As a direct advertiser, one of the most powerful ways to expand your reach and boost your sales is by building a strong network of affiliate partners. Affiliates can help promote your products to new audiences, generate leads, and drive conversions - all on a performance basis where you only pay for results. However, recruiting, motivating and managing a high-performing affiliate team requires the right strategies and fundamentals.
In this article, we'll share some key tips that have helped Erick Dalius create successful affiliate programs in tech, real estate, and crypto over the past 9 years. He has scaled businesses from 6 to 7 to 8 figures with affiliates, but the basics we'll cover can help anyone with an affiliate program, or those planning to start one, to improve their program no matter its current size.
1. Think globally to expand your reach
The first step is to think beyond your current niche or region and consider how you can scale your affiliate program globally. Take what's working in your existing market and look to duplicate that success in other geographies. This requires researching new audience segments, testing your offer and funnels, and adapting your approach for cultural differences.
For example, Eric says that he found that a pricing model for his mastermind program at $1500/ month that worked well in some geos. But to reach other geos, we tested a lower $150 price point and introductory trial offers. The key is to continually experiment, measure results, and refine your strategy for each market. Don't get complacent with your current success - challenge yourself to reach that next level.
Some tips for global expansion:
- Research trends, competitors and partners in markets you want to expand to
- Connect with local affiliates who understand the landscape and can make intros
- Localize your landing pages, ads and content for language and messaging
- Provide multilingual affiliate support and resources
- Attend international affiliate conferences to build relationships
- Stay up to date on regional laws, taxes and compliance requirements
2. Provide a unique selling proposition
To stand out in the competitive affiliate space and attract top partners, you need to offer something unique and compelling. Look at what successful programs are doing that you can benchmark, then innovate on it. Sometimes improving your offer by just 1 degree can make all the difference.
Consider how you can provide more value to your affiliates and their audiences compared to other options out there. This could mean:
- Higher commission rates or performance incentives
- Exclusive products, bonuses or discounts for their referrals
- Access to special events, masterminds or training
- Dedicated affiliate management and support
- Unique selling angles or messaging for your products
Better technology for tracking, reporting and optimization
For his mastermind offer, Erick says that he saw many high-ticket programs charging $25,000 to $50,000 for access to a single guru. So he decided to flip the script by providing a full team of experts across crypto, real estate and tech, and pricing it at a fraction of the cost. This unique proposition helped us attract affiliates and customers looking for more value and less hype.
The key is to continually evaluate your USP compared to the evolving market. Survey your partners on what they value most and what they'd improve. Roll out new features and benefits to keep your program fresh and competitive. And don't be afraid to test bold, contrarian ideas that disrupt the status quo.
3. Create engaging events and experiences
Successful affiliate programs don't just focus on the hard numbers - they bring the human element to create excitement, foster community, and build long-term relationships. Hosting live or virtual events is one of the best ways to achieve this. It gives your affiliates the chance to connect with you and each other, learn new skills, get inspired, and have fun in the process.
Erick says, “We've found great success tying our promotions and incentives to luxury travel experiences. For example, we'll run a contest for our top 10 affiliates to join us at a five-star resort in an exotic destination for a mastermind and adventure week. This creates an aspirational goal for them to reach for, boosts morale and retention, and leads to powerful networking and content opportunities. The key is to make the events truly memorable and worthwhile.”
Some ideas for affiliate experiences:
- Local meet-ups or happy hours in their city
- Training workshops or skill-sharing sessions
- Virtual summits or interviews with keynote speakers
- Gamified contests and giveaways with tiered prizes
- Branded merchandise or swag for their promotion efforts
- Holiday parties or appreciation dinners
- Casual activities like golf outings, concerts, comedy shows
- Trips to your HQ, factory, or other relevant locations
The goal is to dream up events that your ideal partners would be thrilled to attend, then deliver them at the highest level. This is what turns your affiliate program into more than just a revenue stream, but a tight-knit community that people love being part of and promoting.
4. Scale with speed and consistency
Finally, to take your affiliate program to the next level, you need to scale aggressively once you've dialed in your offer and funnel. This means doubling down on what's working in terms of your ad creative, landing pages, partner communication, and so on. Look for every opportunity to automate and streamline so you can handle more volume without sacrificing quality.
Some ways to scale your program:
- Invest in paid ads on social, search, and affiliate networks to drive more partner leads
- Create an affiliate resource hub with links, swipe copy, graphics, and other promo assets
- Develop evergreen training content like guides, courses or certifications to onboard partners
- Host more frequent launch events and joint venture promotions to boost activity
- Hire dedicated affiliate managers to provide hands-on support and optimization
- Improve your data tracking and reporting to spot trends and make data-driven decisions
- Implement a tiered commission structure to incentivize and reward top performers
- Expand into new traffic sources, niches or geos when you've maxed out existing ones
Remember, speed is paramount when scaling. The faster you can test new ideas, get promotions live, payout partners, and respond to inquiries, the faster you can grow. Establish SOPs for your team and set ambitious but achievable goals for your program. Don't settle for linear growth when you could be experiencing exponential hockey stick growth with the right moves.
