leery of
From Page 2
MLM you can educate them about this successful business model and also mention how much money some of these successful companies make annually. They make that money because they sell millions of high-quality products or services every year through teams of distributors. There’s always an opening for more people who would like to start their own businesses, work hard, have fun, meet many new people and better still - make a great income doing it. The DFW Network Marketing News should become your own personal resource, a one stop place to turn to when you want to learn how-to increase your income and build personal wealth. Thanks for taking time to read the DFW Network Marketing News, and welcome to the beginning of a new financial future. Start small, think big! The DFW Network Marketing News is a free publication that is available at various locations in Arlington, Dallas, and Fort Worth on the first of each month. See Distribution locations on page 3. Ray Williams - Editor/Founder Theodis Johnson - Co-founder
OPPORTUNITY
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September
2012
Page 7
FINANCE
DFW Network Marketing News
About Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a performance based internet marketing program in which affiliates are paid for sending customers or traffic to a website. Affiliates are paid on a per click, lead or sale basis. All affiliate marketing programs are different. An affiliate marketing partner program is easy to join and most often you can find the best affiliate programs on trusted affiliate marketing program directories online and by joining major affiliate networks. Affiliate programs are driven by affiliate marketing software which tracks and logs your commission for promoting the partner’s website. Commissions can be paid weekly, monthly and quarterly - some are even paid instantly. Internet affiliate marketing is a great way to earn income from your home. You get to be your own boss, while working in the fast paced internet marketing world. You can join multiple internet affiliate programs and build websites focused on areas of your own interest. There are thousands of active and successful internets marketing company affiliates worldwide, most working from home. Affiliates do not need to store inventory, ship items or take payments, which is all handled by the affiliate program partner on their website. To be a successful affiliate marketer you must have a love or understanding of online marketing including an eye for web design and the persistence to grow a business. It is not required that you are super technical to succeed, but affiliate marketing does require that you make an investment to grow traffic. An understanding of paid search, search engine optimization and html are all very helpful tools for affiliate marketing professionals. Affiliate marketing training is available online and you can gain additional insight from other successful affiliate marketing company affiliates via forums and chat rooms. Internet affiliate marketing is non-multilevel marketing, as it is free to join internet affiliate programs and you are not required to recruit other affiliates to make money. However, some affiliate programs are tiered so that you can recruit other affiliates and get paid a flat fee or percentage of the 2nd tier affiliates sales. Some successful internet affiliates work primarily as doorway affiliates, helping and welcoming new affiliates into programs and then taking a cut of their commission. This process is typically automated and requires no accounting management by the primary affiliate. Affiliate marketing programs are partnerships with retailers and online businesses. Work closely with your affiliate program manager and try to deeply understand the
affiliate marketing software that runs your favorite affiliate programs. For websites affiliate marketing is a viable solution in which you only have to pay when an action or sale is made. You determine the parameters to your affiliate marketing program. The only real investment is in managing your affiliates, learning the affiliate marketing software and continuously pushing out compelling offers that affiliates want to promote. Affiliates will promote your website via banners, e-mail, paid search and more. Many affiliates have internet marketing channels and reach eyeballs not available to you otherwise. Overall, affiliates become strong business partners that are invested in your success. How To Pick An Affiliate Program Choosing the right affiliate program can mean the difference between success and failure in affiliate marketing. Great affiliate programs can lead to increased website traffic, link conversions, sales, and earnings, while badly chosen programs can lead to wasted time, money and effort. If you are looking for work from home opportunities, well-chosen affiliate programs present the perfect option. With thousands of affiliate programs to choose from, finding those that are right for your needs can seem like a daunting task. You can simplify the process by following a few simple guidelines. The following top ten tips for choosing an affiliate programs can help you separate great programs from inferior ones. 1. A great affiliate program offers both popular and niche products. If you are focusing on a niche topic, finding great products may take a bit more time, but the results will ultimately be worth the extra effort. Ideally, an affiliate program should offer a nice mix of the hottest items as well niche items. 2. A high-quality affiliate program offers unlimited potential for growth. Avoid affiliate programs that place a limit on how much you can sell or earn. Increased sales benefit both you and the online retailer, so there is no good reason to place a cap on your earning potential. 3. An affiliate program should have a definitive payment structure. Never join an affiliate program that cannot provide a clear and specific agreement about how earning are calculated and when you will be paid. You can avoid online affiliate scams by always getting the payment structure in writing. 4. Any affiliate program you choose should offer an effective tracking system. A clear sign of a poor affiliate programs is the lack of a working
Page 8
tracking system. Great affiliate programs include your affiliate identification number in your affiliate links, so it is easy to track and record your referrals and successful sales. 5. An affiliate program should also provide a variety of linking options. From banner ads to text links, you need to have a selection of linking options in order to succeed in affiliate marketing. Certain links types are more effective in particular situations, so it is important to have a number of different choices. 6. Look for an affiliate program that offers marketing and promotional tools. Truly exceptional affiliate programs are eager to help you succeed. Those that provide marketing tools such as free content, product images, and product reviews are among the best on the Web. 7. Consider the general reputation of the affiliate program before you join. Affiliate programs with a poor reputation should be avoided. You can learn more about a specific affiliate program by conducting an online search or browsing through affiliate marketing forums. 8. Any affiliate program you choose should offer products and services that you genuinely recommend. If you don’t like the items you’re trying to sell, how can you expect online consumers to purchase them? Join affiliate programs that provide products that you personally endorse and enjoy. Share your enthusiasm and passion for a product with your readers. 9. Look for an affiliate program that provides customized reports. Detailed sales reports should tell you which items were purchased. By tracking your sales success, you can choose better-selling products for future promotions and avoid those that do not sell well on your website. 10. Choose programs that provide contextual affiliate links. Featuring relevant products on specific pages is the key to succeeding in affiliate marketing. Some affiliate programs automatically select an assortment of products that are contextually-relevant to your Web content. Other programs allow you to select the links yourself. Once you have selected an affiliate program, always strive to offer the best products and information to your readers. Choosing the best affiliate programs for your needs is only part of the journey towards a thriving affiliate business. Create quality content and promote products that your readers want to buy in order to generate sales and start earning a lucrative affiliate income.
September 2012