Article

David Vince
David Vince 30 June 2021

Best Practice for Recruiting Non-Traditional Affiliate Partners

Many brands find that their growth from the affiliate channel has slowed or plateaued, and a small number of affiliate partners are driving the majority of their revenue. To alleviate risk, increase reach and accelerate growth, you can diversify your programme partners by working with non-traditional affiliates including, podcasters, referral programmes, technology partners and brand to brand partnerships.

When looking to recruit partners outside of traditional affiliates, a different approach is needed. Read on to find out our top tips for recruiting and activating non-traditional partners to your affiliate programme.

1: Make sure you’re a match
When thinking about diversifying your partner base, the first step is defining who you want to target and how you can reach that audience.  It’s important to think outside the box. Think about partners that have a strong synergy with your brand and its values. Perhaps they share your key target demographic or have a strong presence in a specific location, or their product or service complements your offering. The key here is ensuring the partnership will be beneficial for both yourself and the partner. 

Communicating your business goals and what you want from the partnership is also essential. If they can see you have aligned values, this will help build a successful partnership.

2: Plan how to approach partners
Take the time to research each company before approaching them about a partnership. Put yourself in their shoes and understand what value they would get from this partnership. Communicate why the partnership makes sense and the benefits for each partner.

Many of these partners will be less familiar with the affiliate model, so take the time to clearly explain the value of working on the performance model, the tracking requirements and the steps needed to activate the partnership. It can also be useful to have a programme guide to help partners get up to speed quickly. 

3: Be prepared to test
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; test different campaigns and offers with partners to see what works best. Working on the low-risk performance model will allow you to start small and scale up once you’ve found what works best.

When it comes to results, manage your company’s and your partner’s expectations. Creating sustainable and successful partnerships takes time. It’s important to take a sustainable approach, allowing you to build long term and successful partnerships. Think about your success metrics and communicate these with the partner from the start.

Download the 'Unlocking Growth through Affiliate Partnerships' guide to learn more.

Please login or register to add a comment.

Contribute Now!

Loving our articles? Do you have an insightful post that you want to shout about? Well, you've come to the right place! We are always looking for fresh Doughnuts to be a part of our community.

Popular Articles

See all
7 reasons why social media marketing is important for your business

7 reasons why social media marketing is important for your business

Social media is quickly becoming one of the most important aspects of digital marketing, which provides incredible benefits that help reach millions of customers worldwide. And if you are not applying this profitable...

Sharron Nelson
Sharron Nelson 6 February 2018
Read more
The Impact of New Technology on Marketing

The Impact of New Technology on Marketing

Technology has impacted every part of our lives. From household chores to business disciplines and etiquette, there's a gadget or app for it. Marketing has changed dramatically over the years, but what is the...

Alex Lysak
Alex Lysak 22 September 2020
Read more
How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

Whether you're a startup or an established business, the company website is an essential element of your digital marketing strategy. The most effective sites are continually nurtured and developed in line with...

Digital Doughnut Contributor
Digital Doughnut Contributor 7 January 2020
Read more
How to Encourage Customers to Post Photos about Your Brand

How to Encourage Customers to Post Photos about Your Brand

Visuals impact buyer behavior – there’s no doubt about it. But not just any visuals will have the impact you planned on your eCommerce marketing strategy. If the only images your customers see in relation to...

Luisana Cartay
Luisana Cartay 8 June 2016
Read more
Deep Link vs. Universal Link: Which One is Better?

Deep Link vs. Universal Link: Which One is Better?

Are universal link and deep link the same thing? There are some big differences, let's understand them.

Stefano Pisoni
Stefano Pisoni 17 March 2020
Read more