What better avenue to drive high quality and targeted traffic to your website than through your very own affiliate opportunity!

Plus, you have dozens and dozens of other marketers promoting YOUR wares at no startup cost to you, and on top of your own promotional efforts.

Another positive is that it is a win-win situation. It costs nothing for the affiliate to join, and you pay a commission only when a product or service is sold, and it's only a percentile of the actual sale price.

Be mindful, however, that you will need a clear plan of action and that the program should be unique and fill a niche. It is also time consuming.

You will need affiliate automation software that handles the signups, click throughs, sales and tracking. A quick search will find you several types of software and a wide price range. Find out what's right for your program and wallet, but always kick the tires for features and benefits.

Now, you will need to select the type of tier structure you wish to offer. With a single tier, you set a commission structure to pay your affiliates for any referring sales. With a two-tier program, you will also pay the same affiliate a percentage based on sales generated by those they brought into your program. This type also offers more incentive to your "work force."

When an affiliate signs up, you need to make it easy as pie for them to promote your biz opp. This could include banners, product images, text links or other ad copy.

You may announce your affiliate program in a variety of ways: free for alls (FFAs), classifieds, ezines and getting listed in affiliate directories.

A word of caution: remember that it is the quality of your affiliates that will make or break your program. Quantity doesn't play into the picture at all.

Walter Pfarr has over 35 years experience in the print media, as well as knowledge and hands on expertise in grant writing and administration, fundraising, development, all facets of public relations, and has several years experience in Internet marketing, Pfarr and his wife reside in Ardmore, OK.