Remember when you were a kid and had a huge decision to make…like whether to choose chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream? You named your fingers. The first was chocolate, the second vanilla, the third strawberry. You then recited this rhyme….

Eenie, Minie, Miny, Moe, catch a Tiger by the toe.
If he hollers, make him pay fifteen dollars every day!
My mama told me to choose this very one!

As you rattled off the rhyme, you touched each finger in turn. And at the end, you had made your fateful decision based on that logic (or lack thereof). Okay…not very scientific….but it worked fine for choosing an ice cream flavor on a hot summer day when you were a kid!

Today you’re a grown up affiliate marketer, faced with a much more important decision. You can choose from thousands of affiliate merchants and hundreds of thousands of affiliate products to promote. Are you still using that kiddy tactic for choosing affiliate products? Hmmm, maybe you need a more logical - and effective - method.

Here are some more logical ways to decide whether an affiliate program is worth promoting. Just follow these simple steps:

First, visit the merchant’s website. Take your time and poke around in all the corners. Can you find products easily? Do all the links work? Is the return policy and guarantee stated clearly? All these little things have a huge impact on how well the site will convert.

Second, look at the site through the eyes of a prospective customer. If you can, buy the product and try it out for yourself. Check out the customer service system to be sure it works and that buyers will get prompt answers.

Third, look at the sales materials provided by the merchant. Does the merchant show EPC (Earnings Per Click) for each creative, and do the numbers sound appealing?

Fourth, read the commission structure and affiliate agreement. Note when and how often you will be paid for sales that you make or for leads that you provide.

Fifth, compare like products. You really don’t want to represent an inferior product. So compare this product with others to see how it measures up. If YOU were going to buy the product, which would you choose? That’s likey to be the one most people will choose - and the one that will probably convert the best.

Finally, visit forums and blogs that are related to the product. Find out what real people and real users of this product say about it. If you find too many complaints, keep looking!

If you follow these steps, you should soon become more confident in deciding which affiliate programs are worth testing for profitability – as well as which have at least the POTENTIAL to make you the most money for the long haul.

In short, forget Eenie, Miney, Miny, Moe and do real research! Base your choice of affiliate marketing products on reality and logic, not just hype or blind chance.