Smart entrepreneurs running a thriving business know there’s always more they can do to make that business grow. One way of taking things to the next level is by finding an alternate stream of income. That doesn’t mean starting a second business, but finding ways to complement and grow the business you have by offering more value to your customers and followers. If you aren’t participating in affiliate marketing, it’s time to consider taking advantage of this lucrative revenue stream.
Affiliate marketing is an online sales tactic that lets a product owner increase sales by allowing others targeting the same audience—“affiliates”—to earn a commission by recommending the product to others. At the same time, it makes it possible for affiliates to earn money on product sales without creating products of their own. Simply put, affiliate marketing involves referring a product or service by sharing it on a blog, social media platforms, or website. The affiliate earns a commission each time someone makes a purchase through the unique link associated with their recommendation. Done well, this performance-based opportunity can become an important part of your business by netting you a healthy income.
To participate in an affiliate marketing program, you’ll need to take these five simple
steps:
1. Find and join an affiliate program.
2. Choose which offers to promote.
3. Obtain a unique affiliate link for each offer.
4. Share those links on your blog, social media platforms, or website.
5. Collect a commission anytime someone uses your links to make a purchase.
Commission rates vary dramatically, depending on the company and the offer. On the low end, you’ll earn
about 5% of the sale but, with some arrangements, you can earn as much as 50%, usually when promoting a
class or event. There are also affiliate marketing programs that provide a flat rate per sale instead of
a percentage..
Affiliate marketing offers several benefits to affiliates (i.e., you), one of which is its ease. Your side of the equation simply involves handling the “marketing” side of building and selling a product—educating customers. You don’t have to worry about the harder tasks, like developing, supporting, or fulfilling the offer. Affiliate marketing is low risk. Since there’s no cost to join affiliate programs, you can start making money with an established affiliate product or service without any upfront investment. Affiliate marketing also can generate relatively passive income through commission—the ideal money-making scenario. Though initially you’ll have to invest time creating traffic sources, your affiliate links can continue to deliver a steady paycheck.