Your Primary Business or Affiliate to Someone Else?

If you're at all like me, when you turned to the internet for a business opportunity you were probably looking for a (as in one) good way to make money other than going to a job and selling your time to someone else. Then, as you started to investigate, and maybe sign in to get more information about an opportunity or two, you began getting emails and seeing ads about other opportunities. Eventually, it becomes evident - there are thousands of business "opportunities" on the web!

But - as your wife, friends or even self are wont to ask - isn't it just a scam? Well, sure - with all the gifting and matrix deals and "auto pilot" work from home programs, clearly some are not realistic, much less legit. Let's face it - real business success always requires some real effort. And the most successful not only work hard, but work smart.

So - you do your research and you settle on what you have found to be a solid, established business that you can believe in that also has a great compensation plan. (I found mine in the CCPRO BiB) You then begin your training and marketing with dedication and focus and that is great - it's what you should do! Yes, if you want to have your own business, you better treat it like you own it and are responsible for it.

But, as you market and socialize, you begin to get more and more emails and tweets from other marketers, and you get distracted. Maybe you begin to wonder if the grass is truly greener or the deal is sweeter elsewhere. I mean, there are folks out there who've been doing this longer than we, right? Yes, and here's the point - the successful and wealthy are that way because they provided a lot of value to a lot of people. The bottom line is that you must do the same.

But, you don't have your own marketing training program or business system and compensation plan, and not everyone you contact wants into your primary business opportunity. And, you're spending money marketing your business, and a little extra cash flow would help, so do you hook up with some one else - another opportunity? Yes. Keep plenty of effort on your business to nourish it, but it certainly can make sense to affiliate with "bigger fish".

Face it - few can compare to Yanik Silver, Mike Dillard or Perry Marshall when it comes to successful internet marketing experience and knowledge, and many in this internet marketing community can still benefit from the guidance they provide. But - you may actually be making contacts that they aren't! So, "gurus" such as these will offer you commissions when you affiliate with them and become a personal referral source to them.

It's a win-win situation, in that you benefited from the knowledge of another; you shared that valuable resource with someone else, and; the teacher pays you a commission for their new customer. In the best of these deals, not only will the teacher get a new customer, but you should get a new lead and potential customer for yourself along with your commission.

However, please be prudent and discerning. What do I mean? I simply suggest that, if you're going to help promote another individual or opportunity that is not the primary opportunity you already know and love, you should know enough about it (him/her) to do so with confidence, respect and pride so your community credibility is preserved. (e.g. MLM Traffic Formula2) If you haven't noticed already, the "big boys" are also affiliates, touting the programs of others they know and respect.

So - do go for more than one stream of income; just be judicious about your choices and don't get so many lines in the water that your efforts are diluted. With the right (valuable) products or information and plenty of smart activity you, too, can become a "big fish" in this world-wide pond.