http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiliate_marketing

Basically, it is a model in which you award your customers for bringing new customers through referrals.

You should get to know your potential clients better. If you want to market an e-commerce website or an online business, get a good marketing automation solution for it, like Pardot, Marketo or Deskgod, for instance. Monitor your visitors and gather information about them, analyze it and create well targeted email campaigns and promotional campaigns. Know your competitors. Make sure you ahve adequate customer support, best through live chat.