How do I gain Affiliates for my new website

**OnTheWayUp** · 02-05-2009 04:48 PM

I just need some advice on how to gain affiliates to my site, which will be launched mid March.

Just a brief rundown: My site sells quality business cards, and affiliates make $10 per 1,000 business cards sold (they sell for $60.00), and the amount they make goes up with the quantity of business cards. I will also offer prizes for top affiliates, contests, etc. They would have all the tools to promote our cards, and they ALSO get their own business cards, with an affiliate id number on it (the customer receives 10% off their purchase for using the id when they pay).

The thing is, i don't know if this is a good idea, meaning I don't know if people would be interested in selling my business cards. They are the best priced cards on the net (no additional fees for additional options like the major sites), they are the best quality (16pt UV coated, basically water resistant), but is this something people would be interested in selling?

I actually have two ways of earning money -

1. sell our business cards through your site (you would get an affiliate id to add on at the end of the URL)
2. Earn money from designs you submit (think istockphoto, basically for designers - if someone chooses your design, you get paid $3.00)

Is this the type of thing affiliates would like? (I'm not an affiliate of anything)

Just looking for honest opinions. I think it's a good idea, but it would go to hell if no one is interested in selling the cards.

Sorry for the long post, but I need advice!

Also, is $10 per $60 a good profit for affiliates?

**CybFun.com** · 02-05-2009 04:56 PM

Go to Comission junction.

**OnTheWayUp** · 02-05-2009 04:58 PM

Is that all the advice you can give me? I posted a lot of questions, many of which i would need advice on before I went to commission junction.

**Gene** · 02-05-2009 04:58 PM

I like your idea, and it's something I might actually be interested in selling for you.

As for the commision rates, they seem to be about right.

**OnTheWayUp** · 02-05-2009 05:02 PM

About Commission Junction:

Thank you for your interest in Commission Junction. For your convenience, we have outlined our criteria for considering new advertisers, so that you can evaluate your business' compatibility with Commission Junction before taking the time to complete our request form.

* Selling online for at least 1 year
* Generate a minimum of $50,000 per month in online sales
* Already active in other forms of online advertising such as SEO, PPC or CPM
* Email program to remarket to your existing customers
* Site contains a secure shopping cart, a published return policy and guarantee, email communication confirming purchase and delivery of goods or services, and access to customer support
* Site contains no pop-ups on landing pages
* No template or blog sites
* Not an adult oriented, or gaming site
* Not a regional site that is only targeting a small market

The one's in bold i would not qualify for, since this is a new site. Any other ideas? Advice?

**OnTheWayUp** · 02-05-2009 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gene

I like your idea, and it's something I might actually be interested in selling for you.

As for the commision rates, they seem to be about right.

Thank you gene. I worked it at 16%, which is about normal for referral/affiliate sites. Basically, all the affiliate would have to do is promote the site, we would take care of the rest.

Any other ideas? Advice?

**Skipper** · 02-05-2009 05:37 PM

Aside from selling cards through a site or submitting graphics have you looked into Clickbank? You could come up with a "package" of business cards or a business promotion set that folks on clickbank could sell for you. Perhaps a monthly business card "club" or something along those lines. You could probably get some affiliates working for you pretty quickly. Just a thought. Good luck!

**OnTheWayUp** · 02-06-2009 09:26 AM

I don't have any experience with clickbank, guess i should look into it. Thanks for the idea.

**HarveyJ** · 02-09-2009 11:38 PM

Clickbank is actually a terrible idea for anything that's a physical product... Last time I checked, business cards exist as a physical product.

CJ aren't the best for people starting out a new business venture.
If you want someone else to handle it for you (which is probably a good idea if you don't have other staff) you can give Share A Sale or ClixGalore a go.
if you think you can handle it on your own, then get a script like Post Affiliate Pro or iDev Affiliate, tinker about with it for a month or so and get it working.

Just be aware that you're up against big names like VistaPrint, who have more variety as well as brand dominance. Affiliates will go for what ever's an easier sell in the end.

**Skipper** · 02-09-2009 11:58 PM

HarveyJ,
You're right about that. Last time I looked business cards were physical products as well. I guess was I was trying to get at was the idea of an online service or product, that could be marketed via clickbank, that he could work into sales of the business cards. Not really sure...was just a thought. I'm sure you've got a much better grasp on this stuff than I. Thanks.