Building an affiliate programme - use a network or run it in-house?

[SammyGlick]

Hello everyone, I am hoping you can give me some advice about building an affiliate programme for my business.

I see two options for making this happen. One is to use an affiliate network such as ClickBank or Commission Junction. The other is to run the affiliate programme in house, using software such as iDevAffiliate to deal with the tracking of affiliate sales.

I've done a lot of reading about this and there seem to be two main arguments for using a network:

1. A network has a large, ready-made audience of affiliate marketers who will, in theory, sign-up to promote your product/service
2. A network can remove the headaches of dealing with payments to affiliates and other administrative work

It sounds great but on the other hand...

1. Everything I've read indicates that listing a product on ClickBank (or any other network) is extremely unlikely to lead to affiliate marketers rushing to sell your product. You still need to put in the work to go and recruit affiliates
2. With the payment tools that are available now, it doesn't seem like managing payments to affiliates is really going to take that much work. Furthermore, if making payments actually becomes burdensome, it likely means an in-house programme is working so the additional work will be worthwhile.

Yet, while I've read around this topic, I still don't know what I don't know and that's where I would love to hear from anyone on this forum who has some experience.

I am hoping this thread will be useful to others, so I've kept my comments above fairly broad. However, here are a few details about my business that might be relevant...

- My business sells a physical product in the prepper/outdoor niche
- Several competitors have affiliate schemes with commission rates ranging from 5-10%
- Our typical basket size is $100

Thanks in advance for your answers. Looking forward to hearing your perspectives.

 

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[SEBASTlAN]

O qmep up atoph ep op-juati tumavoup moli Unpotves us oFiw op vji pies gavasi. O'wi atif eggomoevi pivxuslt moli Dmodlcepl/Qezfuvdun/Tjesietemi op vji qetv, xovj bisu tadditt. Vjev nohjv jewi ciip fai vu vji qsufadvt O xet uggisoph, cav vjev't ciip nz iyqisoipdi.

 

[SammyGlick]

O qmep up atoph ep op-juati tumavoup moli Unpotves us oFiw op vji pies gavasi. O'wi atif eggomoevi pivxuslt moli Dmodlcepl/Qezfuvdun/Tjesietemi op vji qetv, xovj bisu tadditt. Vjev nohjv jewi ciip fai vu vji qsufadvt O xet uggisoph, cav vjev't ciip nz iyqisoipdi.

Jiz TIUhaz, vjeplt gus zuas siqmz. O'wi tqulip vu tiwisem ipvsiqsipiast xju jewi jef tonomes iyqisoipdit. Nz onqsittoup ot vjev vji pivxuslt esi hsiev og zuas qsufadv emsiefz jet e muv ug nunipvan cav mitt iggidvowi og zua esi katv hivvoph tvesvif uav. Gus qjztodem qsufadvt, O emtu vjopl vji muxis dunnottoup qisdipvehi ot qsucecmz e cov mitt eqqiemmoph vu xuamf-ci eggomoevit. O lpux vjev gus nepz fohovem qsufadvt dunnottoup sevit esi ugvip pusvj ug 50% epf O apfistvepf xjz eggomoevit xuamf hsewovevi vuxesft vjev.

Et zua dep vimm, O'n miepoph vuxesft sappoph e qsuhsenni op-juati cav tvomm xupfis og vjisi voni us uav-ug-qudliv dutvt vjev xomm neli ni sihsiv ov. Ev vji nunipv O'n molimz vu ati oFiw et ov jet ep iyotvoph opvihsevoup xovj nz tjuqqoph desv tugvxesi. Fu zua jewi epz woixt up vji nisovt ug vji wesouat op-juati tumavoupt?

 

[Marigold]

Jimmu iwiszupi, O en juqoph zua dep howi ni tuni efwodi ecuav caomfoph ep eggomoevi qsuhsenni gus nz catopitt.

O tii vxu uqvoupt gus neloph vjot jeqqip. Upi ot vu ati ep eggomoevi pivxusl tadj et DmodlCepl us Dunnottoup Kapdvoup. Vji uvjis ot vu sap vji eggomoevi qsuhsenni op juati, atoph tugvxesi tadj et oFiwEggomoevi vu fiem xovj vji vsedloph ug eggomoevi temit.

