This presentation is from Affiliate Summit West 2014 (January 12-14, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV). Session description: Find the “golden nuggets” of growth opportunity using data available only with mature affiliate programs. See 10 actual examples in this sequel to “Growing a Mature Affiliate Program.”
2. John LoBrutto - Merchant
◦ 1&1 Internet
Rick Gardiner - OPM
◦ iAffiliate Management
Mike Allen - Affiliate
◦ Shopping-Bargains.com
Jeannine Crooks - Network
◦ Affiliate Window
3. Presented
“Growing a Mature
Affiliate Program” at ASE13
Give me your card if you’d like a
copy of the slide deck
Top-level review of those ideas
Diving deeper into 10 of those
ideas today
4. Make
it like new
Start with a full review of metrics
Identify channels & trends
Manage your program like Art!
Develop a Business Plan/Sales
Plan
5. Expect
churn and optimize your
publishers
Make your program fun
Shake things up on purpose
Develop Out-of-Box ideas
6. Compare
New vs. Old tactics and
data
Conduct a publisher audit to know
your affiliates better
Examine partner segmentation in
multiple ways
Conduct a SWOT Program Analysis
& Review
7. Complete
a Competitive Analysis
& Review
Explore Cross-Merchant
promotion
Network expansion
Taking Partners direct
8. Adopt
“Old Faithful” Methods
Create an open-door policy
Establish personal relationships
Give tailored content
Offer commission enhancements
9. Banish
“Loser” Irritations
Missing or erroneous program
information
One-size-fits-all incentives
Ignorant requests
Bemoaning “lack of performance”
Comparing all sites to industry
“whales”
10. Customize
“Carrots” of Motivation
Long term personal relationships
Providing special affiliate tools,
like trackable coupon codes
Trust that is reciprocated
Tailored content that is truly
exclusive
11. The
Role of the Network
Be a partner to both merchants
and affiliates
Remove Road blocks
Keep merchants aware of new
affiliates and trends
12. Develop new technologies
meeting both merchant and
affiliate needs
Search for beneficial merchantaffiliate opportunities
Identify synergies with other
merchants
15. S
Act like you are new to the program
Think how you can change your perspective
Develop a Business Plan or Sales Plan
Get out of the grind and look at things fresh
16. Review the metrics
Overall
program performance
Commission review (is it working & competitive)
Competitor Analysis (who is gaining Market)
Are you competitive? (incentives/ creative/ tools)
Program reviews (have networks pull GAP reports)
Demographic changes
Review creative strategy
Ask your pubs!!!!
Find the “Golden Nuggets”
(small opportunities in big numbers)
17. Business Plan/ Sales Plans
Review
everything! Outline everyone’s duties,
responsibilities, milestones, review KPIs!
Keep
what works, but do not be afraid to take risks
a list of “Can’t do’s” and identify the cause or
barrier (corporate policy, network limitations, etc.)
Make
Trust
your plan, follow it, update
18. Stay ahead of the Churn
25%
of your active pubs will disappear each year
About
Keep
10% of your Top 20 pubs will drop off
adding publishers (15 a month/ 3-4 a week)
Churn
is part of our business, don’t think your
performers will be there, keep finding new ones
Pick
up the “Golden Nuggets” all around as you
optimize
19. Nugget 1: Probe for International Activity
Expand
your reach to encompass international markets.
Funneled
Identify
international traffic into your US site
US publishers that can expand your reach into CA & MX
Leverage
publishers in Spain for a MX program
Leverage
publishers in UK for .com and .ca programs
Create
Be
.com as international hub under one program
bold and start something new!
20. Nugget 2: Leverage Everything
Take
risk and develop a Worst to First
◦ Looking through verticals, find a publishers in your demographic.
◦ If there is no traction but potential to optimize - take a risk!
◦ Identify high click or high conversion publishers as targets
◦ Discuss a partnership with investment in their model
Try
a targeted sales approach
◦ one product spikes with a publisher but at low volume
Ask
top partners for their competitors
◦ Leverage the competition between rivals
◦ Walk in with a competitive offer for immediate performance
21. Nugget 3: Do a Can’t Do!
Go
back to that “Can’t Do” List and break a barrier
Re-canvass
Regroup
Create
for publishers that can now be optimized
targeted publishers and launch the new program
a Loyalty Program
◦ Develop a loyalty strategy using percent commissions
◦ Review placement and partnership opportunities
◦ Re-launch merchant program with new terms for this group
Use
Coupons & Special Affiliate promotions
Add a Product Feed
Develop a new long tail incentive program
23.
What kinds of affiliates are most successful in
my program?
What risk and/or exposure do I have?
How can I get more performance out of my
existing partners?
What is the data telling me?
◦ Month over Month
◦ Quarterly
24.
By Status
◦ Active, Inactive, Sales, Performer
By Category & Sub-Category
◦ Blogger, Coupon, Deal Curation,
Loyalty, Review, etc.
By Traffic Source
◦ Display, Email, Organic, SEM, Social,
Video, etc.
25.
26.
What are my competitors doing that I’m not?
Who are my competitors’ top affiliates?
What opportunities am I missing out on?
27. Competitive Analysis
Me
Competitor A
Competitor B
Competitor C
8%
Default
Commission
30%
18%
100% of first
month
subscription
Referral Period
120 Days
45 Days
120 Days
45 Days
Coupons
Yes
No
No
Yes
Restricted
Closed
Open
Open
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Network(s)
Affiliate Window
Shareasale
CJ & In-house
Linkshare
Network
Performance
$.84 EPC
Paid Search
Policy
Special Program
Terms
Top 100 Power
4-Bar Advertiser
Rank
$.01 EPC
29.