Q and A with Eric Dalius
Q: You mentioned you've been in the affiliate marketing space for over 25 years. How did you get started, and what inspired you to pursue this path?
A: I actually stumbled into affiliate marketing by accident. Back in the day, I was working a dead-end job and just feeling stuck. But I had this entrepreneurial spirit, always looking for ways to create something of my own. And then I discovered this whole world of affiliate marketing, where I could partner with companies and promote their products for a commission. It was like a lightbulb moment for me. I saw the potential to build a business that gave me freedom, flexibility, and unlimited earning potential. So I jumped in head-first, started learning everything I could, and never looked back. And now, here I am, 25 years later, still as passionate about this industry as ever.
Q: Building a strong affiliate program is a key focus for many businesses. What strategies have you found most effective for attracting top affiliate talent?
A: Alright, so when it comes to building an affiliate team, there are a few key things you gotta get right. First and foremost, you need a product or offer that converts. Your affiliates are putting their reputation on the line every time they promote you, so you better make sure you're delivering value. Secondly, you gotta take care of your affiliates. That means providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. Whether it's marketing materials, training, or one-on-one coaching, you need to invest in your affiliates' success. And thirdly, you gotta make your program attractive to top talent. That means offering competitive commissions, exclusive perks, and a sense of community. When your affiliates feel like they're part of something special, they'll go to bat for you every time.
Q: As a direct advertiser, how do you balance the needs of your affiliates with your own business goals?
A: As a direct advertiser, you're always trying to find that sweet spot between maximizing your own revenue and keeping your affiliates happy. And the key is alignment. You gotta make sure your affiliates' incentives are aligned with your own business objectives. So that means being transparent about your goals, communicating regularly with your affiliates, and being willing to adapt your strategies based on their feedback. At the end of the day, your affiliates are your partners, not just a sales force. So treat 'em like partners, involve them in your decision-making, and always be looking for win-win scenarios. When you create that kind of collaborative environment, everyone wins.
Q: Affiliate marketing has evolved a lot over the years. What trends or changes are you most excited about right now?
A: There's so much innovation happening in the affiliate space right now, it's hard to keep up! But one of the biggest trends I'm seeing is the rise of micro-influencers. Y'know, these are affiliates with smaller, more niche audiences, but they have incredibly loyal followers. And brands are starting to recognize the power of these micro-influencers to drive targeted, high-converting traffic. So as a direct advertiser, I'm really focused on building relationships with these micro-influencers, providing them with custom content and offers that resonate with their unique audience. Another trend I'm excited about is the use of AI and machine learning to optimize affiliate campaigns. We're able to analyze data in real-time, identify top-performing affiliates and offers, and make smarter, more data-driven decisions. It's a game-changer for affiliate marketers and advertisers alike.
Q: If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice as you were starting your affiliate journey, what would it be?
A: You know, if I could sit down with my younger self, I'd tell him to dream bigger. When I first started in affiliate marketing, I was just thinking about making a few extra bucks on the side. But what I didn't realize was the incredible potential of this business model to create life-changing income and impact. So I'd tell my younger self to have faith in himself, to set audacious goals, and to never settle for mediocrity. I'd remind him that success is a journey, not a destination - so enjoy the ride, learn from the challenges, and keep pushing yourself to grow. And most importantly, I'd tell him to focus on providing real value to people. Because at the end of the day, that's what affiliate marketing is all about - connecting people with products and services that improve their lives. If you keep that as your north star, you can't go wrong.
Conclusion
To recap, thinking globally, providing a unique offer, creating engaging experiences, and scaling rapidly are the key fundamentals to building a thriving affiliate program. These are the strategies that have helped us enroll high-performing partners and scale offers to the mid 8-figures.
But it all starts with getting into the right mindset. You have to be willing to constantly test, innovate and improve. You have to embrace failure as learning lessons on your way to success. And you have to cultivate the patience and persistence to keep going when things get tough.
As the famous Thomas Edison quote goes, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." He had to experiment with thousands of different filaments before landing on the carbonized bamboo that made the first commercial light bulb possible.
Your affiliate program is no different. Treat it like your laboratory where you get to run marketing experiments every day. Stay excited and curious about the process. Surround yourself with other motivated marketers for inspiration and collaborations. And most importantly, don't give up on your vision no matter the obstacles.
If you follow these principles and take consistent action, you can absolutely build the affiliate army of your dreams. One that drives more reach, revenue and impact than you ever could alone.
So get out there and start applying these fundamentals to your program today.
