Have you ever dreamed of having your own business? Maybe your ideal job is one that you can do from the comfort of your own home. The good news is, it’s entirely possible to build your own online business and you can enjoy the benefits that come from letting someone else take care of product sourcing, warehousing, inventory, shipping, returns, and even customer service. Sound too good to be true? Well, fortunately, it’s not just a pipe dream that has a hidden catch, it’s actually very doable.
With affiliate marketing, you can build an online business with almost zero investment. Many successful affiliate marketers rely on nothing more than email marketing or social media marketing, but it is also very common for affiliate marketers to have their own website, but it’s certainly not necessary. There are numerous companies that offer affiliate marketing programs and marketers are typically free to sign up with one company or several companies, depending on their marketing objectives.
When you apply to become an affiliate marketer for a company, you will be given a special link that you can use in your marketing efforts. In fact, many companies offer more than just a link, they might also have images and other marketing materials that you can use as you build your business. However, at the very core of these marketing materials will be the unique link that makes it possible for the company to know that it was your efforts that brought a particular customer to their site. The link you use in your marketing will have a unique identifier embedded in it that allows the company to follow and track incoming traffic and know that you are the one who sent that customer, ensuring that you receive a commission for any sales that it generates. Some programs, like the Clickfunnels affiliate program, also allow you to earn recurring monthly commissions.
With an agreement with a company that offers affiliate marketing and your unique link, you’re ready to start building your affiliate business. You can use email marketing campaigns to reach potential customers, ensuring that you include your link in the email. Another great option, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t yet have an email list to market to, is to advertise on social media platforms. Just about everyone is active on one or more social media sites, so reaching out through social media can be very successful.
When you write an endorsement or advertisement for a particular product or site, anyone who follows your link will arrive at the company with a cookie or tracker that will be good for that visit and oftentimes, it will be good for several days. This ensures that any purchases they make within this specific time period will be credited to you and you will receive a commission from the sales.
The best part is, your commission will be sent directly to you and you never have to do anything more. The person who follows your link will make their purchase from the company you directed them to and this company will take the order, ship the product and handle all aspects of customer care, including any returns, if necessary. This allows you to continue marketing and collecting commissions without ever having to purchase or ship products.
