Smart affiliate marketers use squeeze pages to build their email lists, while profiting from the sales of affiliate products. Basically, a squeeze page is a landing page with the usual affiliate product information and sales link, but with the addition of a form to collect the site visitors' email information in exchange for some type of free download or newsletter.

It just makes sense, doesn't it, to capture the contact information from your website visitors before they click away to the affiliate product sales page? After all, the more people you add to your prospect list, the more people you'll be able to offer future affiliate products, so why not take advantage of them being on your landing page?

Another reason to use a squeeze page that offers a free download of some kind is that not everyone buys on the first visit. They might, however, come back and purchase later if your free download establishes some trust.

The Nuts and Bolts

If you're using a simple landing page that contains information and testimonials about the affiliate product, with a link to the product sales page, it's easy to start collecting prospect names. Here's how that might look: suppose you're offering my Private Lending Home Study Course and you've created a great landing page that directs your prospects to the affiliate product sales page.

No need to rewrite what you already have. You can simply add a form to your landing page that offers something free in exchange for their contact information. Some people like pop-up forms, others like to add a form to the side of their landing page. Experiment a little and see which gathers more names for your list.

Some of you know the mechanics of creating a name capture form, but if you don't, there are lots of templates available online to help. They usually involve simply cutting and pasting the graphic into your landing page, then linking the button to your contact management program.

Again, test your squeeze page forms to see what attracts the most interest. You can change the color, size, placement, font, and text fairly easily once you have a template, so be sure to track your results.

Free, Not Useless!

Now that you have their interest, earn their trust by sending them information they can actually use. What kind of free offers collect the most names? It's usually best to offer something related to the affiliate product you're selling. If you have a PDF report on the benefits of property investment, which would make a great free download. If you offer a free ebook on your own website, and it's not a big stretch from the affiliate product, that will work, too.

Here's just a hint: I offer my How to Get All the Money ebook, complete with rebranding for each affiliate, free of charge for you to offer as a download. Consider using that as the free product you use to collect email addresses for your list. It's producing great conversions, too!

If you offer a regular newsletter, ask them to subscribe. Keep the offer simple and don't make it mandatory to get to the affiliate sales page! That usually turns prospects off and sends them clicking somewhere more friendly.

Once they've trusted you with their email contact information, keep things moving by making sure the free download or newsletter arrives immediately. Once again, test your links! Nothing more frustrating online than requesting information you don't receive.

Keep the momentum going by already having in place a series of auto responders targeted to people which tie the free download to the affiliate product. If they haven't yet purchased the affiliate product, make sure they're still receiving your auto responders about it, but be careful to move buyers to your follow-up auto responder series once they've purchased.

Small Investments, Big Results

The bottom line is that your success as an affiliate depends on your list. Take advantage of the traffic you draw to your site to build that list, and to build trust with site visitors.

E. Alan Cowgill