Optimize Your Affiliate Relationships by Finding a Niche
Today’s digital marketplace is transforming the e-commerce industry by providing a one-stop destination for the creation, promotion and purchase of digital products. This online environment offers individuals and businesses alike a completely new channel to reach highly targeted audiences for their products that they may not otherwise be able to access. In a B-to-B marketplace, it's critical for product vendors to foster mutually beneficial relationships with affiliates because it enables them to access new channels, reach new audiences and increase sales.
Working with a proven and trusted affiliate network can take your sales to the next level. The key is a positive and productive relationship. Leading online marketplaces offer vendors the infrastructure necessary to execute and maintain a successful business online and to establish and grow their affiliate relationships.
In order to make the most of your affiliate relationships and grow your business online, understanding your product niche is key and should be at the foundation of your online marketing strategy. Here are some top tips for online retailers:
- Don’t overlook building your prospect list, and don’t be afraid to reach out to top vendors offering complementary products in your target niches. Kristof Lindner, a top ClickBank affiliate and vendor, suggests, “If you want to generate interest when you’re just starting out, find people in your niche that have a list of customers that might be interested in your product. Then reach out to those individuals.”
- Leverage your lists to better understand who constitutes your target audience. Try implementing a post-purchase survey to gather key demographic information.
- Understand what need your product addresses and what problems it solves. Focus your resources on targeting that unique audience.
- Search relevant online forums and blogs to find out what your market’s concerns are and where they're turning for their information and product recommendations.
- Translate your brand message and product benefits into compelling resources and materials that will be useful for affiliates, including a completed and persuasive sales page, banners, graphics, email copy, AdWords text and keywords. By offering these materials, you'll already have an advantage in attracting affiliates because you're making their jobs much easier.
At the end of the day, it's important to pitch your product to affiliates in order to build an army of marketers. This is all working towards building your brand and reputation, which will ultimately attract more affiliates to your products.
The outlook for digital products is bright. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 65 percent of internet users are buying digital products online. It's the perfect time for vendors and affiliates alike to take advantage of the opportunities in this growing market.
Brad Wiskirchen is CEO of Keynetics and its subsidiaries ClickBank and Kount. Reach Brad on LinkedIn.
