affiliate-marketing

# Affiliate Marketing Build and scale SaaS affiliate programs that drive 20-50% of customer acquisition at 30-50% lower CAC. ## Quick Start 1. **Define Program** → Choose commission model matching business stage 2. **Select Platform** → Pick tool based on scale and integration needs 3. **Recruit Partners** → Identify KOL/KOC aligned with ICP 4. **Prevent Fraud** → Implement multi-layer protection 5. **Scale & Optimize** → Track KPIs, iterate on performance ## Commission Models | Model | Best For | Rate | Cookie | |-------|----------|------|--------| | Recurring | SaaS subscriptions | 20-30% | 90 days | | One-time | High-ticket products | $50-200 | 60 days | | Tiered | Scaling programs | 20→40% | 90 days | | Hybrid | Top affiliates | Base + % | 120 days | ## Platform Quick Reference | Platform | Best For | Price | Setup | |----------|----------|-------|-------| | FirstPromoter | Early-stage SaaS | $49/mo | 1 hour | | Rewardful | Stripe-first | $29/mo | 30 min | | PartnerStack | Enterprise | $500+/mo | 1 week | | Impact.com | Large scale | Custom | 2 weeks | ## Key Metrics - **Conversion Rate:** Target 3-5% - **EPC (Earnings/Click):** $5-50 for SaaS - **CAC via Affiliate:** 30-50% lower than paid - **Affiliate Retention:** Target >70% - **Program ROI:** 3:1 to 5:1 typical ## References ### Strategy & Design - [Program Structure](references/program-structure.md) - Commission models, tiering, cookie windows - [Platform Selection](references/platform-selection.md) - FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack vs Rewardful ### Partner Recruitment - [KOL/KOC Partnerships](references/kol-koc-partnerships.md) - Influencer identification, vetting, compensation - [Outreach Templates](references/outreach-templates.md) - Cold emails, proposals, onboarding ### Operations - [Fraud Prevention](references/fraud-prevention.md) - Detection, clawbacks, risk management - [Compliance & Legal](references/compliance-legal.md) - FTC disclosure, GDPR, contracts - [Case Studies](references/case-studies.md) - Dropbox, PayPal, Shopify, ConvertKit ## Decision Tree ``` GOAL → STRATEGY ├─ Launch Program → FirstPromoter + 25% recurring + 10-20 affiliates ├─ Scale Revenue → Tiered commissions + content creators + KOC focus ├─ Enterprise → PartnerStack + agency partners + hybrid compensation ├─ Reduce Fraud → 90-day holds + vetting + clawback policies └─ Optimize ROI → Track EPC + CLV attribution + retention bonuses ``` ## Quick Wins 1. **Two-sided rewards** - Both referrer AND referee get incentives (68% higher participation) 2. **90-day cookie** - Industry standard for B2B SaaS sales cycles 3. **Recurring commission** - Aligns affiliate motivation with customer retention 4. **Commission holds** - 60-90 days matching refund window prevents fraud 5. **Tier advancement** - 20%→30%→40% based on performance ## Report Output **Activate:** `assets-organizing` skill for report file paths Affiliate reports go to `assets/reports/performance/{date}-affiliate-program.md` ## Anti-Patterns | Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | Low participation | Increase commission to 25-30% | | High fraud rate | Implement 90-day hold + vetting | | Inactive affiliates | Monthly check-ins + content support | | Brand bidding | Explicit TOS prohibition + monitoring | | Poor conversion | Provide better landing pages + training |