How to Attract Affiliates to Your Program
In terms of affiliate programs, there are two main types. For starters, say you operate an online store selling handmade baby clothes. You have a large collection of inventory. You need to drive traffic to your website. You join a large affiliate hosting company, like Commission Junction. You create an account, upload banners and text links to the website. Now, you just need affiliates. These individuals will copy and past the codes from your text links and banners on to their website. Each time a sale is made through them, they make money. Most important, you get a sale!
The other type of affiliate program is when you have a single product or service to sell. This is common with digital goods, such as how-to eBooks. You can use the above mentioned approach of coded links and banners, but you can also provide your affiliates with sales pages. These sales pages then have a link where customers can order the product. Each time a sale is made, you both make money. These vary from the above mentioned affiliate programs, as rarely are graphic banners used. Instead, the program relies on sales pages.
Regardless of how you want to run an affiliate program or what type of product you have available for sale, the first step is finding affiliates. You can wait for them to come to you, but this may take a while. Instead, get the ball rolling yourself.
Visit online message boards for making money online, website owners, bloggers, and internet marketing. These individuals want to make money from home. In fact, most are already participating in affiliate programs. Convince them to join yours. Unfortunately, you need to tread lightly. There same individuals know all about affiliate programs and how you will use them to make money, even more than they are making. Don’t make a standalone post saying “come be an affiliate for us and I will make you a lot of money.” If someone asks for recommendations on affiliate programs, mention yours. Use your signature to advertise your program and the money to be made with a catchy line. Advertise your affiliate program in applicable sections, such as “Advertise Your Business Here,” sections.
Use online classified ads, namely Craigslist.org. Craigslist has rapidly increased in popularity. Those familiar with the internet now turn to it to buy, sell, and trade items, to find jobs, and services. It is based on area, so visit a number of different cities and states. Post advertisements. Be cautious though because you will get individuals who associate affiliate market with a traditional sales job that includes commission. Make it known you do not pay an hourly rate, just commission. With that said, be sure to state the benefits. These include freedom to work from home, being in control over your own hours and the money made.
As previously stated, individuals who want to make money may come to you. At the bottom of your website, be sure to have information on your affiliate program. Give users information on the program, explain how they make money, highlight how much some of your top performers make, and direct them to the online application.
Most affiliate programs rely on a third party affiliate hosting website, like LinkShare, Commission Junction, or Click Bank. When joining these programs, you will give information about your company and your expectations. Be very clear, especially when choosing categories. Website and blog owners visit these websites and browse for affiliate programs that are based around their theme. Don’t let your program mistakenly get lumped into the wrong category. This will make it difficult, if not impossible, for qualified affiliates to find you.
Areas to Cover During Affiliate Training
If you want to start an affiliate program to increase product sales, you have a big task in front of you. It isn’t necessarily getting a program up and running that is the hard part. There are third-party affiliate hosting websites and affiliate tracking software that will do the work for you. Your biggest challenge will come with training new affiliates.
Even if your affiliate program website is properly setup and easy to navigate, it is still important to train your new affiliates. Don’t assume they are masters of affiliate marketing and promoting. They may be new the world of making money online; your program may be the first opportunity they came across and decided to try. Plus, even seasoned internet users run into problems or complications that require help. To reduce complications and confusion later on, take the time to train your new affiliates.
What is nice about affiliate training, is the options you have. You do not need to host an in-person seminar. In fact, that may be impossible to do. You likely have affiliates from all across the country. Instead, rely on instant messaging programs, email, video conferences, and the phone to train your team members.
When it comes to training new affiliates, you want to cover many topics. One off those is finding graphics to use. With most affiliate programs, you give your affiliates code embedded links, banners, and product pictures. They find these on the program website then copy and paste into their website. It is a very easy process, but one that affiliates may not understand. Walk all new affiliates through the process of browsing and searching for these graphics, talk them through the process of getting them to show on their websites, and so forth. You only need to do this once or twice for each new member. Overtime, they will be able to perform this task easily.
Next, it is important to cover the rules and restrictions of your program. In fact, if you do not have a terms and condition contract that all affiliate agreed to, create one now. This is where you will highlight any restrictions you have. Are affiliates prohibited from using their links to make personal purchases? State so. Do you prohibit your affiliates from discussing compensation with others? State so. Make sure this information is always viewable on your website, but clearly state the rules and restrictions of your program for all new members.
As you know, there is much more to making money with affiliate programs than putting affiliate links on a website. The best way to make money with affiliate links and products is to have a well marketed website. If your affiliate has banners bearing your company image, will anyone see them? Not if they don’t do some marketing. A well-marketed website also increases your profits, as it should lead to more sales. Incorporate internet marketing into your training. Talk your affiliates through a few marketing tactics and emphasize the direct connection between internet marketing making money.
Most importantly, cover payment in your training. This information should also be clearly outlined on your website. Don’t give your affiliates the chance to be confused or start a fuss. In training, tell and show your affiliates how they make money. Then, explain how much money they make, when they can get paid, and so forth.
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