While we’ve all read success stories on various topics, some of the most encouraging stories to read are those that are written about people in a similar situation as you.

The following tidbits are based on true success stories of affiliate marketers.

Without naming individuals’ names or giving site links I’m going to give two-sentence bits on several different affiliate marketing success stories.

This article would quickly become a book if I were to include bigger portions for each case.  If you’d like to know more about any of these success stories a quick Google search for affiliate marketing success stories will turn up what you’re looking for.

Ebay’s affiliate program has produced many, many successful affiliate marketers.  Using a variety of marketing methods such as Natural Search, Content/Niche Site and Paid Search, eBay’s affiliates have reaped the rewards of being part of a successful affiliate program.

Not nearly the scale of eBay’s affiliate program, but producing successful affiliates nonetheless, is AllSat.com’s affiliate program.

This two-tier affiliate program offering DishNetwork satellite systems has provided a very comfortable living for many of its affiliates.

Now I understand that I’ve only given two examples of affiliate marketing success stories, but there are so many more out there like these.

My hope is that by giving you just enough to really catch your attention you’ll take the time on your own when you’re finished reading this article to do a Google search of affiliate marketing success stories and read more.

Believe me, when you’re done reading a few of the stories out there you’ll be feeling very inspired and ready to take the leap into affiliate marketing.

If you’ve already taken the leap and perhaps are feeling a bit down because your progress has been slow, then this might be just the pick-me-up you need!

Whether or not the newsletter was worth continuing to receive is dependent on the quality and content.

I mention this because it’s one of the most crucial factors in whether or not a newsletter will work for your business or marketing venture.

Newsletters, like books, magazines, e-books or ezines, are only as good as their content.

You can have all the eye-catching pictures and graphics you please, and a great layout, but if the content isn’t interesting and informative to your readers then it’s bound to be a waste of your time, and the time of youíre their time, too.

This leads us to the question, "What do you need to make a great newsletter?"

A great newsletter must give the readers what they want.  If you’re a niche marketer you’ll want to give your readers a variety of information and news related to your niche.

If you’re in the Internet dating business your newsletter should have cover a variety of dating-related subjects, success stories, personal improvement articles, or the like.

Whatever your market, you’ll want to give the readers what they’re looking for.  Many site owners have found that asking the readers for suggestions has worked very well to keep abreast of what they want in the newsletter.

In addition to great content there are other items that need to be included.  One key element that should be included in any newsletter is a link to send the reader back to your website.

This should be located in an area that is highly visible, preferably on the first page if your newsletter has more than one page.

This gives the reader easy access to go to your site for more information on something mentioned in the newsletter and will also entice them to visit just for the sake of visiting.  Remember, people love to click on links!

Another critical element of your newsletter should be an open invitation for people to pass your newsletter along to friends.

Pass-it-along advertising has had huge success in the past and is a great free advertising tool.  So don’t forget to invite your readers to pass your newsletter along!