Where ever you go on the internet these days you see the words "Join our affiliate program". It seems very tempting, but before you jump in and submit your information you should be aware of some of the basic facts.

There are several different types of affiliate programs. Some examples are:

1. Pay Per Sale: You get paid a commission for each sale you generate. If you refer a visitor to the merchant's site and s/he makes a purchase, you get a percentage of the sale as commission. Depending on the merchant, the commission may be for that purchase only, for all purchases that customer makes within a fixed period of time (usually six months to one year), or for all the purchases that customer makes in his or her lifetime.

2. Bounty: You get a one-time bounty payment for the customer you referred. You will not get commission on any future purchases that customer makes. Usually, companies pay a bounty of $10-$20 per customer.

3. Pay Per Click: You get paid for every visitor you send to the online merchant through a banner or text link, regardless of whether or not a sale is made. Usually, companies pay $0.05 – $0.10 per click, per visitor.

4. Two-Tier Programs: You get commission on direct sales that you generate, plus you get commission on sales generated by affiliates that you recruit. Companies typically pay 15% commission for direct sales and 5% for sales generated by the affiliates you recruit.

5. Pay Per Lead: You get paid a one-time fee for generating a lead for the merchant. Similar to a bounty program, you usually earn $2-$5 if the visitor you referred fills out a questionnaire or an application.

Some people feel that affiliate programs are a waste of time. My personal experience with them has been a lot of trial and error, but most have paid off. The best thing that you could do if you would like to get involved with affiliate programs is figure out what your customers want. Try not to just follow the next person because what works for them may not work for you.

Here is a statistic that show you how big affiliate programs really are;

According to Jupiter Communications Inc., affiliate programs will directly account for 11% of the $5.8 billion in consumer transactions over the web this year. That figure is expected to grow to 24% of $37.5 billion in total sales by 2002.

Affiliatee programs may not be what you need or want, but only you can decide that. There are many places to go where you may find information on affiliate programs. There are also many place to go to sign up for them.

I have tried to compile a list of affiliate programs and resources that will help you get started. You will find them on the left and at the bottom. As with all my information , if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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