subject: How to Drive Potential Affiliates and Joint Ventures the WRONG Way [print this page] How to Drive Potential Affiliates and Joint Ventures the WRONG Way
In recent posts about affiliate marketing and joint venture marketing I have given you some tips on the best ways to attract potential partners, but this post is actually the opposite. I want to show you all the different things that drive people away so you don't make the same mistakes we and our clients have made in the past 10+ years.
Here are nine ways to drive affiliates away (please don't do these)
Offer a ridiculous, low commission. Yes the product or service is YOUR baby but this is not YOUR list. So take a really good look at and see how much are these potential sales worth? 50% in this industry is now the standard. I at many times will give 80%.
Ask your affiliate to write the email copy. Give them the copy and allow them to tweak it for their audience, but you need to give them a starting point.
Ask affiliates and partners to mail that have a wrong list or target market. How much do you expect to convert when the list is the wrong audience?
Give them the copy at the last minute. Get them what they need 1-2 weeks in advance.
Provide them the email copy in random formats. Ask them how they want it and deliver it exactly as they requested.
Promise them the world. The bottom line you cannot guarantee ANY sales. You can give them stats, but not guarantees.
Try to back out of your end of the deal. If they mailed you and generated 0 sales too bad. If you agreed to send an email to your list, please fulfill on your promises.
Forget to manage/check in with them. Think about it your partners and affiliates are commission only salespeople. If they are working hard for you, treat them well, check in to see how they are doing, offer high commissions. Those are just a few random ideas for you.
Fail to follow up. It's all in the follow up. Send them a handwritten thank you note, even a small gift. Remember, the small stuff goes a LONG way!
