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Friday, May 1st, 2009
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Affiliate Tip #2: Interview Or Add Your Own Bonuses

Affiliate Tip #2: Interview Or Add Your Own Bonuses

istock 000000931568xsmall 150x150 Affiliate Tip #2: Interview Or Add Your Own BonusesEditor’s Note: This is the second in a series of five quick affi­liate tips by guest blog­ger Robert Plank. Videos of each are also pos­ted at the end of this article. Enjoy!
– Michel Fortin

As someone who runs affi­liate pro­grams for over 50 of my own pro­ducts, I can tell you 99% of affi­lia­tes are worthless.

They’ll sig­nup and send no traf­fic, or send traf­fic and only bring in a cou­ple of sales. What’s the com­mon thread behind all these affi­liate fai­lu­res I see again and again? It comes in two parts: not making an effort, and not brid­ging their mai­ling list to your offer.

I would be thri­lled if an affi­liate came to me and said:

“I want to inter­view you for 20 minu­tes about (a topic directly rela­ted to both our pro­ducts and skills). My list con­tains (size of list) subsc­ri­bers, and the last offer I pro­mo­ted con­ver­ted at (this per­cen­tage) and brought in (this amount of sales). I’ll record the inter­view, con­vert it into down­loa­da­ble form and get it out to my subsc­ri­bers within 24 hours, with a link back to your offer with me as the affi­liate, at the end of the inter­view. What’s a good time for me to call you up?”

Do you see all the points this e-​​mail hit?

Most impor­tant: this affi­liate already brings in results. He has a decent sized list, already had a pre­vious suc­cess pro­mo­ting affi­liate offers in this niche. He’s doing most of the work: he chose the topic, he will be inter­vie­wing you, calling you, and recor­ding the call.

He’s also going to take imme­diate action once the inter­view is finished, and pro­mote this offer to his subsc­ri­bers within 24 hours.

When you inter­view the pro­duct ori­gi­na­tor with you as the affi­liate, it shows that you care about giving your subsc­ri­bers a good offer, and not just cut­ting and pas­ting the e-​​mail he gave you.

It shows you have an “in” with the ori­gi­na­tor so if your buyers aren’t get­ting sup­port or need a refund, they can get to that per­son through you… they trust the pro­duct ori­gi­na­tor because they trust you.

Finally, it simply injects your per­so­na­lity into the offer. This offer isn’t being made by some outside source, it’s from you and the ori­gi­na­tor at the same time.

If the ori­gi­na­tor isn’t avai­la­ble or you just don’t want to go the inter­view route, offer one of your pro­ducts as a bonus to that affi­liate offer, that way it’s a blen­ded offer.

If your subsc­ri­bers trust you but don’t trust the pro­duct ori­gi­na­tor, they can still order from the ori­gi­na­tor with con­fi­dence… because if that pro­duct doesn’t deli­ver in value, your bonus will.

About the Author

Robert Plank is a computer programmer and Internet marketer. Even master copywriter Michel Fortin quadrupled his signups by adding Robert's simple exit pop-up email form to his blog. How many more subscribers and sales will it get you?

Category: Affiliate Marketing
Tags: affiliate, article, email, interview, list, Market, Marketing, Niche, offer, product, video
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  • Finally! Someone writes about this. I have always been wondering why my affiliates don't get me the sales I want even though my health products sell really well in my company's online store. Thanks so much for the tips!
  • Interesting. We have a large list that we're trying to figure out how to leverage/monetize without "breaking" it. I like this idea.
  • Michael C. Sheward
    @michelfortin -

    Robert:

    You pose a number of great points that should lead to success for both the affiliate and the product owner.

    But to assure the best success, the final question shouldn't be "What's the best time to call you up?" Rather, the affiliate should ask, "When can we talk about planning and scripting our interview so we each can get maximum mileage from the event?"

    The interview should not be a casual, unplanned conversation. Both parties have specific points they want to make to their listeners and potential customers on the call. Those topics need to be addressed and planned out in advance, just as you would a sales letter. Going in cold to the interview will reduce your effectiveness to achieve maximum sales. After you hang up, It also will have you thinking that you wish you would have said one or two other points that just didn't come to mind.

    One other thing. When I speak of scripted, I mean talking points. DO NOT read your script. Everytime I listen to a teleseminar where someone is reading their notes, I start being sold on the fact that they don't know their product or sales points very well. Be confident, be strong, be conversational.

    Michael C. Sheward
    President
    Management Communications Strategies
    Fairfax, VA
    shewardmcs@aol.com
  • The idea is great, but the email template is the clincher. Good stuff!
  • Slick suggestion. Thanks for this, will try on my list.
  • The two posts have great content. One thing is wrong: calling 99% of affiliates worthless. Fact is most of that 99% are trying to learn what to do - it's not that they are not trying or are 'worthless.' They probably don't have a list and their traffic level is not where it needs to be yet. I'm sure they would love to make money - everyone starts somewhere.

    I don't disagree with 1% of affilitates delivering 99% of the sales but to class the other 99% as worthless is a disservice.

    Perhaps an opportunity for you Robert to make an affiliates course.
  • Marlene
    This gives me a boost, because, although I don't even have my site up yet, this was an idea I had for selling affiliate products - and your post has laid it all out for me. Your post also made it apparent that I'd better have some decent traffic stats and be able to show success in selling SOMETHING, before I give it a go. Thanks for sharing.
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