Smoke and Mirrors

With the increasing number of new people joining the Internet
every day, the scamsters have an ongoing supply of new potential
suckers. At first blush, the Internet Newbies are overwhelmed by
the technology, and don't do a whole lot. Many are retired, and
simply want to keep in touch by email with family and friends.
Others are living on a fixed income, and are looking for a second
source of income.

Eventually, finding their comfort level they sally forth, and are
found by those wishing to separate them from their hard earned
money. Suddenly, their email increases with offers for everything
imaginable under the sun. Getting all this information in their
mail boxes, seems to trigger a synapse, and many view the web as
their road to riches.

Where else could they work in their PJs when the mood strikes
and supplement their income? In their travels about the web,
they find what they think is a great affiliate program, and
plopping down a few bucks, start their journey into the world of
the online entrepreneur.

Three or four months go by, and they haven't done anything except
fill the coffers of the affiliate program originators. Wondering
how those experts can claim five figure monthly incomes from
their Internet businesses, while they aren't earning squat, they
cast about looking for something else.

What they don't realize is that they can't sit around eating
"bon-bons" all day, expecting the world to beat a path to their
door. As with all businesses, online or off, it takes more than
a casual approach to truly make a business work.

Many beginning opportunity seekers are misled by the hoopla and
marketing pitches. If anyone is trying to start a business on
the Internet, they must approach it as a real business.

The number one priority is to get your own web site, and you
should avoid the free ones offered by your ISP. The price of web
space today is extremely affordable, and you can get a full blown
site, including the registration of your own domain name for
$4 and change a month.

For an example, visit http://www.bitshack.com, to see what I
mean. There are also tools available to help put together your
own site, and with a little experimentation, you can have it up
and running quickly.

Build your web site based on your interests, and over the long
term it will be much more successful. It should be filled with
useful information and resources. Look for experts in your field
to work with you in exchange for exposure, and keep the content
constantly updated to encourage repeat visits.

Build a mailing list by having your guests register at the site.
This mailing list is a valuable marketing tool, but your efforts
here should be low key. It could take the form of a newsletter
geared toward your target market, and include a column that you
write - you can have your ad in the author's resource box. Don't
make it a thinly disguised pitch for your product or service, but
give good solid information which will be useful to your readers.

If you are going to be involved with an Affiliate Program, be
careful with your selection. Look for programs that pay well,
and have a solid reputation. Most importantly, pick one that you
believe in, and use their products or services yourself.

Don't use their affiliate links as your primary web presence. The
web site will never get listed in the search engine directories,
such as Yahoo!. While the sites supplied by the affiliate program
are well designed, many are basically Smoke and Mirrors, aimed at
making their affiliates feel they have joined the "big time".
The prospects of getting visitors to it are slim, unless it is a
direct result of your marketing efforts.

With your own site however, and with a strong informational
approach, you stand a good chance of getting a decent ranking
with the search engines. Smoke and mirrors may gather a few
prospects, but a well thought out approach will provide what is
necessary for achieving long term success utilizing an affiliate
program.