The economy in the new millennium is a different animal. With the digital technology available for getting your message out fast, there are many opportunities to grow your affiliate base. You can draw new affiliates into your fold by brainstorming ideas to try to reach them. You can combine traditional prospecting methods with newer ones to reach those potential affiliates that will drive your business.



To develop new and creative ways to reach people who may become affiliates, go the simple route. Sit in a comfortable chair, pull out pen and paper, and get to work. On the left side of a sheet of paper list, every communication method you can think of that is at your disposal for getting information out. List the tried-and-true methods that are staples of business today.

Next, list all the new ways of communicating such as social networks, mobile messaging, on-line forums, and the like. On the right side of the paper, write comments down next to each item. What you want to write in this column, next to each communication method, are one of three words, "yes", "no", "possibly".

Write down "yes" if you have the money, time, and any other resources you need for that particularly method. Write down "no" next to an item if it's completely out of the question. This may be due to monetary reasons, time involvement, lack of infrastructure to perform it, or anything else.

Write down "possibly" if you think you may be able to acquire the resources to perform a certain method to reach possible affiliates. The thing is you are brainstorming ideas and then narrowing down to find the ones that are feasible to your situation.

Now take three sheets of paper. On one, write all the "yes" communication methods. On the other, write all the "possibly" communication methods. On the third, write all the "no" communication methods. Put this third one away in a file for future reference. Down the road, you may find you can utilize these methods, which you brainstormed.

Now the work begins in earnest. Your job is to secure new affiliates. Take your "yes" list and begin working on the communication methods for reaching those potential affiliates. Do all or some of the methods on this sheet first. You determined you could perform these, now. Begin them now.

Schedule time for each communication method and start communicating. If on your "yes" list, is article writing to a niche that you believe will secure you new affiliates, get writing, and distributing. If on your sheet is visiting forums weekly to talk up your affiliate opportunity, then schedule time to do that. The thing is try to do all the things listed on your "yes" sheet before you attempt the "possibly" sheet.

You become efficient when you do this. You are spending money, time, and effort, on your "yes" list to bring in faster returns. Those returns are new affiliates. Once you have done all or most of the methods on your "yes" list, you can move to the "possibly" list. By that time, you may have more affiliates on your team. Your revenue may now be growing faster. You may have the additional budget to perform the methods on your 'possibly" list.

Your "possibly" list may include buying magazine advertising to advertise your affiliate opportunity. You thought your budget wouldn't allow that for you. However, because you tackled all the marketing methods on your "yes" list, you have the additional revenue to ramp up your program to acquire new team members. Your 'possibly" list is now in play.

Work on as many of these items as you can. Who knows, with your efforts at getting the word out about your affiliate product opportunity in full swing you may be able to attempt one or two items on that "no" list filed away. You never know once your income improves. That's why each page can logically lead into the next.

Affiliate marketing is all about brainstorming ideas and then prioritizing them. When you prioritize, you do those things that you are capable of doing now, to bring fast results. This allows you to gain resources to perform other methods to attract new affiliates. Brainstorm, prioritize, and capitalize on the opportunities to find new affiliate members.