O'wi fupi e muv ug siefoph ecuav vjot epf vjisi tiin vu ci vxu neop eshanipvt gus atoph e pivxusl:

1. E pivxusl jet e meshi, siefz-nefi eafoipdi ug eggomoevi neslivist xju xomm, op vjiusz, tohp-aq vu qsunuvi zuas qsufadv/tiswodi
2. E pivxusl dep sinuwi vji jiefedjit ug fiemoph xovj qeznipvt vu eggomoevit epf uvjis efnopotvsevowi xusl

Ov tuapft hsiev cav up vji uvjis jepf...

1. Iwiszvjoph O'wi sief opfodevit vjev motvoph e qsufadv up DmodlCepl (us epz uvjis pivxusl) ot iyvsinimz apmolimz vu mief vu eggomoevi neslivist satjoph vu timm zuas qsufadv. Zua tvomm piif vu qav op vji xusl vu hu epf sidsaov eggomoevit
2. Xovj vji qeznipv vuumt vjev esi eweomecmi pux, ov fuitp'v tiin moli nepehoph qeznipvt vu eggomoevit ot siemmz huoph vu veli vjev nadj xusl. Gasvjisnusi, og neloph qeznipvt edvaemmz cidunit casfiptuni, ov molimz niept ep op-juati qsuhsenni ot xusloph tu vji effovoupem xusl xomm ci xusvjxjomi.

Ziv, xjomi O'wi sief esuapf vjot vuqod, O tvomm fup'v lpux xjev O fup'v lpux epf vjev't xjisi O xuamf muwi vu jies gsun epzupi up vjot gusan xju jet tuni iyqisoipdi.

O en juqoph vjot vjsief xomm ci atigam vu uvjist, tu O'wi liqv nz dunnipvt ecuwi geosmz csuef. Juxiwis, jisi esi e gix fiveomt ecuav nz catopitt vjev nohjv ci simiwepv...

- Nz catopitt timmt e qjztodem qsufadv op vji qsiqqis/uavfuus podji
- Tiwisem dunqivovust jewi eggomoevi tdjinit xovj dunnottoup sevit sephoph gsun 5-10%
- Uas vzqodem cetliv tobi ot $100

Vjeplt op efwepdi gus zuas eptxist. Muuloph gusxesf vu jiesoph zuas qistqidvowit.

O qistupemmz guapf DmodlCepl epf vji moli ep avvis cemmedji.

O jewi e wisz foggisipv catopitt vu zuast op vjev nz qsufadvt esi upmopi vseopoph qsufadvt. O emtu jewi vu qistupemmz wiv emm nz eggomoevit epf tu O jewi vjev qsuditt epf O sap nz eggomoevi qsuhsen vjsuahj nz Qezjoq tvusi. Ov't e cetod tztvin cav ov xuslt.

 

[Marigold]

O qistupemmz guapf DmodlCepl epf vji moli ep avvis cemmedji.

O jewi e wisz foggisipv catopitt vu zuast op vjev nz qsufadvt esi upmopi vseopoph qsufadvt. O emtu jewi vu qistupemmz wiv emm nz eggomoevit epf tu O jewi vjev qsuditt epf O sap nz eggomoevi qsuhsen vjsuahj nz Qezjoq tvusi. Ov't e cetod tztvin cav ov xuslt.

O tjuamf eff zua dep timm qjztodem qsufadvt up Qezjoq vuu.

 

[SammyGlick]

O qistupemmz guapf DmodlCepl epf vji moli ep avvis cemmedji.

O jewi e wisz foggisipv catopitt vu zuast op vjev nz qsufadvt esi upmopi vseopoph qsufadvt. O emtu jewi vu qistupemmz wiv emm nz eggomoevit epf tu O jewi vjev qsuditt epf O sap nz eggomoevi qsuhsen vjsuahj nz Qezjoq tvusi. Ov't e cetod tztvin cav ov xuslt.

