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Best Tips to Ensure A Smooth Launch

June 11, 2013 by Tiffany Tse 1 Comment

Yesterday David discussed his 5 best indicators to decide if a Merchant is ready to start an Affiliate Program. Assuming all five indicators fit you to a tee, you are now at the point where you have decided to start your own Affiliate Program – yea you!

I have listed out some tips that will help you secure a seamless launch for your new program!

1. Research and ask questions.

This is an important aspect, especially if you are just starting out and are new to this whole world of Affiliate Marketing. Explore your competitors – we all have one! What are they offering in terms of payouts? Do they have an “Affiliate Page” listed on their web site? If so, what type of information are they including? What kind of creatives do they available? 

Forums are another useful resource, and may bring up questions you might not have thought to ask about originally.

If you have already settled on the network of your choice, make sure you have all the facts before moving forward. That is what your point of contact is there for –  to provide you with as much information as possible.

2. Network with other Affiliate Marketers.

Meeting others in this realm of marketing can be helpful, as it is important to build and establish relationships… and not just with your Affiliates. Affiliate Summit Meetups take place monthly in various US cities as well as Canada. Each month there is a different speaker sharing information about their experience in the industry or discussing areas of online marketing. They are free to attend and welcome everyone from newbies to veterans on both sides of the industry, both Merchants and Affiliates.
 
3. Think about the type of program you want to host.
  • Set goals… but be realistic.
  • Think about what type(s) of Affiliates you want to work with, i.e. who you feel may add more value and contribute to the success of your program. 
  • Refer to your budget, and determine how you would be able to reward Affiliates – default rate, bonuses, etc. 
4. Find out what support is available.

Look into what tools and resources your network has to help you. For instance, you can read more here to learn about what ShareASale has to offer. 

5. Be prepared.

Find out what will be required to set up an account, and plan accordingly, such as developing creatives (banner ads, text links, etc), establishing a compelling program description that will entice Affiliates to join, and forming an outline of any restrictions and guidelines in your Affiliate policy. If you start an Affiliate Program with ShareASale, our Welcome Kit contains a four week checklist to help you with this task by providing a step by step guide to creating a solid foundation for your program. 

Affiliate Marketing can be a little intimidating, especially if this is your first venture through this type of marketing channel. Following these quick tips will help you gain an abundance of information to launch your program like a pro! 

Filed Under: Merchants Tagged With: #BestOf, merchants

Tiffany Tse

Tiffany Tse

Tiffany joined the ShareASale team in 2012 as a Sales Specialist, helping prospective and incoming retailers. When she's not in the office, you can often find her humoring her shopping addiction online, practicing her moonwalk, and showing her support for Joakim Noah and the rest of the Chicago Bulls.

Comments

  1. Illah Oyakhiome says

    August 1, 2013 at 4:49 pm

    i am just starrting out in affiliate marketing. i need a memtor. pls can you help me.

    I know i need a website but i dont have money to design one. what can i do.

    Thank you.

    Reply

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