The reasons for this are many, including the facts that you skip the research and development stage, the product creation and the copywriting for not only the sales page but all the subsequent ads. By not having to invest in these early stages of product development you save not only money but time as well.

This leaves you, as the affiliate, the task of simply marketing the chosen product or service.

Easy enough, right?

Well my friend, this is where it gets a little sticky.

The fact is that there are many people just like you entering the Internet ring every day looking for the so-called easy dollar. And since that is exactly what affiliate marketing promises, there is a lot of competition for the same buck in most niches.

The trick to affiliate success, no matter which market or niche you may choose, is to separate yourself from all the other affiliates who are using the exact same marketing materials as you are.

One note of caution - make sure to check the affiliate rules for each program to verify that the tactics listed here are permitted.

The first order of business is to get your own web site along with a domain name closely associated with the niche of choice. If you are targeting the home stereo niche you may want to choose something like a domain name that includes 'home stereo guide' or the like.

Next, you will want to find a template that you can use as a basis of your site. It is very important that the look and feel of your site stays consistent through out the site if you have more than one page.

Here is where you will really set yourself apart from all the other affiliates. Write a special report or review of the product or service you are going to promote. This is the real focus of your marketing, getting this document out to as many prospects as possible.

This piece should be given away as an enticement for the prospects name and email address, which should be left in an autoresponder. Set up several messages, optimally 7 to 10, to go out at 2 to 3 day intervals. Each message should give an explanation of the benefits derived from the product along with your affiliate link.

The autoresponder form should be prominently displayed on all of the pages of your site along with the sales pitch telling your visitors why they should download the free report. You can easily set this up in a sidebar on the template of choice, usually on the left hand side.

By building this list of potential buyers you can communicate with them as often as you want. Send them alerts when a new product comes out, when upgrades are available to existing products or when sales on their favorite products are being offered.

There are many reasons to build your list but by offering a special report you label yourself as an expert in your field, you thus set yourself apart from all the other affiliates.