So you have decided to give Affiliate Marketing a try or you are looking at different ways to make money on the internet; either way, I know you have been poking around in the businesses on the internet. That's the only place you will find this series. So, now that we agree you have been looking for an opportunity, I can imagine you have found a few that interest you. If you have been looking around for more than a few hours, you realize there are some tall promises of making huge money by clicking a few buttons and turning your computer into a cash spewing machine. Well, if it was that easy everyone would be doing it and nobody would be telling you how you could do it; they would be keeping the secrets to themselves. So why then are there so many claims and why are people trying to give them, sell them or otherwise get those ideas into your hands?

Well; you see, my fine Affiliate Marketing friend, YOU, are the reason those ads are out there. It takes you, the customer, to buy into those various different ideas and then part with your cold hard cash to purchase said venture. It is your belief that you too could make some money doing whatever it is the seller is selling. As we go through this series, we will look at the various different opportunities that exist on the internet. I don't pretend to be all knowing about all things; but, I will do my best to impart on you some of my thoughts that guided me down the road I have chosen in internet marketing.

But; before we can do anything; I mean anything, I need you to ask yourself one very important question. This question will be the determiner of all things you endeavor on the internet. It comes before you determine what type of business you might be looking for, before you make a business plan, before getting money for your business, before you get a web site, before you pick a business name; it even comes before breakfast! The question is:

WHY? Why do you want to make money on the internet? What is it that is driving you? Is it the want or need for money? That's not enough! Why do you need money? To buy something? To get out of debt? To buy a house or a car, take a trip? Do you just want to be stinkin' rich? Without a "why", you might as well give up right now, send me $20 and move onto something else. The internet is no place for you.

I know, that sounds pretty crass! Well, it is; but, it's the truth. If you have been at this for more than an hour, you know by now, you won't make money quick! It's sales hype. If you don't have a "why" etched in stone and tattooed on your forehead or painted on the wall in front of you, you WILL fail! That I can guarantee you. You have to be determined to make a business work, in the real world or on the internet. On the internet, it is too easy to get distracted, discouraged, derailed, you name it! You have to have a "why." It will be unique to you and your situation and it has to drive you like never before. If you get a good enough "why" you will be able to succeed online or anywhere for that matter. I'll show you the ropes in future installments. Right now, I want you to get comfortable with a piece of paper and a writing implement and write down all the reasons you can think of "why" you want to make money on the internet. Be specific! There just might be a quiz next time! Seriously; this is a truly personal experience for you. Be completely honest with yourself and get some real reasons down on paper.

For me, I couldn't stand the thought of failing. I absolutely had to be able to look at my family and know I made something that they could be proud of. I had been in so many opportunities over the years that I was determined to build a business that worked.

I found my why. You MUST find yours.

Stone Evans; known as The Home-Biz Guy around the internet, says you must have three intangibles if you are to be successful. The first is "why", which we covered above, next is:

"You must BELIEVE that it is possible."

"If you don't believe that it's POSSIBLE for you to make money with affiliate programs or make your living on the Internet, you won't. It's that simple."

"Figuring out that it was possible, was just a matter of realizing that many other people were ALREADY making great money online. If they could do it, I could too. It would just be a matter of figuring out what those people were doing and then adapting it to my situation. "

There is no shortage of undeniable PROOF that people (millions of them) are making money online with affiliate programs. Just get online and do some research and you'll find countless testimonials and stories of REAL PEOPLE making real money on the Internet. Or head to your local bookstore and you'll find the same documented evidence of this fact. Truth is it's getting easier and easier to make money online with affiliate programs.

I've always said that "affiliate marketing" is the job of the future. In the "old" days, you had to go to a potential employer, apply for the position and hope for the best. Now you can simply go to any company you want, fill out their affiliate application and start work immediately. Affiliates are the new working class. Believe me, making money with affiliate programs or making your living on the Internet is WAY MORE than possible.

It is pretty much (or will be soon enough) unavoidable now. Affiliate marketing is the "job" of the future that's already here TODAY.

The last intangible you MUST have is:

You must be willing to MAKE THE LEAP.

Ready, FIRE, then aim... This is the operating philosophy you MUST adopt to succeed with affiliate marketing.

That's backwards for most people who like to aim before they fire. The fact is the Internet is a moving target... The only thing constant about it is change. You need to stop analyzing the game and simply jump into it. You can't learn from the outside... You have to be IN THE RING to truly understand it.

The lesson here is that you will never really be READY to start an affiliate marketing business. You simply have to start one. This is what I call "Making the Leap."

The good news is that the cost of failure on the Internet is very small. In the "brick and mortar" world you need to evaluate things very carefully before you decide to open up a business. It's almost always necessary to invest thousands of dollars to get an offline business off the ground. However, on the Internet you can often start a successful business for less than $100.

You simply need get IN THE GAME... Each moment that you stay "out there," you're wasting valuable time that you could be learning the skills necessary to become a successful affiliate marketer. In fact, if you're not in the game yet, you're ALREADY behind the times. Make the leap to becoming a successful affiliate marketer today!