Workism.com

On Friday we talked about why you want to join an affiliate program.  Of course, now the question is…where can I find a good affiliate program, and what companies have affiliate programs?  While most of the time if you go to a company’s website, you will see a link at the bottom of the page for affiliates if they do have a program, that isn’t always the case.  Many times you will find them listed in one of the bigger affiliate companies though.  Here is a list of many affiliate programs, and some of the companies that belong to each.

• LinkShare.com -Linkshare is one of my favorite programs, as they have a lot of companies that are retail stores that most people have heard of, so they can be easier to promote.  Some examples include:  Target, Apple, GameStop, J&R, Lands’ End, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and many, many more.  The way their software is set up, it is very easy to create links, and I really recommend them.
• Commission Junction - CJ is another great program that has a lot of companies that most people have heard of.  Some examples include:  CompUSA, eBay, Gap, Old Navy, Payless, Staples, and many more as well.
• Be Free - Both Be Free and CJ are owned by the same company, but their interfaces are very different.  There aren’t that many companies using Be Free, but there are some big ones that do!  Some of the companies you will find here are Best Buy, Expedia, Gateway, Rand McNally, Ace Hardware, and more.
• Performics - When I first joined, I wasn’t that impressed, but new companies keep joining all of the time, and I really like using their interface now.  Some of the bigger named companies they have are Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, Eddie Bauer, Kohl’s, GNC, and many more!
• ClickBank - If you are interested in promoting e-books and other software, Clickbank is a great resource.  You will find many different digital products you can promote.  You can also sell your own digital products through ClickBank as well, which is really nice since you will automatically have affiliates helping you sell your products, and you decide how much to pay them.
• Chitika - Chitika is an interactive product merchandising kiosk, where you can have comparison shopping right on your website.  You can put products, and it will show the store with the lowest price.  While I have not had a chance to use it much, I think it’s a great idea, and can’t wait to play around with it a little more.
• Amazon.com - Everyone knows Amazon, but did you know you could refer people to Amazon and earn money if they buy something?  Under “Amazon Services”, click on “Associates” and you can sign up.
• Share A Sale - Share A Sale has a lot of companies as well.  While some of them you might not have heard of, a lot of them are great.  Here are a few that you have probably heard of:  Checks Unlimited, Best Deal Magazines, Batteries.com, Luggage.com, and many more. 
• Fusion Quest - Fusion Quest has a lot of companies as well, and are worth taking a look at.  I just joined them recently, and like it so far.  They are also a lower cost solution if you are looking to create an affiliate program with your product.

The ones listed below are still affiliate programs, but they are set up a little differently.  In these you are promoting a specific offer.  These can be great as advertisements, etc.  They are all still helpful in helping you make money, and I belong to these as well:

• Azoogle - They have a lot of offers to choose from.
• CPA Empire -Besides paying commissions, they also have a rewards program where you can earn Visa Gift Cards!
• Hydra Media -They have a LOT of offers, and I am enjoying promoting them.
• Kolimbo - They have a lot of offers to choose from.
• NeverblueAds - They have a lot of offers to choose from as well.

There are many more, but here’s a list to get you started.  I am signed up with all of them, so I know they are all real, and reputable.  Have fun with it, and earn a lot of money!

Last week was the eComXpo, held twice a year.  It is a virtual tradeshow, and really incredible!  It’s almost as if you are at a “real” trade show, with booths, people at each booth, and lots of information.  Of course, you are doing all of this in the comfort of your own home!

There were over 550 exhibitors in this one, and you were able to go to each company’s booth, and find out more about the company.  They even had a lot of contests going on where you could win iPods and more.  The part I liked the best was that each booth had at least 1 (and usually many more) employees available to chat with.  It was a great easy way to find out more about a company, since many times it can be hard to get in contact with a real person to ask a question.

The next one is October 9th - 11th.  Since it is completely free to attend, I recommend going.

