Culling Affiliate Emails – How To Respond – If You Can!
1 Comment February 26, 2009 / Posted in NetworksI hate emails from merchants and/or networks who tell me that as an inactive affiliate, maybe due to lack of sales or we’re not promoting them, we’re being kicked off their program. Culling affiliates from a program just because they’re inactive is, in my opinion, a pointless exercise for all concerned and I’m never really clear what it achieves.
Speculatively you could say it’s to make statistics look pretty (look we have no inactive affiliates) or even demonstrate that whoever is managing the program is managing something… but let’s not go there, eh!
Anyway the emails that come in about inactive affiliates used to rile me a little but it’s pointless getting stressed by them as no matter what someone in AM will think it’s a good idea and continue to do it!
Rather than get annoyed, it’s far easier to either delete the email and accept you’re in the bin (after all if you’re inactive you’re not going to miss the merchant immediately). Or better still, fire off a quick reply like the one below (feel free to cop/paste as required) and let the network/merchant know that you’re still interested.
We’re still interested in being part of the program – as we don’t put any burden in terms of time/energy on anyone regarding the program I don’t see the need for de-activation. Let me know whether we can continue on the program.
And that’s it! A thirty second email, no stress and all in the garden is rosey…. unless of course you can’t reply….
Step forward the Post Office program on Tradedoubler.
They are asking discount code publishers to remove their links before 15th March as “a number of concerns have been highlighted by our management team around how Post Office is being represented in this space”. Fair enough… no problem!
They do want to keep “relationships open” though….
We do wish to keep the relationships open and would like to include you in our strategy recommendations so would welcome any feedback on how you believe we can work together in compliance with IAB regulations. We look forward to hearing from you.
The email address to send them feedback? Oh yes…. no_reply@ext.tradedoubler.com
So who do I send my reply explaining we don’t promote The Post Office in the manner they describe to then?
Come on Tradedoubler and Post Office people – you really can do better than that… surely?
Stop Press: Big thanks to Gemma who replied to my email and forwarded it on! All in the garden is back rosey again!
Hi Jason,
I read your onelittleduck affiliate blog with great interest so keep it up!
I was very interested to read your comments on “Culling Affiliate Emails” dated: Feb 26th.
I am a merchant and work for a small football shirt online retailer, http://www.subsidesports.com – we like to think we are very pro-active with our affiliate programs and we do email certain affiliates that fall into the 0 performance category.
However it’s not directing threatning to de-activate them, rather, on how we can work with them to at least start to recognise our affiliate program and look at opportunities to start to build traffic and hopefully sales.
Our affiliate program is managed by myself and I am very keen to communicate with as many of our afiliates as possible to assist in their activity – whether its giving the a free football shirt to run a competition, seasonal commission increases, prizes or promotions.
By tapping into the affiliate and communicating via phone/email seems to do wonders in making that non-performing affiliate suddenly feel wanted and then begin to generate sales.
Cheers,
Simon