Why Low Volume Affiliates Can Be Valuable to Your Program

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Don't be so fast to kick those low performers out or ignor them. Even if they never sell a single product they can become a valuable part of your program. The benefits they bring to your program are free to you.

July 9, 2006 | While I'm not advocating that you approve every affiliate that applies to your program. I am advocating that you allow most of them in.

Naturally you want to avoid affiliates who run spyware or use black hat methods. You also don't want affiliates who don't conform to your policies or who will hurt your brand. But the rest of them? Don't throw them out. Throw out the welcome mat.

Most affiliate managers are looking for the superstars. These are the elusive super affiliates who will carry their programs and help them reach their numbers. Since these are the top 3-4% of affiliates to think you can find and retain very many. I think it's wishful thinking. As we all know, super affiliates can be high maintenance (as they should be, they personally invest a lot in the programs they focus on). They can leave your program at any time because of your program, a changing marketplace, or just because something else comes along they like better.

The low cost of advertising, outsourced to affiliates

You've already provided creative and set up a program to attract affiliates. Even if your new affiliates never bring you a single sale, they can still provide value. You're not paying them yet if they post links on blogs, you get backlinks. If they advertise in their sphere, you get brand exposure. If they do better and their pages start getting higher rankings, you will get a higher page rank backlink without doing anything. Each time one of your affiliates puts a banner ad on a web site it's one more chance for exposure for your product. And you're not paying a cent for it.

Free market research and feedback for your company

Affiliates who are making sales, even if they are modest, can give you valuable information that can improve your business. Affiliates can be considered focus groups. You can test new features. You can find out which offers work best for different demographics.

Find out what your best affiliates (not the super affiliates, just your steady performers) niches are and who they are reaching. Then partner with them to see how to better reach their niche. You'll both benefit. Market Research can be expensive, but very valuable.

Develop a relationship with your affiliates so both of you will think of ways to improve your product or service. They may even help you think of new complimentary products or services. Ask your affiliates often where the glitches are. Ask them what isn't working then work to change it.

Is it your shopping cart or is important information difficult to find on your site? It benefits both the affiliate and the affiliate manager if you work together to improve sales for each. Often even small changes can make a big impact. Work with affiliates to find something that if improved, will help you both.

These are two ways even low volume affiliates can be assets to your program. However, affiliate managers can really shine by teaching already motivated affiliates the skills they need to succeed as affiliates.