INSIGHT provide to your business , from price and scalability to reporting and analytics . So it ’ s key that you make the right choice for your business and avoid paying unnecessary costs at the start of your affiliate-programmes lifecycle . There is no point in paying for the Rolls-Royce of a fully customised white-label solution when what you need is a functional Ford Fiesta – basic reporting and tracking – to get your affiliate revenue stream started . Your programme can migrate and scale up when it is the right time to do so ; don ’ t be stung for expensive , over-complicated systems in your first year of launch .
“ Remember that affiliates are in the front line of promoting your brand to new audiences so their feedback is invaluable in helping your business grow ”
Compliance is also a factor for operators , so think about how you will track this within the technology you have and how you can leverage automated services to manage it . You might want to invest in a system that watches over this in addition to tracking and reporting – wag . io and rightlander . net are two such solutions . Remember : you are responsible for the failings of any affiliates you work with .
A small investment in expert advice at the beginning of your affiliate journey will save you wasted spend down the line . Affiliate marketing is now a specialised field and speaking to someone who ’ s been immersed in the industry and understands the finer attributes of this digital channel can be highly beneficial for your business .
Perfect your pitch and support your launch When it comes to launching your affiliate programme , you ’ ve got to start thinking about its functional operations and dayto-day running . Account management functions can easily eat up your time so make sure you have a strong team in place post-launch to take your programme forward . Ensure you have the right level of customer support to help new affiliates get up and running . Often it is easier to work initially with an established agency that can leverage its networks and relationships to help you quickly gain traction in the community .
Affiliate marketing is all about building trust . As a new brand or programme in the market , you may struggle getting the buyin from affiliates who are cautious about spreading their risk to unknown names .
Affiliate recruitment is a specialised art and an incredibly time-consuming activity . You have to invest a lot of hours to research connections and then perfect your pitch to effectively sell your programme to affiliates . You should also invest in promotional marketing to pitch your programme within the affiliate community and gain a wider reach . Participating in events and forums is a good way to do this , as is creating a strong content-marketing plan that enables you to be seen as a thought leader committed to growing the affiliate channel for your brand .
It ’ s not just about courting new affiliates one by one either ; you also have to focus on retaining your existing affiliates and growing your relationship with them . Commercial negotiations are key to ensuring relationships are maintained and deliver the right return on investment for your business . Measuring results and engaging those deeper conversations will bring you a long term relationship that works for both parties . Above all , listen to your affiliates . When they ’ re candid and tell you how they feel as your partner , you have to really take note . Remember that affiliates are in the front line of promoting your brand to new audiences so their feedback is invaluable in helping your business grow .
These are the key elements for success : be smart , ask for expert guidance and remember you ’ re investing in long-term revenue growth , not quick wins – so make sure you have strategy and objectives mapped out . That way your affiliate programme will launch with a clear structure , pay dividends and help your business to grow .
With two decades of digital marketing and affiliate experience in retail , payments and blue-chip igaming brands , LEE-ANN JOHNSTONE has a wealth of expertise as an award-winning digital marketing and affiliate expert . She is an affiliate business mentor and founder of Affiliate Insider , which launched in 2017 offering Affiliate Bootcamp Training ( AffiliateFEST + AIBootcamp ), Affiliate Programme Management and Affiliate Manager Training services . affiliateinsider . com
38 iGB Affiliate Issue 70 AUG / SEP 2018