How To Start An Affiliate Program: 51 Point Checklist

How To Start An Affiliate Program

51 Point Checklist



Start



Analyze

1 Who are your customers?

2 Who are your competitors?

3 Research affiliate programs run by your competitors

Public or Private program?

Which Software/Network used?

How do affiliates join?

Commission type and amount?

How much revenue do affiliates drive?

4 Setup Your Goals

Who are your affiliates?

How many affiliates do you want?

How much revenue are you expecting per affiliate?

Target a percentage of revenue through affiliates

5 Do your calculations (use Excel)

Total affiliates expected

Commissions paid out

Total affiliate revenue

Total profit

Expenses

Net profit

6 Setup a budget

Amount spend for attracting new affiliates

Amount/Percentage spend for affilate payouts

Amount spend for prizes, bonuses, incentives



Decide

7 Choose your Affiliate Management Platform:

Affiliate Network

In House Affiliate Management

Outsourced Program Management

8 Choose your Commission Model

PPC (Pay Per Click)

PPS (Pay Per Sale)

PPL (Pay Per Lead)

9 Fix the payment terms

Minimum amount for payout

Payment cycle: NET15, NET30, NET60

Payment method(s)

10 Finalize the Commission Amount

Fixed amount

Percentage of Sale



Create

11 Create a Search Marketing Policy

12 Create a Trademark Usage Policy for affiliates

13 Create an "Affiliate Program" Page on your website

14 Create a policy for fraud orders

15 Create a policy for refunded orders

16 Create an 'Affiliate Agreement' merging all these policies

17 Create promo banners and logos that affiliates can use

18 Create reprint articles, brandable reports, and email promos

19 Invite your own customers to Join Your Affiliate Program



Attract Affiliates

20 Introduce the Affiliate Program on your Blog

21 Announce the Affiliate Program on your Blog

22 Promote it to your Fans and Followers (Facebook and Twitter)

23 Reach out to affiliates directly via Affiliate Forums

24 Submit your affiliate program to different Affiliate Directories

25 Seek joint venture partners and contact them individually

26 Use Affiliate recruitment agencies



Manage

27 Approve affiliate applications manually to filter the genuine ones

28 Send a welcome email to all of your affiliates

29 Provide them direct contact details of their Affiliate Manager

30 Send Weekly/Monthly Newsletter to your affiliate base announcing new promotions and suggesting ways to promote your product

31 Run Incentive based contests for affiliates



Reporting

32 Provide them tools and tips to increase conversion rate

33 Communicate with affiliates personally

34 Provide promotional material

Articles

Banners and Logos

Emails

35 Special Treatment for high performing affiliates

Special Coupons

Personalized mails

Bonuses

36 Keep a close watch on daily clicks, conversions, and EPC

37 Match conversions in your affiliate program with your CRM

38 Reject conversions that are marked as fraud in your CRM

39 Keep a close watch on Traffic: countries, referring URL's, promotional methods



Payments

40 Check exact payments (Keep in mind refunds, fraud transactions)

41 Pay affiliates on time based on payment cycle

42 Incentives, bonuses can be paid out based on payment cycle

43 Track all sales by affiliates

44 Track conversion rates for all affiliates



Moving Forward >>

45 Learn from their sales process and improve other marketing channels

46 Prepare a list of Blacklisted Affiliates

47 Evaluate current affiliate promo materials

48 Replace expired materials if required

49 On-going market analysis of competitors

50 Drive new affiliates consistently

51 Keep your affiliates happy

Prizes

Contests

Increased Payouts



Finish



Easiest way to start an Affiliate Program How to Start an Affiliate Program 51 Point Checklist O Analyze 3 Research affiliate programs run by your competitors START Who are your customers? Who are your competitors? Setup Your Goals • Public or Private program? • Which Software/Network used? • How do affiliates join? • Commission type and amount? • How much revenue do affiliates drive? • Who are your affiliates? • How many affiliates do you want? • How much revenue are you expecting per affiliate? • Target a percentage of revenue through affiliates 4 Decide Do your calculations (use Excel) • Total affiliates expected • Commissions paid out • Total affiliate revenue • Total profit • Expenses • Net profit Setup a budget Choose your Affiliate Management Platform: • Amount spend for attracting new affiliates • Amount/Percentage spend for affiliate payouts • Amount spend for prizes, bonuses, incentives Choose your Commission Model • Affiliate Network • In House Affiliate Management • Outsourced Program Management • PPC (Pay Per Click) • PPS (Pay Per Sale) • PPL (Pay Per Lead) 6. Fix the payment terms • Minimum amount for payout • Payment cycle: NET15, NET30, NET60 • Payment method(s) 10 / Create Finalize the Commission Amount 11 12 13 • Fixed Amount • Percentage of Sale Create a Search Create a Trademark Create an "Affiliate Marketing Policy Usage Policy for affiliates Program" Page on your website 14 Create a policy for fraud orders Create a policy for refunded orders 15 18 17 16 19 Create reprint articles, brandable reports, and email Create promo banners and logos that affiliates can use Create an 'Affiliate Agreement' merging all these policies Invite your own promos customers to Join Your Affiliate Program 20 Introduce the Affiliate Program in your Company's Newsletter GĀttract Affiliates 22 Promote it to your 23 Announce the 24 Reach out to affiliates directly via Affiliate Forums Submit your affiliate program to different Affiliate 21 Affiliate Program on your Blog Fans and Followers (Facebook And Twitter) Directories 25 Seek joint venture partners and contact them individually 26 Manage Use Affiliate recruitment agencies 29 28 30 Provide them direct Approve affiliate applications manually to filter the genuine ones Send a welcome contact details of their Affiliate email to all your affiliates Send Weekly/Monthly Newsletter to your affiliate base Manager 27 announcing new promotions and suggesting ways to promote your product 31 Run Incentive based contests for affiliates Reporting 35 34 Provide promotional material 33 Special Treatment for high performing affiliates Provide them tools 32 and tips to increase conversion rate Communicate with affiliates personally 36 • Articles • Banners and Logos • Emails • Special Coupons • Personalized mails • Bonuses Keep a close watch on daily clicks, conversions, and EPC 37 Match conversions in your affiliate program with your CRM $$$ Payments 38 40 39 Reject conversions that are marked as fraud in your CRM 41 Keep a close watch on Traffic: countries, referring URL's, promotional methods Check exact Pay affiliates on time based on payment cycle payments (Keep in mind refunds, fraud transactions) 42 Incentives, bonuses can be paid out based on payment cycle 43 Track all sales by affiliates Moving Forward >> 45 46 47 Track conversion rates for all affiliates Learn from their sales process and improve other marketing channels Evaluate Prepare a list of Blacklisted Affiliates 44 current affiliate 48 promo materials Replace expired materials if required 49 On-going market analysis of competitors 50 51 Keep your affiliates happy Drive new affiliates consistently • Prizes • Contests • Increased Payouts FINISH FLYING Easiest way to start an Affiliate Program START ONLINE www.flyingstartonline.com