When you are looking for a way to monetize your business, or even start one, why should you consider joining one or more affiliate programs? 

First let’s talk about what an affiliate program is.  Many times in business, when you help another person or company sell a product or service, they will give you a small percentage of the profit.  Basically, you get money for sending the business in their direction, since they would probably have not gotten the business if you hadn’t pointed the customer in that direction.  There are many companies that are more than happy to share their profits with you if you spread the word about their website.  You can become an affiliate of the company, and when someone buys something through your link, you will get a portion of the profits.

Now, you might be thinking…why would I want to help someone else sell a product, when I can make more money if I sell my own?  Here are a few reasons it can be very profitable to join affiliate programs:

• You don’t have to figure out a product to create, or spend the time doing research, designing, and creating the product.  You have already made products right there to promote!
• Many of these companies have spent countless dollars trying to figure out how to best market their products.  This benefits you since many times you can just use their advertising on your sites!  You have the use of these great advertisements without having to spend the time or money to get them created.
• Many affiliate programs are for companies you have heard of before.  Let’s be honest…do you think it will be easier to sell a product you created - when no one has ever heard of you, or a product from Target, Circuit City, Barnes & Noble, etc? 
• You will get many products and companies to promote at just the click of a button!  Then instead of just the one or two products you created, you can promote many products, in any categories you want. 
• It’s an easy way to make money off of a website you already have.  Do you have a site about your favorite hobby?  Well you can join an affiliate program for a company that makes products for your favorite hobby, and put them on your website.  Then, when other people who are passionate about the same hobby come visit your site, they may purchase these products.

It can be very profitable to join an affiliate program.  On Monday I’ll share with you some of the many affiliate programs that exist, and what I think about some of them! 

When you work at home, you might feel like you don’t have some of the same tools that people have at big businesses, because you aren’t willing to spend the money.  The truth is, there are many tools that can help you with your business that are free.  Here are some that can help you:

•  Vitalist - This is a great tool for helping you keep track of lists.  It will also let you divide the lists into different tasks and projects.  There is even a section for waiting on others, so you can put that in as well if you are waiting for someone to get back to you.
• TaDa List and Remember the Milk - These are two other list based programs.  Since everyone likes creating lists differently, you might like a different one of these then someone else might.
• BaseCamp - This is a project management tool.  It will let you keep track of lists, deadlines, and milestones.
• Google Calendar - This is an easy way to keep track of appointments.  You can even share this with others so they can see when you are free and when you have plans.  Since this is online, you will be able to see your appointments on any computer, even if you are not at home.
• Google Docs & Spreadsheets - If you don’t have Microsoft Office, but still want to use word processing and spreadsheet tools, this is a great option. 
• Pear Budget - This can help you with your budgeting and help you keep track of your business expenses.

There are many applications that you can find free versions of, so many times you don’t need to spend any money in order to get the tools that can help you with your business.

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When working at home, it may be hard to manage your time wisely.  There is always something else that needs to be done - both with your business, and around the house.  Here are some tips to help manage your time better.

• Set certain hours.  Even if you can’t work 7-8 hours in a row, try to set a specific schedule so you know during those hours you should be working on your business, and not doing one of the many other things that need to get done.
• Make lists.  If you make a list the night before, you will know exactly what you want to accomplish by the end of the next day.  This will help you make sure you get certain things done, and also help so you don’t spend all of your time on your business.
• Multi-task.  If you’re waiting for someone to get back to you for your business, it could be a great time to do the dishes.  If you’re in the middle of doing the laundry and are waiting for the clothes to dry, it could be the perfect time to write that email you keep putting off.

It can be difficult to manage your time well when you are working at home.  If you try to do a few of the above items though, it can be easier for you to make sure you get the most out of your time.

After reading the article Jimmy D. Brown wrote yesterday, I thought you might want to read a special report of his.  It’s a 24 page report, and really explains how just writing small reports (nothing big) you can make a lot of money.  His description of the report is, “How to turn 7-15 page reports into a 6-figure empire”, and is called 5 Steps To Big Profit. 

