The truth about affiliate marketers - how do they make money

Author: Push Button Money Maker
Firstly, let me just say that only those interested in Affiliate Marketing will be reading this article - so rest assured that the potential customers out there that are let's face it - going to be fleeced 80% of the time - will not be coming across this article.
The reality is simple. Affiliate Marketers make money by preying on the gullible aka filling a burning desire or need in the consumer. The main categories or niches as it's called are:
Money Making - everyone wants to make money
Weight Loss - everyone wants to lose weight

Muscle Building - everyone wants to be toned and hot
Attract Women/Men - everyone wants a special somebody
How they do this is by offering products that fill those needs. IM'ers appeal to the need in humanity to fill the void wherever that may be. IM'er draw in the consumer by using bait material such as enticing emails, excellent sales copy on website landing pages, marketing tactics that make consumers feel like they MUST buy this product - tactics such as:
There's only 2 left !
The price is going up !
The owner is shutting his site down !
And many consumers fall for it.
So - the IM'er makes a commission by selling he products that fills the gap - he/she then makes more money by upselling - i.e. selling additional items to that same customer whose details he has now captured into his Email database.
Bottom line - Affiliate marketers make money by selling something to a consumer that needs something, and makes it sound as compelling as possible - then upsell and cross sell them more products to fill the same need. The better marketers are the ones that can get their links clicked on the most and convert those links to sales. The most powerful tool with affiliate marketing is the power to get people to click a link to a great product. If you as an affiliate marketer would buy that product, knowing full well all the marketing schpiel that's been put into it - then trust me customers will buy it.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/affiliate-programs-articles/the-truth-about-affiliate-marketers-how-do-they-make-money-3846423.html
About the Author

Athena - Goddess by day, Princess of Money Making by night