Welcome to The Affiliate Manager Weekly Strategist from Affiliate Classroom.

Each week, we discuss an affiliate management strategy and ask you for your input.

This week, our VP of Marketing and 10 year affiliate marketing veteran, Rachel Honoway talks about training affiliate managers.

THE DAY IT ALL CLICKED

– Rachel Honoway

From mid-2005 through 2006 I was given (okay, maybe I even volunteered for this!) the unique challenge of training a group of 7 affiliate marketing newbies - all at various stages of their professional careers - on managing affiliate programs for KowaBunga’s clients.

It was literally like having a second job.

The hardest part was coming up with the materials - there really wasn’t a complete, overall course on affiliate marketing. I had to make it all up as I went along.

My poor staff! In the interest of time, most of the training consisted of all of us coming in early and sitting in a room together while I droned on about recruitment, communication, reporting and so on.

I could see that my staff was making progress and little by little they were understanding and applying more.

Then one day, it all clicked.

That day was Wednesday, January 11, 2006. That was the day that Affiliate Classroom (my new home!) hosted their first Affiliate Manager Workshop.

4 of new members attended the 1-day bootcamp in Las Vegas and came back better prepared and more motivated than I could have ever imagined. Not only did the day help them connect the dots, it also gave them great ideas for trying new recruitment, communication and conversion techniques.

The impact that I saw that day make on my staff and my positive impression of Affiliate Classroom’s CEO Anik Singal, are what prompted me to come to work for the company.

Here, I was able to take what I had learned by going about training the hard way and take the time to create a serious, complete training course for affiliate managers.

Plus, I’ve been able to put on an Affiliate Manager Workshop of my own. We hosted that in February just before Affiliate Summit.

Today, I’m really excited about announcing the next Affiliate Manager Workshop. It will be the day before Affiliate Summit in Boston this August.

Join us for great ideas, new information and the ability to discuss affiliate management specific topics - or send your new affiliate managers, and we’ll make sure that they come back more prepared and motivated than you might expect!

http://www.affiliateclassroomlive.com

QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK

Have you trained affiliate managers in the past?

What did you use as part of your curriculum?
Join our discussions and post your answers and comments below

(Remember - participating in industry blogs can help with brand/program recognition and with recruiting affiliates!)

***********************
AFFILIATE RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY

Recruit affiliates at PPC Classroom LIVE in December:
http://www.ppcclassroomlive.com

***********************