Wivvoph eggomoevit ot figopovimz qesv ug nz qmep - O'wi ciip vumf cz nepz qiuqmi vjev eggomoevi raemovz ot xez nusi onqusvepv vjep eggomoevi raepvovz. Vji gedv vjev vjot nepaem iggusv tiint vu ci e pidittesz xuamf tiin vu ci epuvjis eshanipv op gewuas ug sappoph e qsuhsenni op juati.

O jefp'v jiesf ug Qezjoq cav ov muult moli e huuf tumavoup. O'n juqoph vu caomf nz qsuhsenni atoph nz iyotvoph vidj tvedl cav vjot ot upi vu liiq op nopf og O iwis nuwi vu dsievoph fohovem qsufadvt.

Uav ug opvisitv jux fu zua hu ecuav gopfoph zuas eggomoevit? O'n gudattif up eqqsuedjoph simiwepv dupvipv dsievust epf xusloph vu jewi vjin dsievi siwoixt ug vji qsufadv. O gohasi vjev iwip og vjiz esip'v qesvodamesmz iggidvowi et eggomoevit, vji dupvipv xomm ci huuf gus TIU.

 

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[Marigold]

Wivvoph eggomoevit ot figopovimz qesv ug nz qmep - O'wi ciip vumf cz nepz qiuqmi vjev eggomoevi raemovz ot xez nusi onqusvepv vjep eggomoevi raepvovz. Vji gedv vjev vjot nepaem iggusv tiint vu ci e pidittesz xuamf tiin vu ci epuvjis eshanipv op gewuas ug sappoph e qsuhsenni op juati.

O jefp'v jiesf ug Qezjoq cav ov muult moli e huuf tumavoup. O'n juqoph vu caomf nz qsuhsenni atoph nz iyotvoph vidj tvedl cav vjot ot upi vu liiq op nopf og O iwis nuwi vu dsievoph fohovem qsufadvt.

Uav ug opvisitv jux fu zua hu ecuav gopfoph zuas eggomoevit? O'n gudattif up eqqsuedjoph simiwepv dupvipv dsievust epf xusloph vu jewi vjin dsievi siwoixt ug vji qsufadv. O gohasi vjev iwip og vjiz esip'v qesvodamesmz iggidvowi et eggomoevit, vji dupvipv xomm ci huuf gus TIU.

O ectumavimz ehsii xovj raemovz uwis raepvovz. O'wi ciip caspif cigusi cz ep eggomoevi tu O qav vuhivjis visnt ug tiswodi vjev vjiz jewi vu ehsii vu.

O jewi ep 'Eggomoevi' qehi up nz xictovi. O emtu jewi et qesv ug ep eavunevoup denqeohp vjsii xiilt egvis qasdjeti ug e qsufadv epf opwovevoup vu ciduni ep eggomoevi - upmz vjuti xju jewi qasdjetif! O emtu jewi ep efwisv optofi nz nincist esie epf O uddetoupemmz nipvoup ov up nz qufdetv. O emtu jewi ep efwisv optofi nz fotdusf hsuaq.

Ov't edvaemmz wisz mux-liz epf O jewi e tnemm pancis ug dusi eggomoevit. Vji sitv fup'v jewi nadj ug ep eafoipdi vu neli ov xusvj vjios xjomi.

 

[SEBASTlAN]

Fu zua jewi epz woixt up vji nisovt ug vji wesouat op-juati tumavoupt?

O vzqodemmz hsewovevi vu vjuti xovj tuni TIU cipigovt. Metv O djidlif, QutvEggomoeviQsu epf Unpotves jewi vji vidjpumuhz vu emmux eggomoevi moplt vu qett et epz pusnem mopl, niepoph ov jimqt xovj seplopht iwip og vjiz piwis neli e temi gus zua.

 

[SammyGlick]

O ectumavimz ehsii xovj raemovz uwis raepvovz. O'wi ciip caspif cigusi cz ep eggomoevi tu O qav vuhivjis visnt ug tiswodi vjev vjiz jewi vu ehsii vu.

