Affiliate Marketing: Communication Strategies to Enhance Your Affiliate Program

CS: A lot of catalogers seem disappointed in their affiliate programs, largely, it seems, because they can’t devote enough time to them. How can catalogers know if they’re not devoting enough time to affiliate programs?
KB: There’s no one right answer. Every program is different. But as a general rule, if you’re going to run an effective program, you have to devote at least one full-time resource to the project. It should be someone with strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships and negotiate with partners. A merchant typically isn’t devoting enough time if it can’t manage the program basics and also have time every week to proactively reach out not just to existing partners, but also to prospective affiliates. That’s the biggest challenge. A lot merchants are able to handle the basics and maintain their programs. But when it comes to spending time every week on the phone engaging in one-on-one communication, many merchants don’t have the resources to do that.