subject: How To Motivate Your Affiliates [print this page] Ok! you finally succeeded in developing an attractive product and decided to go to market through the Affiliate funnel.
However, there's always an "However". You spent a lot of time putting together an affiliate program, You solicited for affiliates, created a good commission schedule, developed a wide variety of advertising materials etc. With all this effort you got a lot of folks to sign on to your affiliate program.
Unfortunately, you are not getting the expected sales you anticipated. and find yourself quite dissapointed after putting out that effort in developing the affiliate program you thought would improve your overall sales.
So! What to do? One of the most popular and successful motivational programs is establishing a contest that awards prizes and public recognition.
Remember though, you have to make the contest attractive by offering really good and worthwhile prizes. By doing so you may tap into that hidden desire for competition, chance to be a winner, achieve public acknowledgement and possibly some other unknow triggers that move affiliates to promote your products.
You might even consider establishing a level lof achievement such as bronze, silver or gold affiliate. Even supper affiliate can move your members to become more active. Its always nice to have a titile.
Now that you have a tentative plan put together its time to determine what kind of prizes you want to provide your anticipated winners.
You could have prizes for each level of obtainment such as when you reach the goal of the bronze,silver or gold level and value the prices according to the level obtained.
For example, you may have a more inexpensive prize for the lowest level and gradually increasing the value as a contestent rises up the scale
Wow! this is a lot to think about and were not ever finished yet. We still have to determine what kind of prizes to offer that would really get the folks excited. I'm sure you already have some thoughts but here are a few suggestions.
1. A tangible product, Such as; TV, Ipod, toaster (just kidding)) use your imagination and think of something you might like to have yourself as a prize.
2. A trip.. This always turns people on but be careful it could become more expensive than you want. On the other hand if you have a really good participation it certainly could be worth it.
3. Money. Now were talking. Everyone can relate. After all ,this is why your contestents became an affiliate.
To wrap this up I would finally suggest you give periodic updates, keep track of the progress and maybe offer special deals during the time period.
By the way, you may want to run your program for a month or so to allow everyone who wants to get involved has the time to do so.
Run a good program and I'm sure you will be amazed and satisfied with the results.
