1.Outrageous Claims: Free online affiliate programs often will claim that what they have to offer is going to make you rich with little or no effort on your part. Get rich quick schemes are every where so be careful. Although Advertising and marketing is necessary to get the word out about new products, be careful to avoid products that are excessively hyped because most times the product simply doesn't meet the expectations created by promoting it.
2.Poor quality Products: It is a good idea to test the products you intend to promote before embarking on expensive marketing campaigns. However, this is sometimes impractical to achieve. You're going to come across products that simply don't live up to expectation or perform the way either you or your customers expect. It is wise to do extensive research about the product you want to promote before you embark on promotional campaingns that can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This is also important because it gives you an edge when you have a good knowledge of the product or service you are promoting.
3.Low demand: It is advisable to understand the market before you get in too deep with a free online affiliate program. Setting up elaborate marketing campaigns does not guarantee you will make a sale. Sometimes you might loose more money than you'll make because there is low or no demand for your product or service. I can not stress the fact that research is important before you decide to promote free or paid online affiliate products or services. As an affiliate marketer your aim is to make enough profit to recoup your expenses.
4.Limited profits: Free online affiliate programs often offer more than average commissions but most times the cost of promoting the product nearly outweighs the potential profit. It is in your best interest that you find a product that offers a balance between your expenses and earnings, by doing a thorough analysis of your cost benefit potential. This will save you a lot of time and money especially when done at the start up stage of your partnership with a free affiliate company.
5.Deceptive copywriting: The free online affiliate program you choose must have a great sales letter. Avoid programs with cheap and shoddy sales pages or else no matter how great your marketing campaigns, the product may not sell. Ask your affiliate manager if the sales page can be updated or if you can create an individual landing page that will link directly to the checkout page. You do not want to loose sales because you did not ask questions and make changes to suit your marketing campaigns. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of the company you intend to partner with. Also make sure you undersatnd payment policies and you can easily reach the support team if you're confused.
Commit these tips to memory when choosing a free online affiliate program.