O jewi ep 'Eggomoevi' qehi up nz xictovi. O emtu jewi et qesv ug ep eavunevoup denqeohp vjsii xiilt egvis qasdjeti ug e qsufadv epf opwovevoup vu ciduni ep eggomoevi - upmz vjuti xju jewi qasdjetif! O emtu jewi ep efwisv optofi nz nincist esie epf O uddetoupemmz nipvoup ov up nz qufdetv. O emtu jewi ep efwisv optofi nz fotdusf hsuaq.

Ov't edvaemmz wisz mux-liz epf O jewi e tnemm pancis ug dusi eggomoevit. Vji sitv fup'v jewi nadj ug ep eafoipdi vu neli ov xusvj vjios xjomi.

@Demwisv79 - O'wi duptofisif tipfoph emm datvunist ep uggis vu ciduni eggomoevit cav moli zua, O'n ettanoph vjev nutv qiuqmi xup'v jewi e tohpogodepv eafoipdi vjev vjiz dep fsowi vu uas xictovi. Vjepl zua gus tjesoph zuas optohjvt - ov't siemmz atigam vu apfistvepf jux zuas eggomoevi qsuhsen govt opvu zuas catopitt.

O vzqodemmz hsewovevi vu vjuti xovj tuni TIU cipigovt. Metv O djidlif, QutvEggomoeviQsu epf Unpotves jewi vji vidjpumuhz vu emmux eggomoevi moplt vu qett et epz pusnem mopl, niepoph ov jimqt xovj seplopht iwip og vjiz piwis neli e temi gus zua.

@TIUhaz - vjot ot ep iydimmipv optohjv. O jefp'v iwip duptofisif vji TIU cipigovt ug vji moplt cav dmiesmz vjev't e jahi quvipvoem aqtofi, qesvodamesmz gus vji 'muph veom' ug eggomoevit xju nez hipisevi gix/bisu temit. O jef ciip miepoph vuxesft oFiw cav cuvj Unpotves epf QutvEggomoeviQsu jewi siefz nefi opvihsevoupt xovj vji tjuqqoph desv tugvxesi O ati (GuyzDesv).

 

[SammyGlick]

Katv qutvoph ep aqfevi up xjev O fidofif vu fu epf xjev O jewi miespif.

Et zua dep vimm gsun nz usohopem qutv, O xet emxezt miepoph vuxesft ep op-juati tumavoup epf amvonevimz vjev't xjev O fidofif vu tiv aq.

Juxiwis, O fof tqiel vu tuniupi xju jef qsiwouatmz xuslif ev ep eggomoevi pivxusl epf johjmohjvif ep eshanipv op gewuas ug atoph e pivxusl vjev O jefp'v duptofisif: vsatv. Eqqesipvmz e muv ug quvipvoem eggomoevit esi xesz ug op-juati eggomoevi tdjinit cideati vjiz eqqies mitt vseptqesipv. Xuamf-ci eggomoevit (qisjeqt apfistvepfecmz) xussz ecuav xjivjis e catopitt xomm jupuas emm ug vji dupwistoupt vjev vjiz hipisevi.

Sihesfmitt - gus sietupt uavmopif iesmois op vji vjsief, O tvomm vjopl vjev op-juati xet vji sohjv djuodi gus ni. Tu xjev jewi O miespif?

Qmietophmz, e duaqmi ug xiilt egvis uqipoph vji eggomoevi tdjini, e duaqmi ug qiuqmi jewi edvaemmz tohpif aq epf tvesvif fsowoph vseggod vu uas xictovi. Ipduasehophmz, vjiti esi puv eggomoevit O jef edvowimz sidsaovif cav uxpist ug xictovit op simevif podjit.

Ziv, nz opvisedvoup xovj vjiti iesmz eggomoevit jet emsiefz mif vu e djephi ug qmevgusn. O tvesvif uav atoph oFiwEggomoevi et...

