These are six tips you must understand deeply. But first, understand that affiliate programs work just like network marketing. I said it works like it because it involves down-lines.

Now to get started. Once you understand these tips and use them wisely, you would make a real success out of affiliate program you choose.

1.Choose Right Affiliate Program.

Before you pick an Affiliate program, make double sure it is right one. Check company's profile. You cannot be in a moving vehicle and remain stagnant. If your affiliate program is one that makes steady progress, you also make progress. If it is stagnant, you inevitably will be stagnant. Check for company's age. Companies in their first two years pay high, but they face risk of quitting all too soon. They are but infants. Companies in their first seven years are more likely to be stable. Older companies are reliable. Very reliable. They have a track record which you can easily check out and have good organisation built from years of existence.

2.What are Companies' Products.

Please be very careful. Only a thin line separates Multi-level Marketing (MLM) or affiliate programs from illegality. You are however safe if company has a product it sells. Never join a pyramid scheme. I am not an expert at that but I suppose pyramid schemes are scams. If company does not offer a product or service, you might as well forget it.

3.Check Compensation Plan.

Your primary reason for joining an affiliate program is to make money! Should I say that again? To make money! So please, check compensation plan. Make sure it suits you. When dose company pay? At what rate? How does company pay? If it doesn't go down well with you, just forget it and find yourself another affiliate program with which you feel comfortable.

Note however that even if commission schedule is small but sure, work you do can help you blow it all up. Think of $1 in 1000 places ($1000). It can be achieved weekly. You can realise that with almost all affiliate programs.

The bottom line, choose a program that suits you.

Everyone knows them because at one point or another 95% of us signed up as an affiliate with at least one of them. We also know them because these are guys who have pulled in BIG money we all dream about. They've actually done it, and so we pay attention to what they do.

Well, after having paid attention to these guys for over two years, I'm ready to spill beans on their neat little secrets --- without asking for $49.95 per item or $1000 for whole shebang.

Oh, what do I know, you say, I'm not one of them. Maybe so, and you can discount everything I say if at end of reading this you're not sitting there at your computer nodding in agreement.

Time and again, these guys release hot, new products touting exciting, cutting edge information that's going to revolutionize Internet marketing. And so it does, for a month or so, until next hot, new product comes along.

However, I just want you to keep one thing in mind as we go along. The main goal of each new product these affiliate masters produce is NOT to provide best information possible for consumer of that product --- except when information provided to consumer does in fact assist with main goal.

Don't be so naive people. The sales copy for each and every marketing information product IS written all about you, consumer. They emphasize what you'll gain, how you'll benefit, and what they'll do for you.

But, main goal of that product, in truth, has nothing to do with you. You are simply a means to an end. The main goal of each and every product introduced by any marketer in any affiliate program is simply to produce profits, highest profits possible, and nothing more.

Think about where vast majority of their sales come from. Is it from sales their affiliates make to others, or from affiliates themselves?

It's affiliates. If you're running an affiliate program, money is NOT in what your affiliates accomplish, but in what your affiliates purchase themselves.

This is only natural, for what are affiliates but repeat customers?

These masters approach you from a slant that appears to be in your favor. They are going to give you best information possible. They are going to give you chance to make commissions off of their work. They are going to give you sales tools, incentives, discounts, their wisdom and experience, and whatever else you need so that YOU can make BIG money working online.

But wait, hold on, what are you giving them in return? Your time, and your contacts.

Anyone who's ever operated a traditional business knows answer to this question. What are two of biggest expenses involved with running a business?

1. Labor 2. Advertising

As an affiliate what are you providing to affiliate program owner again? Your time (labor) and your contacts (advertising).