What do YOU look for in an affiliate program?

[um1001]

Hi guys,

I've got a product that I am really excited about and I want to design the affiliate program before I start on anything for the product site itself. I know how important it is to have happy affiliates, so I want to put a ton of time into making the affiliate program absolutely top notch.

I already have the intent to provide some of the standard things:

• Keyword lists
• Adwords ads
• All banner sizes, graphics, images
• Profile of target audience
• Hop creator
• Page templates (static and Wordpress)
• Basic marketing guide
• Pre-written review example
• 50 or so articles, some punchy headlines, signatures, etc
• A teaser daily e-mail course
• A couple of promo videos
• 75% commission, of course

edit - I know a fantastic sales letter and product launch/buildup makes for a lot of affiliate love, and that will come too. I'm just working on the "program" right now.

Now I know there are a lot of creative people in here, so I was wondering if anyone could share some great ideas they've come across.

I'd also love to see some stories about partnerships, success stories, etc. What have you loved, what have you hated?

I'm going to put a lot of money and effort into this program and as I said I'm really excited to get working to make it easier for affiliates to hit the ground running.

As always, you folks rock.

--Jack Morrison aka um1001

[winebuddy]

you could offer them a complete affiliate marketing training course in video format that shows how to use all of the tools you have listed.

[freudianslip27]

Yes, I agree. Video training materials can really help point people in the right direction. Even if it just helps a few increase their sales, boy is it worth it.

You could also consider offering a responder series.

Matt

[um1001]

Originally Posted by winebuddy

you could offer them a complete affiliate marketing training course in video format that shows how to use all of the tools you have listed.

I hadn't considered video for training purposes. That's pretty intriguiging. I think I'll make a basic video squeeze page, as well.

Also forgot to mention viral pdf bonuses

[euhlir]

I look for the program it's run on, preferably Clickbank. Then I look at the creator's track history to determine if they have any golden products they've already made.

Email auto-responders are the biggest thing you'll want to make. Your biggest affiliates will use these to blast there lists and get sales.

[actionplanbiz]

Conversion tracking for PPC

[um1001]

Originally Posted by actionplanbiz

Conversion tracking for PPC

Hmm, I've never seen this offered. I just Googled it and couldn't find anything that seemed like it may be something I could offer (I mean, apart from the obvious tracking codes that CB provides for hops)

Would you mind elaborating or giving an example?

[Alexa Smith]

Jack,

Can I answer the question in this thread openly and honestly without offending you?

Of the 12 things you've listed in your o.p., 11 of them will make absolutely no difference at all to whether I'd want to promote your product. (The 75% commission, I don't deny, is clearly an advantage).

These other things are virtually all "gimmicks"/"toys". I don't deny that, overall, it's arguably better to have some of them than not to have them at all, but (with the exception of the commission) they're simply not things that some serious affiliates are interested in, and if this sort of stuff is really going to affect someone's decision about whether or not to become an affiliate for your product, then I'd venture to suggest that they're unlikely to be "superaffiliates" anyway, to put it rather mildly and politely. It's basically a list of stuff I don't need, and/or can produce for myself, and/or would prefer my own, and so forth and so on.

What many serious affiliates want to see are:-

1. a high-quality product

2. a high-quality sales page, without any leaks, that looks as if it will convert (evidence of that, understandably, is even better but not always available, one appreciates)

3. good earnings per sale

4. a viable "buying niche"

Everything else is so far secondary to those four things that by comparison it's more or less inconsequential.

My guess is that there'll be many professional affiliates who take this view or something very close to it, too. "Just saying".

[actionplanbiz]

Originally Posted by um1001

Hmm, I've never seen this offered. I just Googled it and couldn't find anything that seemed like it may be something I could offer (I mean, apart from the obvious tracking codes that CB provides for hops)

Would you mind elaborating or giving an example?

i dont know how affiliate programs go about it but it has to do with, pasting their Conversion ID in your Thank You Page.

The goal is for the affiliate to identify converting PPC keywords

[um1001]

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

Jack,

Can I answer the question in this thread openly and honestly without offending you?

That is, in fact, exactly what I was hoping for

What many serious affiliates want to see are:-

1. a high-quality product

2. a high-quality sales page, without any leaks, that looks as if it will convert (evidence of that, understandably, is even better but not always available, one appreciates)

3. good earnings per sale

4. a viable "buying niche"

Everything else is so far secondary to those four things that by comparison it's more or less inconsequential.

Which is all very good news because those are the things I'm focused the most on. A great product is the most important piece to me. I'm actually also working on great upsells.

Having said that, I guess you're probably correct. The affiliate "extras" really are more useful for newer affiliates. An experienced person will be able to use things like his or her list.

Yet if I can get 20 newbies selling 1 in their whole life, that's better than 0 ... Maybe the research and work I do will make that a possibility.