A Bit of Info About Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is one of the fastest growing industries online. Income made through affiliate programs counts in billions of dollars yearly. Many people get involved in this type of income earning without a solid plan for success. Since it is inexpensive and very easy to get into, we also see untrained individuals sign up for 'affiliate marketing' progams - who will not succeed in the business unless they learn that they do, indeed, need A PLAN!

Affiliate Marketing is like anything else that involves income. It requires a PLAN. It requires that you develop plans, make plans, follow plans, re-design, and then stick to plans that are working. Most people disregard the requirement for 're-designing' original plans, shifting gears, and they get discouraged when 'Plan A' doesn't return what they expected.

Online, we're playing with a ton of variables. Marketing plans need to be flexible enough to follow along with changes happening online, but once you find something within your plan that works - STICK TO IT - and stay focused.

You'll need to work from a 'base plan' that's for sure...but beyond total basics, you'll need to be flexible and adaptable. The base plan is necessary - as it is with all business - because how can something take form if there is no base under it to anchor things to?

I mean - how can you just earn money online as an affiliate if you have no experience with affiliate programs?

You can't!

Most people who fail in the Affiliate markets do so because they don't realize that they have to get that BASE PLAN underneath them before they can expect success. If the base plan means 'training' then so be it. Take every opportunity to learn about affiliate marketing that works.
And never forget that affiliate marketing isn't a 'get rich quick' scheme, for you won't earn affiliate riches without learning how affiliate business works!

I get really sick'n'tired of all the 'get rich' programs I see online. Believe me I have checked out a great many of them.....and they all forget to tell you that EARNING ONLY COMES IN RESPONSE TO WORK ACCOMPLISHED!

Most of the 'get rich' jargon says "EASY" and "IMMEDIATE CASH" but sorry people - it's not true for the majority of people who enter into the market.

However - that doesn't mean that all the online earning methods are scams, either. Sure - even some of the 'Get Rich' programs are legitimate, too - even the ones that say "EASY" and "IMMEDIATE CASH" - but only if you already have a lot of experience with similar programs and can turn the knowledge you already have toward that new 'EASY IMMEDIATE CASH' program that you just joined. Or - if you have the FUNDS to throw into the 'EASY IMMEDIATE CASH' programs, you're likely going to earn a lot of money 'EASY' and more 'IMMEDIATELY' than someone who doesn't have the money to throw in the right direction.

Don't let all of these warnings set you back on your idea to get into online earning...I'm just trying to be honest with you.

The benefits of earning online with Affiliate programs are pretty attractive, to say the least.

#1. Home Set Up...you're likely going to do this new affiliate income biz from the comfort of your own home...

#2. No commuting! (Ties in with #1)

#3. With most affiliate or other online earning methods, once you learn properly and are doing things CORRECTLY and having some good results - then it is up to you how much you make from your online business. If you want to make MORE MONEY - work harder for a while. If you need some time off - take it!

#4. You work from home....if this becomes your only job - you can take your vacations when you want to! Much of your online biz details will run automatically while you're gone anyway.

#5. There are unbelievable amounts of 'affiliate' opportunities that you might not even expect 'til you ask a few extra questions. You're probably using a whole bunch of 'services' and products that you didn't even ASK about making money with!

For instance...did you use Roboform to log in to your email, website, forum, or any member site location today?

If you did...do you know that they have an affiliate program and you can earn money by referring others to use Roboform?

If you already have a website.....did you check to see that if you also put a special banner on your site from the webhosts you might get paid an affiliate commission for anyone who is led from your site to the main site to sign up for their own website?

If you use a website building software - did you check and see if that software company pays affiliates or not? Most places use affiliate means and marketing to help gain more customers...affiliate methods are ALL OVER THE PLACE!

I'm not going to be a 'referral monger' at this time and place all my Roboform and Software affiliate banners all over the place.

I just wanted to post some information about how lucrative and widespread Affiliate programs are! You are likely using at least 3 to a half dozen programs for leisure or basic work on your computer - that you didn't even know contain affiliate, money earning opportunities!

I'll be back soon to post about 'Planning' with affiliate marketing. Until then, have a look around your computer and check to see how many programs you currently use - that you're LOSING MONEY from by not understanding or taking advantage of affiliate opportunities that exist by your ownership of those programs.