After reading it, I was pumped up…and really want to start writing them.  I think it’s a great idea!  It’s also a lot easier than writing huge e-books.  Hope you like it!

Starting an online business can be great.  You can work from home, or anywhere else for that matter.  All you need is a computer or laptop, and you are set.  If you know you want to start an online business, but aren’t sure yet what type to start, here are some ideas:

•  eBay - If you like to sell things, this is a perfect business.  You can get stuff to sell at garage sales, flea markets, stuff around your house, or make things to sell.  You could also start a business where people drop off stuff for you to sell on eBay, and you get to keep a portion of the profits.
• Create an online store - If you like to sell things, you can create an online shopping cart and sell things online.  If you don’t have anything to sell, you can find a dropshipper, where you won’t have to deal with any merchandise at all.  You will just pass along orders to a company, and they will do the shipping.  You get to keep the profits!
• Sell a service - If you have some knowledge that others don’t, you can sell your services online.  For example, you can start a tutoring website where you help others with certain subjects.  You can also write for others, program, or many other things that people need but don’t always know how to do themselves.
• Create your own product - If you know a lot about a certain topic, you can create your own product on it.  If you create an ebook, audio, or video teaching someone something, you can sell it online.  If you have a program set up to automatically give the customer the digital product once they pay, you can start making money 24 hours a day, even when you are not around!
• AdSense - if you have a lot of knowledge about something, you can create a website sharing that knowledge with others.  You can then put Google AdSense on the website, and earn money when someone clicks on a link.

As you can see, there are many different types of online businesses you can start!  Hopefully that will give you an idea on how to start.

Jimmy Brown wrote a great article about finding ideas for creating an e-book, so I wanted to share it: 

Idea Hangouts:  Where to Find Hot Product Ideas to
Use For Creating Your Next Best-Selling eBook

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Small Reports Fortune”

…………………….

46,094.

That’s how many times I’ve been asked “Where can I find
hot product ideas to write about in my next eBook?

Really.  I’ve been keeping count.  )

OK, so it’s probably not quite that many times, but you get
the idea.

I get asked that question a LOT.

And so, I’ve decided to share my favorite “idea hangouts”. 
That’s right … “idea hangouts”.  It’s been my experience
that there are specific places where hot product ideas are
always gathered.  I call them “idea hangouts”.

*** Idea Hangout #1 ***

One of the “idea hangouts” that I’ve identified is
Amazon.com.

Amazon.com is the web’s largest bookstore. 

It’s also a community center for new product ideas.  I use
it as one of my top brainstorming resources.  Again and
again I visit this site to come up with topics to write
about.

What makes Amazon.com so useful as a research tool for
getting new ideas is their searchable database of books. 
There are thousands of great ideas lurking in there if you
just know how to use it.

And that’s what I’m here for. )

I’m going to show you how to find hot product ideas with
Amazon.com anytime you want.

It’s really a matter of three simple steps …

STEP 01 : >>> Decide Upon A Broad Category.  When
brainstorming ideas, you must begin with a broad category
to work with.  Some examples might be:  weight loss,
marketing, dating, travel, baseball.

So, you need that ahead of time.  Figure out a broad subject
that you know is popular (I.E. You know that losing weight
is ALWAYS going to be a popular subject, as is “making
money.”).

As an example for this article, I’m going to choose GOLF.

STEP 02 : >>> Search Amazon’s Database.   After picking
your broad topic to research, it’s time to visit Amazon.com. 

Specifically, you’re going to SEARCH their database of
books they are selling.

Upon arriving at their site, locate their SEARCH form.  At
the time of this writing, it was in the upper left hand
corner of their main page.  Pull the menu down and select
BOOKS from the options.

