2. Submit your affiliate program to directories that list affiliate programs.

These directories attract lots of people interested in joining affiliate programs, and will increase your sign ups by giving you good ongoing promotion of your affiliate program.

3. Pay your affiliates well for promoting your products.

Offering your affiliates a high commission rate for their referrals of your products will increase number of affiliates that join your affiliate program and also help you to better compete with other businesses for affiliates.

To make your affiliate program even more appealing to your visitors, pay residual commissions if you sell a product or service that your customers pay for on an ongoing basis such as webhosting or access to your private members only site.

In addition, you can increase your sign ups by making your affiliate program two-tier, where your affiliates earn commissions on their own referrals and also on referrals of affiliates they've personally referred to your affiliate program.

4. Track sales you get from your affiliates fairly and accurately.

Track phone orders and mail in orders. Only offer payment options to your customers that your affiliates will get paid a commission on if they refer that customer to you.

In addition, pay your affiliates promptly for sales they refer to you. Don't make your affiliates wait months to receive their checks from you or set minimum payment requirements that are too high for majority of your affiliates to meet.

5. Provide your affiliates with resources that they can use to get more sales of your products such as ads, banners, button ads, and sample recommendations.

When some folks begin to think about a business of their own, they know in that very moment what kind they are going to start. Then, there are rest of us...

Knowing that we want to have a business of our own is not enough. Many of us have struggled with important question of what type of enterprise we would like to start.

Franchises offer a simple pre-packaged money making idea, but cost of a franchise often makes it a prohibitive option to most folks who contemplate going out on their own.

For those who do not have a million dollars to buy a McDonalds franchise, we must look to other ideas for our own business.

There are literally hundreds of lucrative home business ideas for you to choose from, which will suit every type of personality and all levels of financing. From selling information on Internet as a infopreneur, to growing delicious gourmet mushrooms for sale to restaurants and catering companies; there is a pile of money to be made by filling a need, for these and a host of other necessary services.

Of course, actually liking what you do, will have a lot to do with success of your new venture, so be sure to pick a home business that you'll enjoy running and that will keep you motivated.

For example, if you're a math whiz, an accounting or income tax service might be ideal home business for you to start. Perhaps writing is your forte and you'd like to start your own home based copywriting service or advertising agency. Each of these businesses can be run successfully--and profitably from comfort of your own home.

Academia might not be your cup of tea, but maybe you are good with your hands --- having a creative genius where crafts are concerned. Craft items are red-hot sellers at swap meets, country fairs and world wide over Internet, and they can provide you with solid profits. If crafts don't interest you, then why not start a laundry service with pick-up and delivery, or a shopping service for shut-in's--even a companion service or granny sitter or a doctor shuttle service; any of which, could be much in demand, in and around your neighborhood or community.

When brainstorming new ideas for your future home business, keep in mind soul of any successful endeavor is providing a product or service that others will actually purchase in quantities. Satisfy needs of your target market, and your target market will keep you and your home based business healthy, happy and profitable.