December 1998 Links to Sales Journal:
The Insider Perspective

The Insider Perspective is a monthly column for insights and innovation. You are invited to participate. Email declan@linkstosales.com with your suggestions.

Scientific Internet Advertising:
Internetworking Your Business

If you have read your Complete Insider's Guide to Associate Programs, you know what it takes to set up an affiliate network online.

As with any other business efforts, one rule applies:

"There are two types of businesses; those who test and those who lose money."

Affiliate programs are an excellent example of people falling in love with an idea and then failing to test it. Just because you can sign up 200 affiliates doesn't mean you are making sales; those affiliates have a multitude of values, but only if you empower them to act, to succeed.

If you leave them alone, have them sign up, and ignore them, you are building failure. Why even bother to sign these people up if you don't support them?

Now let's show you how to put that into action in even more detail by sharing the aspects of what has been coined "Internetworking"; creating an online sales network of affiliates that deliver results your business.

The key is to keep evaluating and testing your sales channel, honing it so that you get optimal value, as do your affiliates.

The first questions you must ask are:

1. What are the primary goals of your business in terms of time and money?

2. What will you do to achieve your results quickly?

3. How can I adapt and test this?

At Links to Sales, we've received many inquiries requesting more details in setting up your affiliate network online. It all begins with selecting your affiliates by building your Area of Influence (AOI) and measuring your results, or your return on investment (ROI).

I thank you for your feedback and hope this issue answers a few more of your questions.

Peace,
Declan Dunn