Come one, come all, there's gold in them there hills! The California gold rush was one of the most documented stories of the old west. Gold found at Sutter's Mill was heard not just all the way to the east coast, but the news made its way around the world too. Hordes of people came from practically everywhere with the hope of striking it rich. Unfortunately, very few of the people that came to California in search of instant riches ever realized their dreams.



This is exactly what is happening right now with online affiliate marketing, believe it or not, only on a much larger scale. In this case, the people that are making money online are treating online affiliate marketing just as they would any other business, the others, which are the vast majority, are losing money left and right because any one of a dozen reasons.

So what does it really take to become successful as an affiliate? For each person that answer may be just slightly different, however, there are a few things that will help to point you in the right direction.

#1. Find a mentor - You need someone that is already succesful at what you want to do to teach you the ropes. It may cost you a bit of money, but it won't be nearly as much as you'll waste by trying to do it on your own. You'll be able to eliminate unnecessary expenses and mistakes. That alone is worth a fortune.

#2. Build a list of prospects and customers for EVERY market you enter. Some may not agree and that's fine. My only point is that if you build a customer list, you have an asset that you can rely on for years to come. You can also sell it later on if you grow tired of the market.

#3. Create your own products eventually - Affiliate marketing is a great way to begin and even test markets with, but eventually you'll want your own products. By having your own information products you can generate an army of affiliates to promote YOUR products and build YOUR lists for you.

You also need to take massive action. You can get all of the education in the world, but if you don't take action on a regular basis you have zero chance of ever succeeding. Now grab a pick and shovel and start diggin' pardner!