[danvendel]

Hi,

We're an online store selling t-shirts with print. We've had a store aimed for the Scandinavian market for about a year, and just recently opened a new for the US market. That's the one we need to promote, e.g. by launching a good, solid affiliate program.

We have the software to run the program installed, etc, but the problem is that we have no experience in this field. Hence, we need someone that can put together an attractive program that will attract affiliates, and that can e.g. make a test to figure out the conversion rate, etc. (The site is so new that we haven't any figures yet).

We offer a commission on concluded sales. Whether the job will be time limited or not is something we have to discuss.

If you feel that you have the experience, perhaps already a reputable name in this industry and the contacts to make a program take off, please let us hear from you!

[Leader]

It's always good to let people know a few basics about a job offer:

How do people contact you?? You can't get PMs yet, so you'll need to leave contact info.

Is it on-site or can it be done remotely?

Since you're in Sweden, but looking on a predominantly-US site, I am leaning toward assuming it's a telecommuting position. But if it's not, then you'll need to say what general area the office is in.

It's likely that several OPMs here will approach you with offers, but they'll want to know those things too, so I figured I'd put the most general questions out there right away.

[danvendel]

Thanks for swift response and pointing out a few things I missed.

1. Contact: I took for granted that there was a PM function in the forum. Sorry about that. I can be contacted at [Removed] I hope spambots won't find that one, and hope I'm not violating any forum rules. I'd rather put a link straight to a contact form, but I assume that's not kosher?

2. Yes, the job will be what you called a "telecommuting" job. We have print facilities in the US, but administrative office in Sweden, and that's were I am.

If there's anything else I have left out, please let me know.

Cheers,
Dan

[Geno Prussakov]

E-mail sent.

Geno

[ske9963]

You might want to look at OPM forum. There are lots of talented people here :)

[Leader]

I'd rather put a link straight to a contact form, but I assume that's not kosher?
Go ahead--for a real job offer in this sub-forum, it's okay. (I'm assuming you mean the contact form on TiddliBoom.)

Then you can edit your old post and remove your email address.

[danvendel]

OK, thanks.

So, here's the feedback form at the site in question, Use this to contact me:
http://tiddliboom.com/t-shirt-contact.php

(Ehh... I tried editing the first post in the thread to remove the mail address I've tried to hide from spambots, but I suppose the time span for editing has ended. No "Edit" button there no longer.

But never mind.....

[Leader]

I took out your email address for you. I forgot how long the standard edit window was, but I figured that if you couldn't change the other post, one of us mods would catch it.

[danvendel]

Many thanks, Leader!

<newbie alert>
By the way, "ske9963" is mentioning "OPM forum". I don't know if I need that since I already have received several replies, but thought I'd peek in anyway. But where is it?
</newbie alert>

[Geno Prussakov]

By the way, "ske9963" is mentioning "OPM forum". I don't know if I need that since I already have received several replies, but thought I'd peek in anyway. But where is it?
Right here: http://forum.abestweb.com/forumdisplay.php?f=236

[Leader]

Here: http://forum.abestweb.com/forumdisplay.php?f=236

I already have received several replies,Just wait until the other OPMs wake up - you'll probably get lots more :) It's still pretty darned early here, and it's still the middle of the night over in the Pacific Time zone (California and surrounding states). So there will almost surely be more.

I'm a night person, though...so I'll be going offline soon (although my name may show up as "present" for quite a while longer, since I never hit "logoff" from ABW). The sun's well up, and if I want to get anything done this afternoon, I'd better get to bed!

Edit: I see that Geno typed faster...

[Trust]

It's also Saturday, the weekend is kind of low key. Probably more responses Monday forward.

[loxly]

Nice site :) Info sent.

[Billy Kay]

We're an online store selling t-shirts with print.

Gee! The poster right above me used to do that exclusively!!!!!!

[Chuck Hamrick]

Dan, one red flag for me is to mention that you do not know your sites conversion. That does a dis-service to affiliates who are taking a gamble to launch sites/links for an unknown.

When you work with an outsourcered firm make sure that they will first manage your paid search, work on your organic search, employ optimizations techniques (MVT) and launch an affiliate program once you are getting good conversion. You will be more apt to build a sustainable affiliate program where affiliates can extend the work you have done.

[danvendel]

Dan, one red flag for me is to mention that you do not know your sites conversion. That does a dis-service to affiliates who are taking a gamble to launch sites/links for an unknown.

Chuck,

Thanks for response! Appreciated.

Fact is that we do not know the conversion rate since the shop is just a week old, and I believe it would be dishonest to pretend anything else.

Maybe I'm one-eyed on this one, but I honestly don't understand the "gamble" involved for an affiliate. What's the "gamble" in putting up an ad? NB: I'm not saying this to put people off or implying anything. I just don't understand.

When you work with an outsourcered firm make sure that they will first manage your paid search, work on your organic search, employ optimizations techniques (MVT) and launch an affiliate program once you are getting good conversion. You will be more apt to build a sustainable affiliate program where affiliates can extend the work you have done.
The shop is optimized for search engines, pretty much as good as it gets and the organic search results are quite good. The AdWord results are so-so, though...

At any rate: I'm in a bit of a hurry with this, so I'm also considering singing up with some existing affiliate program...

But you suggestions are excellent. I have no experience in this, and any hint I can get is invaluable!

