Successfull affiliate marketing for merchants

Learn how to plan, implement, and manage a successful affiliate marketing program.

• This book will cover all aspects of building a successful affiliate marketing program from planning to management to results.
• Affiliate marketing ranked number one in effectiveness, ahead of e-mail, PR, television, and all other marketing methods - over 1 million web sites today participate in an affiliate program. (Forrester Research 1999)
• By 2002, 25 percent of the expected $37.5 billion in Internet retail sales, not including autos, will have originated on affiliate sites. (Jupiter Communications 1999)

Affiliate marketing has become a buzzword among Web marketers today. Since payment is based on performance, the cost of affiliate marketing is far less than any other online marketing vehicle. If you're an online business, it is estimated that the cost of acquiring a new customer on the Net can range from $75 to as much as $200 per person. Affiliate Marketing can solve this problem with little or no out-of-pocket costs. It can be done by anyone with a Web site with attractive content or any business with goods and services to sell, no matter how small the business is. This book will show anyone conducting business online, how to plan, implement, and manage a successful affiliate marketing program. The book will give marketing, advertising, sales and publicity professionals, as well as Webmasters, hands-on advice and guidance on how to find and implement affiliate programs available on the Net today. It will also provide case studies of successful programs as well as failures and scams to demonstrate and teach the lessons of building a successful program. The reader will find valuable Web resources such as tracking software and contract templates with the guidance of this book. There will also be direction for the reader to focus the content and develop the right affiliate model for the type of business.

Pay-for-Performance-Advertising Versus Marketing. A Brief History of Affiliate Marketing. Defining Affiliate Marketing. Affiliate Marketing Program Components. The New Cornerstone.

The High Cost of Customer Acquisition. Is Your Business Suited for Affiliate Marketing? The Benefits of Affiliate Marketing. Other Affiliate Marketing Uses.

News and Features. Web, Media, and Consumer Opinion Searches. All-in-One Content Programs. Have Your Affiliate Team Join Affiliate Programs.

II. SETTING UP YOUR AFFILIATE PROGRAM.

Setting Up Your Affiliate Program. What Do Affiliates Want? Review Your Competition.

Affiliate Program Models. The Creatives.

Step One-Crafting Your Message. Step Two-Building Your List. Step Three-Registering with Directories. Step Three-Newsletters, Discussion Groups, Mailing Lists, and Other Promotional Strategies. Step Four-Contracting Out Your Recruiting. Step Five-Using PR and Advertising.

Know the Affiliate Types. Acquiring the Super Affiliate. Choosing the Right Affiliates. Activating the Non-Participating Affiliate.

Affiliate Union Certification. The Elements of an Affiliate Agreement. Legal Issues. Monetary Issues. Delivery of the Affiliate Agreement. A Sample Agreement.

The Elements of Tracking and Reporting. Do It Yourself Versus Third-Party Provider. Choosing a Third-Party Solution Provider. Third-Party Solution Providers. Low-Cost Affiliate Solution Provider Services. Making Sense of the Numbers.

Payment Plans-How Much to Pay. Payment Plans. Dealing with Program Fraud.

III. MANAGING YOUR AFFILIATE PROGRAM.

Personnel Requirements. Keeping Your Program Fresh.

Affiliate Newsletters. Targeted E-mail. Tutorials. Discussion Boards or Forums. Webrings. Chat Sessions. E-mail Discussion Lists. Other Feedback Mechanisms.

Servicing Your Affiliates. Provide An Affiliate Support Site. The Eight Things Every Affiliate Should.

Previous Weeks. Week. Week. Week. Week. Week. Week. Following Weeks.