Validation.  AKA Hey, this works!

It’s a process that every entrepreneur and online marketer really needs to know and know well.

Before you start a new web site or online venture you need to VALIDATE it first.  In other words, you need to be able to make sure it has promise and/or it’s going to work.

There are TWO important validation steps that you should do at the beginning of any new online business or project…

1.  Test Market Related Affiliate Offers

Every online business needs to generate some of its revenue from Affiliate Marketing.  It’s a great way to monetize lead generation and can be a great profit center.  Sometimes it can be the entire business.

So when thinking about a market to go into, or a product to make for a market, the first thing you want to do is to run some tests and try to earn some affiliate commissions by promoting competing or related products in that market.

If you can’t find any affiliate offers that will sell in that market, or you can’t get any to sell (doesn’t have to necessarily turn a profit) then that’s a major danger sign.

2.  Drive Traffic With The Most Targeted Keywords Possible

Buy some Google AdWords traffic before anything else.  Run ads using the absolute most targeted keyword related to what it is that you want to sell.

If you can’t produce conversions from this highly targeted traffic it’s a major danger sign.

Think about it… if you’re trying to sell an infoproduct or merchandise related to growing tomatoes and you buy some clicks on Google from people searching for “grow tomatoes” and you CAN’T get it to convert then you’re in deep trouble.  Either your landing page is horrible and needs major work, OR…

Your offer for that market is a bad one.  That market might not buy that information, for example.  Or maybe it’s a mostly do-it-yourself market and they rarely buy kits like the one you’re trying to sell.

Whatever the case, trying to VALIDATE the market will usually tell the situation.

IF you are able to generate some affiliate income by promoting products in your market, it’s a great sign.  If you’re also able to generate sales of your own product or something you’re thinking about selling with the highest targeted keywords then you’re well on your way.

But if you can’t generate some affiliate commissions or can’t generate direct sales using the most targeted keywords possible, then you are unable to validate that market/offer as a potential winner.

That means it’s time to move on to something else.

The rate at which you can quickly test and move on to something else will often have a lot to do with how much money you make.  Because generating money online is all about TESTING.  So get used to doing it.