As with most endevors in life not everybody succeeds at affiliate marketing. The sad fact is that MOST will inevitably fail.   affiliate marketing is like any other job you might do and it is the main reason the same people tend to fail at everything they try and it boils down to several things.

1. Information Overload. The amount of information on the internet quite frankly is huge and growing. People feel obliged to take in as much information as they can on every aspect of their business, and inevitably end up in a situation where they feel overwhelmed, confused and helpless. There are many things to learn with affiliate marketing, but you can't learn it all in a day and you can't be an expert in all areas of affiliate marketing. Invariably successful affiliates outsource areas where they are not strong and stick to areas at which they excel. It might be SEO they excel at or artcile writing. It doesn't matter. What you can't do yourself outsource.

2. Initial Lack of Success. As any business owner knows, building any business takes time. Online businesses are no different. Don't be discouraged by the initial lack of success, and don't baulk at the first hurdle that will inevitably present itself. Persistance nearly always pays off in the end. Every entrepreneur always recounts the same story of initial failure. Remember that failures are part of the test you undergoe on the road to success. don't be discouraged, we all went down this road before achieving any degree of success.

3. The Latest and Greatest Technology, Gadget or Technique. People think that they have to experiment with every trend on a never ending quest to find THE product or Holy Grail, that delivers the promised millions. Jumping from one trend to another without taking the time to truly understand their particular market. You are far better off finding a  product you have some knowledge of before venturing into the unknown.

4. Not Staying Focussed. There are many distractions on the Internet, and it is all too easy to surf your day away looking at forums and chatrooms and achieving little or nothing at the end of the day. Set your work agenda for the day . Consign all those get rich scheme emails to the spam folder or unsubscribe if you can.

5. Not Having a Plan. The first and foremost thing to do is have a plan that lays out how you intend to approach the business of affiliate marketing, the sequence of how, what and when you are going to start your affiliate business. But of course a plan is no good unless you actually put it into action. This is perhaps the biggest reason why people fail at affiliate marketing. Remember that you are your own boss when you are an affiliate marketer. I know from experience that when the sun is out and the beach is near, it is hard to find the motivation to write that article or send that email. It requires a lot of self-discipline to run your own business, if you have been a 9 to 5'er for 15 years like I was before I started online, the transition can be difficult. Treat it like a "real job", set yourself a routine and stick to it.

If you can avoid these 5 points and remain focused on a plan of action you are well on the way to becoming a successful affiliate.