The Pure Definition

In simplest form a mini-site consists entirely of a sales letter and order form. That is, your visitor either buys or clicks Back button. Your site offers no other option.

Suppose your current site is focused on selling ebooks and software to help people raise their kids. Each product is a candidate for a mini-site dedicated entirely to selling it.

You might do well with, "How To Build A Sewing Site," or anything specific of interest to some. Maybe show how to remodel your kitchen, build a plane or boat. But a mini-site dependant upon keywords such as "site design" or "site promotion" isn't going to make it because there is simply too much competition.

Affiliate Programs

In some cases, pre-selling your visitors before sending them to sales pitch on an affiliate site can work wonders for your conversion ratio. In others, you're better off simply generating a click to site.

If pre-selling is a good idea for a program that is paying well, then a mini-site consisting of only a page or two can work well. You may need only your enthusiastic endorsement of product on a single page. Or you may want to add another providing an in-depth review. All content points to links to sales pitch on program's site.

This works, but as above, major task is in drawing targeted traffic. If this can be managed, then this is also a good model.

Selling Hot Products

To take notion of selling as an affiliate program one step further, you may want to consider selling currently hot items. For example, back up a couple of years and anticipate interest in MP3 soon to burst upon scene. Make right pick, find best affiliate program, and you may have a winner.

This approach works only for those who already know how to sell most anything. Without a background in selling effectively, particularly on Web, it's best to leave this notion to those who do.

Profits To Be Expected

Your purpose in building a mini-site is to generate profits. However, you are not looking to make a living off site. Quite contrary. You simply want to generate a separate income stream. And $200/month may be all you need. Given one such site, trick is to continue producing others, adding to total income with each.

Claims Of Time

In notes about building mini-sites, one claim made often really bothers me. That you can toss such a site together in an hour or two. This is not even close to feasible for most.

Pros may be able to quickly gather parts of existing sales pitches with information from affiliate program or manufacturer of product. Then, in short order, cobble together a sales pitch that works at least reasonably well. Still, I don't know anybody who really can manage this in an hour.

To me, time is part of cost equation. It takes time to put together a slick sales presentation. More to define an advertising campaign. And even more to track costs versus results.

Generating Hits Is The Hard Part

I put aside time from leisure activities and put a lot of things in my life on hold to create sufficient time for my business. I'd say if you're in this for long haul like I am, you've done likewise.

But now that you've developed tunnel vision and found more time for your business, how do you get most from that time? The best thing I've found is what best business people both on and off Internet do: set, meet, and maintain goals towards success.

If you're wondering what this is all about or how to go about it, here's what to do.

Set goals at three levels and try to stick to them. The three levels are long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals.

Long-term goals reflect how much you'd like to increase your income and how soon. Make those decisions and memorize them. Put your business on a time line and follow it day by day.

In order to avoid disaster that could put you out of business, be careful in selecting business opportunities you're going to pursue. Don't bite off more than you can chew by joining every affiliate plan presented to you.

Limit yourself to no more than three at beginning. Be very selective, making sure that those you're involved in balance each other, hold to a specific theme, or belong to one business type.

The long-term goals determine mid-term ones. How much do you have to make per week, per month, every six months, to achieve long-term goals?

After answering these questions make up your time line, using a sheet of paper. Draw a line at left all way down paper. Divide line into twelve months with hash marks. Label hash marks by month.