How to Get Your Affiliates Going

One of the most amazing percentages raised in this conference was the absolute lack of affiliates taking any sort of action after signing up. One prominent affiliate network admitted that 45% of its affiliates never did anything after signing up!

The real challenge to your affiliate network is to get people going in the right direction, to give them more than just a banner ad. Motivation is as critical as positioning the right ad. There's an old rule in sales: If you don't believe in what you are selling, neither will your clients.

At first glance, it may seem simple to blame this on the affiliates. After all, you gave them a banner ad. They should place it on their Web site. Instead of blaming anyone, why not take a scientific approach to your affiliate network with the following:

1. Set up advertising approaches the encourage participation; don't fall for the old banner ad shtick. Banner ads are a low percentage game and will make your affiliates disappointed.

2. Motivate your affiliates; set up an email follow up system that contacts them immediately, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after they sign up. You can automate this. Give them suggestions and a path to follow.

3. You have 2-4 weeks to keep someone interested in your program; the first two weeks are crucial. It is human nature to immediately think a decision is a poor one. Counter this with encouragement, an email, a phone call, something to eliminate that feeling of being all alone with this challenge to make money as an affiliate. If you motivate them early, you will have better chances at increasing the lifetime value this affiliate brings to your network.

4. Have someone on your staff monitor the success of each affiliate. It will be easy to determine the few who are succeeding. Encourage them to participate more, and to develop repeat traffic at their Web Site to create repeat business through your affiliate program.

5. For those who do not generate traffic or sales, move them into a customer loyalty program. Give them a discount to buy continually from you. Mail them a small check in the first month to simply encourage them to succeed.

6. Keep it fun; have affiliate contests and give away prizes. Motivate your affiliate coaches in your business to profit when the affiliates profit. If your affiliates perceive this as a job, they will eventually get lazy and think of ways to do nothing, like any employee. Keep them driven as much as possible and reward the people in your business who must do this.

7. Use email for continual contact, and pick up the phone to make it personal.

8. Give them reasons to continue generating leads, and buying, from you. If only 20% of them will succeed, no matter what you do, why not encourage the rest to become customers?

9. Evaluate the numbers from your affiliate network and see how you can improve.

10. Most of all, watch your profit margins. Amazon.com is learning that it cannot increase profitability by losing money on every customer. Music and videos are low profit items; try to incorporate some high profit margin items as well.