What Makes a Good Affiliate Manager?

Affiliate marketing is beneficial for everyone involved. For the retailer, it can be one of the most effective forms of performance-based marketing available, due to the high potential of reaching the retailer’s target audience. It is also one of the most economical online marketing strategies. For the affiliate, it can be a great source of relatively passive income. No matter which side of the coin you are on, however, it is imperative to have a good affiliate network, and even more so to have a good affiliate manager. But, what makes a good affiliate manager?

Knowledgeable

A good affiliate manager is knowledgeable. He knows how to match the affiliate’s traffic to the right offers. He knows what the best offers are, and he also knows the best ways to market those offers. For example, if an affiliate has a blog geared toward corporate executives, a good affiliate manager might suggest the best technology offers in his network to help the executive increase efficiency and productivity. And, he will be able to offer suggestions to the affiliate, if requested, on marketing strategies that he knows have worked for other affiliates.

Responsive

A good affiliate manager knows the importance of good communication. Good communication fosters relationship building. A good relationship between the affiliate and affiliate manager is essential for the success of both. You see, when there is a good relationship between the affiliate and affiliate manager, they discuss offers, ideas, and marketing strategies. The affiliate learns what is working for others, while the affiliate manager learns what is working for the affiliate and can, therefore, help others.

Part of being a good communicator is being responsive. A good affiliate manager is responsive when his affiliates have questions or concerns. Unfortunately, sometimes links get broken and payments get delayed. While this may be rare, it is extremely important that the affiliate manager is responsive and addresses the issue as quickly as possible.

Honest

Honesty is a very important trait for a good affiliate manager. All too often, business professionals are guilty of hiding from questions for which they do not have an answer.  However, a good affiliate manager knows that if an affiliate has a question that he cannot answer, the most appropriate response is, “I do not know, but I will find out for you.” Honesty breeds trust and loyalty, and trust and loyalty are necessary elements of a successful professional working relationship.

A good affiliate manager who is knowledgeable, responsive, and honest will be a great asset to his affiliate network. He will benefit all involved parties in his role as a liaison between the affiliate and the affiliate network. He will help the retailer by steering their advertisements to the right affiliates with the proper target audience. And, he will help the affiliate better market the retailer’s product. In the process, the affiliate and retailer will both earn more money. As a result, both will be more satisfied with the affiliate network. It truly is a win-win situation for everyone involved.