Going the Independent Affiliate Program Route

So you’ve decided to run an affiliate program, but you don’t want to pay network fees. You are embarking on a greatly challenging path, but one with tremendous benefits waiting for you if you put in the work.

The first thing you need to realize is that you will have more of a challenge recruiting affiliates. You will need to spread the word about your program. This can be done by visiting affiliate discussion boards such as ABestWeb (for a fee) as well as searching out websites that you think would do well promoting your product. You can also advertise on the search engines, in affiliate magazines such as Revenue, or any other places you think you will find affiliates interested in marketing your products.

One of the greatest challenges of the independent affiliate programs is gaining the trust of affiliates. Some affiliates have been burned by independents stopping their programs abruptly and not paying the commissions owed. Don’t try it – with enough money at stake, affiliates have been known to sue for their income.

On the other hand, there are plenty of affiliates who prefer to work with independent programs, as they tend to be more flexible and have less competition. These affiliates may or may not be more experienced than the other kind, of course.

You will want to compare the various software solutions out there and decide which is right for you. Some are free, others are licensed. Some allow you to run multiple programs. Some are integrated right into your shopping cart program.

Features you will want to consider:

Ability to add tiers
Some affiliates look deliberately for two-tier programs, others prefer to avoid them. The advantage to tiers is that it encourages recruiting. However, many affiliates would prefer to earn the entire commission you are willing to offer and have no interest in recruiting competition for their sites. I do not recommend more than two tiers, as you get too close to an MLM structure at that point for most affiliates’ comfort.
Cost: Annual, monthly or one time? Upgrades?
Licenses can run for just about any length of time. You need to know what comes with your initial license. Perhaps one of the most important things to know is how many upgrades you will qualify for. Software needs changing regularly, and paying for upgrades too often can hurt.
Tracking technology
How reliable is it? If the software you use has a poor reputation, affiliates aren’t going to want to sign up or stay with your program.
Statistics
How well can you track where your sales are coming from? It’s always nice to know who your good affiliates are and be able to offer them incentives. A top affiliate can be well worth the extra commission.
Payment handling
Do you have to write checks yourself or is there an automated process to handle it for you?
Number of programs
If you run more than one site, you may want an affiliate program for each. Some software will allow you to do this on one license, while others will require a new copy.

The right affiliate software will make running your affiliate program much simpler. A well run affiliate program can build your business far faster than you could have on your own. Do your research and start out with the right solution for your business and avoid problems down the line.

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