For example, you can get started with very little money. You don't need to have your own product. You don't need employees or a significant business structure. Some people even make a lot of money as affiliate marketers without a website.

It is possible to make a living with affiliate marketing even if you cannot do it full-time. In fact, some marketing gurus like Jimmy D. Brown, say you can make a good living as an affiliate marketer in only three hours a day provided you are focused and know what you are doing.

So why do I say that affiliate marketing is also one of the hardest ways to make money online. Unlike the early days of Internet marketing when there were relatively few people making a living as affiliates, today there are many people promoting other people's products. The competition is stiff. And with the current economy, the number of people trying to make money as affiliate marketers grows daily.

To make matters worst, there are almost as many people promoting training programs about affiliate marketing and various others schemes to make money fast with very little effort. Honestly, if you don't know what you are doing, you're more likely to be sold a product, than to succeed in earning commissions.

Having said that, I still believe you need to take the time and spend a little money to educate yourself before jumping into the fray. A little research will help you discover good markets and spot profitable products to promote. It helps to have a guide to learn the ropes, but it can be bewildering and paralyzing if you buy every new product that comes out.

So how do you find the mentor who is right for you? There are a lot of smart people teaching others how to earn money as affiliate marketers. But in my opinion some are better teachers than others.

Start by reading all the free material you can get your hands on. Pay attention to how well the author explains unfamiliar concepts, marketing strategies and tactics. Keep searching until you find someone who really is able to communicate the way you need to learn.

On the flip side, it helps if you understand your own learning style. Some people learn best by reading. Some are more auditory and have to hear information before they can process it. Others fare best when they can see the information visually. And some people only retain what they learn when they deal with the information -- hands on. That's why many lessons also include assignments, so you can put what you learn to work. Knowing how you learn best can help you find the teacher and format that is best for you.

Now back to affiliate marketing. Look for step-by-step guides that take you from start to finish and explain all the aspects of promoting products as an affiliate, rather than products that promise to get you started fast and easy without doing any work.

If you are just getting started and would like to learn more about affiliate marketing and how to get started successfully, I'm giving away a free report to give you a quick idea of what you should look for as you begin your research.

Marcia Ming, publisher of Savvy Marketing Secrets, is a former print journalist and small business marketing consultant. To learn more about marketing your business online and off, visit her website: savvymarketingsecrets.com