Here is a typical outline of issues that a merchant (advertiser) should consider when explaining to prospective affiliates (publishers) why they should consider participating in the merchant’s “performance-based advertising” program (affiliate program).

• Why customers choose MerchantName.com
  1. Competitive Prices (including setup & shipping fees)
  2. Many Choices (low-cost to high-performance)
  3. Many included services (including support)
  4. Many Options
  5. Quick Delivery
  6. Experience, History, Reputation
  7. Company Size
  8. Facilities
  9. Reliability
  10. Endorsements
  11. Active participation in outside online forums
  12. What We Do (That Our Competitors Don’t Do)
  13. What We Don’t Do (That Our Competitors Do):
• Why affiliates should choose MerchantName.com
  1. High commission
  2. High conversion rate
  3. Low reversal rate
  4. High average transaction size
  5. Reputation, History, Experience of merchant
  6. Merchant’s Brand
  7. What We Don’t Do (That Our Competitors Do):
     • We don’t promise commissions on “all sales” but then exclude some transactions
     • We don’t set absurd “tiers” that promote commission rates that we never actually pay.

1. Issues That Might Lead a Merchant to NOT Offer a Public Affiliate Program (Negatives)
2. Public vs. Private Affiliate Programs
3. What Factors Do Publishers (Affiliates) Consider When Selecting Advertisers (Merchants)?
4. Affiliate Technology & Network Choice
5. My Usual Recommendations (for Merchants planning an affiliate program)
6. Affiliate Recruitment Strategies and Practices
7. Captive and Stealth Affiliates
8. Affiliate Program Policies
9. Outsourced Program Management (OPM) for Affiliate Programs
10. Selling the Affiliate Program
11. Types of Affiliates (Web Publishers)

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