Archive for the ‘Affiliate Marketing Resource’ Category

If you run an internet business and have an affiliate program, it is important to devote a lot of time and energy into that program. For internet retailers, their affiliate programs are the backbone of their company. It is these individuals and their websites that spread the word. They advertise for your company and generate sales. For that reason, you should be available to provide support and help along the way.

As important as it is to know that you, as a seller operating an affiliate program, should be available for helpful support, you may wonder why. Why is this help so important and how do you offer it? If these are questions you have, please continue reading on for the answers.

If you do not provide your affiliates with help and support along the way, you may find them dropping like flies. It is a known fact that people are unhappy when they can’t get the answers they want or need. You do not want to lose good or potentially good affiliates this way. Always make sure someone on your staff, whether it be you or another member, is available to find help through email or over-the-phone.

As previously stated, a lack of help and support may cause some affiliates to leave. Don’t expect all internet users to know how your company’s affiliate program works, how to get links, and so forth. There are many functioning affiliate programs online and they all operate in different manners. It is always important to be available for questions or complaints, but you can limit that frequency by properly training your affiliates and having how-to information available on your website. Have step-by-step guides with screenshots and a list of proven tips to get your affiliates started. When they have access to this information upfront, they are likely to ask fewer questions later.

It is also important to remember that help comes in a number of different formats. If an affiliate approaches you for help, they may not have a problem using your program. What they may have is a problem with is the sales page templates and banners available for use. You may not have their needed size or a sales page style that fit their needs. They may provide helpful suggestions, such as expanding the uploads. Of course, you don’t have to take these suggestions and implement them, but give it some thought. It if can benefit one affiliate, but might help them all.

Most importantly, providing your affiliates with help and support along the way should improve your affiliate program as a whole. Your affiliates do not have any confusion. There are no mistakes with their links or banners on your page. They are not breaking the rules. This benefits everyone involved. They help to legitimately and correctly generate sales and you get profits from those sales. In addition, since your affiliates always know they can turn to you to resolve a complaint, offer assistance, or accept suggestions, they are more likely to put forth extra work and effort.

As previously stated, there are many ways to provide your affiliates with help and support. In addition to having over-the-phone training sessions with new affiliates or step-by-step guides with screenshots available for viewing, have a dedicated email address setup just for your affiliate program. Ensure someone in your company is able to check this email at least four times a day.

Where you will run into problems is at night. You may work traditional business hours, but most affiliates don’t. In fact, some use affiliate programs as a way to supplement their full-time income, meaning they work late at night. Waiting 24 hours to receive a response is normal, but why not start an online forum for your members? They can provide each other with technical support, internet marketing help, and other tips. In fact, if you have top performing affiliates who consistently bring in sales, get them to volunteer their time or provide small compensation for them to be active in the forum. They can share their money making does and don’ts with others.

If you run an affiliate program, you know the importance of motivation. Some of your affiliates will try their hardest no matter what. On the other hand, some need motivation. What can you do to motivate them? Host many contests.

When it comes to hosting contests for your affiliates, you have many options. If this is your first time hosting an affiliate contest, please continue reading on for a list of dos and don’ts.

DO advertise your contests. Contests serve as motivation for affiliates. They are more willing to put that extra foot forward if they know they are rewarded for their hard work. For a contest to work and improve affiliate moral, your affiliates must know about it. Highlight your contest on your affiliate program’s website, in a company newsletter, or through emails.

DON’T forget to clearly state the contest rules and restrictions. For example, if you are rewarding the most improved affiliate, describe how you will select that individual. Is it the affiliate who sees the bigger increase in sale frequency or do you want to base your winner on the highest dollar amount of sales? Outline the prize, whether it be a special mention in an affiliate program newsletter or $25.

DO host contests and as often as possible. The more contests you hold, the more results you will see. For example, affiliates are more likely to work harder when they know they have the chance to win compensation every two months, as opposed to once a year. In terms of affiliate contests, it is best to opt for short-term results.

DON’T focus on the same individuals month after month. This is most commonly seen with rewarding the highest earning affiliates. They tend to fluctuate between one or two individuals. Mix it up a little bit. In fact, offer a few contests aimed at new affiliates. These are the ones that truly need the extra push and something to strive for. Occasionally, offer a contest for the new affiliate who generated the most sales or the most improved affiliate.

DO share tips on how to improve sales. You want to do more than just say “We have a contest for the most improved and top earning affiliates.” Underneath the mention of your contests and above the various rules and restrictions, provide tips. These tips can help your beginners. Not only can it improve their chances to win a contest, but these tips should automatically increase the affiliate earnings. Share tips on internet marketing and stress the direct link between increased commissions and well-marketed websites. Focus on add placement. All links and banners above the fold are likely to get more clicks.

DON’T forget to recognize those who won contests. At the close of a contest, you may just pay the winner their extra $25. Do more than that. List the contest winner on your website or in a company newsletter. For starters, it improves moral. The winner of the contest would have been pleased with the extra $25, but having their name published now gives them pride. They know you and other affiliates appreciate their hard work. Finally, newcomers to your program want to see proof that the contests are legitimate. New affiliates who can see a list of past contest winners and know that you do deliver the prize are more likely to put forth that extra effort.

DO think outside-of-the-box, in terms of contest themes. As previously stated, popular contests for affiliates include the most improved affiliate and the top earning affiliate. These are good, but remember there is more to running and making money through an affiliate program. In the above mentioned tip section, it was stated that high traffic websites and good add placement translate into sales. Reward your affiliates for these. Have a contest for the best-marketed website, the best-designed website, or the website with the best ad placement. If your affiliate program relies on sales pages, instead of banners, reward affiliates with the best sales page design. Your options are endless. Basically, anything remotely related to affiliate program and internet market can turn into a contest.