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Companies not setup for Affiliate Marketing.... How do you approach them to market their products?

by Linhardt
12 replies
I was researching a niche for a website I just started creating. I came across so many companies and websites that offer products/services that the niche site could promote/market for them. But they do not have any sort of Affiliate Program to speak of.

How would you go about setting up some sort of relationship with those companies?
  • Ask them to create an affiliate program?
  • Steer clear because of the possible complications involved?

Tell me your opinions and ideas.
#affiliate #approach #companies #market #marketing #products #setup
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by Linhardt View Post

    How would you go about setting up some sort of relationship with those companies?
    • Ask them to create an affiliate program?
    • Steer clear because of the possible complications involved?
    Tell them what's in it for them. For example, do you have special access to a targeted group of potential customers? What sales/marketing experience or unique angle would you bring that their current promotion strategy or internal marketing departments might be missing?

    Simply saying you plan to create a website, may not be enough to convince. They'd be more willing to listen if you were to create the audience first.

    In the meantime, try to find existing affiliate products and services to promote so that you can at least demonstrate your effectiveness.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Unless you really had something special, which if you did, you wouldn't be asking here, no company is going to set up a whole affiliate program for one affiliate. Especially one that is still researching an as-yet unproven site.

    You might consider contacting the head of marketing and asking about a reseller program, or if they use independent sales reps. It's not strictly an "affiliate" program, but you might have an opportunity. Especially if you find their products promoted on sites besides their own.

    One thing to keep in mind, the commissions on physical products are usually much smaller than the ones that seem to dazzle most affiliates. You'll find a lot of folks will scoff at making 5%-10% commissions, compared to digital products at 50%+. But the margins on physical products are usually much less than with digital products. Unless a company only sells products that "fell off the back of the truck," 5% might be half of their profit after COGS and fulfillment.
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  • Profile picture of the author SiteNameSales
    A better idea might be to find the wholesalers who supply the niche you are interested in and work out a dropshipping arrangement. You'd be cutting out the middleman and your profit margin should be considerably larger.
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    • Profile picture of the author Linhardt
      Originally Posted by SiteNameSales View Post

      A better idea might be to find the wholesalers who supply the niche you are interested in and work out a dropshipping arrangement. You'd be cutting out the middleman and your profit margin should be considerably larger.
      Thanks for the input, will definitely be checking into that.

      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Trust me, some webmasters will setup an affiliate commission for you. I got 20% commission for asking.

      If you don't ask, you get nothing.

      The way I did it was simply send an email to the webmaster, talked about the niche back and forth for a few emails and then simply asked If the would be interested in my traffic for a sales commission. Just be yourself when you email. They're people, just like you.
      Thanks for sharing your experience, and it is true "If you don't ask, you get nothing."

      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      Anthony,

      I think you're in a difficult position because you lack proof that you can sell the products/services in this niche. Salesmen (affiliates in this case) are always judged by their actual performance ... not what they think they can sell. This isn't something negative about you - it's just the fact of life that you have no history and no "ammunition" to show what you are capable of.

      Certainly having a website and building a mailing list will help down the road. For now, while you're building up your subscriber list and your website with niche content, I believe your best bet is to find products that already have affiliate commissions attached. Build up credentials and a reputation of your selling ability and then you will begin to be able to make the case that you can help the product owner with your referrals.

      The best to you,

      Steve
      You are correct... But I have to start somewhere and while doing the research I started thinking ahead and the question popped into my head and I thought I would ask it to get some insight for now and in the future.
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      Anthony Linhardt

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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Trust me, some webmasters will setup an affiliate commission for you. I got 20% commission for asking.

    If you don't ask, you get nothing.

    The way I did it was simply send an email to the webmaster, talked about the niche back and forth for a few emails and then simply asked If the would be interested in my traffic for a sales commission. Just be yourself when you email. They're people, just like you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    Anthony,

    I think you're in a difficult position because you lack proof that you can sell the products/services in this niche. Salesmen (affiliates in this case) are always judged by their actual performance ... not what they think they can sell. This isn't something negative about you - it's just the fact of life that you have no history and no "ammunition" to show what you are capable of.

    Certainly having a website and building a mailing list will help down the road. For now, while you're building up your subscriber list and your website with niche content, I believe your best bet is to find products that already have affiliate commissions attached. Build up credentials and a reputation of your selling ability and then you will begin to be able to make the case that you can help the product owner with your referrals.

    The best to you,

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author affmarketer101
    Just ask them. There are many affiliate marketing platforms now that can help them build affiliate program at an affordable price, and no need too many setup step.
    Feel free to call them or email them.
    Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author AshleyRivera
    Are you looking for a specific niche or company to ask to be an affiliate for? Amazon has a good affiliate program if you are looking for something general. I like to read a lot of books, so I would probably ask Amazon as well as approach websites like Book Outlet or Book Depository. If you can provide value to the company then they will more likely want to work with you.
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  • Profile picture of the author quadagon
    Affiliate Marketing is just one way you can monitise your site. Another option to consider would be to see if any of these companies would sponsor your site.

    I have an information website that survives just off the sponsor money we get.

    In this market the cpc on ppc is above $50 - we send the company about 2000 clicks a month.

    The sponsoring company would normally have to spend $100,000 to get the traffic that we send them (that traffic would also be a lot colder).

    We don't charge that much but we do very well from it. We have a 24 month contract so that as long as we hit traffic targets we get paid. It's a win win they save money and we make consistent funds.
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    • Profile picture of the author Linhardt
      Originally Posted by AshleyRivera View Post

      Are you looking for a specific niche or company to ask to be an affiliate for? Amazon has a good affiliate program if you are looking for something general. I like to read a lot of books, so I would probably ask Amazon as well as approach websites like Book Outlet or Book Depository. If you can provide value to the company then they will more likely want to work with you.
      Yes, it sort of a specific niche. You can find general products for this niche via Amazon, but some products can be more specialized towards this niche particularly. These specialized products may not be from large companies or manufacturers that disperse via Amazon or many retail stores. So getting them via their website may be the only option. I am not saying all the products I am wanting to possibly promote or sell is this way, just a few and I just happen to notice on their websites there was no affiliate or commission type selling available. So I thought I would find out what others might do.


      Originally Posted by quadagon View Post

      Affiliate Marketing is just one way you can monitise your site. Another option to consider would be to see if any of these companies would sponsor your site.

      I have an information website that survives just off the sponsor money we get.

      In this market the cpc on ppc is above $50 - we send the company about 2000 clicks a month.

      The sponsoring company would normally have to spend $100,000 to get the traffic that we send them (that traffic would also be a lot colder).

      We don't charge that much but we do very well from it. We have a 24 month contract so that as long as we hit traffic targets we get paid. It's a win win they save money and we make consistent funds.
      I have thought about the sponsor option and will be going that route also. What are your going rates for sponsors? When starting out a sponsor how do you figure what your traffic targets are so that you can put in your contract? What are your tactics for approaching possible sponsors?
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      Anthony Linhardt

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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    it worth only if you're trying to sell high ticket so you can ask a company if they give u a commission in exchange of customers or leads.

    BUT why reinvent the wheel? Go to maxbounty, peerfly or offervault and you will find tons of company outside the clickbank and jvzoo marketplace
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  • Profile picture of the author mostCPA
    In most cases the companies 'll consider your business if you give them some keys about your traffic, niches, what are your goals and how could your business boost their venture. e.g, reviews websites that discuss and rate the programming companies in USA, you will note that some of those programming firms in USA hasn't any associated programs.
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