The key for affiliates today is to learn as much as they can even as they join affiliate programs. The major portion of affiliate sales are raked in by only 5% of the affiliates! Please don't let that information discourage you.

Newbies especially, be encouraged. Here is the other side of the coin! A research firm Forrester Research, indicates that we affiliates will have $280 billion dollars/year to divide up amongst ourselves by 2008. Walk don't run, take your time, and learn the ropes. There is hope for us! But try to avoid the following:

Affiliate Mistake #1

When you promote, be sure to promote the product. Nothing else, just the product. Let the wealthy people who captured you into their program be concerned about promoting the program. You just focus on selling the product. That's what affiliates do.

While you're at it, endorse the product. You are your chief weapon in your marketing arsenal. Did you know that? Well you know it now. Tell them about the product. Let them know how it has benefited you. Endorse, endorse and endorse some more!

Affiliate Mistake #2

Stay away from the heavy hitters. If your specialty in the offline world was marketing that doesn't mean you're going to be great in the online world. Swim in the waters where the small grunts are first.

As you learn a few online tips and tricks, then you can wade into deeper water. But don't go out too far! The deeper waters of the Internet are known to be shark-infested.

Affiliate Mistake #3

Are you capturing names and addresses? No! You've gotta be kidding me! You're letting money slip through your fingers. Answer this? Would you rather buy from someone that you trust, or someone that you don't trust? Yeah! I figured so.

Collect those emails and start to build some trust with your very own list. Take your time with this. Don't rush them. Don't bug them either. Work on that list immediately.

Affiliate Mistake #4

Keep track of the promotions you do. Some will be duds. There's nothing worse than throwing money after an unprofitable promotion. What makes it worse is that you may have a profitable promotion that you aren't paying much attention to but should be.

Affiliate Mistake #5

While you‘re working on your affiliate programs what's happening with your own product? What was that? I didn't hear you? No? Okay, what do you like to do? Quite frankly you may not be able to pursue what you are passionate about.

But there must be something you can do? Everyone on the topside has a gift. Is it plumbing? Gardening? You must have something up your sleeve. If it's something you're passionate about, and it works online, you may have arrived. But you won't know until you take action.

Let's be realistic. You're going to make mistakes, you're human. Allow me to encourage you with this; there is more money out there than the mistakes you can make. You'll be an expert one day. And when that happens you won't be able to get out of the way of those affiliate commissions.