taking_action_is_key_to_affiliate_successLots of people think about starting an affiliate marketing site.

Few actually do it.

Even fewer succeed at money.

In this post I’ll cover the number 1 difference between success and failure with affiliate marketing. It is the difference between those who think about doing something, those who begin to do it, and those who succeed at what they do.

Action is Essential to Success

I cannot say this enough: taking action is the key to affiliate success. It’s the key to success in most things, actually, but especially when it comes to producing a successful online business.

Affiliate Marketing Is NOT Difficult

Pretty much anyone could be an affiliate marketer. The basic principles, once practiced a little, are fairly straightforward.

  1. Pick a niche.
  2. Write articles on that niche.
  3. Find products to promote.
  4. Make money.

The good news is there are tons of resources out there to help you, ranging from blogs like this one to books to excellent online courses and communities.

Discipline is Essential

Only the individuals who are serious about building an online business are the ones who take that first step to start their new site. To do so takes positive focus, courage and faith, but it mostly takes determination and discipline.

Getting a site off the ground takes effort. You need to consistently produce good content and provide helpful information to your readers. But, while your content needs to be good, it does not need to be perfect.

I think perfectionism is one of the main barriers that holds the thinkers back from being the doers. They’re afraid to put themselves out there and get to work, because they’re afraid to be criticized for their efforts. It’s ok if you’re not an expert blogger from day one, the act of constantly coming up with new material is a practice that can be honed and refined over time.

The important thing is simply to get started.

Persistence Determines the Winners

Finally we’ve gotten to that last distinction: separating those who begin from those who succeed.

Did you know that the majority of new websites are abandoned in less than 6 months?

Success in affiliate marketing largely comes down to perseverance. Persisting through the early days of your site when no money is coming in, no one is reading your content, and the effort feels futile, is the biggest obstacle to overcome.

Pushing through this initial lull will be a major step to your success, and once you start to see some traction, it becomes easier to keep going.

You’ve already taken the first step by reading this blog and improving your knowledge. Now it’s time to transform that knowledge into something concrete. It all starts with a first post, a domain, or a more complete course.

It only takes 5 minutes to setup a blog, and it’s free. That means you can start building your business today. The only question is: are you ready to take action?