TIPS ON: Setting up a qualifying system to screen out tire kickers?

Hi all,

I read Mikes quote below about setting up this kind of screening system below and was eager to find out how everyone deals with this situation.

I've had interested people get a review copies from me in the past only to have nothing happen, except maintaining long term relationships.

So how does everyone screen the tire kickers from the valuable potential affiliates?

Thanks,

Justin


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Quote:

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I've recommended for some time that you keep review comps out of your initial promotions ... it may attract more partners ... but not all the right ones. Set up a qualifying system to screen out tire kickers and suspect types.

Best,

Mike

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Hey, Justin.

Taking for granted you know my rule of contacting every single JV prospect, personally, prior to pre launch, to help form your core group, and qualify those who will or won't verify they intend on following through, while eliminating as many tire kickers and collectors of bright shiny objects as possible in the process ...

What I recommend doing, assuming you don't recognize the name, is asking how they intend on promoting, a link to their home page or latest/most popular product, and then I search Google and/or Alexa for results. If that doesn't reveal enough to satisfy me ... and they want a review comp, I ask them which past launches they've had success with ... by name, and performance. I then simply go back to the merchant at that point and have them check their sales logs.

Also ... please remember that there are a lot of launches out there ... add that to the daily responsibilities of operating an Online Business, and it becomes a no brainer that you have to grab hold of your JV partners attention ... keep them fully notified and on course at times intervals, and make promoting as brain dead simple as you possibly can ... don't make them jump through hoops to find the affiliate area, copy, links, and other creatives ... append them into the emails as often as possible ... or at least have a link in every JV mailing and sale notification to a page or blog where all is accessible.

Still not promoting? Send them an email the likes of ... "Bob, I'm a little concerned that you haven't been getting the JV notifications ... if there is anything at all you need from me to make this work for you, please get back to me. Things are going great, and I wouldn't want you ... or your list, to miss out ..."

Once you taken the time to qualify everyone, you should have a much better idea of who will make up your core group, who will at least promote ... and who you won't be depending on. It's a lot better than going into things blind, and then complaining at the end of the launch that nobody promoted. ;)

Best,

Mike

In addition, you'll notice that many established JV/affiliate programs actually include required fields on their registration page that actually ask you to explain how you intend on promoting, in addition to emailing list size and other qualifiers. Though it may not deter the truly insistent wannabe, your average Joe and Jane tire kicker probably wouldn't bother venturing past that point.

Best,

Mike

Hey Justin,

I recommend calling them before actually sending them anything. It is cheap to send out stuff, but you don't want to just be giving your product to people who don't plan to help you in return.

It seems the best you can do is a verbal agreement, unless you live in the same city, then take the fight to their house.

Just kidding buddy, you could ask for a pic of their list size, but that can be forged. Videos are a bit complicated to make just to prove a list size, plus you're not guaranteed that they would still promote your product.

I think maybe if you get a verbal agreement, then they back out, you could post something on here about that. I am sure the person would not make that mistake again. Of course you should call them to see if they can explain themselves first, you shouldn't judge too quickly because there may have been unforseen circumstances.

Best of luck and I hope this helped.

Sylvan Noel

Thanks for all the help Mike and Sylvan!

It's hard to digest all these IM tidbits and so easy to forget what you've seen as you look through thousands of pages over time.

These were great suggestions and I forgot all about those required fields asking for details on how you would promte the product.

Mike - I totally appreciate the depth to which you went ahead and mined out all those little gems :)

Thanks again!