Keeping affiliates up to date

**Dean_Leyland** · 2 February 2014, 3:45 pm

One of the things I've struggled with the most in my 8yrs as an affiliate manager is finding an optimum way of keeping affiliates up to date.

Email is obviously the most used and easiest ways to keep affiliates informed of the things they need to know (offers, promos, product changes etc). However I appreciate that affiliates get bombarded with emails every day.

We have a policy of only sending emails to all affiliates if we have a major announcement i.e. a welcome bonus change, otherwise, we operate an opt in list for affiliates to choose, by product whether they want more than that.

So, what do you think is the best way for an affiliate manager to keep his affiliates up to date? Are there any programs who successfully use other methods? RSS? SMS?

**universal4** · 2 February 2014, 4:16 pm

You are already doing it....email.

Not facebook, linkedin, twitter, myspace or other methods since one would be FORCED to have one of those accounts in order to be updated.

Everyone already has an email address, they need that to join your program.

Rick
Universal4

**sweetbet** · 2 February 2014, 6:47 pm

Email and then forums I would say. I check them both several times a day.

**louie.wilson** · 3 February 2014, 1:34 am

Email indeed.
That's what i find the most powerful when properly used

**Anthony-Coral** · 3 February 2014, 4:02 am

Agree with Dean that its something that we AM's spend a great deal of time thinking about. One of the main concerns we have with email is competing in all of your inboxes! Naturally, we all believe that what we have to say is vitally important but what if affiliates don't!

In my own experience at the programmes where I have worked we have tried to reduce the 'noise' in our emails. We dropped the shiny newsletter format and went back to plain text. We stopped the grand claims about being the worlds greatest/finest/exciting/casino/sportsbook/poker room etc.

We have an opt-in for promo details as soon as they are confirmed and try to limit the content to the bare essentials: Dates, offer terms, your tracking link and a content suggestion - very B2B in tone. We do have an affiliate RSS feed but to be perfectly honest I have absolutely no idea if anyone is subscribed and less idea if they even find it useful (if you use the Coral RSS feed I would love to here from you!)

I think that its tough to use Social media as the principle format to communicate offers, for the reasons that Rick mentions. At best I think it can only be an effective 'nudge' to go and check your inbox or log into a site.

This places the dilemma back on the shoulders of the AM's: If we are going to have to use email then how do we make sure our emails get through? I think the answer is to try and write them so that they are less shouty and more relevant.

Would be great to hear from Affiliates about that competition in their inboxes and the amount of emails they receive that may be sent in good-fairth or as a result of an opt-in but are, none the less, barely read or regarded as SPAM

**Voids** · 3 February 2014, 5:05 am

As I am currently working on a new site where this information is vital I have been considering it from the side of the affiliate. Personally I would like something simple, sent directly to my email.

We have a limited time offer for casino this weekend. It runs from x until x, the bonus is x .

Here are your links, and here are the main key T&C's.

I want to be able to read the email on my phone ( as that's where all my emails arrive to ) quickly and easily to decide whether I want to act / promote the offer.

I would also like to only be sent emails that are relevant to me, I don't want to know about any poker offers, we are purely a football based site.

Coral do this pretty well I must say, although it could be slightly improved with a little more detail about each offer.

N.B sorry for the poorly constructed post, bit of a train of thought post.

**universal4** · 3 February 2014, 5:53 pm

Well said Hodgey (I wonder who wrote this for him)....LOL

As far as the competition in my inbox, although I do overlook some regular mailings from a few groups, I do try to scan (at least quickly) most mailings from groups I work with.

And any time I see others here discussing a mailing, I go and re-read it with more focus.

Rick
Universal4

Now for those groups I did NOT sign up for....that is different since I wanna know where they got the email since they shouldn't even have it unless they bought it, traded for it, or got it through other means that has zero to do with me having prior contact with them.

Sadly the mailings I read after this one will get far less attention, since I am already upset that someone gave out my email without my permission.

**p.arena** · 3 February 2014, 5:59 pm

I agree with previous posts, email is the best way, either through newsletters or 1 on 1 emails, followed by social media, skype.

We also post messages in the affiliate portal on the bulletin board for our important updates.

**baldidiot** · 4 February 2014, 6:07 am

Definitely email. But only when there's something worth saying - ie: a decent offer (not just 'double comp points' etc..).

Something else to consider (which you guys do well actually) is the timing of the emails. If you have an offer for a game that starts at 8pm, don't send it over at 5pm the same day. Likewise if you have a longer running promo that starts on Monday, don't tell us about it on Monday afternoon.

I think 48+ hours is ideal, but 24 hours notice is fine for most things. Anything less than that and it's a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not it gets covered.

**Voids** · 4 February 2014, 8:08 am

Originally Posted by baldidiot

Definitely email. But only when there's something worth saying - ie: a decent offer (not just 'double comp points' etc..).

Something else to consider (which you guys do well actually) is the timing of the emails. If you have an offer for a game that starts at 8pm, don't send it over at 5pm the same day. Likewise if you have a longer running promo that starts on Monday, don't tell us about it on Monday afternoon.

I think 48+ hours is ideal, but 24 hours notice is fine for most things. Anything less than that and it's a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not it gets covered.

I agree with this, offers that are confirmed the same day as an event, let's say football can promoting it almost pointless.

Offer confirmed at 3.pm.
Promotion work finished by 4pm.
People finish work around 5pm.
Fixture at 8pm.

That leaves a 3/4 hour window for it to be effective.

**ocreditor** · 4 February 2014, 11:39 am

Emails 100% !

**justbookies** · 4 February 2014, 2:01 pm

Must be email.
Yes, as Hodgey says, dump the sales crap and stick to the point. Less is more.

**webanalysissolutions** · 4 February 2014, 3:14 pm

Better to get me directly on Skype or phone if you want an offer put up on the sites. Far too often we receive emails about some great offer that expires at 3pm on a Saturday and we don't get the email through until 11am on the Saturday.

**DanHorvat** · 4 February 2014, 3:19 pm

E-mail newsletters, but only if you know my name and sometimes send personal e-mails. Otherwise it's just an ad and I don't care.

**Tony** · 4 February 2014, 3:37 pm

Email but please not the lost minute

**Doolally** · 7 February 2014, 2:42 pm

Just write your latest promotions, etc, on the back of a £50 note and post it to me.

**Scampi** · 7 February 2014, 3:02 pm

I like Doolally's idea

but also Skype or email from brands that I'm advertising is fine. I wouldn't be too impressed with an SMS to be honest.

**universal4** · 7 February 2014, 3:05 pm

I vote Doolally's answer to be one of the bestest.....

Rick
Universal4

**Dean_Leyland** · 8 February 2014, 12:34 pm

Originally Posted by Doolally

Just write your latest promotions, etc, on the back of a £50 note and post it to me.

Meh, we could t afford the 50p postage to send things in the mail

**offyourface** · 8 February 2014, 1:51 pm

Emails are great and all, but if it's really important I think it should be posted on the site as soon as I log in. I've always wondered why programs don't do this, a simple pop up or alert box that says hey "read me I am very important". Very simple to do.

I've dropped programs in the past because I was not aware of major changes such as links needing to be changed or similar. Emails sometimes dont' get through and who wants to live on forums to be kept up to date on everything? We all check our stats at least montly, so then it's on us if anything gets missed.

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