Our Process
Over the years, we have developed a specific process that we have found helps ensure success. We view our clients as partners and as such engage them in every phase from Discovery to Maturity of their affiliate marketing program. Following is a bit more detail on how we work with each client and the process of developing, launching and managing their affiliate program.
Discovery
Becoming a client of GIS affords you a comprehensive, turn-key management team that works as an extension of your marketing team. We work closely with marketing executives to maximize the outcome of affiliate marketing.
To that end, we must understand the business. This ongoing process starts with an in-depth discovery meeting.
What to Expect?
The discovery phase is intended to educate the GIS team on your business, your product, your KPI benchmarks, and much more. For GIS to be successful, we must understand and have knowledge about the brand and offerings.
A Q&A session is led by Kirk Pagenkopf. Kirk’s 32 years of marketing experience encompassing most facets of the business allows GIS to ask, listen and learn.
Perhaps most importantly, a comprehensive understanding of the sports, lifestyle, and EDC industries is critical to this process.
Platform Selection
Based on the Discovery meeting, GIS will make recommendations on the various platforms best suited for your business. Once a platform has been determined, GIS will work with the brand marketing and technology teams to integrate the platform and upload the platform with all necessary information and materials.
Based on the Discovery meeting, GIS will make recommendations on the various platforms best suited for your business.
Once a platform has been determined, GIS will work with the brand marketing and technology teams to integrate the platform and upload the platform with all necessary information and materials.
The brand and the platform will execute a separate agreement and all associated costs for the platform are the responsibility of the brand. The brand owns the license and appoints GIS as the agency of record and allows GIS admin access. As a GIS client, you benefit from an agency discount on the cost of the license fee.
What to Expect?
Platform selection and integration takes 2 – 4 weeks depending on the e-commerce cart installed on the brand website.
Parallel tasks of technical integration and uploading marketing materials, developing agreements, commission rates, and other information is accomplished during this time.
Once compete, we will do a test transaction and are ready to launch the program.
Launch Strategy
GIS works with more than 600 affiliates and each affiliate will receive a “Brand Launch Program” detailing the specifics. The goal is to recruit affiliates as soon as possible and get them actively engaged in promotion of the brand.
What to Expect?
There are several components to each launch:
- Dedicated Email to all targeted affiliates
- Personal emails to selected targeted affiliates
- Personal phone calls to major affiliates
What to Expect?
There are several components to each launch:
- Dedicated Email to all targeted affiliates
- Personal emails to selected targeted affiliates
- Personal phone calls to major affiliates
– Dedicated Email to all targeted affiliates
– Personal emails to selected targeted affiliates
– Personal phone calls to major affiliates
Simultaneously we will work with the brand on their marketing and promotional calendar and discuss the various channels available through affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Recruitment
Affiliate Recruitment
Post launch, GIS continues to actively identify and recruit affiliate marketing partners.
The vetting process is perhaps the most important of this ongoing process.
Post launch, GIS continues to actively identify and recruit affiliate marketing partners.
The vetting process is perhaps the most important of this ongoing process. We dig deep into each affiliate applicant, visit their websites, read their blogs, watch their videos and review their content.
We only accept applications from qualified affiliate marketers that align with the brands we represent.
Post Launch Strategy
Next Steps?
Let’s have a conversation about how GIS can help you grow your direct-to-consumer business using affiliate marketing.