Mind-sets and Myth - Believe In Yourself

Many people will fail in their efforts to earn money online simply
because they don't acquire the right mindset to 'to the job.'

It is true that there is an annoying abundance (too much so) of scams
and scammers online waiting to steal your money, however, in real life,
on the real streets, roads, and pathways, there are also scammers and
scams just waiting to happen. This second fact doesn't keep most
people from going to work, changing jobs, finding better jobs, and
setting up their businesses. It shouldn't keep YOU from setting up your
internet business and earning online if this is really what you've
decided to do!

To start, you'll have to learn to develop the self-talk, attitude, and
focused mind-set that is necessary to succeed. This doesn't just apply
to online efforts, but also is important in EVERYTHING YOU DO!

If your attitudes are not in line with what you want to accomplish, you
will have a difficult time succeeding in oline business. Even the best
softwares, connections, tools and information will be of no great use to
you if you haven't got the mind-set for making your ideas work!

10 important things to keep in mind or to consistently do:

1- Don't allow past failures to dictate what you will do today!

2- Don't focus on problems! Acknowledge problems but focus on
solutions!

3- Every challenge is an opportunity

4- Focus on success, optimism,
solutions, positive results, and moving ahead

5- block negative people OUT of your head and your business

6-actively remind yourself that your goals are attainable

7- see your environment as abundant - use what is available for good
purpose

8- keep a 'Daily Success' journal and record daily accomplishments

9- once per day, at least - read aloud yesterday's accomplishments

10- View 'failure' as 'instruction' or as 'lessons' instead of negative
things.

Make these 10 items into a checklist for a different section of your Daily
Success journal.

Use this journal at least twice per day - once at the very beginning of
your day - and if your day has been too hectic, at least dedicate time
to using your journal a second time - at the end of the day.

It would be extra helpful to have a 'hard-copy' journal instead
of an electronic (doc.file of some sort) kind of journal - because you
should be able to carry a small journal-book almost anywhere during
your day. If your spirits need a boost, this way, your journal can always
be with you. Dedicate yourself to keeping this journal for at least 30
days.

Whether you already have the right physical tools for success or not
(tools for internet business - software, webspace, products, etc), you
still have to stay focused.

You also must BELIEVE in yourself and your purpose. Possibly, the
only reason why you haven't achieved online success yet is because
you haven't APPLIED yourself to make your dreams happen. Quite
simply - you've just 'not done it yet,' that's all. You may have even
'started' before - but you likely haven't followed through with applying
your ideas yet. Just because it hasn't been done yet, doesn't mean that
it is not possible. The exact opposite is often true - because it hasn't
been done yet, it is entirely possible! In fact, because it hasn't been
done yet - ensures that your ideas have not been DISPROVEN! Look at
things THIS WAY - instead of other ways that debilitate your spirit and
sink your resolve or beliefs in yourself and your ideas!





Watch successful people!


You'll notice that most successful people are really highly FOCUSED on
the ideas surrounding SUCCESS! Also - they TRULY BELIEVE in
themselves and their ideas. The present positive points, solutions, and
often see 'challenges' where other people see ruin.

If you don't have highly successful, positive people directly within
your own circle of friends, or you have restrictions of any kind with
physically meeting up with successful people, there are TONS of
videos online - and pertinent audio recordings available from
successful people wanting to share their positivity and success.

In a short time, you'll likely not have to worry at all about the last
paragraph or any restrictions in the way of being around highly
motivated, successful, positive-minded people - because YOU WILL
ATTRACT them as soon as you are like-minded, concentrating on
positive, motivational, and successful ideas, people, outlets for your
ideas, etc.

I'm not 100% sure why it happens - but in the same way, I'm not
100% familiar with gravity or why gravity is a certain thing in our
world - I only know that they both are absolutely REAL. Like will attract
like - just the same as gravity will make things with a certain weight fall
down!

Since I just introduced a science topic tidbit (gravity), I'll draw your attention to
another little scientific topic - a wonderment - one of old...

Scientist of old used to believe that the Earth was flat - that if you went
to the very edge of it, you could fall off and disappear forever.
Consequently the entire world population of old believed this - because
this is what all the best science could explain about the Earth.

