Merchants will learn the art of communicating and building strong relationships with publishers, to maximize the affiliates’ earning potential and in turn growing the merchant’s business. Experience level: Intermediate Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers Niche/vertical: Communication Rooshina Modi, Senior Manager, Online Marketing, Barnes & Noble (Twitter @rooshina) (Moderator) Dannielle Brantley, Senior Marketing Manager, LinkShare Corporation Sylvia Cintrón, Afffiliate Marketing, AREA203 DIGITAL (Twitter @sylviacintron) Stephanie Laughon, Account Executive, ShopAtHome.com (Twitter @stephlaughon)

1. The Importance of Effective
Communication Flow
Moderator:
Rooshina Modi, Senior Manager of Online Marketing, Barnes & Noble
Panel Members:
Dannielle Brantley, Senior Marketing Manager, LinkShare Corporation
Sylvia Cintrón, Affiliate and Lead Generation Manager, AREA203 DIGITAL (Twitter @sylviacintron)
Stephanie Laughon, Account Executive, ShopAtHome.com (Twitter @stephlaughon)

2. THE INTRODUCTION

3. THE INTRODUCTION
What should the Advertiser & Publisher share?
Product/Service Details
Campaign Expectations & Goals
Audience Demo/Psychographic
Effective Promotional Methods
Creative Requirements
Terms & Conditions
Commission Model
ADVERTISER PUBLISHER
NETWORK

4. THE LAUNCH

5. THE LAUNCH
How to Get Launched Quickly!
Confirm Channel Mix
6C’s Compliant Copy
Converting Creative
 Tracking Links: Desktop / Pay-Per-Call
 Reporting Tools: Multi Channel Tracking, Pixel Placement
 Channel Deliverables: Direct Email / Form Host

6. THE
GROWTH
PERIOD

7. THE GROWTH PERIOD
Optimizing the Relationship!
TIP: The more the affiliate knows about your product and services
the more confident and assertive they will be when promoting.
Schedule follow up calls to discuss performance
Review pub traffic, trends & audiences: Alexa, Compete, Quantcast
Identify challenges and roadblocks the publishers could have
Provide trends, business practices, promo content specific to your
product/service
Listen & Mentor

8. THE GROWTH PERIOD
Optimizing the Relationship!
TIP: The Publisher must work with the Advertiser and Network to
establish a plan for achieving the desired goal. Examples of these: new
customer acquisition, brand awareness, social media expansion, new
product launch, etc.
Schedule follow up calls to discuss performance
Review established KPIs with Advertiser and Network
Was Initial Goal was achieved? If Not, was another Goal reached?
Offer – was it strong enough?
Timing – did we hit them at the right time?
Targeting – did we target the right audience?
Design – was it aesthetically pleasing?

9. THE GROWTH PERIOD
Optimizing the Relationship!
TIP: Advertisers/Publishers work with your network rep to discuss lead
activity feedback and identify best methods of promotion.
Stay engaged with your network rep
Provide back end conversion data with network with referring publisher
code – weekly/monthly/daily
Provide information on resource availability (tech, marketing creative,
legal) so network rep can manage expectations for campaign
optimization changes
Share your methods of promotion with network rep. (i.e.. keyword
based desktop search, mobile search, banner-text placement, direct
email (size of drop))
Competitive Analysis of Advertiser Performance

10. THE GROWTH PERIOD
New advertiser landing page  25% increase in valid orders
Status:
Mature Advertiser
Increase order volume with no increase in CPA
Strategy:
Network review pub touchpoints
Conduct competitive analysis
Refresh landing pages & related creative (improved customer flow)
Results:
In the first 2 weeks, conversion rates  3.68% to 4.22%
New landing page also resulted in a 25% increase in lead volume

11. THE GROWTH PERIOD
Advertiser Conversion Metrics  Pay-Per-Call Growth Opps
Status:
New Channel Launch – Pay-Per-Call
Improve Lead Quality
Strategy:
Advertiser share conversion metrics
Network perform outreach based on pub feedback
Optimize pubs with positive conversion rates
Discovery call to improve low converting pubs
Results:
Campaign stability
Improved lead quality
Increase in lead volume

12. THE CUSTOMIZATION STAGE

13. THE CUSTOMIZATION
STAGE
Need Something Unique?
TIP: Evaluate your publisher base and identify potential unique
partnerships based on new technologies, performance needs & growth
potential.
THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!
CUSTOM TOOLS:
Unique Creative / Messaging / Brand
Channel Focus – Paid Search (Keywords), Social Media (short copy),
Pay-Per-Call (call scripts), etc.
Targeted Content
Co-Branded Landing Pages
Custom Reporting / Tracking

14. THE CUSTOMIZATION
STAGE
Need Something Unique?
TIP: Committed partners increase their opportunity for unique
campaigns.
LACK OF COMMUNICATION OFTEN LEADS TO MISSED OPPORTUNITY!
DISCOVERY QUESTIONS/UPDATES:
In addition to banner-text link promotions, what other channels can the
offer be promoted through? Social platforms, Blogs, Pay-Per-Call, etc.
What’s advertiser’s promotional marketing calendar/seasonality?
Inform advertiser/network of publisher promo events/marketing
calendar.
Get involved with each other’s internal teams
(e.g. Social Media, Search)

15. THE CUSTOMIZATION
STAGE
Need Something Unique?
TIP: Advertiser/Publisher inform network of all current and future
promo capabilities. Network will highlight an opportunity to customize
the relationship and/or form a unique partnership.
THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO DRIVE A LEAD  KEEP AN OPEN
MIND!
THINK FOR NOW & THE FUTURE:
Discuss special placement opportunities with network rep
If expanding into new channel promo types, share plan of action with
network rep  keep an eye out for advertiser matches
If you can develop creative, scripts or video clips, DO IT!
Be an Advocate for internal A/B testing
Utilize network rep to find out what’s hot & new

16. THE CUSTOMIZATION
STAGE
Co-Branded Landing Pages  65%+ Increase Conversion
Status:
Mature Advertiser
Increase Conversions
Enhance Customer Experience
Increase Sales Revenue
Strategy:
Select participating publisher(s)
Isolate two month period
58% of the days  send pub coupon traffic to regular homepage.
On 21 of this 56 day period  same pub traffic sent to custom landing page
Results:
The increases in 5 key metrics
Custom experience outperforms
Regular homepage (despite 11 extra days)

17. We are in the industry of
Service!!
Be Precise & Concise in All Communications
Don’t take anything personally!
Utilize the Rule of 3:
3-Word subject lines
3 paragraphs
≤ 3 sentences per paragraph
Work hard and do the best you can, always, in all things!

18. Thank-You!
Moderator:
Rooshina Modi, Senior Manager of Online Marketing, Barnes & Noble
Panel Members:
Dannielle Brantley, Senior Marketing Manager, LinkShare Corporation
Sylvia Cintrón, Affiliate and Lead Generation Manager, AREA203 DIGITAL (Twitter @sylviacintron)
Stephanie Laughon, Account Executive, ShopAtHome.com (Twitter @stephlaughon)
Questions?