One of the questions that is most frequently asked by merchants — both those that have just launched an affiliate program, and those that have already been in this business for some time — is: Where, and how can I recruit some of those “super affiliates”? These affiliates [read my definition of a super affiliate here] are capable of generating a substantial amount of traffic and sales for merchants, and every affiliate program manager out there is after them.
However, super affiliates are not your easy-to-catch type of fish. It often takes years of relationships development, mingling in the right circles, attending the right events, and making contact with the right people before you can recruit a super affiliate. Additionally, super affiliates generally partner with affiliate programs that have a proven track record, and a solid conversion rate that they can verify through third parties (normally, affiliate networks).
If your affiliate program is new, or underdeveloped, you have little to no chance of recruiting an existing super affiliate. There is something you can do though! You can grow a super affiliate yourself!
If your product/service sells online, it should also sell through the affiliate channel. What you need is either (a) a marketing expert (paid search marketer, SEO specialist, video or mobile marketer, etc) who would be willing to work with you on commission basis, or (b) find a website that already has the traffic you’re targeting and convince them into trying your affiliate program out by putting up a link or two on their site. Both of these methods have worked for me in the past. I have seen skilled online marketers (that have never tried themselves as an affiliate before I sold the idea to them) turn into top affiliate producers, and I have also seen popular content websites (that were attracting the same audience that my merchants were catering to) become the best affiliates in the program.
So, even though talking an established super affiliate into working with your program may be challenging, there is another way. Help someone become a super affiliate! Grow/educate them into one! At the end of the day, both you and this marketer/webmaster will be happy.
Tags: Affiliate Program Management, affiliate recruitment, super affiliate
Thanks, good article. I get it. We are doing a teleseminar and sell recordings of it [removed the rest of self-promotion] Thanks, a lot and thanks for taking the time to tweet with me – a newbie.
Jim
I have several affiliates at AWeber that I am working with in order to elevate them to super affiliate status.
Something very important is to make sure that they know where to find you ( the affiliate manager ) whenever they are in need of anything whatsoever.
If any of my affiliates need something, they know they can call me directly and send and email to my personal address and most likely get a response within the day.
I also think it’s important to familiarize yourself with what your affiliates are doing and how they are promoting your service. This was you can offer informed suggestions and really understand what they are talking about.
Thanks for the info!
-Ron