How to Make Money While You Sleep

Making money while you sleep sounds pretty good. Of course it is not that uncommon, especially for those with capital to invest. Business tycoons and those who dabble in stocks and shares do it all the time. But what about the rest of us? Wouldn't it be great if there was a business that needed only minimum investment and still allowed you to rake in the dollars while snuggling under the duvet?

There is such a business. It is called affiliate marketing and is one of the new opportunities opened up by the internet marketing explosion of the last 10 years. Briefly, an affiliate is someone who probably does not have their own product but entices customers to visit the website of an online merchant. If the customer buys something from the merchant, the affiliate is rewarded with a commission.

Anyone with a computer and a good broadband internet connection can become an internet marketer. Short of setting up a tea stall there can be few businesses where the initial investment is so low.

This is a perfect business for anyone who needs to work at home - moms with young children, people caring for elderly relatives or silver surfers looking to top up a pension.

So how does it all work? The steps below summarize the process.

1. Choose a market - health, beauty, fitness, weight loss, outdoor activity, gadgets, finance, travel, hobbies - the list is endless. Flip through magazines to get ideas.

2. Research your market to find a niche where the competition is not too intense but where there are customers with needs to be met. Find the keywords that these customers are using in web searches.

3. Find a product in your niche with an affiliate program that will pay you commission on sales.

4. Understand your customer. Spend time finding out about your customers and what exactly their problems are. You can meet your customers on forums related to your niche.

5. Set up your own internet space. As you progress you will almost certainly acquire your own domain and website, but when you start you can make use of the various free web pages available - Squidoo lenses and Hubpages are examples.

6. Write some compelling pre-sell copy on your web space using the keywords you identified under point 2. Perhaps do a review site where you compare the pros and cons of different products in your niche. Your carefully crafted text should prompt any vistors to your site to click onto the merchant website.

7. Drive traffic to your website by free methods such as article marketing or, if you have some money to invest, by pay-per-click methods eg Google Adwords.

7. Go to bed and if you have done steps 1-7 properly you should find some commission in your merchant account!

Sounds too good to be true? Well- yes and no. The process is indeed that simple but only works if you carry out the steps in the most effective way. This means you must invest in some affiliate marketing education and devote enough time to learning the most profitable techniques and strategies.

There are a number of programs on offer. Look for one that will give you ongoing support and keep you up to speed with changes in the affiliate marketing environment. Other points to look out for in choosing a package are an active private forum and some personal coaching.

About The Author-- Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to earn income on the internet, but it is not the only way. To read ways to make money from home, check out Work at Home Business Opportunities, where you can read the Wealthy Affiliate Review.

Article Source: Articles island - Free article submission and free reprint articles