Affiliate Management Tips

One of the many hats I have worn for my clients as an Internet marketing consultant has been an affiliate manager.

Once we got the site ready to roll out with the new marketing processes plugged in, we had to get them placed on a network for an email drop.

As an acting affiliate manager there are several things I need to do to get the networks everything thing they required to get the client up and running.

I create what I call and affiliate package in a zip file and load it up in my server, and send it to the affiliates in the form of a link in an online news letter.

1. Creative

2. Promotional copy

3. Promotional thumbnail

4. From and Subject lines

5. Suppression list

6. Terms

For the creative part I needed to make banners in the most popular sizes, so I made 468×60′s, 300×250, 600×400, 728×90, 120×600 and 160×600′s.

The next type of creative you’re going to need is the email creative. Basically what I would do is take the 600×400′s I made and slices them up and put them back together in html. Make sure you include an image with the name of the company, address, and unsub link.

You will want to provide text link creative with descriptions as well. The most popular format to put this in is the Google Adwords format: A headline and brief description.

Make sure and include promotional copy for the affiliates here’s a sample below:

“WANTED:

All affiliates that want to make some serious cash with one of the highest converting [[product type]] offers on the internet today!!!

In addition to that…

[[Company]] has just rolled out new landing pages and creative, resulting in even higher conversions!

Our cracked team of creative experts and affiliate managers are dedicated to updating our affiliates with the highest converting E-mail, banner and text link advertising at all times!

The [[Company]] team is 100% committed to your success!”

Most affiliate networks require that you accompany you offer with a promotional thumbnail. Generally this promo thumbnail is a 120×60 graphic with the product and a few words of copy on it. The networks place this graphic on their campaigns pages so the affiliates can get a visual of the offer.

The email marketers are going to need from and subject lines. I like to provide at least 5 of each. You really don’t need anymore then that.

If you are going with an independent emailer then you will want to email them your latest suppression list. Make sure you send anyone emailing your offer a suppression list at least once a week, or give them access to your suppression list so they can download it.

Last but not least make sure you that you define your terms. You may not want your offer to be incentivised, or no email. You need to let the affiliate network know what the rules are for deploying your offer.

Another point of interest you may want to focus on when it comes to affiliate management. If you plan on letting several network run with your offer. Offer an incentive program like giving away a free iPod to the top performing affiliate will keep you in the forefront of the affiliates mind. Create an online newsletter and send it once or twice a month explaining the latest conversions numbers, along with links so they can download the latest affiliate media package.