After having chosen several programs to join, you probably realize that customers won't knock on your door - you have to come to them. By promoting your affiliate programs successfully, you build your own success!

So what should you do to promote your affiliate programs? Here are five methods which have succeeded for millions and can succeed for you, if you choose to follow the same steps as those millions before you!

#1 Create your own marketing affiliate program materials.

Many people use the marketing materials provided by the program they signed up for. Guess what? Thousands of people are using those same materials, those same ready-made websites and those same advertisements. People are easily bored and those ads get old really, really fast. Create something brand new and all your own!

* Create your own promotional website instead of using a stale, pre- packaged website. This is not very expensive and the returns can be huge!

* Create your own brochures and pamphlets. Whether using email or mailing materials to prospects in the old-fashioned way, be sure your material is fresh and new.

* Create compelling business cards. The business cards you hand out to contacts that you network with should also be fresh, new, and cause the person reading the card to feel compelled to contact you. A simple byline such as "Information on Becoming an Overnight Success" can be all it takes to make that person call you for more information.

* Write original articles and submit for publication to ezines for exposure of your fresh material.

#2 Generate Leads from an Opt-In Email List

Sure, you can buy names from email lists, but are those people even interested in the type of product you have to offer? Probably not! Create an opt-in mailing list by allowing prospects who come to your website to choose to receive a free newsletter. This gives you the opportunity to include information in the newsletter about your products. Why is this the best way?

* Allows contact with people who have at least some interest in the product you are promoting on your website

* Generates mailing list for future products you may promote

* Saves tons of money compared to buying mailing lists!

After all, think of all those flyers that come in the newspaper. What do you do with them? If you are like most people, you throw them away because they don't pertain to you. If all the flyers in your newspaper were placed there because you, personally, had expressed interest in them, you probably would read them all! This is the difference between random mailing and mailing to prospects that share an interest in your product type!

#3 Network, Network, Network

Never miss an opportunity to network with others who may have an interest in your products, or even be interested in joining the affiliate program under you.

* Share your own success story with others you encounter. Many will be interested in joining you in your endeavor.

* Offer to mentor new prospects to ensure their success.

* Exchange business cards and make follow-up calls to encourage them to talk with you further about your programs.

#4 Use Blogs to Promote Your Programs.

In the past year, blogs have become extremely popular. You can use this forum to your advantage in promoting your affiliate marketing programs.

* Generate top-quality content to place on the blogs.

* Be sure that the blogs you choose are not over saturated by affiliate marketers already. Locate fresh blogs to use in your promotions.

* Content should compel the reader to action. Make them HAVE to check out your program.

#5 Use banner exchanges to your advantage.

Most marketers know that banner exchanges can help them promote their products, but there are a few tricks to success.

* Make sure your banner is placed on sites that will attract the same client base that will desire you product.

* Create attractive and compelling banner content. Plain-Jane banner ads won't attract, those that send acompelling message to act will!

* Always look for new places for your banner to appear. Don't become complacent because you have three or four sites showing your banner. There are new websites every single day!

These five tips will help you successfully promote your affiliate programs. There are many other ways to promote products, but these are proven to work for people who dedicate themselves to ensuring their programs get the necessary exposure to succeed.