Nervous at the thought of starting your own affiliate program? Don't be. It's easier than you think. And your clients or customers will love the chance to make some money promoting someone or something they believe in. It's an awesome combination!
If you’d like to start an affiliate or referral program, you may be stuck on how to begin. Here’s what you need to do first…
Check Your Shopping Cart
If you sell digital products or use an online shopping cart to help your clients order your service, then you may already have a few options you can use. Some software companies bundle the affiliate function with your shopping cart. If this is the case for you, set up might be as simple as reaching out to your company and letting them know you’d like to turn this feature on.
However, some software companies may charge extra to add an affiliate function to your site. They may call this feature a “plugin” or “add-on”. If the affiliate fee is affordable and you already like your shopping cart, then don’t feel like you have to switch.
Some online business owners may not have a shopping cart. If that’s your situation, then two good suggestions are aMember Pro (free affiliate feature included) or WooCommerce (affiliate feature is an add-on available for purchase).
Look for Similar Offers
Once you have the tech taken care of, you’ll want to investigate other digital business owners that are selling similar products or services. Check out their affiliate programs and see how they structure their fees.
Typically, affiliates promoting a digital product want 50% of the purchase price. However, if your affiliates will be promoting your service, then set your commission rate to 10-20% of the purchase price. If you need to, raise the price of your product or service a small amount to cover the cost of your affiliate payouts.
Ask Friends to Promote
When your affiliate program is ready to use, invite a few close friends or supporters to join. Remember that many affiliates love promoting something they believe in and earning cash for that recommendation.
Announce Your Affiliate Program
Next, tell others in your circle about your new affiliate program. Put together a page with information about your referral club. Then post this link to social media—sharing it with your Facebook groups, Instagram followers, and Twitter peeps.
Keep in mind that running an affiliate program is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s OK to let it grow slowly over the course of a few months. As you see it expand, you’ll be inspired to come up with new ways to help your affiliates promote your products or services.
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