Communicating With Affiliates

By Keith BuddenArctic Sunrise

Communicating with affiliates

• Accept that there are three types of people

Communicating with affiliates

• Accept that there are three types of people• Those who make things happen

Communicating with affiliates

• Accept that there are three types of people• Those who make things happen• Those who watch things happen

Communicating with affiliates

• Accept that there are three types of people• Those who make things happen• Those who watch things happen• Those who wonder what happened!

Communicating with affiliates

• Make contact details available• Let affiliates know when you are not there• Regular affiliate newsletters• Affiliate pages on your website/network website• Press releases

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email• MSN

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email• MSN• Telephone

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email• MSN• Telephone• Skype

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:

• Email• MSN• Telephone• Skype• A4U

Communicating with affiliates• Find out how your affiliates like to

communicate:• Email• MSN• Telephone• Skype• A4U• SMS

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email• MSN• Telephone• Skype• A4U• SMS• Webinar

Communicating with affiliates

• Find out how your affiliates like to communicate:• Email• MSN• Telephone• Skype• A4U• SMS• Webinar• Face to face

What to communicate

• Is it really news?

What to communicate

• Is it really news?• Don’t speak for the sake of making noise

Email – what’s really important

• The subject must be clear

Email – what’s really important

• The subject must be clear• Ensure the message is ‘above the fold’

Email – what’s really important

• The subject must be clear• Ensure the message is ‘above the fold’• Ensure the message has timelines

Email – what’s really important

• The subject must be clear• Ensure the message is ‘above the fold’• Ensure the message has timelines• Experiment with colours and fonts

The 10 second pitch

• 10 seconds is the most you have to grab attention (and it’s probably more like 7!)

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Find a time that suits you and them – this may be outside of your office hours

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Find a time that suits you and them – this may be outside of your office hours

• Accept that No really does mean NO

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Find a time that suits you and them – this may be outside of your office hours

• Accept that No really does mean NO• Do leave a message or don’t be surprised if you

get no response

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Do all of your phone calls one after another

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Do all of your phone calls one after another• Your brain gets into ‘phone’ mode

Phone/MSN/Skype

• Do all of your phone calls one after another• Your brain gets into ‘phone’ mode• Do write down what you need to talk about –

make small talk but keep it brief – your time (and theirs) costs money

Finding the time

• If you can’t work harder – work smarter

Finding the time

• For each item in your ‘inbox’ do the following:

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If the answer is no then either file it

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If the answer is no then either file it• Or BIN it

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If the answer is YES then:

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If the answer is YES then:• If it will take less than 2 minutes to do – do it

now!

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If the answer is YES then:• If it will take more than 2 minutes to do – either

delegate it or defer it

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If you defer it either:

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If you defer it either:• Give it an action date/time or

Finding the time

• Is it actionable?• If you defer it either:• Give it an action date/time or• Add it to your ‘when I get time’ list

Finding the time

• Every action should have a context

Finding the time

• You must find the time to have a weekly review

How To Motivate And Incentivise Affiliates Effectively!

By Mark RussellExistem Affiliate Management

Think like an affiliate

• What do they do?

Think like an affiliate

• What do they do?

• How do they do it?

Think like an affiliate

• What do they do?

• How do they do it?

• Why do they do it?

Think like an affiliate

• What do they do?

• How do they do it?

• Why do they do it?

• Recognise their entrepreneurial nature.

Think like an affiliate

• What do they do?

• How do they do it?

• Why do they do it?

• Recognise their entrepreneurial nature.

• Recognise they are paid by results

- Therefore – motivated by results

Getting a result – Primary Goals

• Making a sale• Driving a lead

Getting a result – Other Goals

• Achieving high SEO ranking• Building a database of keywords• Visible blog / original content

Getting a result

• What can I do to help drive these goals?

