Recruiting Affiliates with Link Capture

by Shawn Collins on March 30, 2008

Q: I recently got the Link Capture to help recruit affiliates, but I can’t figure out how to use it. I know how to do a search on the software, but I don’t know how to find affiliates that make sense for me.

A: I am sure there a lot of different ways you could use it, but I’ll tell you how I’ve used it.

Basically, what I would do is to make a search query for the top keywords in the niche of the affiliate program I was managing, and then export those query results into Excel or a .csv file.

The exported data includes the postal mailing address for the prospective affiliates and I would take that and send out a direct mail piece.

This would generally be a postcard that includes the value propositions of that affiliate program.

I would then follow up the postcard with a telephone call or email, information which is also included in the export.

Don’t just email the affiliates without any prior contact – do something different to get attention for your affiliate program.

{ 11 comments }

Shawn Collins June 24, 2009 at 9:23 am: @Henrik:
I haven’t used Link Capture in quite a while, because I don’t manage affiliate programs anymore – sorry, no idea what they’re doing these days.
Henrik June 24, 2009 at 8:55 am: Hi, interesting info here.
A question, I used to use LC previously but changed work, and dont have the software any more, are they still up and running since they doesnt seem to be answering support, or any other means of communicating.

Thanks for any feedback
Bob July 4, 2008 at 4:50 am: Thanks again Shawn.

Bob
Shawn Collins July 4, 2008 at 1:23 am: Hi Bob -

I would suggest a small test of 100-200, so you can test the effectiveness of the card you’re sending out.
Bob July 4, 2008 at 1:02 am: Thanks Shawn,

I’ll get myself a copy of LC too. No point reinventing the wheel.

When promoting a new aff program how many post cards do you mail out to kickstart the campaign? (100, 1000, or more) At 42 cents a piece it adds up quickly.

Appreciate your insight. Lots of good stuff on your blog.

Bob
Shawn Collins July 3, 2008 at 10:31 am: Hi Bob -

I typically use the templates that are available via ExpressCopy.com.

Not sure about other programs. I’m happy with what Link Capture does for me.
Bob July 3, 2008 at 10:20 am: Shawn,

Do you have any postcard templates that worked really well for you, which we can view online?

Secondly do you know of any other software better than link capture specifically for finding out Clickbank affiliates. (I’m looking at affiliateelite.com) but maybe there’s better one’s out there I don’t know of.

Thanks for your input,
Bob
Shawn Collins March 31, 2008 at 8:39 am: There is one called the Internet Success Spider – last time I checked, it wasn’t as feature rich as Link Capture.
Viraj Mehta March 31, 2008 at 8:15 am: which other softwares like LC have you used or recommend to recruit affiliates ?
Shawn Collins March 30, 2008 at 9:39 pm: Lots of variables, like the strength of the brand name, competitiveness of the commission in the vertical, etc.

But I typical recruited 20% of those mailed.

You can figure you’ll get nearly a 100% open rate when you go in their mailbox, and virtually nobody else is doing this to recruit.
Lee Rolwey March 30, 2008 at 9:35 pm: Out of curiosity, what kind of response rate do you get from using direct mail pieces this way? I have to admit it seems like an unusaual tactic… which may be just the reason it works for you.