Affiliate programs are plentiful. Try to make your affiliate program unique. In other words, be a SUPER salesperson!

Here is the key to the affiliate program. Instead of creating direct links to your products and services in order to make sales (and generate referral money for your affiliates), provide links to your newsletter subscription or a free download.

Your goal is to get traffic to your website. You then follow up with customers via newsletters and email. Your affiliates will still receive a commission on future sales. You will make many sales by regularly checking in with your opt-in subscribers.

A proven method for increasing traffic flow is to have your affiliates refer visitors to your site for a free gift or promotional offer. Believe it or not, this is actually better than a referral to your site to BUY SOMETHING! Many more folks will be likely to check out your site if they receive something for free. This will provide what you are ultimately after - increased traffic! At the same time, you are building a list of happy subscribers.

Let's say that you were browsing the Internet. Which website would you be more likely to visit?

"Find all of your cell phone accessories at ROCK BOTTOM PRICES!

We accept MC/VISA/AMEX/Discover for your convenience. Hundreds of the latest movies to choose from! HUGE savings! Free shipping on $35 minimum purchase. Click here!"

or...

"Looking for affordable and unique gift ideas? Download our FREE Guide to 'Finding the Right Gift for Any Occasion - Even if You are on a Tight Budget.' You'll SAVE big bucks and your special someone will be thrilled! You'll find yourself referring to it again and again!"

Do you see the difference? Now, the subject of affiliate programs could easily fill up a whole book, but I hope you will understand the gist of what I am sharing with you. It's important to do your homework; learn all you can about affiliate programs. There's tons of information available to catch you up to speed on this topic.

The way that I've described using affiliates may be the best, but there is still great value in having affiliates send customers directly to your products. You can find more about how that works by reading the affiliate information page in my ebook "Life Without Debt."

Find it here: http://seriousgetoutofdebt.com/xdebt/affliates_start.asp

More information about affiliates (and anything else related to online business) can be found in my online business brain dump product.

Find this at: http://www.onlinebusinessbraindump.com

(Note: This article is part of a mini-course with twenty lessons. You can find the entire free mini-course here: http://brentriggsblog.com/minicourses.asp)