Letting Go
“If it cannot be measured, it cannot be managed.”
How do you know which publisher to create a long and mutually beneficial relationship with? At what point do you cut your losses and move on? How many AIMs from a specific low volume unprofitable partner will you reply to until you have finally decided that you have bigger fish to fry?
Below are a couple pointers designed to help you gauge the quality of your affiliate partners:
- Data collection and analysis
When was the last time you looked at your affiliates’ statistics for the last 3 months? Do you notice a trend? Which offers work best for each partner? Can you see great growth potential three to six months from now?
A good application of data can prevent you from investing in partner relationships that will not return gains to your affiliate program.
- Mutual reciprocity
Is this an “I drive volume to you, you drive volume to me” type partnership?
If so, recognize it as one and do what you can to fulfill the request. Partners need to feel that they are gaining at least as much as they are giving away in the relationship.
- Quality or Quantity?
What kind of network/program/company do you want to run? A huge network with 100s of publishers generating close to zero, or do you want to spend your time and resources on the top twenty that generate high volume?
Your time is valuable. There are so many GREAT partner relationships to be made.