What is my revenue goal for the year?
Identify 3 epic wins/failures that we can learn
from for the coming year?
What is my marketing budget for affiliate?
What resources do I need to be successful
this year?
30. Affiliate Marketing Plan and Promotional Calendar
November
Focus
Events
Marketing Development
Funds
Affiliate Promotion
Standard Coupon Offer
December
January
February
March
Activation
Activation
Recruitment
Recruitment
Recruitment
Valentines Day
NCAA March Madness
$10,000
$10,000
Thanksgiving, Black Friday,
Cyber Monday
Christmas, New Years Eve Vacations & New Year Promos
$15,000
Show us where you’re
promoting our brand, earn
a bonus.
$20,000
Year End Contest: Most
Sales in Dec., Best
Conversion Rate, 2014
MVP Affiliate.
50% Off
50% Off
Premium Coupon Offer
60% off BF/CM
50% Off - New Computer
Promo
Creative Refresh
Yes
Newsletter Communication
$10,000
New Affiliates Earn a $10
Show us where you’re
bonus on each of your first 25 promoting our brand, earn Increase your Conversion
sales in Jan. Up to $250.
a bonus.
Rate 2.5% Bonus Incentive.
10% Off
N/A
10% Off Site Wide
$10 off any order of $100+
30% Off - Product
Promotion
30% Off - Product
Promotion
Yes
No
Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Deals
Yes
Software Essentials for
your new Computer or
Device
Stay protected in 2014 with
XYZ Product
Affiliate Activation
Newsletter
Yes
March Madness / Stay
Protected- spring break
travel
Recruitment
25
25
TBD
TBD
TBD
Activation %
12%
15%
TBD
TBD
TBD
31.
Nugget #1: Take the plunge. Understand the
moving pieces of your affiliate program and how
each affect performance.
Nugget #2: Know thy competition. Dig into their
affiliate program and discover how they are
innovating.
Nugget #3: Create and work your plan. A monthby-month roadmap keeps you accountable and
identify what resources you need to grow revenue.
32. Rick Gardiner, iAffiliate Management
+1.612.216.1833
rgardiner@iAffiliateManagement.com
linkedin.com/in/rickgardiner
34. Gnomic elves resembling brothers
Names are an onomatopoeia
First appeared on packaging in 1933
“Snap” (baker’s hat) is older brother
problem solver
“Crackle” (stocking hat) is unsure
“middle child”
“Pop” (military marching band hat) is
mischievous youngster
35. SNAP
CRACKLE
POP
in some affiliatefriendly technology
with exclusive attention
for your best affiliates
into new markets via
creative affiliates
(problem solver)
(unsure “middle child”)
(mischievous youngster)
36. Use advanced tools
Clearly define & enforce terms
Get professional help
Network tools, VPNs, 3rd party services
Listen to your affiliates
Root out fraud (seriously)
Remove leaks / improve conversions
Improve landing pages
SiteTuners, split testing, responsive design, etc.
Trackable coupon codes
Social media, print, t-shirts, billboards, even airplane
banners!
37.
38. Use advanced tools
Clearly define & enforce terms
Get professional help
Network tools, VPNs, 3rd party services
Listen to your affiliates
Root out fraud (seriously)
Remove leaks / improve conversions
Improve landing pages
SiteTuners, split testing, responsive design, etc.
Trackable coupon codes
Social media, print, t-shirts, billboards, even airplane
banners!
39. You are a powerful insider!
Larger margins (usually)
The branded product
Give and it shall be given unto you
Data, resources, marketing schedules
Give more details, extra photos, enhanced data
Special editions / custom products
Reward good works
Not just money but access, exclusivity, status,
prizes
40.
41. You are a powerful insider!
Larger margins (usually)
The branded product
Give and it shall be given unto you
Data, resources, marketing
schedules
Give more details, extra photos, enhanced
data
Special editions / custom products
Reward good works
Not just money but access, exclusivity,
status, prizes, time with you
42.
43. Bundling & co-branding
Strategic partnerships
Joint marketing
Niche audiences
Products used in
unintended ways
Duct tape, super glue, latex, even the
Internet
Outside your reach / ability
International, political, religious, ethnic,
social
44.
45.
46.
47. Bundling & co-branding
Strategic partnerships
Joint marketing
Niche audiences
Products used in unintended
ways
Duct tape, super glue, latex, even the
Internet
Outside your reach / ability
International, political, religious, ethnic, so
cial
48. SNAP
CRACKLE
POP
in some affiliatefriendly technology
with exclusive attention
for your best affiliates
into new markets via
creative affiliates
(problem solver)
(unsure “middle child”)
(mischievous youngster)
50. Learn
the interface
All the reports
All the recruiting tools
Join as an affiliate to check out
your competition
Follow the blog, Facebook page,
Twitter stream
Leverage research
51. Develop
a relationship with your
Account Rep/Manager
Ask for strong performer
recommendations
Request new tools or reports
Be the Squeaky Wheel!
AA (Airport /Sales)Sabre (Tech Director – Travel)President Pencils Plus - RetailTravelocity ( Holiday Autos/ All Hotels)TripAlerts Started two global programs 1&1 – Introducing Affiliate Marketing to Mexico (Vorcu)Over 15 years sales professional / over 5 years managing affiliate program Little bit of experience in Travel, Retail and Tech – Big Three
Show of hands (Program Managers/ 6 months/1 yr/3 yrs)How many complete and follow annual Business Plans? (get to that later)Get out of the grind/ look at it freshPersonal: Came to 1&1 (mature program) look at as the new guySome things to do first
Reviewing your partner segmentation. Understand your risk and exposure. Identify new opportunities within your existing publisher base.