Success in affiliate marketing is not dependent on the marketing tactics that many hard core 'gurus' will teach. Many affiliate marketers are making a very nice income online every day using free marketing techniques such as Network Marketing.

In the past, pushiness has been associated with network marketing, and for many people thoughts of MLM pop into their head. Thankfully today this is not the case. Today's online community has evolved allowing marketers from any background or skill to plug into this technique and start making money online. This is particularly true for today's affiliate marketer.

If done properly, network marketing can have a dramatic effect on your business's bottom line.

There are four facts every new marketer must know in order to become a marketing success.

1. Success or failure depends on the product you will be representing and how you represent yourself. Unfortunately no amount of study and research will make up for hands on business experience that can hone your ability to spot a profitable product from those that come and go, but this is not true of the latter. You are a powerful asset for your business and in the business networking arena it is both you and the product that people are attracted to. While studying market trends and consumer spending patterns help you to understand a particular industry, only actual sales experience or learning from those with that experience will provide you with a solid grounding for network marketing.

2. Never choose a product that is not backed by a guarantee. Consumers love a guarantee. Pick your Affiliate Company with care. Avoid all the hype. Instead, invest some time in systematic research and due diligence. If the company has been around for a while, you will have a great opportunity to track the company and its growth. Look for more than just testimonials on a website and where possible speak to the person you will be working with. Whilst in many case you will be an independent affiliate running an independent business, there is a business contact you will have to liaise with for support and training. If this person is not reliable and does not do what they say they well, then you need to ask yourself "Is this someone I want to do business with?" Your direct contact should be someone you can build a profitable relationship with.

3. Stay away from companies that are in the decline. You should also avoid anything that may appear odd or too good to be true. If you wouldn't buy it why should someone else? At the other end of the scale, avoid companies that are experiencing an unprecedented spike of growth. Once the buzz around this opportunity fades, sales can drop just as dramatically. If you plan on sustaining your business for the long term, this potentially huge drop in sales should be avoided.

4. Last but not least, profit from the experience of the other network marketers. This kind of information may be found online at forums committed to marketers who want to share their knowledge and experiences. Learn from people who have achieved what you aim to achieve. Take time to understand their reasoning and what 'makes them tick'. While some may be able to share some bad experiences, remember that it pays you to learn from the mistakes of others.

Even as those four facts every new network marketer must know appear to make a lot of common sense, they can also be the most common mistakes. Successful affiliate marketing means more than just selling promoting or setting up a website. Always have good planning, learn from the experiences of others, and also continuously educate yourself about market changes and consumer behaviour. These actions, plus your own determination and mindset are all vital components to your overall business success.