Running an affiliate program is becoming easier and easier with
all of the software and help available now. But keeping your
affiliates motivated and selling isn't quite so easy. If the
success of your business rests on how well your affiliates do,
you need to make sure that you provide your affiliates with the
right tools to get the job done. This may take some time and
effort on your part in the beginning - but it is an investment
in time and effort that will greatly pay off in the end.
If you are already running an affiliate program for your product
or service, you know that a great number of people sign up for
your program, never to be heard from again. You can reduce the
number of unproductive affiliates you have by staying in touch
with them constantly. Remind them of their usernames and
passwords. Tell them again where to log in to check their stats
or to get creatives. Keep them informed about new product lines
or changes in policies or procedures. Keep them up to date on
related news.
Just make sure that you stay in touch. Pay attention to who your
top sellers are, and make sure to contact them personally on a
regular basis. Also pay attention to who your worst producers
are, and stay in touch with them constantly as well.
One reason that most affiliates don't perform well is that they
don't have any leadership or guidance. You can easily change
this by writing a marketing course. You can even offer it for
sale to non-affiliates. But make it available to your affiliates
free of charge. If you don't want to write a course, see about
buying master resell rights to a course that has already been
written, and make that available free of charge to your
affiliates. It doesn't matter what method you use, as long as
you tell them how to market the product. Provide them with sales
copy and creatives. Keep the information up-to-date, and request
feedback and input from your affiliates. Set up a support forum
where they can come together to share ideas and learn new
things. You might also consider forming sales teams - small
groups of affiliates who meet on a regular basis, share ideas,
and keep each other motivated.
Keep your sales copy and creatives up-to-date. Provide new
material for your affiliates to use on a regular basis. Just
providing them with a text link and one banner doesn't generate
much excitement. Provide them with sales letters, testimonials,
reviews, ads, banners of varying sizes and shapes, and anything
else you can think of. Make sure that your affiliates know the
new material is there for their use. Listen to your affiliates,
and get feedback on your sales material.
Hold Virtual Meetings. Set up a chat room where your affiliates
can attend a virtual meeting on a monthly or quarterly. Answer
questions, give away 'door prizes', have motivational 'speakers'
and anything else that you can think of to make the meetings
informative and enjoyable. Remember Amway? Have you ever been
invited to one of those meetings? The point of the meeting is to
inspire your affiliates - get them so excited about your product
or service, that they can't wait to get out there and tell the
world! Hold contests for your affiliates. Make the prizes
worthwhile. Award a first, second, third, and grand prize for
the highest sales in a given time period. Contests are great
motivators.
Give your affiliates the recognition that they deserve. Every
month, in your affiliate newsletter, give recognition to the
best performers. Give them small bonuses. You could also set up
a payment structure that awards higher commissions for a higher
volume of sales.
Do everything that you can to make sure that your affiliates are
succeeding and making money in your program. If they are
succeeding and making money - your are succeeding and making
money as well! Their success really is your success.
About the author:
Kevin Robb - Editor of the "eBF-News" A Free Private Members
Newsletter that reveals 25 years of Online and Offline marketing
experience. If you are results driven and have a passion to
succeed on the Internet then the
http://www.ebusinessformula.com/eBF-News/index.html eBF-News
will assist in your development.
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