10 tips to make the most of your affiliate management day

10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Affiliate

Management Day

Karen McMahon, The Affiliate WhispererKim Salvino, Chateau 20Amy Ely, Under Armour

Agenda• Introduction• Section #1: Mastering The Fundamentals

o Must-do daily activities to keep your program running strong and prevent future challenges

• Section #2: Embracing Time Management o Ideas to prevent burn out and stay ahead of your to-do

list

• Section #3: Ensure Long Term Successo Make time for relationship building and forward thinking

• Final Thoughts

Section #1: Mastering The Fundamentals

Tip #1: Verify The Basics

• Real time site & cart testing – identify issues quickly!o Visit the site via direct URL type ino Check on multiple browsers – IE, Chrome, Firefoxo Does homepage load properly?o Add an item to the cart

Section #1: Mastering The Fundamentals

Tip #2: Review Stats Twice a

Day • Check to make sure your known performers are

seeing steady clicks/sales• Make note of new sales or sudden surges

o Anomalies can indicate brand bidding, unethical activity, OR successful tactics from growing partners

o Use tools to help (Brand Verity, The Search Monitor, etc.)

Section #1: Mastering The Fundamentals

Tip #3: Stay Informed

• Know what’s going on in the industry o Forums, blogs, podcasts, social media and publications

• Affiliate Summit, ABestWeb, PMA, etc.o Hot topics that can make a big business impact

• Internet tax• Google algorithm updates• 1st party cookies and mobile tracking• First click, last click and multi-attribution models

Section #1: Mastering The Fundamentals

Section #2: Embracing Time

Management

Tip #4: Schedule Time Wisely • Block off times of the day for application

approvals, responding to questions, planning• Lost focus = lost productivity• Set priorities! Don’t let your inbox dictate your

day

Section #2: Embracing Time Management

Tip #5: Keep Yourself

Organized• Create and prioritize an ongoing task list• Develop a calendar of promotions and deadlines• Maintain these important tracking documents:

o Creative requests and link testingo Vanity coupon codes and exclusive dealso A checklist to verify all banner/text is loaded in relevant

affiliate networks for each campaign

Section #2: Embracing Time Management

Tip #6: Time Saving Resources• Manage affiliate relationships more efficiently

o Maintain detailed recordso Keep notes of ongoing conversations and successes

• Identify new and existing resource opportunitieso Does your network offer support services?o Does your company have call center resources that can

assist with operational activities? o Paid/unpaid/course credit interns – check with your

company’s Legal/HR to see what options exist

Section #2: Embracing Time Management

Tip #7: Evaluate Your Routine• Review your daily activities – which ones are

helping achieve your goals?o What are 2-3 key things that directly influence your

success? Are you prioritizing them?

• Analyze performance – should you request less creative, less often?

• Evaluate performance and growth of affiliates where you’re giving extra attention – should you shift focus?

Section #2: Embracing Time Management

Section #3: Ensure Long Term Success

Tip #8: Build in Recruitment

Time• Use one day per week to create and maintain a

master recruitment listo Check engines for top performing keyword searcheso Check sites linking to your competitorso Check analytics for new sites linking in

• Each day, reach out to 5 new potential partners and follow up with 5 that have yet to respondo Document your efforts & keep your list updated

Section #3: Ensure Long Term Success

Tip #9: Make Time For

Affiliates!• Set Goals• Dedicate part of the day for affiliate calls• Take time to review affiliate sites• Schedule one day a week for affiliate meetings• Make time to deliver on your promises

Section #3: Ensure Long Term Success

Tip #10: Take Time to

Strategize• Run key reports

o Commission detail reportso Publisher performance reports

• Look at trends• Decide on new offers to release to affiliates• Consider timing of promotions

Section #3: Ensure Long Term Success

Final Thoughts…Rome Wasn’t Built In A

Day

Final Thoughts

It takes time! Master the basics and refine your process

regularly

Contact Us

Find Us On TwitterKaren McMahon @Aff_Whisperer

Kim Salvino @kim_salvinoAmy Ely @aely