Next, they may buy into a package containing a strategy for growing a particular online business. And some such programs do provide what is needed. Yet failure is more likely than success.

Why Success Eludes Many

A common cause of failure comes from a lack of understanding about what it takes to do much of anything. LEARNING is required. There's WORK to be done. And you'll need to SELL successfully.

These are "stop" words for many. They feel they know enough now that further learning should not be required. They are not keen on work. And idea of selling is somehow abhorrent. "Learn," "work," and "sell" stop such people dead in their tracks. Success is denied, online and offline.

Yet essence of any business is selling. And there's work to be done behind scenes to keep business operating smoothly. What's more, there is a continuing flow of things to be learned in order to keep up with times and ahead of your competition.

A Different Look At Selling

Selling is what business is all about. Profits come only from sales. Without an effective sales effort, profits will not amount to much.

But you may be looking at this word in a limited way. Selling doesn't necessarily mean stalking Ford showroom floor or peddling encyclopedias door to door.

Think about most things you buy. How are they "sold" to you? Often indirectly. Here's an example.

How Your Local Hardware Store Sells Like Crazy

After entering store, chances are you wander about, checking out this and that, collect a few items, then pay and leave. Just exactly who "sold" you anything? And how did they do so?

Simple. The store owner has stocked his shelves with products you and his other customers need. And he's gone to some length to make it easy for you to find what you are looking for. What he's done is "offer" you products he is selling.

One more element is required, but it can hardly be called selling.

If you can't figure which of two pipe wrenches to buy, a clerk will be happy to explain difference between them so you can make an informed decision. This isn't a salesperson in action. This is a representative of store owner helping you make best choice.

That's roughly works out to be over $10 Billion dollars!

Why is that important to you?

Because there is NO reason why you can not take advantage of this excellent technique to get FREE exposure for your web site and/or products and services.

It will only cost you AFTER you make a sale. And then it is only a percentage of total sale.

An affiliate program can provide you with these benefits:

1. FREE Advertising.

People join affiliate programs to earn money.

You allow them to join for free and in return they become unpaid salespeople that spend their own time and efforts on promoting your product or service.

This is FREE online advertising at its' best.

2. Pay money only AFTER you make money.

Your affiliates will promote your site for free and you won't pay them a penny UNTIL they make a sale for you.

It is exactly like having hundreds of sales people working on straight commission and you don't have to go through tedious hiring process or pay employee benefits. 3. Fringe Benefits.

Here is an often-overlooked benefit of starting an affiliate program; FREE traffic to your web site.

Even if visitors sent to your web site via affiliates do not make a purchase of your product and/or services, there is a good possibility that they will at least subscribe to your FREE ezine, bookmark your site or access some other feature at your web site you did not anticipate.

Remember, you only pay your affiliates when you make money. Until then, you are getting loads of FREE traffic and exposure!

4. Your Ads Tested Free.

Your affiliates will test your ads for you.

You can write ads for them, but they place them for you and you measure results. If your ads do not work, you lose nothing.