Basic Affiliate Coaching 101

Copyright © Mario Carini
http://www.entrepreneurcircle.com/

Let’s get one thing straight: You don’t have to know EVERYTHING about your affiliate program to coach your downline members.

Chances are you don’t know anymore than your sponsor who likely joined a few minutes before you did. That’s one of the major reasons why 95% of affiliates fail to make any money in the affiliate programs they join. While the comp plan, the products and management of the program are good, most failure stems from not having a coach to mentor you to success.

As an affiliate of ANY program there are 2 things that are absolutely necessary to succeed in any program:

1. Marketing Ability
2. Coaching Ability

This article isn’t about showing you how to be a top notch marketer. But it IS about showing you the basics of how you can be a COACH to those you bring into your business. Marketing alone can bring in a good income, but without that second point you fail to get that important RESIDUAL income. And you can only get that from helping your downline get active and keeping them that way.

Of course you need to know SOMETHING about your program before you can convince someone to join you. Once they join, you need to assist them in making those decisions that lead them to taking ACTION. The period between your initial sign-up and your first promotion to sponsor a new affiliate should be used to bone up on your program. What are the products…services? How does the comp plan work? Order in some products and USE them! Once you have done that work you are in a better position to hang up your sign that says “coach” on the door.

While you don’t need to know all the minute corners of the program, the basic grunge work will help to convince your new downline members that they can trust you to help them on their desire for financial independence.

Once you know that, here are two simple pointers to start acting as an effective coach:

1. COMMUNICATE! Send them a welcome letter. Stress the fact that you’re here to HELP THEM! Send them more than one email, in case they have trashed your first one. In the majority of cases where I joined a program, I NEVER received a congratulatory email! If your new affiliate doesn’t hear from you he’s not going to ACT! If you are afraid of spamming, you can usually email through the contact manager that most good programs have available on their site. Consider calling them personally on the phone or send a congratulatory card via snail mail.
   

2. Be quick to answer any queries. The fact they email you shows that they are interested! If you get an email, respond ASAP. Even if you don’t have an answer, promise them you’ll get back in touch with them with an answer.

There’s a whole lot more to coaching, but doing this will generate trust in your downline members even if you just joined yesterday. It WILL help you grow your business than the blind masses that join affiliate programs and never get anywhere!

About the Author
Mario Carini lives near Ottawa, Canada. Among his passions are writing, graphics, gardening and a sincere desire to help others achieve prosperity through their Internet business and affiliate programs.

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