Even though this is an effective strategy, you don't want to confuse your lost visitor with too many options. If you do have too many options on your custom error page, this strategy may backfire on you. So, I recommend that you limit amount affiliate programs on your custom error page.

Automated Messages

If you are currently using any type of automated message, then you would consider promoting your affiliate program with them. Promoting your affiliate program in your automated messages is a great way to make additional affiliate sales and it works well too. When I say an automated message, I mean any type of automated message, whether it is an invoice, newsletter confirmation, faq, etc.

The trick is to promote an affiliate program that is associated with message. For instance, if you have a newsletter about web marketing tips and you send your new subscribers an automated confirmation message. Then you would want to promote a product that was related to theme of your newsletter, in this case, it would be web marketing.

The same can be done with an invoice automated message, in fact, it works very effectively. Why? Because they have already bought something from you and they are still in mood to buy. By feeding on your buyer's impulse, you can literally watch your affiliate sales skyrocket. You need to make sure that affiliate program you are promoting is associated with your invoice message, or this strategy will not work effectively.

Rich Hamilton, Jr is the CEO/President of http://www.ElitesMarketing.com and the Author of Inside Internet Marketing. His book will show you how to laser in on your targeted market with unconventional marketing strategies to promote your web site without ever having to pay a cent in advertising. http://www.InsideNetMarketing.com

Here are a few ideas on items you can offer on bridge page to collect their information:

* To subscribe to your ezine. If you have more than one, list these all. * To register for an ecourse. * To receive an ebook. * Offer your opinion or testimonials on using affiliate’s product/program.

Now, one of main things most people do not think about is offering them something to purchase. And this is something affiliate offerers lookout for when you sign up to be an affiliate (at least good ones do). They don’t want their competition becoming an affiliate and then snatching customer on way to their site. I am chuckling on this one -- I think it is great actually. Most affiliates don’t even know this is happening to them.

Here is a duzie of a hint that I’ve only seen one affiliate program do. This will give you a head start and it’s kind of sneaky too.

You can offer something at a price on bridge page that has to do with that topic (you have a focused buyer here). Example: The affiliate item is a software product. You can write an ebook on same topic. Yes, will this piss off some affiliates. You bet, but guess what -- that’s business. And also guess what -- it’s going to take them a while to figure it out what you are doing too. They are so busy trying to obtain more affiliates they don’t have time to research each one.

Offering something for a price isn’t as effective as something for f/r/e/e. Then again, you have to decide what is your call to action for bridge page. Is it to collect name and increase your mailing list or to make residual income. Don’t get greedy and offer both. It will bite you in "assets". Too many choices and it confuses visitor and so they don’t make any decision at all and leave without choosing anything -- no freebie, no affiliate link.

When you set up your doorway page, set up metatags and searchable keywords that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to place on your site. Make sure that these same words are in content.