Authored by Ted Goodman in Internet Marketing
Published on 11-18-2008

As the saying goes, no sign means no business. Advertising is the key for any business to flourish. And with the emergence of the possibilities made available by the internet, there is a more convenient way to make advertising work for you.

But you wonder, you have little to no idea how to advertise, and perhaps, you do not have the initial capital to invest on permanent employees to do the marketing for you. No worries; affiliate marketing could do wonders for your business.

Affiliate marketing is a kind of internet marketing that uses networks in order to redirect customers to your business. The more common advertising techniques are employed in the process, with some extra aspects. Partners could produce campaigns in the internet for the promotion of your business, or even write positive reviews to build up your business credibility.

It is very enticing. And once you have established your network of affiliate marketers, you could focus more on the other aspects of running and improving your business. The question now is, how do you establish partners for your affiliate marketing? Here are some tips that could help you form your network:

Look at close networks. Your friends would most probably have businesses and websites of their own who could link your advertisements in their websites. Friends who could write about your products and services could make some preliminary publishing for you at a very friendly rate. In whatever endeavor, the primary marketing would come from these people who are close to you. It is of no strain to your friendship if you won’t abuse them. View it as a mutual favor that you could do for them as friends and colleagues.

Attend business summits. Aside from looking into your friends, formal acquaintances could also help. When attending these business summits, make sure to bring a calling card with you, and some brochures and promotional items that could assist you in promoting your business to them. Do not be afraid. If you want your business to expand, you inevitably have to step it up. These business networks could provide the links and necessary adjustments for your marketing needs.

Search for affiliate network websites. There are websites that thrive on affiliate marketing, because at the end of it all, the advertising is not free. People earn and make a living out of the kind of internet marketing. There are also websites that compare and contrast the available options that you could partner with. Consider the costs and the rates that they give, and if you are able to find two or three options that you think could feed into what you need, go make the email to propose your partnership.

When you have done these things and get a good grasp of the things with your potential partners, you could confidently say that you are ready for affiliate marketing. Remember, any kind of business relationship is founded on trust and honoring of your expectations. And keep an open eye for potential partners that could work with you on the long term.