Choosing the Program to Maximize Your Affiliate Revenue

There's one reason and one reason only that savvy marketers such as yourself become affiliate marketers rather than launching a product line of their own, and that's to make a profit with as little risk as possible. With that in mind, you want to take care to choose the affiliate program that's going to provide you with as much affiliate revenue as possible!

How do you know when a company is going to be a steady source of affiliate revenue for you and when it's going to be a "here today, gone tomorrow" one hit wonder in the virtual community? The bottom line is that there's no way to be certain; however, there are a few things you can look for that will help you to choose the company that's going to provide you with the greatest possible benefits.

Look for a company that works offline as well, and has been in business for at least a year. Stores such as Sears, J.C. Penney and Land's End will often run an affiliate program hand in hand with their website-their profits are high enough that they can easily afford your commission! These stores tend to be more stable than their strictly dot-com counterparts, and since they've already established a name for themselves you can count on them to be a stable source of affiliate revenue.

Work for a company that's already well established in the market. Newer companies just starting out may have a great product, but until they've made a place for themselves their profits may be close to nil. If you're selling a product no one knows about, you're not going to be guaranteed any noteworthy amount of affiliate revenue. On the other hand, a company such as Amazon that's recognized all over the globe will help you gather affiliate commissions hand over fist.

Pick the company with the largest commissions. This is common sense, but it's something that many new affiliate marketers caught in the flush of their first affiliate marketing job fail to consider in their excitement. You're going to make a lot more marketing for a company that offers you 30% of the sales you make than you will from a company that pays 5%. The numbers just don't add up.

Be sure the prices of the products you sell are going to be sufficient to provide you with affiliate revenue. If you're working for a company that sells their products at two to three dollars apiece, minus shipping and handling (which usually isn't included when you're figuring out your commissions), you could spend months marketing before you see your first hundred dollar check. If you're going to work for a company that deals in small products be sure that they are something you can sell in great quantities-or, even better, in bulk.

Finally, pick a company that sells something that people are going to want! Be realistic-you may think a ,000 Play-Doh coffee table elephant is adorable, but it probably isn't going to be a big seller. In order to make affiliate revenue you have to sell your customers what they want. Be sure to consider this carefully before signing on the dotted line.