My latest question is from an affiliate manager. It’s actually not really a question, but more of a solicitation. It’s a bit long, so I’ll excerpt some of it:
Hello Sir/Madam,
Greetings!
I’m Savitha from the affiliate team of Knowledge Online services!
I was browsing through your website and we found that we could partner up to work together.We invite you join our affiliate program!
The submission goes on to explain all of the attributes of their affiliate program. The problem here is that they submitted this “question” as AskShawnCollins.com – the site is solely dedicated to accepting questions on affiliate marketing.
This affiliate program pitch totally untargeted. There is a profound disconnect between what they are selling (educational services) and what I’m doing (answering questions on affiliate marketing).
I think this is a prime example of a bad attempt at affiliate recruiting.
On a positive note, it’s something all affiliate managers can learn a lesson from, especially Savitha. Invest the time and energy to find quality prospects that make sense for your affiliate program.
Don’t just go out there with a shotgun method where you address people as Sir/Madam. Make an effort to reach out to an individual and understand what their site is about. Then, endeavor to make a real connection, instead of this sort of spam.
Personally, I’d never join an affiliate program that marketed to me in this fashion. Try picking up the phone or sending a note by mail to affiliates who you’d like to recruit into your affiliate program.
Just don’t bring your affiliate program down with this sort of lazy, counter-productive tactic.
See more affiliate marketing questions answered on Affiliate Tip TV at YouTube.
Subscribe to the Affiliate Tip TV channel on YouTube.
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I’m agreeing with simon, these type of mail imparts bad impression too easily!
Dear Sir or Madam:
(Just kidding … Hi Shawn)
I actually think you were being too easy on her (or him, or it, Savitha probably not being a real name.)
This kind of junk/spam doesn’t just waste time, it creates a bad impression for the affiliate program. What if you had actually been thinking of joining a program in their market space?
Then again, maybe it’s a competitor trying to make them look bad.
Hi Leonard -
> That looks more like a cut and paste email, a standard template which they use to send out to affiliates.
Yes, unforutantely, it’s all too standard – lacking simple touches like trying to figure out my name (it was in the domain!) to personalize it, and reviewing the site for relevance.
That looks more like a cut and paste email, a standard template which they use to send out to affiliates. Even affiliate managers make such mistakes.
Speaking of affilite recruiting, the way Marlon Sanders took previously with his designer dashboard promotion to you is really worth remembering and learning.
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