In the space provided, type in whatever broad category you
chose.  I’d type in “Golf”. (You don’t need quotation marks)

If you did indeed start with a broad category, then hundreds
(or even thousands) of book listings should appear as a result
of the search.

STEP 03 : >>> Brainstorm Ideas From The Listings.  Let the
brainstorming session begin!  Now it’s time to look at the
books that are listed and write down as many possible ideas
as you can find.

Look for the different TYPES of books written about the
subject, identifying different THEMES, STYLES and
SUBCATEGORIES.

Let’s look at an example …

When I searched for “Golf”, I was able to immediately spot
dozens of great ideas.  Here are a handful …

1. Becoming a better golfer.  There are many golf books
available in this area, covering everything from “A-Z of Golf
Shots” to specific topics such as “Improving Your Short
Game.”  There were lots of different themes from “learning
to break 100″ to “shaving 10 shots off your score” to “7
shots that will change your golf game forever.”

2. Guides to Golf Courses.  Again, we have many different
ideas here.  Specific golf guides like “Florida golfing”,
“golfing in Tennessee” and “golfing the Robert Trent Jones
trail” appear, as well as books on “the best golf courses in
America,” “best kept secrets:  great golf courses you’ve
probably never played,” and “golf vacation guides.”

3. Profiting from Golf.   More ideas pour in with “opening a
golf repair business,” “becoming a golf retailer,” “learning
how to caddy” and “buying & selling used golf clubs.” 
What about “running an online golf auction”, “organizing a
golf tournament for profit” or even “writing information
products about golf!”

4. Golf and Business.  There are millions of dollars in
business deals negotiated on the golf course every single
year.  And there are books available to teach folks how to get
it done.  “How to negotiate business deals during golf
outings,” “Legal golf tax deductions for businesspeople,”
and “business seminars and golf:  how to mix training and
fun for maximum profit” are just a few more ideas worth
exploring.

5. Golf Products.  My, my, my there are so many ideas
floating around in here!  Everything ranging from reviews of
the latest golf equipment to ratings of golf courses to
discounts on golf packages.  Resource guides to finding the
best deals on golfing products, how to negotiate discounts,
and how to find the best products for your specific golf game
also come to mind as product ideas.

One Broad Category (Golf)
+ Amazon.com Searchable Database of Books
= 28 Potential Product Ideas

See how easy that was?  I found TWENTY-EIGHT potential
new product ideas (and there were MANY MORE that I
didn’t mention in this article) from a simple brainstorming
exercise using ONE “idea hangout.”

There’s got to be a best-seller in that bunch somewhere. 
And certainly with a little “mix -n- match” I can come up
with a hit product with these ideas.

Not bad, eh?

So, now it’s YOUR turn.  It’s a simple system for coming up
with product ideas anytime you want.

Like right now.

…………………….
Jimmy D. Brown is the author of “Small Reports Fortune” - if
you can write 7-15 page small reports, you can earn a living
online working just a few hours each week from your home.
Look for his EXCLUSIVE formula “Creating A Six-Figure Income
With Small Reports”
…………………….

Once you decide that you want to start a home-based business, you still have a lot of choices in what type of business you want to start.  Here are a bunch of ideas that will hopefully help spark an idea that you will be interested in.

• Crafts - If you are creative, you might consider creating jewelry, clothing, candles, or anything else, and sell it.
• Web Based Business - If you love being on the computer, there are many types of online businesses you can start.  You can create your own products, or sell someone else’s products.  (I’ll talk more about that tomorrow.)
• Writing - If you love to write, there are a lot of businesses you can start from home that involve writing.  There is the obvious, such as writing articles for magazines, or trying to write a book, but you can also write content for websites, or help ghostwrite things for others.
• Travel Agent - If you love to travel, you can become a travel agent from home.

What you should do is first think of what you enjoy doing (since you’ll be spending so much time working on it!) and what are you are good at.  Once you do that, hopefully it will be easier to figure out what type of home based business you want to start.