Special Report: Affiliate Marketing

Cholawsky suggests a merchant spend about 20 hours a week communicating with its affiliates. “The best programs that have the most growth and are most active are the ones that have the most one-to-one contact,” she says.

Chris Henger of Chicago-based Performics agrees. The senior vice president of marketing for this affiliate network recommends segmenting affiliates by sales volume. “Establish who your top producers are; send communication to them at least once a week. Make sure their creative is fresh; put your best promotions in front of them,” he notes.