I started using direct mail for affiliate recruitment and retention back in 2000, and experienced really nice ROI consistently.
So, I’ve always been curious why more affiliate marketers aren’t sending mail.
The email is excessive and essentially useless. I don’t open 90% of affiliate program and network solicitations in email based solely on the subjects. And that’s if they make it past my Spam filter.
But when I get snail mail, I’m good for a 100% open rate. That was the case when I got the following email from the Epicenter Network.
They were an exhibitor at Affiliate Summit West 2009, and part of their sponsor package was that they had the option to send direct mail piece through a third party mailing service to the Affiliate Summit attendees.
Long story short – this sort of follow-up really got my attention, and they’re one of just a few companies that bothered to do it.
What’s keeping all of you from extending your reach?
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Good blog post.
The year before last I sent out a few hundred Valentine’s cards. Sadly not to lovers, but clients and prospective clients. Had to personally lick the stamps on them, which was no fun
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Us digital people need to think outside the box: offline is not a dirty word.
New inhouse affiliates should always be called and welcomed into the program. I like the snail mail idea a lot too for recruiting. Email still holds a big place in affiliate management, that’s why I pride myself on compelling/interesting subject lines and well-designed HTML emails that aren’t too verbose or ponderous…
In addition to this, sometimes a direct phone call to a client is a great way to get your point and personality across in a better way than simply emailing or messaging back and forth.
I am sure we have all been in the same situation – there is a misunderstanding which seems to be getting worse with every email volley, and for some reason both sides cannot get their point across clearly. It could be a simple matter of miscommunication.
Pick up the phone! Say “Hello!”. I have found this can bring back the warm human element that reminds us that we are all simply humans beings.
great post
P.S. Of the dozens of car dealers I have spoken to in order to purchase a new car over the last couple of weeks – ONE has sent me a handwritten post card. Guess which one I am most likely going to purchase through?
It is funny how everyone (in this day and age) assumes technology is the answer to all questions. I have found that direct mail does a better job, it doesn’t end up in the receivers SPAM box and it is fairly effective at least half the time (if not more). Snail mail – worth the trouble.
Your Message@LuggagePros:
I used postcards for years to recruit new affiliates to various affiliate programs. They were used for first contacts, and then followed up by phone or email.
I found the method incredibly effective to get the attention of targeted, quality affiliates and get them to join the respective affiliate programs.
I think that this is a specific case in which direct mail worked. Like MLDina stated, we have sort of come full circle to where direct mail is a unique way to communicate and stand out, ad that’s the way that it should stay. I think that the reason that the above direct mail campaign worked is because there was a specific prior connection already made with the recipient audience. I highly doubt that random affiliate marketer solicitation, using direct mail, would have the same response.
It’s funny how even marketing comes full circle. Email was originally a unique way to reach out to potential customers, and now direct mail has proven to be more effective in this case. Great use of marketing, but hopefully we don’t go completely backward to smoke signals…that would be difficult to deal with
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Good topic to bring to your blog readers’ attention, Shawn!
We were discussing the same question with Ron Givens of AWeber the other day. They are sending a direct mail piece to welcome every affiliate into their affiliate program, which is rare, and definitely makes them stand out.
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