Then a person of scientific background who found out differently - who
figured out that the Earth wasn't flat - was very unpopular with the
masses during his lifetime. The first few generations of people who read
of or heard of his claims that the Earth was a sphere - were in turmoil,
however, a few generations later, the world population commonly
accepted the 'round' or 'spherical' Earth explanation.

Once the newer explanation was accepted into belief and knowledge,
then future scientists and populations could utilize this information to
better advantage - better than when they thought the Earth was flat!

Explorers were no longer hedging distances they sailed due to fear of
falling off the Earth...they could now sail an UNLIMITED distance,
discover lands, seas and places that they would never have guessed
about. They could sail around the world if they wanted to!

Well, they wanted to!
And they did!

The power of belief in YOU can be just as debilitating as you let it be. It
can be as debilitating as believing the world is flat.

Or - your beliefs can be as EMPOWERING as the belief that the world is
round!

Where do you want to go?


To the edge of the Earth?


Or around the world?

:)

The Battle Against Spam

Fighting Spam
How prevalent is Spam? According to Scott McAdams, OMA(Ontario Medical Association) Public Affairs and Communications Department (www.oma.org):

"Studies show unsolicited or 'junk' e-mail, known as spam, accounts for roughly half of all e-mail messages received. Although once regarded as little more than a nuisance, the prevalence of spam has increased to the point where many users have begun to express a general lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail transmissions, and increased concern over the spread of computer viruses via unsolicited messages."

(what was meant above is.........It's ALL OVER THE PLACE, Affecting nearly everyone.)

In December of 2003, in the U.S.A., President Bush signed the "Can Spam" bill. This was the first national standard developed surrounding the issue of 'bulk, unsolicited commercial e-mail'. Approved by 97 to 0, in a vote within the Senate, this bill prohibits senders of unsolicited commercial e-mail from using false return addresses to disguise their identity (spoofing) and the use of directories to generate such mailers.

In addition, it prohibits use of misleading subject lines and requires that emails include an easily visible 'opt-out' mechanism. The legislation also prohibits senders from 'harvesting' addresses from Web sites.

Violations constitute a 'misdemeanor crime' - subject to up to one year in jail.

One major point that requiring attention in this issue with spam is:

Spam is now coming from other countries in ever-greater numbers. Foreign emails are harder to fight, because they come from outside our country’s laws and regulations. Because the Internet extends beyond borders and internet users tend to have 'global mindset' when using the internet, the U.S. laws are fine where they can be employed and upheld - but are not sufficient to stop the collective 'Spam problem.'




What can be done about this?

Well - here are the top 5 Suggestions to protect yourself from spam:


Number 1: Do what you can to avoid having your email address out on the net.
There are products called "spam spiders" that search the Internet for email addresses to send email to. If you are interested, do a search on "spam spider" and you will be amazed at what you will find. Interestingly, there is a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open source project geared to fight Internet "spambots" and "spam spiders", by giving them bogus HTML web pages, which contain bogus email addresses

A couple suggestions for this issue a) use form emails, which can hide addresses or also b) use addresses like sales@company.com instead of your full address to help battle the problem. c) There are also programs that encode your email, like jsGuard, which encodes your email address on web pages so that spam spiders will have difficulty reading your email address.

Number 2: Get spam blocking software. There are many programs out there for this. (try http://www.cloudmark.com/ or http://www.mailwasher.net/ ). You may also buy a professional version. Whatever you do, get the software. It will save you time. The software is not foolproof, but really does help. Often, a certain amount of 'manual set-up' is required, but it's worth it in order to block certain types of email.

Number 3: Use the multiple email address approach.
There are a lot of free email addresses available online. If you feel that you must subscribe to newsletters, then simply create a "back-up" email address. This would be somewhat like giving your cell phone number to only your best friends but the phone number with your voicemail options to everyone else.

Number 4: Attachments from people you don’t know are BAD, BAD, BAD.
A common problem with spam is that they have attachments and attachments can have viruses. Corporations often have filters that don’t let such things pass to you. Personal email is far more "open country" for spamers. General rule of thumb: if you do not know who is sending you something, DO NOT OPEN THE ATTACHMENT. Secondly, look for services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors offer this type of service as well.

