The great strides made in the development of the Internet in
the recent past has enabled information to be transmitted
thousands of miles away with such ease and clarity that time and
space are hardly of any consequence to the Internet Marketer
today.
Marketing Programs have literally taken over the Internet and
riding high, is Affiliate Marketing.
According to the Computer Industry Almanac "The world-wide
Internet population for 2004 was 934 million and the projection
for 2006 is 1.21 billion."
Sean Michael Kerner in an article in Click Z News quoting a
spokesman for eBay states "According to eBay their largest
affiliate earned over $1.3 million dollars in January
commission, the largest amount yet in their affiliate program's
history. Their top 25 affiliates averaged over $100,000 per
month each and the top 100 affiliates earn almost $25,000 each
per month."
With this sort of statistics around, is it any surprise that
thousands of entrepreneurs especially those Home Based Business
entrepreneurs with very small marketing budgets are jumping on
to the Affiliate Marketing band-wagon!
Given below are some of the Popular reasons for this desire and
urge to do Affiliate Marketing:
1. Cost Factor: Most Entrepreneurs refrain from starting a brick
and mortar business or for that matter a Home Based Business
(non Internet) because of the investment required. In Affiliate
Marketing the set-up cost is negligible with most programs being
free to join and the merchant even providing you with the tools,
tips and websites.
2. Pick and Choose Products: With dozens of Affiliate Program
providers and thousands of merchants having their own affiliate
programs, there are several thousands of products to choose
from. You name it they have it! In fact, there are even Fortune
500 companies to choose from. The idea is to pick and choose
your niche products and promote them.
3. No need for an Inventory. The hassle of purchasing, stocking
of items and storing of finished items (in a production unit)
and dispatching them are not there. There is no need to maintain
an inventory. It is all handled by the merchant.
4. No need for Employees. In any business the wages of the
employees is one of the major expenditures to contend with. Here
the problem does not arise since the marketer himself will
operate his home business and probably get the assistance of a
family member to help him.
5. Necessity for Customer Service does not arise. Customer
service plays a major role in the success or failure of a
business. The advantage here is that there is no direct dealing
with the customers. The website will automatically direct the
customers to the merchants.
6. Two Tier Affiliate Marketing: An attractive feature of
certain affiliate programs is that they have a Two tier system,
whereby affiliates can sign up as sub-affiliates below them.
When the sub-affiliate earns a commission, the affiliate above
him too earns a commission.
7. Income without a limit. In a paid job the salary structure
has a vice-like grip over your monthly income. Here the
possibilities are limitless. Though it is not every marketer who
earns a big income, the fact remains that avenues are all there
for the enterprising marketer to make it to the big time.
8. Global Market Place. You no longer need to restrict your
market to your home town or country. With your well chosen niche
product you can sit in the comfort of your home and target the
Global Market.
9. Low Risk Factor. The risk factor in Affiliate Marketing is so
small that it has become one of the major attractions for many
Home Based Business entrepreneurs especially for those with low
marketing budgets.
10. Business works Right Round the Clock. One major asset of
Internet marketing is that your Website, or in other words, your
Home Based Business never sleeps. It works right round the clock
(24/7) making money from home for you.
Having indicated the above reasons for the popularity of
Affiliate Marketing, it has to be mentioned that statistics
indicate that only 5% of the marketers do make big money. It is
presumed that there are of course several thousands of marketers
who make some money, thus giving them an additional income.
As long as the top marketers in the 5% slab, continue to make
their millions and the latter continue to make reasonable
amounts of money and have the urge to emulate the top marketers,
Affiliate Marketing will continue to draw the attention and be
popular with Home
Based Business Entrepreneurs.
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in
print, free of charge, as long as the bylines and my Web site
address
http://www.business-fromhome.com (in hyperlink) are
included.
Categories
