You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your
web site as long as the byline is included and the article is
included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html
links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a
courtesy link or email where you publish to:
support@multiplestreammktg.com
Build Trustworthy Relationships with your Affiliates By Abe
Cherian Copyright ? 2005
All companies treat their affiliates differently. In fact, your
affiliates are your driving sales force. Unlike in the off-line
world, they don't get paid by the hour, they get paid for the
sales they make.
This means you, the business owner, only pay for what you sell,
but it also means that you need to train your affiliates to
motivate themselves to dedicate their time to marketing and
selling the products that will bring you and them a an above
average income.
No matter if you're an affiliate owner or just a participant in
some or other affiliate program, you make money when you and
your downline make sales. Having 500 affiliates will do you
little good and bring in little money, if they won't sell.
How can you successfully train your affiliates to achieve the
best sales results on-line or off-line?
The key answer is- spread by word of mouth.
You can explain how your program works to people. While word of
moth can be powerful when applied to other areas, advertising is
very weak when applied to sales training. However, it can
function as a good tool with other methods. Training by word of
mouth works primarily on the mind by acquainting people with
something either by confirming or denying a certain way of
thinking.
Sometimes even a single word or sentence read is enough to
unleash an avalanche of new ideas or experiences. Although, when
that happens, the person was already on the verge of change and
just needed one final push to get there.
The Art of Repetition. Either you repeat what you said or repeat
what you've demonstrated. There are only two possible
consequences. 1) either the trainee will accept what you are
offering and build towards critical mass in this new direction.
2) they will reject what you're offering and turn inward.
If you say or show things that this person is not yet ready for
pushing, every repetition will generate a new and greater
resentment. By doing this you are building a critical mass of
negative feelings towards whatever it is you are pushing the
person to accept. The best way is to teach by example. This is
the only way that really works in real life.
People do not generally "do as you say," they "do as you do."
It's also the only method where you can't be aggressive and
doesn't compromise the person's integrity. Speaking may be
welcome if the person you speak to really wants to hear what you
have to say. They may feel unwelcome and forceful if the person
isn't yet ready to open up to new information.
First, you must show how something can be done and the right
avenue to achieve it. This means you lay out the exact steps
your affiliates should take when marketing your products.
Give them correct and trustworthy directions with real life
experiences of how those very steps worked for you. Give them
all the sales material you can generate and also tell them
exactly how each piece worked for you and how to use it best.
But do not give them empty words and promises. Never show them
something you yourself haven't tried before and cannot back up.
People will feel when you are just saying something to make them
sell harder, but haven't really succeeded with it yourself. This
is especially important if you are a only part of some affiliate
program and are trying to teach your affiliates how to market
more successfully.
If you try to teach them things that you are not 100% certain in
they will get worn out and lose faith in you in the long haul.
Most affiliate programs offer their affiliates old steps that
everyone already knows about.
People today are much smarter than before and most know they
don't work anymore. This can be YOUR point of difference. The
most important thing to remember is to say what you mean when
you mean it. Tell your affiliates everything you know. Show by
example and provide them with all the information you can
create. This will help build a trustworthy relationship.
About the author:
Abe Cherian's online automation system has helped thousands of
marketers online build, manage and grow their business. Learn
how it can benefit you too. http://www.imediatools.com
Written by: AbeCherian
|
