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Many software developers fail to take
advantage of affiliate programs, and often because
of various untrue myths that exist in regard to
selling through affiliate programs. Some of the
common misconceptions related to affiliate marketing
include...
Myth #1 - If you have affiliates, you will
lose money on sales that you would have gotten
anyway.
In many cases, successful affiliates will often
tap brand new audiences. Many of them will have
an already-existing stronghold in certain niche
markets, and will quite often bring new business
your way that you would not have gotten, or even
known about on your own.
Myth #2 - Your AdWords costs will go up, because
you will be competing against your own affiliates.
You can dictate the terms for your affiliates.
While many developers do not mind allowing their
affiliates to spend money on AdWords, others prevent
their affiliates from bidding on brand names or
product names. You can custom-tailor the terms
of your affiliate agreement so that it is something
you are comfortable with.
Myth #3 - Customers become affiliates just
to get a discount on your software
Most affiliate programs give you the option
of automatically approving affiliates, or allowing
you to manually review and approve each affiliate.
If this is a concern, and you suspect that some
affiliates are simply looking for a discount for
themselves, simply set the affiliate approval
setting to manual and then carefully review them
before approving.
Myth #4 - Your reputation will be damaged
by affiliates using unprofessional tactics.
Again, you can determine what your affiliates
can and cannot do when representing your software.
If you do not want affiliates using certain marketing
tactics, simply spell that out in detail in your
affiliate agreement.
Myth #5 - Simply having an affiliate program
will generate more sales.
Unfortunately this is not necessarily true --
you will need to support your affiliates by providing
quality graphics, promotional materials, proven
sales copy, and information about your software.
Establishing an effective affiliate program requires
time, effort, and even some patience.
Many very experienced affiliates are marketing
experts, and they have an existing customer base
and knowledge about specific markets. Some will
be willing to spend money to market your software.
Affiliate sales usually account for 10%-15% of
a product's sales, but some products can see as
much as 30% of their revenue from affiliate sales.
Related Articles:
Affiliate Tips
More Affiliate
Benefits
Affiliate Options
Define Affiliate
Terms
What are Affiliates?
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Affiliate Myths