Then don’t go about it the wrong way.
I’m not talking to any of you, because I know my blog readers would know better than to send me unsolicited email pitching their affiliate program.
This is how *I* get new affiliates. Because I’m a classy online marketing kind of gal.
(Hint: It’s all about relationships.)
- Affiliate marketers join my affiliate program and promote my products because we’re part of the same tight knit networking community.
- They join because they are in a similar niche and market to likeminded people.
- They join my affiliate program because I’m their affiliate.
- They join because they are a customer and like the content, see its value, and want to promote the product to their peeps.
- They join because they follow me on Twitter and know I’m the real deal, not some smarmy creepy anonymous person who wants to make a quick buck without delivering real value.
- They join because I have sent them my product(s), free of charge, for review with the hopes that they will see its value and want to promote it in order earn commissions.
They don’t join my affiliate program because I sent them an unsolicited email asking them to join.
Because I don’t do that.
They also don’t join because I sent them yet another unsolicited email to “follow up” on the first email that I never responded to in the first place.
Now.
Do you want me to join your affiliate program?
Here’s a couple of things you need to do.
1) First, know what I’m all about.
If your product is the greatest “how to improve your golf game” ebook EVER devised, so what?
That’s not my niche. It’s irrelevant to my market, and a waste of my time.
2) Second, learn the art of the approach
IF you have a product that is *actually* of interest to *my* target market, then send me an email with the product attached or with the download link to the product.
Better yet, send me an email asking *permission* to send me an email with your product attached.
IF I like it and IF I have time to consume itand IF I think it would add value to the lives of my listeners/readers/subscribers and IF I decide to (and WHEN I decide to), I will join your affiliate program and promote your product.
And please don’t insult my intelligence by trying to explain what an affiliate program is, or how much commission your program pays, or how well your site converts, or any of that stuff.
It’s like telling me how wonderful you are when we’ve only first met.
I know how this stuff works, umkay?
Just sayin’.
*insert applause here* w00t Carrie! I can’t even count how many unsolicited not so nice emails I’ve gotten this year asking me to be an affiliate of such and such. You’d think they’d at least write a nice friendly email right? LOL Hopefully they’ll get a clue soon.
Carrie,
It’s nice to see you posting again! I always enjoy reading your articles. Although I have not yet created my website due to both an unfinished writing project and chronic health issues, your articles do two things for me.
One, they are very informative and always sprinkled with a bit of humor. Two, it really helps to read them so I don’t lose sight of what my next goal is and how I want to go about creating my online business!
Thanks!
Hey Carrie! I do agree with you about offering review products – that’s a great move.
I’ll be honest. My Affiliate Manager does write emails to introduce herself to mom sites owners – and has followed up to see if they’ve had a chance to take a peek at our affiliate program.
She picks out site owners who have relevant content and who we believe would make a great affiliate. It’s not willy nilly, it’s very pointed and personal.
I don’t mind receiving similar emails from other affiliate programs if it is truly relevant – it’s just an offer of introduction after all.
Where it gets annoying it when the product is out of left field and the AM pesters me about it. You have to imagine that they’re mass mailing and not taking the time to get to know you at all.
I had to chime in. As an affiliate manager I make sure that I spend extra time personalizing each individual email I send out to possible affiliates. It takes more time but in the long run I believe it’s worth it.
As I’m researching possible affiliates I make notes about their site or if I found something on their site that fits well with one of the Mom’s Talk products so that way I can take the extra time to personalize the email.
I never send the same email to each possible affiliate, it’s always personalized to them and their site.
You posted this at just the right time. I am new to the whole affiliate thing and I wasn’t quite sure how to approach people about my product. All I can say is THANK YOU. I’ve been following your blog for some time now and you always have a humorous way of putting things that I enjoy.
Thanks again.
Good post Carrie!
I don’t mind getting emails though but sometimes people are just clueless in what they send.
I posted a little while ago about his and how someone had emailed me with a terrible affiliate offer. He told me it was ‘exclusive’ (yea ok), that he’d pay me $20 for joining (what?), he linked to the product like three times and also gave me a little lesson on what cookies are (ya, I know that too)!
As an affiliate manager I have actually made some amazing relationships by emailing people. One person I emailed for a client didn’t end up being an affiliate but one of my best clients who I still work with after
almost two years.
I also have to add though that I ALWAYS recommend that people go to their network, customers, connections first before ‘cold calling’ with emails. It’s just such a easier task to ask people who already know, like and trust you to promote your products and earn a commish.
Hi Carrie,
I’m an Affiliate Manager too. Offering products for site owners to review is a great approach – depending on the product. The main product our affiliate program offers is not one that someone can check out in a short period of time and it’s also $299. I can’t send it out for potential affiliate partners to try. Instead, I try to educate them about it as much as possible.
Like Kelly’s AM and Tishia and Angela, I also write e-mails and make phone calls to introduce myself and our affiliate program to site owners. I spend time getting to know about them and their sites first. Because I am also a mom and moms are a great fit for our products, I contact moms a lot. I LOVE reading about other moms who are doing well online and e-mailing them to invite them to check us out. I try to write in my own voice, upbeat and friendly and just talk to them like they are my colleague. Because in a sense, they are. It takes a lot of time to check out each person and then to customize each e-mail but like Tishia says, “it’s worth it”.
I also follow up if I do not hear back, for several reasons. Moms (and others I approach) are busy. E-mail filters are sometimes unreliable. Site owners may be on holiday or have put my e-mail in a “follow up” file but haven’t had a chance (or even forgot) to do so. Also, I do not contact again if I do not hear back from my initial and follow up e-mails.
I never try to contact anyone whose site/blog is not a good fit for the product. Fortunately, our main products are a great fit for nearly every niche.
Reaching potential affiliates is hard. And when you do interest an affiliate, it’s also hard to keep them engaged. Many affiliate marketers represent several programs so they only have so much time for each. I e-mail with hundreds of affiliates on a daily basis trying as hard as I can to help them do the best they possibly can with our program.
Like Angela, I have also made some awesome business relationships by e-mailing people. I think if you just be yourself, have genuine interest in the person you are contacting, stay relevant and try to be helpful, you’ll do alright.
I would love to hear more on this as I am always searching for the best ways to reach potential affiliates. Your thoughts and insights here are really helpful!
Thanks for your thought provoking post, Carrie.