Building the Right Relationships

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Knowing the right people in this industry can translate into a serious increase in your affiliate commissions. There is no reason to hide your affiliate skills in a business atmosphere driven by results. Affiliate managers need your sales. Making a good connection with the affiliate managers of one or two companies can mean all the difference for your website or business. Affiliate managers have a lot to do, however, so you don't want to waste their time. Before contacting a manager, be aware of the following four issues.

1. What You Bring to the Table
Make sure you have a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses before making the initial contact. Learn how much incoming traffic comes to your site on a monthly basis. Knowing your budget allocations is also important, as well as what goals you have for those marketing dollars. If you can tell a potential affiliate manager that you are looking to monetize a niche site with 100 hits a month, as opposed to a broad shopping directory with 10,000 hits a day, they will be able to help you plan an effective monetization strategy for either plan.

2. Know Your Marketing Methods
You should have a basic marketing strategy laid out before you make any affiliation. Knowing what customers are likely to purchase from your site is key. Because there are many ways to get people to your site, however, managers will want to know your traffic-gaining methods. Be clear and precise about how you plan to market the company. Most affiliate managers will be very protective of their company's image. This doesn't mean you have to give away all of your marketing secrets; just give them enough information so they know you're not a spammer or a scammer.

3. Research Current Offers
Be aware of the information managers are giving their affiliates, as well as their current incentive programs. Send an email to the manager of the program requesting the most-recent quarter's newsletter and information about the program. Don't be afraid to research the company on popular forums and social networking sites to find out what others are saying about their practices and payment history. Often, you can opt into a program based solely on the trust that you will deliver customers, leads or sales, without having to prove yourself. Companies are willing to take some risks with your payment tier in hopes that you will become a productive and loyal affiliate.

4. Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep
If a company determines your site can produce numbers that make you uncomfortable, be sure to tell them. In general, it's best not to burn bridges with one company, because many affiliate programs are in networks, and one bad relationship could ruin all of your dealings with all of the companies in that network. If you do a lot more business then expected, however, you should plan to see your rewards increase both monetarily and within the relationships you have with the company.

Once you've established a positive relationship with the affiliate manager, it is important to nurture it. Smart affiliate managers will treat you and your website with respect. If you do not feel good about the relationship between you and the company, it might be time to look for a company that recognizes your value. Affiliate marketing can build a perfect synergy that is beneficial to both parties. As an affiliate, if you feel you have come through with sales, you are well within your rights to ask for higher commissions or bonuses. Most companies will be happy to accommodate you in the hopes that the dollars they give you will help you expand your website and, in turn, expand their sales. Look at the affiliate manager as your friend, and look to him for guidance in growing your website. Affiliate managers should also be able to inform you of other companies they work with that will also reward you for your hard work.

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