Impact Your Market through Affiliate Programs and E-mail
by Declan Dunn

In the beginning of February, we began the preliminary launch of a new training system called "Winning the Affiliate Game”.  In fact, that is why this newsletter is delayed.  The results have been fantastic, quickly showing that the real power in affiliate networks, the salespeople themselves, are being ignored by virtually every major merchant. When you sign up at an affiliate program you get a thank you, a page of banner ads, and maybe an e-zine after a month.  There is little motivation or guidance, and from what affiliates tell me, little if any communication with them.

The roll out of the “Winning the Affiliate Game” book came after extensive research in the industry.  Virtually every site studied the merchants.  Their programs recommended what worked and what did not and basically catered to the industry. Everyone was wrapped up in "Amazon-envy", wanting to be the biggest affiliate network on the block...no matter if their affiliates were doing anything or not.  What we have found are the foolproof ways to launch your affiliate campaign.  Here is the latest.

• E-mail and e-zine lists are two of the best ways to promote a product.  Face it; people will visit your Web Site once or twice and they will check their e-mail every day.  When you find affiliates who have developed a good e-mail list, an opt-in forum where their opinions are respected, you gain an endorsement.  This moves your program from being a stranger to a recommended resource.  We have found that sales increase literally 10 times via good e-mail lists than banner ads.
• Banner ads lead to slow impulse sales.  Enough said.  They are the weakest part of our marketing efforts, although certain sites that specialize in banner ads have done well.  The problem is a banner interrupts the Web Page, like an ad in a magazine.  It is also advertising a separate entity from the site, an unknown.  People have to get to know you to buy from you.  E-mail does this more efficiently.
• Two tier programs are an essential benefit of an affiliate program.  We allow our affiliates to sign up other affiliates; they then make a 10% residual income on every sale their affiliates make.  It is a good way to spread the word and really help your affiliates, and an excellent, added bonus.
• Set up a training program for your affiliates and automate it.  If you want to see one in action, visit my affiliate programs at www.activemarketplace.com and www.linkstosales.com.  Sign up and you will see the process in action.  I would love to hear your feedback as it develops.
• Answer your e-mail and telephone inquiries; the first few weeks are when you spend the quality time building your affiliates.  If you ignore this, approximately 10-50% of your affiliates will do nothing.
• Get people excited to join your program; most affiliate programs sign up people, give them a banner ad, and do little if anything to motivate them.
• Treat this as your sales force.  You need to determine who will sell and who will not; be sure that you count those who do not as possible customers.

The Winning the Affiliate Game program is one of the hottest on the market, because it teaches your affiliates how to succeed.  If you would like to learn more on how to offer this to your network and help your affiliates sell more, please e-mail at declan@activemarketplace.com

Declan Dunn is the Affiliate Specialist online, running the revenue share division of ActiveMarketplace.com.  Anyone interested in setting up or profiting from affiliate programs is invited to visit http://www.activemarketplace.com/free/ and discover a free, Quick Start System to take advantage now.  Call 800-280-9807 for more information.

Copyright © 1999 Declan Dunn and ActiveMarketplace.com. All rights reserved.