Keeping affiliates up to date

[justbookies]

They have already paid by the way, so well done.

They haven't paid me.

[-Shay-]

They haven't paid me.

We were paid on the 24th by bank transfer from Joy of Bingo. Might be different by payment method?

[justbookies]

Same method.

UPDATE: Lol, I should've waited a couple of hours. Just appeared in my account.

[ocreditor]

Good point shay, but I do not think that the messaging system alone is enough.

What about affiliates that do not check stats daily?
What about affiliates that use stats remote?
What about affiliates that have taken a few days off that may return to find they did not get paid by a program that had been on time previously?

A number of scenarios could take place and an email explaining the situation can go a long way for notification.

Rick
Universal4

Your questions are relevant but (correct me if I'm wrong here) isn't the messaging system connected to emails?
So each time a message is loaded the affiliate is receiving an email with a copy of the message.

This is how messaging system should work, otherwise it's simply not useful as you very well explained with your scenarios.

[baldidiot]

Good point shay, but I do not think that the messaging system alone is enough.

What about affiliates that do not check stats daily?
What about affiliates that use stats remote?
What about affiliates that have taken a few days off that may return to find they did not get paid by a program that had been on time previously?

A number of scenarios could take place and an email explaining the situation can go a long way for notification.

Rick
Universal4

Don't forget about affiliates that do log in directly, but never notice the messages section

Personally I think an email is needed and some of those internal systems don't trigger an email when you get a message.

[PhilF (ex-WhichBingo)]

Dean

I agree with the email answer but let me throw a few other things in here for you to consider;

Think about when you send it - I DO NOT understand AMs that send news out at 5.00pm on a Friday. Usual response to getting it then? Hit the delete button. [Hello JoB!!]

The when is also important in relation to the event/promo itself - too early and it wont be newsworthy. Too late and it wont give us enough time to do it justice as a news story or to promote to our databases.

Think also about who you send it to. Larger affiliates may have one, two or three different contacts for different reasons. Personally we have editorial staff, marketing staff and advertising staff. We are not a 'one size fits all' recipient.

Again on the who - You know which affiliates make you most money (80:20 rule?). How about you recognise this by telling them before the rest. A 24 hours head start on a major promotion would be a) appreciated and b) recognised by the story/promotion being given added exposure by your key partners.

Keep the content relevant. As a bingo affiliate I really am not interested in your sports offer, or your casino offer or your poker offer. I know its easier to lump it all in one email and allow the affiliates to pick through for their relevant bit but it doesn't smack of 'personal client support' does it?

You could of course pop 10 minutes up the road and hand deliver it to your favourite local bingo affiliate along with coffee and biscuits (or a pizza...)

[Dean_Leyland]

Thanks for all of the great replies everyone.

Off the back of this, I am wanting to continue to understand the mind of an affiliate (god help me ) and so have put together this VERY quick survey for our affiliates to try and get an idea of what creative (banners, emails etc) are being used. It takes 90 secs at the most but the responses we have had so far are really helping to inform our decisions around what creative we offer to our affiliates.

If you wouldn't mind filling it in too that would be brilliant.

http://svy.mk/1f7zGbr

Thanks,

Dean

[NickyV]

@Dean,

maybe not really the right place about "Keeping affiliates up to date", BUT sometimes you should to answer on PM's here or on Skype to get some ppl. up2date.
Example of my question about SKY Bet xml odds feed, here about 3 weeks and on Skype 2 months and 1 year ago..

"No, we still don't have one" would be fine, like the answer i got about 2 years ago...

This post should be not an offense, so i wish you all a nice weekend!

[Troyyy]

Email is the way

[LottoRevenues.com]

Top affiliates should be on close 1:1 correspondence regardless of any email you send in bulk to your email.