Chances are if you have ventured into the business of affiliate marketing, you have hit a wall or two. And if you haven't, chances are you will. It's the rare entrepreneur who will start a business and rise quickly to great heights without facing some great challenges. The good news is making it over the first wall is possible and almost always profitable.

Like any business, affiliate marketing involves a learning curve. Unless you've been involved in a lot of other internet marketing ventures, you will need to spend a certain amount of time learning. How much time depends on many variables, and some people get started as they are learning. However you approach it, learning as much as you possibly can from the resources available to you is the best way to ensure any measure of success in affiliate marketing.

So as the average marketer spends some time learning the ropes, their next logical step is to do some testing of their knowledge. Some people do this real time with their first ads or site, and others choose a safer route of playing without paying for a while. It's an exciting time in any new business; the beginnings of seeing what's possible. You are equipped with some basic knowledge and skills and you are anxious to put them to use.

The first sale you make is a definite high point. It may happen right away, or it may take weeks or months, but seeing that first product sell gives you the confidence that you are on the right track. Often times, this is when people will start to really invest some money in their business. You'll develop more ads, launch pages or websites. You'll begin looking for effective ways of tracking your data. If you're smart, you'll continue looking for resources to help you further your knowledge and understanding of how to best run your business. Stopping the learning process almost ensures a quick trip to the first wall.

You need a great deal of perseverance to proceed when you are devoting so much of your free time to something that is only seeing marginal progress. You start to doubt yourself. The money going out in advertising isn't coming back in via sales. You don't know exactly what you're doing wrong. This is the point where many who start, quit. Hitting this first wall means the end of the adventure.

But it doesn't have to be. The very best way of getting over the first, or any wall you hit, is by preparing ahead mentally. You have probably read in many places that affiliate marketing is not a get rich quick scheme, and it's not. If you expect to quit your primary income source in year one of affiliate marketing, you're probably in for a disappointing reality. Building a successful business of any kind takes time, and if you aren't planning for at least 18-24 months of time consuming work before you start to see real numbers success, you are setting yourself up to hit the first wall and crumble.

Beyond preparing mentally, you must continue learning all you can. Even if you're not seeing income, you are still growing your business and advancing toward success if you're continuing to learn. Learn from the experts. Invest in the best books, software and support. Participate in online forums with other affiliate marketers. Solicit advise from the gurus. You'd be surprised how eager some are to respond to your questions personally.

A harder part of scaling the first wall may involve a hard look at your financial investment. Are you spending enough on advertising to really expect a solid return? Understanding the need to be cautious with every penny you spend, you must also be willing to endure some risk. Evaluate where you are spending, and compare with standards available through various resources. If you're under spending by a lot, it's time to put up or walk away. And there are no guarantees.

Old wisdom tells us that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Sometimes, that's exactly what this business will feel like. Hanging on by getting past the first wall is the only way to move forward. This business attracts dreamers, optimists and hard working people. They have the best chance of making it.