Your Website Conversion

• Reduce leakage– Telephone numbers– Non-commissionable products and links– Dead end pages

Your Website

• Optimise conversions• Ensure fast page loads• Ensure stock situation is clear to

consumer• Clear call to action• Necessary product explanations• Simple checkout

Programme Policy and Description

• Ensure clear commercial policy

• Clear PPC guidelines

• Clear “validity” guidelines

• Comprehensive merchant description

The Basics – A Recap

• Affiliates will choose high conversion over high commission

• Affiliates trust merchants with affiliate friendly sites

• Affiliates will sign up for programmes that are easy to work with

• Getting the basics right motivates RECRUITMENT!

Motivation Strategies

• Sales growth

• Lead quality

• Recruitment

• Affiliate Type

Motivation – Sales Growth

• Commission – Affiliate Facing– Commission Rates

– Commission Tiers

– Time limited increases

Motivation – Sales Growth

• Commission – Affiliate Facing– Commission Rates

– Commission Tiers

– Time limited increases

• Exclusive Discount / Promotions – Customer facing– Customer discount

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

• Pay higher CPA when good results are apparent

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

• Pay higher CPA when good results are apparent

• Be transparent

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

• Pay higher CPA when good results are apparent

• Be transparent

• Validate promptly with rapid feedback

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

• Pay higher CPA when good results are apparent

• Be transparent

• Validate promptly with rapid feedback

• Provide affiliate education

Motivation – Lead Quality

• Target quality

• Pay higher CPA when good results are apparent

• Be transparent

• Validate promptly with rapid feedback

• Provide affiliate education

• Provide affiliate with customer education material

Motivation – Affiliate Recruitment

• Double first commissions– First sale

Motivation – Affiliate Recruitment

• Double first commissions– First sale

• Introductory rates– High first month commission

Motivation – Affiliate Recruitment

• Double first commissions– First sale

• Introductory rates– High first month commission

• Prize draw– For posting links

Motivation – Affiliate Types

• Different affiliate types require different strategies– Cash back / Incentive

– Content

– Voucher Code

– PPC

– Comparison

Cashback / Incentive Sites - Strategy

• Exclusive offers to affiliate

• Higher commission rates

• Exclusive offers to customers

Content Sites - Motivation

• SEO friendly content• Descriptions• Timely information

Content Sites - Strategy

• Supply bespoke copy• Send out best-seller / new product

information• Ensure flow of new and relevant

communication• Ensure using all network tools

Voucher Code Sites - Strategy

• Ensure you can supply voucher codes• Exclusive voucher codes• Custom Voucher Codes

PPC Affiliate - Motivation

• Opportunity• Volume• Conversion • Keywords• Cash-flow

PPC Affiliate - Strategy

• Clearly defined PPC policy• Ensure site converts efficiently • Make available keyword information• Provide all tools for available opportunities• Prompt validation

Comparison Site - Motivation

• Multiple retailers• Standardised information• Available product • Conversion• Revenue

Comparison Site - Strategy

• Ensure campaign is visible• Ensure product feed is correctly specified• Ensure product feed is updated frequently• Ensure commission and conversion is in line

with or better than similar retailers

Strategy - Summary

• Understand needs and motivation of affiliate types and address them specifically

Conclusion

• Motivating and incentivising is 2 tiered– Site basics / Programme housekeeping

– Tailored strategy for affiliates

Conclusion

• Motivating and incentivising is 2 tiered– Site basics / Programme housekeeping

– Tailored strategy for affiliates

• All communication needs to be timely

Conclusion

• Motivating and incentivising is 2 tiered– Site basics / Programme housekeeping

– Tailored strategy for affiliates

• All communication needs to be timely

• All communication needs to be respectful

Conclusion

• Motivating and incentivising is 2 tiered– Site basics / Programme housekeeping

– Tailored strategy for affiliates

• All communication needs to be timely

• All communication needs to be respectful

• Politeness and courtesy go along way in affiliate motivation

Thank You For Your Time

Keith Buddenwww.arcticsunrise.co.uk

keith@arcticsunrise.co.uk

0207 873 2154

Mark Russellwww.existem-am.com

mark@existem-am.com0870 803136607971 199909