Working With Merchants

Contacting the merchant of your interested program is
an ideal way to increase your sales, which can save
you a lot of time and heartache.  Once you contact
the merchant, be sure to let them know what you are
doing to promote their products, and ask for their
advice when it comes to marketing.

The merchant will know the product the best, and 
they will have a good idea of the strategies that are
being used by other affiliates to make sales.  By
contacting the merchant, you'll also show them that
you are dedicated to succeeding with affiliate
marketing.

Contacting the merchant also shows your enthusiasm
for marketing their products and services.  Any
merchant who knows affiliate marketing also knows
that over 90% of sales are generated by less than
5% of the affiliates.  Good merchants recognize your
efforts and provide you with information and resources
and may even boost your commission rates!

Dealing with merchants
If you email a merchant and they don't respond, try
again.  If they still aren't responding, you should
think again about continuing the partnership, as a
lack of communication can indicate other problems 
as well - such as payment.  

Keep in mind that many merchants make big promises,
and set a high payout rate knowing that very few
affiliates will actually meet it.  This isn't a 
good way to do business, and you should avoid 
working with these types of merchants.

Communication
When you communicate with merchants, you should 
ensure that you use a professional tone. If you
have suggestions of how a merchant can improve their
offers, you should let them know.  Many merchants
appreciate feedback, and know that any feedback they
receive can improve their programs.

Wise merchants always understand that good affiliates
are hard to find and will treat them with respect, 
assist with resources, and be prompt with payments.
Wise affiliates are the same way, and understand
that merchants want quality promotion and sales
performance.  

To get the most out of your partnership, you should
always be professional and understanding with your
merchant.  Good merchants are always busy, which may
make them seem like they aren't that good.  They 
will answer your questions and emails, although it
may take them a little bit of time.  

The longer you work with a merchant, the more you'll
understand how they do things.  If you are just 
starting out in affiliate marketing, a merchant
can help you understand how things work.  If you
listen to them and show initiative, you'll be 
well on your way to making it to the top.

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