It's one of the simplest ways to earn money online. All you need to do is become an affiliate for someone else's product, service, or program. Fill out their sign-up form and you're ready to start promoting your unique referral URL.

Now I ask you, what could possibly be simpler than that?

Of course, you're most likely expecting to earn a substantial amount of income from whatever product, service or program you're promoting. That, my friend, requires rising to what is commonly referred to as "super" affiliate status, something that is anything BUT simple.

Mind you, it doesn't carry any degree of difficulty. Merely a strong commitment to become the best - and most productive - affiliate you possibly can.

So what tasks will you need to be proficient in? Following are the first three of the primary characteristics that are associated with super affiliate status.

Super Affiliates are:

Opt-In List Builders

You've probably heard it a thousand times the gold is in the list. Quite simply, it means that having your own mailing list is one of the most effective means of bringing in affiliate income. Not just initially, but for months and even years to come.

The concept is straightforward you capture names and email addresses of potential "prospects" (people who would be inclined to purchase from you), and then follow up with those individuals.

The only problem is, many affiliate programs merely assign you a standard referral page, one that can only be promoted "as is". So how do you capture names and email addresses? Simple

You need to create a "pre-sell" page of your own. That way, you can include a sign-up form that captures names and email addresses for YOU and not just the owner of the affiliate product, service, or program.

Super Affiliates use:

Autoresponder Messages

You've got a comprehensive mailing list and that means you've got numerous prospects you can send follow-up messages to. Great! That's exactly what you want. Super Affiliates take that process one step further by simply incorporating autoresponder messages.

The power of an autoresponder is twofold

1. There's no pressure to create follow-up messages on the fly. They're already stacked up and ready to go.

2. The entire process offers an automatic follow-up system. Again, because the messages are already stacked up and ready to go.

Just by clicking on a link or filling out a form on your website, your prospect receives an instant email message, one that is - you guessed it - stacked up and ready to go.

That however, is just the beginning. Behind that initial message is an entire series of messages that the person will automatically receive. Naturally, what you place in those follow-up messages is entirely up to you. The only criteria are that they ultimately bring you more sales. Super Affiliates have:

Ad Tracking Capability

You've created one or more specific and unique autoresponder series, which you're using to advertise your affiliate links. You're also promoting through forums, ezine ads, banner campaigns, online classifieds, pay per click campaigns and even your own newsletter. That equates to a whole lot of different advertising sources.

A super affiliate makes absolutely certain they know exactly where a prospect comes from. More importantly, where their SALES are coming from. In other words, you need to keep track of any and all individual promotions and advertising campaigns you're involved in.

Without that capability, you would have no means of determining which promotion efforts are a success and which ones should be either revised or abandoned altogether.