If you're a savvy consumer (which of course you are), then you put more stock in your friends' opinions and independent product reviews.

As affiliate marketers, we become much more successful when we approach our site visitors as friends and take attitude that they too are savvy consumers.

From that standpoint, an affiliate's real work is to pre-sell our merchant partners' products by writing fair and balanced reviews, also known as endorsement letters.

Sure, writing a review for each product takes a little time and effort, but it's an activity that sets super affiliates apart from their less-super counterparts in terms of rewards... read 'income'.

Product reviews can be either stand-alone or comparative. The first type focuses on a single product, while second is an evaluation of similar items that allows readers to choose which product best suits them.

Before you begin to write a product review, you'll need to evaluate product. (Nothing like stating obvious, eh?)

I prefer to endorse products that I've actually used. However, buying a product isn't always feasible. If that's case, affiliate managers will often grant 'proven' super-affiliates access to products for their review. That's especially true of information products and services that are delivered online, such as internet dating services.

But what if you're not yet a super affiliate, and can't fathom a basement full of treadmills to review for your exercise site?

Well, do what your customer would do if product reviews didn't exist on Internet - go to store and test those treadmills out!

And how do you review acne medications for your skin care site if you don't have acne? Surely, you have some friends with (previously) pimply-faced teenagers... ask them to tell you what worked for them.

If you can't find out that way, search Google for "consumer reviews" + "acne medications". Read as many as you can to come up with three to five effective products (that have affiliate programs).

Once you've collected information about product, it's time to start writing that product review.

The structure for a product review is simple, containing an introduction, overview and summary.

The introduction consists of a few sentences outlining problem and introduces a possible solution for reader, without going into detail. The overview describes product's promise, a description of how product is used, as well as its effectiveness and value. The summary is almost a repeat of introduction, and contains a strong recommendation for purchase based on your conclusions.

To simplify review-writing process, I ask myself following questions when writing product reviews for my own affiliate sites.

1. Who is my reader and what is their problem? 2. What does product promise? 3. How well does product solve problem? What does it do? How does it work? 4. Does product offer good value? (Would I buy this product?)

Let's look at each question in turn.

The first question asks, "Who is my reader and what is their problem?"

If acne is your reader's problem and your site visitors are adults, you probably want to avoid terminology like 'Zap those zits!' and use more age-appropriate language.

Have you been trying to start an Internet business and find yourself broke, desperate and coming to end of your tether?

Well, you're not alone.

Here are samples of correspondence that I've received from folks who are in exactly that situation.

" ...I have bought so many books I have lost count and am now so totally confused (and broke) about what to do I'm just about to give up."

" ...I am twenty years old and entirely dependent on myself. I have no parents and I am out on my own trying to make my way in this cruel world. I struggle to get by with my current job as a bus boy and I am tired of living from paycheck to paycheck. I am currently out of school and wish to go back but I do not have time nor money. I have dreams but do not have time nor money to pursue them."

" ...I am a parent, divorced and am struggling to make ends meet. I cannot quit my job."

" ...I desperately need more income."

" ...bill collectors hounding..."

" ...I am a mom of six children and I have tried and spent thousands of dollars on trying to make money."

" ...as a two month veteran on Internet I don't know if I can take another hit. I feel like I've been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and I'm really thinking about staying on canvas. Thousands of dollars later and I'm still on starting line!"

" ...invested thousands of dollars of my savings in last two years in home business that I could not afford."

" ...burned really bad within last two years for alot of money."

Does that ring any bells with you?

Yes?

OK...I want you to pinch yourself to confirm that you're still among living.

Still here?

Good!

Where there's life, there's hope.

Now take a long, deep breath. Make that 10 deep breaths.

No, seriously. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and feel your body relax.

Relaxed? OK, here are some suggestions.

First of all, focusing on losses won't help you win. Let go of past. What's done is done. Unless you can recoup some of your money, learn lesson, chalk it up to experience and move on.

Next, work on building a mental image of yourself as an extraordinarily happy and successful Internet entrepeneur.

Trust me, this works.

Failing my first attempt at air traffic control training, I felt defeated, depressed and stupid. When given a second training opportunity, I was reluctant to try, fearful of failing again.

Then little voice inside my head told me how much I really WANTED that job. I also wanted to prove that those who cast me aside first time were wrong - that I COULD do that job.

But could I really?

It was time for some honest self-evaluation. What stumbling blocks had I put in my path? Was it lack of knowledge? Lack of effort? Not at all. I didn't honestly BELIEVE I could do it, AND I was intensely AFRAID of failing.

Yikes! What a great recipe for failure that was. I got exactly what I focused on most.

However, believing you can be successful at something when you've failed before is a bit of a trick.

It CAN be done, however. I adopted a 'B.S. baffles brains' or 'Fake it 'til you make it' approach. Every step of way I asked myself what a REAL air traffic controller would do in that situation, and then did that. Even when I wasn't completely confident, I forced my voice to at least sound confident. I acted part until it became my reality.

So how did REAL netpreneurs approach their business and become successful?

Well, because it's impossible to think clearly while worried about how to pay this month's rent, they didn't spend their last dime on an business opportunity.