Number 5: Email services now have "bulk-mail" baskets. If what you use currently does not support this, think about moving to a new vender. The concept is simple. If you know someone, they can send you emails. If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk email pile and then "choose" to allow them into your circle. Spam Blocking software has this concept as well, but having extra layers seems critical these days, so it is worth looking into.

Viruses Will Come a-Knocking

Every day new computer viruses are created to annoy us and to wreak havoc on our computer systems. Below are ten viruses that I feel are very prevalent and potentially damaging to the average person's computer system.

This is by no means a comprehensive, complete list. New viruses are constructed DAILY and there are hundreds of thousands of different viruses being circulated constantly online. To avoid becoming 'infected', remain vigilant (don't EVER surf the web with your 'anti-anything-ware' shut off - even for a few minutes!) Keep your anti-virus software updated, and stay aware of the current computer virus threats.

Here's the small list of viruses that are very common

Virus: Trojan.Lodear
A Trojan horse that attempts to download remote files. It will inject a .dll file into the EXPLORER.EXE process causing system instability.

Virus: W32(dot)Beagle(dot)CO(at)mm (sorry had to type out the dot and @ sign because the blogger software kept making a link of the virus name)

A mass-mailing worm that lowers security settings. It can delete security-related registry sub keys and may block access to security-related websites.

Virus: Backdoor.Zagaban
A Trojan horse that allows the compromised computer to be used as a covert proxy and which may degrade network performance.

Virus: W32/Netsky-P
A mass-mailing worm which spreads by emailing itself to addresses produced from files on the local drives.

Virus: W32/Mytob-GH
A mass-mailing worm and IRC backdoor Trojan for the Windows platform. Messages sent by this worm will have the subject chosen randomly from a list including titles such as: Notice of account limitation, Email Account Suspension, Security measures, Members Support, Important Notification.

Virus: W32/Mytob-EX
A mass-mailing worm and IRC backdoor Trojan similar in nature to W32-Mytob-GH. W32/Mytob-EX runs continuously in the background, providing a backdoor server which allows a remote intruder to gain access and control over the computer via IRC channels. This virus spreads by sending itself to email attachments harvested from your email addresses.

Virus: W32/Mytob-AS, Mytob-BE, Mytob-C, and Mytob-ER
This family of worm variations possesses similar characteristics in terms of what they can do. They are mass-mailing worms with backdoor functionality that can be controlled through the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network. Additionally, they can spread through email and through various operating system vulnerabilities such as the LSASS (MS04-011).

Virus: Zafi-D
A mass mailing worm and a peer-to-peer worm which copies itself to the Windows system folder with the filename Norton Update.exe. It can then create a number of files in the Windows system folder with filenames consisting of 8 random characters and a DLL extension. W32/Zafi-D copies itself to folders with names containing share, upload, or music as ICQ 2005a new!.exe or winamp 5.7 new!.exe. W32/Zafi-D will also display a fake error message box with the caption "CRC: 04F6Bh" and the text "Error in packed file!". Virus: W32/Netsky-DA mass-mailing worm with IRC backdoor functionality which can also infect computers vulnerable to the LSASS (MS04-011) exploit.

Virus: W32/Zafi-B
A peer-to-peer (P2P) and email worm that will copy itself to the Windows system folder as a randomly named EXE file. This worm will test for the presence of an internet connection by attempting to connect to www.google.com or www.microsoft.com. A bilingual, worm with an attached Hungarian political text message box which translates to "We demand that the government accommodates the homeless, tightens up the penal code and VOTES FOR THE DEATH PENALTY to cut down the increasing crime. Jun. 2004, Pécs (SNAF Team)"

THESE ARE ALL VERY NASTY, but this is a very tiny list indeed. I thought I should post about what a few viruses DO TO YOUR COMPUTER so that if anyone has been having computer troubles and has NOT yet suspected a virus as the culprit, they can start to point their attention in the right direction to try to figure out if a virus is making their computer run slow, show error messages and display other virus-related problems.

Run your anti-virus software's scan mode often - and UPDATE your software often. Many anti-virus programs can help you detect and clean your computer - but no program will help you if you're not doing regular scans and updates.