Good content trumps selling
The most important part of an affiliate website or blog is the content. If the reader isn't interested in the content then they won't be open to following your affiliate links. You need to write about something you're knowledgeable on, something that excites you, to get the reader interested. This way they will be more inclined to trust your views and promotions.Make sure you are not simply selling the product. Remember, you are just trying to promote the product. It is the merchant's job to make the commission when the reader is re-directed to their web page. If you are trying to sell to the reader they will be less inclined to trust you, especially as it isn't your product! Even if they did reluctantly click your referral link they would then be taken to the merchants website and guess what, another sales pitch. This will definitely turn them off as they've just seen a sales pitch on your site!
So make sure you are PREselling on your site, introducing the product around some quality content and then refer the reader to the merchant's page where they will sell the product.
Another thing to remember is not to fill your website or blog with referral links and promotions as this with put readers off. They are going to have gone to your site looking for content, not a big advertisement. Keep the referral links to a minimum but make the content stand out. This will bring readers back to your page, help to create backlinks and then increase the chances of a positive referral