12 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL AFFILIATE PROGRAM

12 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL AFFILIATE PROGRAM
BY: KEN HILL
1. look around at other competing businesses
that offer affiliate programs, and think of ways
THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR
affiliate program more attractive.

2. PAY YOUR AFFILIATES WELL FOR THEIR EFFORTS.

if you're thinking about offering a 10%
COMMISSION FOR SALES OF YOUR PRODUCT AND A
competing business is paying a 50%
commission for referrals, you'll lose affiliates
TO YOUR COMPETITOR.

3. make your affiliate program more lucrative by
OFFERING RESIDUAL COMMISSIONS.

this is an excellent choice if you offer a
PRODUCT THAT IS PAID FOR ON A RESIDUAL BASIS
such as webhosting or access to your membership
site.

4. offer lifetime commissions.

YOUR AFFILIATES WILL SEE THE POWER OF LIFETIME
commissions, and work hard to promote your
business and send you more
SALES.

5. make your affiliate program two-tier.

reward your affiliates by giving them a
commission on the sales of people they refer to
YOUR AFFILIATE PROGRAM.

6. don't leave your affiliates out in the cold.

provide your affiliates with lots of sales items
that they can use to successfully promote your
PRODUCTS.

some items you could offer your affiliates:

- e-zine ads (sponsor ads, classified ads, 2
liners)
- SIGNATURE FILE ADS
- sales letters/solo ads
- brandable ebooks
- SAMPLE RECOMMENDATIONS
- email courses
- your articles that they can reprint with their
AFFILIATE URLS IN YOUR RESOURCE BOX.

7. be quick to respond to your affiliates'
EMAILS.

an easy way to lose your affiliates is to not
RESPOND TO THEIR QUESTIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER,
or to not respond to their e-mails at all.

IT SHOWS THAT YOU DON'T VALUE THEM, AND SINCE
their are tons of other affiliate programs, you
would be losing potentially
VERY GOOD AFFILIATES TO OTHER BUSINESSES.

8. provide your own tips and advice.

follow up with your affiliates with tips and
strategies that they can use to increase their
COMMISSIONS.

9. reward your top affiliates with higher
COMMISSIONS AND BONUSES.

you'll be able to achieve more sales over the
LONG TERM BECAUSE YOUR TOP AFFILIATES WON'T JUMP
to another affiliate program where their efforts
are more appreciated.

10. publish an affiliate's newsletter.

YOUR AFFILIATE'S NEWSLETTER WILL HELP YOU TO
share your tips with your affiliates, and keep
them going in the right direction.

you could also use your newsletter to keep your
top affiliates excited about your program.

some effective ways to do this are:

- SHARE WHAT YOUR TOP AFFILIATES DO TO EARN BIG
commission checks.
- showcase their sites and tell why their sites
SELL.
- list your 5 or 10 highest earning affiliates
for the month.

11. track your affiliates' sales accurately.

YOUR AFFILIATES WILL FIND OUT IF THEY SEND YOU
customers and you don't credit them with their
commissions.

your affiliate program will lose credibility and
you'll end up losing your affiliates as word
GETS AROUND.

12. participate in affiliate marketing forums.

share your valuable advice and expertise with
the members of the forums you participate in.

include your signature file that promotes your
affiliate program, and always follow the rules
OF THE FORUMS YOU JOIN.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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