In Step 6, I listed several methods of free promotion. Here they are in more detail.
Email Signatures
When you send an email, you can add a “signature” to your email. This can be as simple as “from Joe Bloggs” or as complex as you would like to make it. Once you have chosen a product you would like to market you can add a signature to your emails, whether you use an email client such as Outlook on your computer or a web based email client like Hotmail. This option can usually be found in the tools, options or settings of whichever email client you use. Then you simply add the affiliate code provided from the program you have chosen.
Forum Signatures
These are similar to email signatures, but are used in online forums. A forum is a website where people gather to discuss particular topics. Most forums will allow members to have a signature file which is added to every post they make. It is very important to check the rules about what is allowed in your signature. Many forums only allow links to a top level domain. A top level domain is one such as http://workathomeaussies.com. They cannot contain affiliate links. If you break this rule you may get banned from the forum or labelled as a spammer.
Article Marketing
There are hundreds of article directories on the net. You have probably come cross them when searching for a topic on your favourite search engine. An article directory is a place for people to post articles they have written about topics they enjoy. Most articles are written by internet marketers promoting their websites or products. Articles directories allow people to add an info box or by-line to their article. This by-line will contain information about the writer and may also contain some links. Check the rules again as some won’t allow affiliate links. Some allow links in the body of the article as well as the infobox. It is very important to follow the rules. You don’t want your articles rejected or deleted.
Free Blogs
Blogs originally started out as an online journal or web log. A way for people to share their thoughts. They have improved in leaps and bounds over the years and now there a millions of people using blogs for all sorts of things, not just online journals. There are a number of free blogging services that can be used to promote affiliate products. The downside is that the content is owned by the blogging service and can therefore be deleted if you break their terms of service.
Free Website and Page Builders
Similar to online blogs, these services provide a medium for people to build a more traditional type of website without the user having to learn any kind of website coding. Websites are built primarily using a language called HTML. This language is interpreted by your web browser e.g. Mozilla Firefox to display the web page. Once again the disadvantage is that you don’t own the content.
Social Networking Sites
Everyone(well almost) belongs to a social networking site or two or three(sometimes more), these days. Sites like Facebook and MySpace can be very useful in promoting affiliate products. Once again be careful that you obey their terms of service. I can’t stress this highly enough, as you don’t want to limit yourself with the marketing avenues open to you.
Social Bookmarking
Social bookmarking is a way of saving your bookmarks or favourites on the internet instead of just in your internet browser. This enables you to view your bookmarks from any computer with an internet connection. Many of these will allow you to post any kind of links including affiliate links. Once again check the rules.
Free Classifieds
Hundreds of free classified advertising sites abound on the internet. Many of these are directed at specific niches making them an ideal medium for advertising affiliate products. Please be sure to check the terms and conditions again.