[Chuck Hamrick]

A paid search affiliate signs up and spends a few hundred dollars to find out that they can not get back their investment in time and money. A shopping/deal site puts up your links and finds that there is no conversion they just wasted their time. Then there are email affiliates and those that will build an organic site specifically for you.

Another problem is that bigger affiliates may wait several months to see what kind of EPC you post in a CJ, PFX or SAS. Take a look at competing offers from the top networks and see what kind of numbers are being generated.

That last situation is paying an OPM $3-5k to launch your program, paying minimum monthly fees for 6 months until you realize that are suited for an affiliate program.

[danvendel]

People!

I am sorry for not coming back to you all sooner.....

First of all, I'd like to thank you all for feedback. As a complete newbie to affiliate marketing, I have absorbed every word with great appreciation. I will very likely come back and harass you all with ("stupid") questions in the other forums. When I do, please bear with me...

I have received a few offers from various members. While I'm sure that the asking fees are justified (I maybe even got a discount here and there...), it was still a surprise to me that the costs would be that high. Again; I'm not greedy at all. I simply didn't have a clue about the time and efforts the job would take. And we don't have the means for this kind of "unforeseen expenditures" at the moment.

So, for this time, I have decided to sign up for an existing affiliant network. I'm sure this won't be as effective as having a designated manager to run our own program. But I simply have no other option at this point.

In the future, if things work out the way we hope, we will probably have to hire an affiliant manager anyway. So if you don't mind, I'll keep your names and mail addresses until then. If you like to be excluded from the list, please let me know.

One embarrassing thing though; I received a mail from an interested person last Friday (I think?). Being the organized person as I am, I'm cleaning out mails and other documents I won't need every night. Only I was too ambitious during the weekend and delete his mail too. <blush />

So if you know that you sent me a mail through the feedback from at tiddliboom.com during the past 4-5 days, please re-send. Sorry for the inconvenience...

Cheers all, and see you soon in another forum.
Dan

[loxly]

Dan, I hope you went with Shareasale, otherwise you are probably wasting your money with the other networks. Networks don't bring you affiliates, they are a tracking system. You still need to recruit and manage on your own.

Good luck with your program and if you don't want to get into a long term deal with a manager you might want to consider at least short term consulting to get you trained and started on the right foot.

[danvendel]

Yes, I went with Shareasale. Or rather, I WILL go with them. Have not yet signed up (I'm sometimes too careful and elaborate).

The main reason I chose them is that I can publicly flog them in here in case they screw up.

Kidding, of course.....

Thanks for support,
Dan

[Kevin]

Shareasale won't screw up. Trust us... :)

I know I didn't respond to your "RFP", but I would also caution you against launching an unmanaged program. How much time do you have per week/day to throw at it?

Nothing turns off affiliates faster than not getting timely answers to questions or other assistance when they need it. That's what you get an OPM for.

Also, since you won't have conversion figures, it will be a difficult start. As has been posted on these boards many times:

A site that doesn't convert without an affiliate program won't convert any better with one. It will simply be a bigger sample group of failure.

(Not saying you in particular will fail, but the above is a universal truth)

[UncleScooter]

Food for thought from an affiliate:
If you launch a program and don't offer the tools and elements necessary for it to succeed, most affiliates will give you a look and move on. Once an affiliate has an impression of your program in their mind, it is near impossible to backtrack and change that perception. We are so accustomed to dealing with merchants who are either too lazy to do things right or too clueless to do things right, that we move on very quickly.

A successful affiliate program is not free, but neither is anything else worth having.

That being said, good luck to you in your endeavor.

[danvendel]

Shareasale won't screw up. Trust us... :)
Thanks. I will.

I know I didn't respond to your "RFP", but I would also caution you against launching an unmanaged program. How much time do you have per week/day to throw at it?
As much as it takes, and not only me. Manpower isn't an issue.


Nothing turns off affiliates faster than not getting timely answers to questions or other assistance when they need it. That's what you get an OPM for.

Also, since you won't have conversion figures, it will be a difficult start. As has been posted on these boards many times:

A site that doesn't convert without an affiliate program won't convert any better with one. It will simply be a bigger sample group of failure.

(Not saying you in particular will fail, but the above is a universal truth)
Again, thanks for input.

However, the lack of reliable conversion data is simply nothing we can do anything about since the shop is new. I hope that the other incentives we are discussing right now will make up for this.

The indications we have so far on conversion are still not reliable. But they are pretty promising and in fact better than we thought they would be. So, people who are joining despite the lack of numbers on this might eventually be pleasantly surprised.

If you're an affiliate, it would be nice see you there... ;)

Cheers,
Dan

[danvendel]

Food for thought from an affiliate:
If you launch a program and don't offer the tools and elements necessary for it to succeed, most affiliates will give you a look and move on. Once an affiliate has an impression of your program in their mind, it is near impossible to backtrack and change that perception. We are so accustomed to dealing with merchants who are either too lazy to do things right or too clueless to do things right, that we move on very quickly.

A successful affiliate program is not free, but neither is anything else worth having.

That being said, good luck to you in your endeavor.
Thanks for thoughts. Much appreciated.

While I don't know much about affiliate programs (yet), I have to agree since what you're saying goes for almost anything in life; "Perception is everything".

I have discussed a preliminary program with my colleagues and someone who knows this business very well, and it appears as if we have something that certainly will provide both the tools and incentives required by affiliates - and then some.

As I said to Noth before: Thanks for viewpoints. I hope you'll sign up when the program has been launched. Then, I think you can help me to help you all.

Cheers,
Dan