Us Affiliates are a fickle bunch.
Sure, many of us professional affiliates employ media planning strategies that can accommodate your schedule.
…But, most of us don’t.
I know that Affiliate Mangers have a lot of responsibilities. You must answer to the merchant (your boss), and you must help your affiliates (your channel).
…but what about the new affiliates who have specifically requested to promote you?
Why do I find that days, weeks – yes, even MONTHS go by before I’m approved to have the privilege of accessing your banners and promoting your product?
Yes, that was sarcasm.
I’m not flip about the programs I choose to promote.
I chose you because you are relevant to me, at the time. Oftentimes, you are relevant to a current post or review — an immediate need.
I don’t have a scam website. I provide quality content, and quality recommendations to great merchants. I don’t deviate from your rules.
…I just want to spend my money to promote YOU.
I want to spend my effort, my limited inventory, my pixel space — to promote you for FREE. (I only ask that you pay me for sales that you make as a result.)
But please know: My attention to you is limited.
I will move on.
If I don’t get approved within a reasonable amount of time — I will forget about you. I promise you that.
So, Merchants – why not set a goal to approve your new affiliates as quickly as possible.?
You may not know what you’re missing.
Great advice Todd – one thing I’d like to add from the Manager/OPM point of view is that affiliates can help expedite the approval process in a few ways.
1. Make sure your network profile has some good examples of your work that the AM/OPM can check out when they get your application. If you don’t have a site that reflects well on your abilities or one that looks like it matches up with our customers, we probably won’t approve.
2. If the network allows you to submit some info with your application to a particular program (like SAS) USE IT. Let us know what you are thinking of doing and we’ll most likely approve right away.
3. If 2 isn’t an option, email the AM/OPM when you apply for the program and intro yourself and let us know what you have in mind. Sites that will come into play and marketing methods you tend to focus on will help us as well….
What? You say you can’t find an email address or another way to contact the AM/OPM? I’d move on to a well managed program and apply there.
Happy Selling!
Wade Tonkin
Affiliate Manager
Fanatics, Inc.
Excellent post, Todd. Good to hear all of this from an affiliate.
Affiliate program managers must do everything possible to react to an affiliate application within 24 hours. 3 days is an absolute maximum [more in my Econsultancy post on the subject here].
I was thinking about writing a similar blog post about the same thing.
I applied for a merchant program almost a year ago, even after several attempts to contact the merchant, I’m still waiting.
I’m also waiting on another merchant that I applied to about 5 weeks ago, even after speaking with them over the phone; I’m still waiting to be approved.
I’ve moved on from both and the merchants that I am running are very happy they approved me right away.
Thanks for the post Todd. Having experience of being an affiliate as well as an affiliate manager, I understand the importance of a timely review. I would like to support Wade’s feedback that providing information upfront about your marketing intent definately helps. In addition, I typically respond back with an approval and a personal email so I can help.
Stephanie Robbins
etnies, Total Training, Kids Software and Cleatskins Affiliate Manager
We have a pending application from 31-May-2006. Let’s just say we aren’t waiting up nights with a hand on the phone in anticipation of getting in to that program.
All great comments. I do “hop to” (even on weekends) to approve new affiliates and I even include links in my welcome email. Still, very few affiliates get up and running quickly. Nature of the beast?
I feel your pain, Carole!
Affiliate Managers must approve Affiliates quickly (yes, even on weekends) with the intention to start the relationship off on the right foot. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always result in Affiliates activating with our programs immediately. (However – the possibility is there since you approved them quickly. Without quick approval, the possibility is gone!)
Thanks for the comment.