10 Steps to Build Affiliate Programs

By: Kurt Lambert
Submitted: 2007-01-17 12:55:07
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Do you operate an affiliate program? Are you are a member of an affiliate program? What you are about to read will elevate your affiliate endeavors to a whole new level. Following these ten simple steps will magnify your online presence and help you build an army of affiliates.

1. Don't put all your affiliates in one basket. There are a number of affiliate forums and it is important to establish presence at a good cross section of forums. Naturally, you will connect with the people on one board more than another so it is inevitable that one forum will become your "online home" as you develop relationships with the other forum members . Having friends does have benefits. Need a logo? Well, more than likely there are several web designers who are active on the forums. The work might not be free it is likely that you will get a better deal than one that would be offered to a "stranger".

2. Post early and often. On a forum your post count is often a status symbol. You might own Google but if you have never posted on a particular forum you look like another spammer looking to make a buck. So get involved! You don't have to spend all day, every day on the forum but at least make a post or two a week. It is important to put some time in to build credibility.

3. Signature first, promote second. Put your site in your signature. Even if they have an announcement section don't go plugging your site. If they are curious they will check your signature. Example: Hi, I'm Dave I run spyprofits.com be sure to check it out. Better example: Hi, I'm Dave nice forum you have here, glad I found it. Many forum members are turned off by the hard sell. It is best to ingratiate yourself with the forum, build relationships, and let the business come to you.

4. Offer knowledge and advice freely. Most questions can be answered with a proper Google search. Spend a few minutes to find an answer. If you do SEO and there is another SEO on the board agree with them if they make a good point. You will have made a new friend and the questionnaire gets a second opinion for free. If your wrong, admit it. This will increase make you more likable and adds to your credibility.

5. Spell check it. Give all your posts a once over. If you can't spell try Google or spellcheck.net. Grammar is on a lesser level but is still important. Don't over do it, but if you want to sound smart you should at least know how to spell.

6. Be nice! People are going to argue and disagree. If you can help it, don't get involved. Remember you are there on business so keep it professional.

7. Search it! Most forums have a search feature. Use it before you ask a question. Some places get the same questions over and over. If you still need an answer place a reference to the previous post. This way everyone knows you looked around before you posted. This will put another likable notch on your belt.

8. Study group dynamics. Learn who is who. Bob might be Neal's brother. And since Neal's the moderator it's in your best business interest to stay on Neal's good side. Remember this IS business. You are at an affiliate forum to make money. If you want to talk about movies go to a movie forum. While it's good to know some of each other's personal interests, you do not want to alienate other members. Avoid controversial subjects such as politics and religion. These subjects usually cause divisiveness within the forum. It is never a good idea to engage a potential business partner in a controversial discussion.

9. Be an expert in your field. If you promote SEO and someone asks an seo question you should help out as much as you can without giving away your product. If it's your product you should be able to lead them into buying it without saying "Buy it now". Leave some open ends on your answer. At some places newbies have a real hard time getting questions answered. Reach out to them and create a new prospect. Again, you don't know if they are the next Cory Rudl.

10. Lead by example! The best way to get your army moving is to lead by example. Today I'm going to go over how to make a spyprofits.com review site. Does anyone want to trade links and improve our Search engine ranking? How about starting a collective Adwords campaign from scratch? Discuss individual secrets to gathering keywords.. Give updates on how the campaign is doing. The conversion ratio/ ROI etc. The key is be very detailed; hold their hand. Answer questions promptly. This technique modifies the old phrase "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." You can however put a funnel in the horses mouth and pour the water in. Would you rather have 100% of 200 dollars or 20% or 2000 dollars.

Using these simple tips can increase your forum presence, build your program's image in the affiliate marketing community, and create invaluable business relationships. Visit eWealth Now and Learn!

Article source: Expert Articles