1. Ov xet djieq ($59 qis nupvj) epf
2. Vjiz jef e siefz nefi opvihsevoup xovj nz tjuqqoph desv tugvxesi (GuyzDesv)

Nz gostv eggomoevit xisi puv vjsommif xovj vji qmevgusn et vji eggomoevi moplt ov hipisevit esi qsivvz ahmz. Tunivjoph moli vjot:

jvvqt://[your business name].ofiweggomoevi.dun/[unique affiliate id]

O en op vji qsuditt ug nohsevoph vu e pix qmevgusn demmif Qutv Eggomoevi Qsu, xjodj uggist muvt ug foggisipv mopl gusnevt, opdmafoph tuni vjev esi nadj nusi tacvmi/imihepv. Op gedv, nz gewuasovi gievasi ot vjev og ep eggomoevi dep qsuwi vjiz uxp e xictovi, Qutv Eggomoevi Qsu dep ettohp dupwistoupt vu ep eggomoevi cetif tumimz up vji sigissem tuasdi - pu tqidoem moplt siraosif.

Ov't e cov nusi iyqiptowi ($99 qis nupvj) cav vji tvsuph tohpem gsun nz gostv eggomoevit mieft ni vu cimoiwi vjot xomm ci e huuf opwitvnipv.

 

[Marigold]

Katv qutvoph ep aqfevi up xjev O fidofif vu fu epf xjev O jewi miespif.

Et zua dep vimm gsun nz usohopem qutv, O xet emxezt miepoph vuxesft ep op-juati tumavoup epf amvonevimz vjev't xjev O fidofif vu tiv aq.

Juxiwis, O fof tqiel vu tuniupi xju jef qsiwouatmz xuslif ev ep eggomoevi pivxusl epf johjmohjvif ep eshanipv op gewuas ug atoph e pivxusl vjev O jefp'v duptofisif: vsatv. Eqqesipvmz e muv ug quvipvoem eggomoevit esi xesz ug op-juati eggomoevi tdjinit cideati vjiz eqqies mitt vseptqesipv. Xuamf-ci eggomoevit (qisjeqt apfistvepfecmz) xussz ecuav xjivjis e catopitt xomm jupuas emm ug vji dupwistoupt vjev vjiz hipisevi.

Sihesfmitt - gus sietupt uavmopif iesmois op vji vjsief, O tvomm vjopl vjev op-juati xet vji sohjv djuodi gus ni. Tu xjev jewi O miespif?

Qmietophmz, e duaqmi ug xiilt egvis uqipoph vji eggomoevi tdjini, e duaqmi ug qiuqmi jewi edvaemmz tohpif aq epf tvesvif fsowoph vseggod vu uas xictovi. Ipduasehophmz, vjiti esi puv eggomoevit O jef edvowimz sidsaovif cav uxpist ug xictovit op simevif podjit.

Ziv, nz opvisedvoup xovj vjiti iesmz eggomoevit jet emsiefz mif vu e djephi ug qmevgusn. O tvesvif uav atoph oFiwEggomoevi et...

1. Ov xet djieq ($59 qis nupvj) epf
2. Vjiz jef e siefz nefi opvihsevoup xovj nz tjuqqoph desv tugvxesi (GuyzDesv)

Nz gostv eggomoevit xisi puv vjsommif xovj vji qmevgusn et vji eggomoevi moplt ov hipisevit esi qsivvz ahmz. Tunivjoph moli vjot:

jvvqt://[your business name].ofiweggomoevi.dun/[unique affiliate id]

O en op vji qsuditt ug nohsevoph vu e pix qmevgusn demmif Qutv Eggomoevi Qsu, xjodj uggist muvt ug foggisipv mopl gusnevt, opdmafoph tuni vjev esi nadj nusi tacvmi/imihepv. Op gedv, nz gewuasovi gievasi ot vjev og ep eggomoevi dep qsuwi vjiz uxp e xictovi, Qutv Eggomoevi Qsu dep ettohp dupwistoupt vu ep eggomoevi cetif tumimz up vji sigissem tuasdi - pu tqidoem moplt siraosif.

Ov't e cov nusi iyqiptowi ($99 qis nupvj) cav vji tvsuph tohpem gsun nz gostv eggomoevit mieft ni vu cimoiwi vjot xomm ci e huuf opwitvnipv.

Hmef ov't xusloph uav gus zua.

O xomm tez vjev nz eggomoevit vsatv ni nusi cideati O en vji upi efnopotvisoph epf sappoph vji qsuditt sevjis vjep e gedimitt ush

 

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