There Is A Huge Affiliate Marketing Opportunity -- But You Must Beware The Number One Newbie Mistake

Does affiliate marketing present a huge opportunity to make money online? let us consider the advantages of affiliate marketing for a moment;

-- You don't need to create your own products

-- You don't need to fulfil the buyer's order

-- You don't need to provide support to the buyer or answer complaints

-- unlimited earnings potential

-- You don't need any special skills--anyone can do it

This list of advantages certainly presents a compelling case for the affiliate marketing opportunity but why is it that so many newbies fail to make more than a handful of sales and quickly give up on their affiliate marketing dream?

The number one reason why newbie affiliate marketers fail is they focus their time and energy on driving traffic directly to the affiliate products sales page and they miss the most crucial step in the process.

You must remember that most people don't buy a product the first time they read the sales page, in fact research shows that on average it takes 7 contacts before the sale is made.

This means that unless you have a system in place to capture the contact details of your prospects you are leaving the majority of the money on the table.

The solution is relatively simple; you have already generated the targeted traffic so all you have to do now is present a page offering an incentive in exchange for the prospect's email address (a quality, free report works well).

You are now able to approach your prospect again and again with the offer and you can vary the offer to highlight different benefits of the product.

If you are wise you will develop your relationship with your email list by sending regular messages containing quality content and occasional free gifts and offer them other related products to help solve their problems, this way you are actually providing a service not just trying to make a quick sale.

Think of your email list as a list of 'customers for life' because, properly nurtured, that is exactly what they are.

If you want to fully realize the affiliate marketing opportunity you must shift your mindset and focus on building long term relationships that earn you the right to present offers and make affiliate commissions on an ongoing basis.

Take a long term view with your affiliate marketing, dedicate your efforts to building a list of happy subscribers who look forward to receiving your emails and the money will naturally follow.