Case Study: Creating The Bottom Line Secrets Affiliate Program
19th July 2000 -
"Despite all the glitches, I must say that I am getting excellent response from all the people there."
Another day spent with Commission Junction. Despite all the glitches, I must say that I am getting an excellent response from all the people there. Some of the things we are coming across are also creating suggestions for enhancements in their new programs.
The only problem is, this is a naive way to run a business. Make massive changes without having tested them to make sure that they all work - is very costly to the merchants investing their time and resources. In the case of BottomLine, while we now have over 400 affiliates, hardly anyone has been able to get banners for their sites because CJ's interface is not showing the banners, only placeholders. This has been going on, pretty much, all month. Frankly, I should have been doing tax returns...not sitting at the computer with them. CJ must start taking their clients' time factor into the equation. If it gets too expensive for us to use them, no matter how nice they are, the merchants will leave. (It may have worked for Microsoft, but will it continue to work in the commerical marketplace? Remains to be seen.)
But, 6 product links are up, so I am able to provide content feed on Medical Tips; Family Tips; Home Tips; Vacation Tips; Gardening Tips; Investment Tips. We'll be adding Kid Tips.
Also, this week, we will get the Tax Hotline pages up. So, by the end of the week, I'll also have a batch of Tax Tips up on about half a dozen subjects.
Next things we need to do:
- Newsletter for affiliates
- Press release to announce the program (anyone have any ideas on a twist that isn't 'company announces new source of revenue'?)
Also, we have seen a great many affiliates from a version of 1ezstop.com looks like a template-shopping mall. Does anyone know who owns this business and how to reach the master company directly? It might be easier to guide those affiliates from their corporate level than to work them into the general system. Have you seen them in your affiliate memberships?
Your Humble Guide,
Eva Rosenberg
This case study is reproduced with kind permission of TaxMama, sometimes known as Eva Rosenberg, moderator of the I-Helpdesk & WebReview Newsletter. Week by week, Eva has shared her experiences of creating this new program with her newsletter, creating an excellent real world example of starting an affiliate program.
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