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Compulsory Product Purchase To Become An Affiliate - Would You?

by KenSilver
14 replies
I believe my affiliates need to show a sense of commitment before they sign up. So I request that they buy at least one of my products before I will give them access to my affiliate pages.

I believe that makes for dedicated affiliates, and as a by-product it reduces the number of sales lost to the cheapskates who just want a discount on the product. So far it has worked well.

But many other marketers actively promote their affiliate access without any strings attached, and it's easy to get signed up everywhere.

So am I being too tough? Should I open up my affiliate world to everyone and go for a mass market approach, or stay selective as I am doing?
#affiliate #compulsory #product #purchase
  • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
    I have no problem with this. Every affiliate product I promote I either bought
    or the product owner was kind enough to give me an advance copy.

    The reason for this is simple. I find the best way to sell any product is to
    give an honest and complete review of it. For me, this is the most effective
    strategy as opposed to just sending out another "canned ad."
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  • Profile picture of the author Quentin
    Hi Ken

    I guess it is a business decision. Me personally if they buy through the link it is still a sale and some who have done this have gone onto to become quite good affiliates. I guess it depends how good your products are.

    I also look at it this way, they are also now added to my list.

    So it will just depoend on how you want to run your business.

    Quentin
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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    Hi,

    Letting people become affiliates only if they purchase first might get you fewer affiliates but it usually instills a loyalty factor in your affiliates that you don't enjoy otherwise.

    I think this goes back to the ClickBank sales pages where one of the first things you see is a "become my affiliate" link.

    This really turns some potential affiliates off.

    George Wright
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    • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
      Be careful how you word the offer...

      If you put make the affiliate scheme part of the sales copy - making someone buy in order to become an affiliate might come across as being a BizOpp.

      Remember the issue with PayPal and the 7 dollar script because of the wording on the template?

      IANAL, but that's how I understand it.
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      • Profile picture of the author George Wright
        Karl,

        I forgot all about that :confused: Thanks. This time you are Wright.

        George Wright

        Originally Posted by KarlWarren View Post

        Be careful how you word the offer...

        If you put make the affiliate scheme part of the sales copy - making someone buy in order to become an affiliate might come across as being a BizOpp.

        Remember the issue with PayPal and the 7 dollar script because of the wording on the template?

        IANAL, but that's how I understand it.
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        "The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." Mickey Spillane
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  • Profile picture of the author rondo
    I'd go public. I think it's a safe bet you are missing out on new affiliates and sales (I sell many products as an affiliate and it's just not practical for me to buy every one of them first).

    You can always ban self-referrals - most affiliate programs do, but I'd say 99% of your lotto product prospects won't even know what an affiliate program is and wouldn't sign up to it just to get a discount.


    Andrew
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  • Profile picture of the author cremaster
    If your products are in the IM sphere, I guess it makes some sense.

    But, if someone was asking me to order an acne cure or something else that I had NO use for, I'd have to think about it a bit.
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    • Profile picture of the author Stanley Tang
      Absolutely.

      I would see no sense that the person is actually trying to "help you succeed" if they haven't even seen the product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Floyd Fisher
    Originally Posted by KenSilver View Post

    I believe my affiliates need to show a sense of commitment before they sign up. So I request that they buy at least one of my products before I will give them access to my affiliate pages.

    I believe that makes for dedicated affiliates, and as a by-product it reduces the number of sales lost to the cheapskates who just want a discount on the product. So far it has worked well.

    But many other marketers actively promote their affiliate access without any strings attached, and it's easy to get signed up everywhere.

    So am I being too tough? Should I open up my affiliate world to everyone and go for a mass market approach, or stay selective as I am doing?
    You might be violating the law. It could be construed as a pyramid scheme.

    Check with a lawyer who specialized in MLM and see what they say.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Lockwood
    This practice is illegal in some places.
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    • Profile picture of the author Carl Hughes
      Originally Posted by Chris Lockwood View Post

      This practice is illegal in some places.
      I would tend to agree that it might be illegal (I am no attorney) The reason I say this is because it is illegal to require a purchase for someone to enter a contest to win anything there for it stands to reason IMHO that it just well may be illegal to require a purchase for someone to become your affiliate :rolleyes:
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      • Profile picture of the author KenSilver
        Thanks, some interesting thoughts there. General opinion says I won't lose by going public, and I think I agree.
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  • Profile picture of the author BIG Mike
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author KenSilver
      Originally Posted by BIG Mike View Post

      Probably the simplist way is to offer the affiliate program to customers a few days AFTER they purchase.
      Yes, I already do that on the thank-you email.
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      • Profile picture of the author KenSilver
        I've made my decision - I'm opening up my products to everyone, without a buying qualification. But of course they have to sign up to my affiliate list first.

        Thanks for the input everyone.
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