The Role of Mentors in Affiliate and Network Marketing Success

Thinking of joining an affiliate marketing, MLM or network marketing company? Suddenly you're immersed in a whole new language: affiliate programs, network marketing, residual income, leveraged income, pyramid scams, html, gateway websites. It's really not all that difficult and a mentor can be a trusted guide through the home business labyrinth.

There are only three main ways to work for yourself: sell your own product or service and keep all the profits; buy the rights to sell someone else's product and keep all the profits; and sell someone else's products and keep a commission. This article is all about the third way, which is affiliate and network marketing.

Residual income is income that keeps coming in month after month, year after year, from work you do just one time. You sell a membership or a customer places a standing order for monthly shipment of a product and you receive a commission every month thereafter. Leveraged income is earning money through other people's efforts. We choose to be affiliates or network marketers because when we sign someone up under us to sell, we profit from their sales too.

There are many reasons why you may be interested in starting your own affiliate or network marketing home business. Are you having difficulty finding a job? Are you afraid of being laid off? Are you worried about your retirement savings? Do you want to stay home to care for a loved one? Do you wish you could say goodbye to your boss forever?

Whatever the reason, and whatever your financial situation, a mentor can help you build an online income over time. It won't happen overnight and it will take hard work.

How do you know if being your own boss and working on the internet is for you? How do you choose what kind of business to start?

A mentor can help you decide if an internet home business is for you. If you're new to computers and the internet, he or she can suggest some great resources for learning the basics.

How do you choose what affiliate or network marketing company to join? A good mentor only recommends products she uses herself and programs she uses. I made my choices based on products in which I have personal interest, the programs' track records, and recommendations from entrepreneurs I respect. Careful research is the key.

Once you have signed up for affiliate programs or network marketing, you may want to start out simply promoting the affiliate gateway websites you are given within each program. Gateway websites are personalized websites given to you by an affiliate program. They are the same for every affiliate and you are not able to change them in any way. They include code that attributes all sales to you and they allow for your contact information to be included. A mentor will show you how to promote these websites. Directing visitors to them is how you make your sales and how you enroll others.

Eventually, you would want to get your own website. Once you are the proud owner of your own website, you can add your own product pages, articles, testimonials...you're only limited by your imagination. A mentor can set you in the right direction and get your business profitable sooner than you might believe possible.

Here, the beauty of Network Marketing shines through. At the core of Network Marketing would be the process of duplicating leadership to your downlines. Therefore, your "sponsors" or your upline will have your best interests at heart when signing you up as your success will inevitably be theirs as well. Therefore, if you are new to the whole E-conomy (Internet Economy), it would be a good idea to start off with Network Marketing before branching out into other avenues within the E-conomy.

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