Amount of Under Performing Affiliates?

[Scratch2Casher]

Maybe it depends on the programs you're promoting. I think some lend themselves better to quick sales with less effort, like accessory sites or those that are really coupon-driven. Whereas other programs take more of a time investment if they are at a higher price point and do less coupons. Then, its like no matter how much of a cash bonus you offer, it seems the affiliate doesn't bite because its not worth their time to get the visitor to purchase.

Any affiliates want to weight in on this? Right now we're having a hard time getting even our top affiliates to drive sales for one of these high quality, no discount type programs.

We are definitely missing the affiliate side in this discussion. As I've learned from a different thread, it's mostly a gut reaction taht gets an affiliate to sign up to a program, but I guess the assumption on most merchants' part is that once someone has signed up for your program he is interested in promoting it. The reality is, at least my interpretation of it, is that that is not the case. In any case, our $25 offer is not mentioned anywhere but the welcome email an affiliate receives when signing up, and intended only as an incentive to start promoting, not join. The thinking is that there is a much better chance that the affiliate would promote you if he gets started right away. After a few months with this offer, I can say that that thinking has been validated. Those that don't bother with the $25, will usually not bother working with you.

 

[Clickbank Hotshot]

my personal feeling, as an emerging affiliate with high end programming skills, is that affiliate managers should concentrate on providing as much as possible in the way of sophisticated APIs for their services, and just forget about one on one interaction with affiliates, because as a group you are hopeless at it.

to be effective you need to think outside the box and recognize new ways of marketing will emerge that don't fit into your current mode of thinking (which is responsible for god-awful affiliate marketing APIs across the affiliate marketing landscape--with the exception perhaps of Amazon.com and their innovative developer network).

capable affiliates won't need a pat on the back, they will need real machinery to get the job done. put that in place, get out of the way, and watch as a new era of affiliate marketing takes off.

ah, who am i kidding? that day is a long way off