Many affiliate program managers will recruit Affiliates via email. Whether the email is sent direct to an Affiliate through the Affiliate’s website contact information or it is sent via a Network’s mail system there are a few simple guidelines that will improve effectiveness.
Over the past couple of weeks I have received in my email, nineteen invitations to join a merchant’s program. Some were generic mass emails and others were (or at least attempted to be) individual or personal emails. Of these nineteen invitations, only one contained sufficient information to make me feel positive about the program to entice me to consider joining.
What were the problems with the other eighteen recruiting emails? All had at least five of the following problems.
- Failure to include the affiliate program manager’s name and contact information. Not signing a name or giving additional contact information gives me little assurance about a manager being there should a problem arise in the future.
- Failure to include any information about the products or services. One even forgot to include website url.
- Failure to include commission structure.
- Failure to include any information about datafeed, banners coupons and/or tools provided for Affiliates.
- Claiming to have visited my website and being a good fit when that is clearly not the case. For example: Merchant emails me at my gardening website and thinks their soccer gear merchandise is a good fit.
- Forgetting to mention the network (if any) and not providing a join link.
- Excessive typos in email.
- Email too long or too short. We don’t need your full resume or all the details on your life, but we do need sufficient information on your program.
A good recruiting email will include your name, contact information and enough information about your program and products to generate interest and excitement. Keep it short and to the point, but give Affiliates enough.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I got some of these laast week to. I am really shocked that some of these guys are not including their name , ROFL on the one that forgot thir url. That’s just sad. Some of the ones I got are not new programs either. Wonder if they think they’re program is that great and well known that they decide not to give any information in email.
Great advice for merchants. Would make my life easier if they followed some of your advice.
How do I get my picture to show?
Thanks for all you do Melanie.
Haha! I got that email with no URL and no join link! I replied to email and the guy said “sorry I thought you would get it from my email address”. Offered me a commission bump but I think I’ll pass.
Hi Rosie, thanks for your input. You could be right, maybe some of the recruiters thought their reputation would say it all.
re avatar: Do you have a photo assignd to the email you use?
Lol Ben I was wondering if you would have gotten that email, merchant is in your niche. While we can get it from the sender’s email, it is more effective to actually include a url.
I offered the merchant a complimentary consultation regarding a new recruiting email. I think the program could have a lot of potential.