improving the affiliate/affiliate manager relationship

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Improving the Affiliate/Affili ate Manager Relationship Affiliate Summit West 2011

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This session will help affiliates learn how to get the most out of their AMs and help AMs learn how they can get the most out of their affiliates and make it a mutually beneficial relationship.Experience level: IntermediateTarget audience: Merchants/AdvertisersNiche/vertical: AffiliateTodd Farmer, CEO, PerformStreet Media (Twitter @toddfarmer) (Moderator)Jamie Birch, CEO, JEBCommerce, LLC (Twitter @jamieebirch)Jason Rubacky, Affiliate Development Manager, ShareASale (Twitter @jasonrubacky)Joe Sousa, Owner, Internet Marketing Associates (Twitter @drcool73)Logan Thompson, Owner, Blink Source (Twitter @drumminlogan)

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate

Manager RelationshipAffiliate Summit West 2011

Page 2: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship
Page 3: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Todd FarmerCo-Founder

MyContentPro.comAffiliateMarketingPlan.c

om

@ToddFarmer

Page 4: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Joe SousaOwner

Internet Marketing Associates

WhatDoesJoeThink.com

@DrCool73

Page 5: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Jamie BirchCEO

JEBCommerce, LLCJEBCommerce.com

@JamieEBirch

Page 6: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Jason Rubacky

Affiliate Development Manager

ShareASaleShareASale.com

@JasonRubacky

Page 7: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Logan Thomson

CEOBlink Source

BlinkSource.com

@DrumminLogan

Page 8: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Why is a Good Relationship Important?

• This isn’t necessarily a touchy feely relationship

• Mutually beneficial business relationship

• Affiliate managers can help out affiliates

• New creatives

• New campaigns

• New products

• Payout bonuses

• Hot markets

• Affiliates can help affiliate managers

• Feedback on what works

• Improvements for the merchant’s site

Page 9: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

What benefits are there for me as an affiliate to cultivate a good relationship with my merchants?

• Increased commissions

• Only 62% of affiliates have successfully requested an increase incommission

• Private deals, promotions, and campaigns

• Special permission for different promotions

• Custom creatives, links, coupons, and promotions

• All these will help me make money

• Well worth the time

• Always have people to hang out with at conferences

Page 10: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

What is the best way to communicate?

• 2010 Aff Stat Report

• Email – 64.4%

• Phone – 12.6%

• Phone, IM, and Email – 11.9%

• IM – 9.5%

• I hate when affiliate managers call for “normal” stuff

• Email or IM are my preferred method

• Paper trail of the conversation

• Easy to follow up

• Phone calls should only be for emergencies

Page 11: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Improving your Relationships with

your affiliates

Page 12: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

3 Points•Strong relationships are the

foundation of any good program.

•Utilizing multiple methods of communication help build those relationships

•Affiliates will only TRUST you as much as they can DEPEND on you

Page 13: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

“A strong relationship is mutually beneficial, results in win-win arrangements, is built on trust and leads your affiliates to not only knowing you but liking you and ultimately trusting you.”

Page 14: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Trust•To build trust you must be Personable, Helpful, Authentic, Sincere and build a track record of dependability.

•You must understand their business, know their preferred contact method and bring them appropriate offers only.

•Be consistent and comprehensive in your follow through.How do they Market? Who are their Customers?

What is their Business Model?What Opportunities do they offer?

What are their Needs from you?

How do they prefer to Communicate?

What Offers work for them? When is their Peak Season?

Page 15: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Engaging AffiliatesAffiliate Managers Do• Engage affiliates in the communities they participate in• Get personal and share• Be Authentic, Transparent and Truthful• Respond frequently and honestly• Friend/Link with prominent industry personalities• Engage in conversations, but listen before they jump in

Affiliate Managers Don’t• Spam forums, social networks or engage in comment spam• Talk before listening• Post untrue statements• Hijack threads, posts or competitors‘ conversations• Pretend to know more than they do

Authenticity is key. Impeccable follow-through is a must.

Page 16: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

Building Relationships Scorecard

I currently have a blog where I communicate with my affiliates.

• I respond to all emails within the same day.

• I include all my contact info on all emails and communications.

• I encourage my affiliates to contact me via phone

• I use Instant Messengers to build relationships

• My affiliates can contact me via Twitter

• My affiliates can contact me via Facebook

• My negotiations and conversations result in win-win outcomes for me and my affiliates

I attend conferences and meet with affiliates in person

• I know my top 10 affiliates on a personal level

• I only contact my affiliates via their preferred method

• I know where my affiliates congregate online and I engage them in that environment

• I provide my affiliates with an education center

• I host conference calls with my affiliate partners

• My follow through with my affiliates is always done on time and is comprehensive

• I have a process in place to keep notes and track action items from each conversation with my affiliate partners

It’s time to evaluate you stand. Check off any and all that apply to you below. Count how many you checked. 1-5 means you have a lot to do this week, 5-10 means you are average, but still can be better, a score of 10 or more

means you are on the right track.

Page 17: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship

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Joe SousaWhatDoesJoeThink.c

om@DrCool73

Logan ThomsonBlinkSource.com@DrumminLogan

Jason RubackyShareASale.com@JasonRubacky

Jamie BirchJEBCommerce.c

om@JamieEBirch

Page 19: Improving the Affiliate/Affiliate Manager Relationship