If you are using a passive income model to grow your business, that’s smart. Earning money while you sleep by participating in affiliate programs can be a very sustainable business model.

It’s a lot of work up front — there is no free ride — but it’s definitely worth it in the long run.

When you start getting email with the subject “You’ve got cash!” like the one I recently received for earnings on my blogs listed in the Kindle directory, it makes you smile (and do a fist pump too!).

But you need to use caution when you are signing up for affiliate programs. Each program has a terms of agreement that you should read carefully. And if the program terms change for a program you have already joined, you should read those too.

I cover this topic on page 9 of my free passive income guide so you can make smart decisions.

I just got a mail from one of the programs I’ve been a member of for a while. There terms are changing (radically!) and I’ll be opting out. Being an affiliate for a company means you are committed to them and their product or service and I think the company should reciprocate. But this company has decided that if you don’t make a certain quota of sales during a specific time frame, all your commissions will default and you make nothing. That’s totally outrageous.

What do you think?

Related posts:

1. Get Started Down the Passive Income Path With Affiliate Marketing
2. A Customer Loyalty Program Can Be A Recession Buster
3. Updated Free Passive Income Guide Almost Ready

I’ve spent the last three days at the Niche Affiliate Marketing System (NAMS) workshop in Atlanta with 180 entrepreneurs who are at various stages in their business.

The purpose of the workshop is on growing the online side of your business and dipping your toe into affiliate marketing to take advantage of passive income.

My reason for attending was to find out “what I don’t know I don’t know” and to learn some new strategies and tactics I could implement in my business.

I have not been disappointed. I’ve learned from the instructors and the participants. It’s heart warming to be around this much positive energy.

One of the things that’s really neat about the workshop is you don’t miss out just because you don’t attend. David Perdew, the founder, realizes that for various reasons people can’t be at functions in person. That’s why he records everything that happens during the three days of workshops (well, except for the super secret mastermind group for advanced small business owners).

That means you can learn some of the cool stuff I learned by going to the NAMS site right now and ordering the 2gb flash drive (he’s also including stuff from NAMS1 and NAMS 2 – wow!).

If you’re ready to take action to improve your online side of your business, head on over to the NAMS site right now and pick up your flash drive. (It’s only $97 as I write this, but I understand the price is going up to $147 in about a week, so act now.)

Related posts:

1. Easy Keyword Research From Niche Affiliate Marketing System Workshop (NAMS)
2. NAMS – A Conference Full Of Action To Help You Improve Your Passive Income
3. Get Started Down the Passive Income Path With Affiliate Marketing

There’s a lot of talk around the interwebs about building a business by making passive income. You know — the kind of income that brings sales into your business when you’re sleeping and turns your email box into a cash register — ka-ching, ka-ching! For most people that means they need to become affiliated with another company and promote that company’s products. Online, this is called affiliate marketing and there are tons of people silently creating successful businesses using this model.

One of the most successful is Rosalind Gardner, author of the Super Affiliate Handbook. Ros actually built her business using the affiliate marketing model and then wrote a book about it. She’s what they call a “super” affiliate. And because of her book, countless numbers of small business owners are using this model to find success online. I’ve had my share of success with affiliate marketing and creating passive income streams, so I know it works.

Another awesome super affiliate is Lynn Terry. Lynn has been in business for 13 years and using the affiliate marketing model for over half of that time. You might know Lynn from her masterminds group forum — a place on the net to get really great advice to help you grow your business. Lynn recently completed a thorough Super Affiliate Handbook Review so I tapped into her and asked if she would share her thoughts about passive income and affiliate marketing with you. Here’s what Lynn had to say.

Q1. Everyone seems to be talking about passive income. Is that really possible? Doesn’t being in any kind of business take a lot of work?

Sure it does. Entrepreneurs pour their heart and soul into creating successful business models. That said, there is a big difference between an active business model and a passive business model.

Both require an investment upfront, of either time or money – and usually both. Fortunately, the internet gives us the opportunity to start up highly profitable business models for an incredibly low monetary investment.

An active business model is one that requires your presence in order for it to operate. You’re either managing the details, or managing the team that is handling the details for you. In a service based business, you get paid for what you do – or trade hours for dollars.

A passive business model allows you to make money long after you’ve done the work, and requires very little maintenance to continue producing profit. My favorite passive income model is Affiliate Marketing, using SEO (search engine optimization) as my primary marketing strategy.

With this model, people find my pages by doing a search and they click through and make purchases from the merchants I represent. I don’t have to be in front of my computer, or accessible in any way for that sale to happen. I travel, take day trips with the kids, enjoy long naps and long lunches – and am always making sales.

Q2. Isn’t being an affiliate really just another word for “salesperson?” How does a non sales-y person succeed?

There’s not really any sales with Affiliate Marketing – that’s the merchant’s job. An affiliate only has to recommend and/or pre-sell the product or offer. We actually do this in everyday life, when friends or family ask us for opinions or recommendations. Or when we share our personal experiences with others.

There’s an art to the pre-sell, of course – but it’s easily learned. I have a 7-point checklist for writing product reviews that works out really well for me. You can download that checklist here.

Q3. So if I want to go the affiliate route, where do I start?

My absolute top recommendation is the Super Affiliate Handbook by Rosalind Gardner. It is very newbie-friendly, so it’s a great place to start if you’re not even sure what affiliate marketing is exactly. I first read it almost 6 years ago, and was already doing well with affiliate programs… but it boosted me up to the next level (super affiliate).

It is updated frequently, so I continue to read the updated editions and learn something new every single time. Rosalind is THE super affiliate, and is incredibly successful in niche affiliate marketing herself – so she’s the ideal source to learn from.

Thanks Lynn. So there you have it! If you’re still on the fence about dipping your toe into the affiliate marketing stream, pick up a copy of Rosalind’s Super Affiliate Handbook. I have my very own copy and found it helpful even thought I’ve been creating passive income streams using affilate marketing for a while. At only $47 it could be one of the best investments you’ll ever make in your business. Go ahead and pick up your copy now.

Related posts:

1. All Affiliate Program Agreements Are Not Created Equal
2. Updated Free Passive Income Guide Almost Ready
3. The Niche Affiliate Marketing System Workshop Can Help You Grow Your Business

If you’ve ever been to an internet marketing conference, you know that in addition to learning about the topic at hand, you have to endure pitch after pitch on the “hottest new product” that will bring you ultimate success. Ugh! I went to one of these a few years ago and vowed never to go again.

That’s why I’m sold on the idea of the Niche Affiliate Marketing System (NAMS) three day workshop. It is not a pitchfest. It’s a three day weekend full of learning — and putting into practice — tactics to help you grow your business online. Participants walk away from the NAMS workshop full of actionable items they already began to work on during the workshop. Just look at all the buzz on twitter about NAMS.

The next workshop is scheduled for January 29, 2010 in Atlanta and as of this writing there are already 40 people planning to attend. Right now there’s a special $400 discount if you sign up by September 30, 2009. At only $297, it’s a great deal and fully refundable too. With limited seating, you want to make sure and secure your seat today. I’m planning to be there and would love to meet you there too.

Here’s a short video clip to give you a peek into some of the people at the last NAMS workshop.

 
Sign up today before the price increases. It’s sure to be a workshop that will help you take your business to the next level. And I’d love to meet you!

Related posts:

1. The Niche Affiliate Marketing System Workshop Can Help You Grow Your Business
2. Easy Keyword Research From Niche Affiliate Marketing System Workshop (NAMS)
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