Your Ideal Affiliate Program?

[Michael Blank]

Hey Guys,

We're in the process of revamping our own program, and I thought I would ask and see what features you wish affiliate programs in general would offer (or improve on)?

I'm not talking about the obvious like higher commissions, better reporting, etc.. but something you could use to make the overall experience better?

 

[bruce bates]

The ability to negotiation custom commissions based on experience, website clout and/or social clout.

Account managers that are not just a Q&A resource but rather that actually get to know the affiliates on a personal level and a means of letting affiliates know "hey you can just say hello without any questions."

Groups where affiliates can interact and help each other with specifics about the products/services/offers instead of just random affiliate networks that may not be specifically related to the companies in question.

CEOs that reach out to top affiliates and say "hello" and give top affiliates the highest contact in the business (unlikely to ever happen but you asked what I want.)

As I mostly deal with pay per sale - training on the products I am selling. I don't want to have to buy a product just to learn how it works to be able to sell it to others and no amount of "reading" about a product gives me a first hand look at how a product works (especially with software sales and service sales)

Finally.... the ability to request custom promo materials. Nothing is more frustrating than joining an affiliate program and seeing they don't offer the graphical sizes you need, don't have the types of creatives you need, don't have the colors you need, etc.

(these were not placed in any specific order of importance to me)

 

[Michael Blank]

Thanks for all your insight Bruce. I had thought about the custom creative sizes, but from a strictly logistic standpoint, custom creative for every affiliate would require a dedicated graphic department.

While not impossible, I would think maybe make that available on a performance tier leve . Along with other incentives and benefits.

That way you know you're helping affiliates that will actually benefit from your work, and have shown that they are serious.

 

[merjoon]

A dedicated account manager who is responsive and meeting T&C that is preagreed are important.
If that account manager is taking care of only current high revenue sources, you cannot attract the potential attention and revenue from other active ones.
T&C should be sharply met starting from the first day of partnership as affiliates have many options to work different than your program.