As Dialaphone are one of the few retailers to sell the Blackberry Storm we've decided to give a little extra commission on it this month - every successful Blackberry Storm order placed in November will be credited with an extra £10 on validation.
Can you believe it? Are you listening Carphone Warehouse? This is how you promote a new product, you don't tell affiliates to sod off as you don't want their sales. Instead you offer a bonus for every sale to incentivise affiliates to push your programme. Original eh? Not only do Dialaphone increase commission but they also make it really easy for us to promote them and follow some of my golden rules. First of all they offer creative to support this new product/offer. It may sound like such an obvious idea but there is many a time I get an email from a merchant to tell me about a super duper offer/promotion/product/event only to find no creative at all to support it. Dialaphone get this right and have released 4 banners promoting the Blackberry Storm. See below for example.Well done Dialaphone – Affiliate communication done well
It's coming up to the busiest time of the year when some misguided retailers decide to lower or drop commission altogether on best selling products because they don't think they need affiliates as certain in-demand products will sell very well on their own at this time of year, thanks very much.
So, what a breath of fresh air when I got an email today from Dialaphone who - now get this - are actually increasing commission on one of the most anticipated mobile phones of the year. I am of course talking about the Blackberry Storm. Here's part of the email that I had to re-read 3 times in case I had got it wrong.
What's even better is that Dialaphone have not one but two separate landing pages for the new phone. Giving us different angles to promote it. Brilliant. Wait though, I'm not finished yet. There was also 2 customised affiliate links for both of these pages included in the email. I didn't have to log in anywhere and create my own, I just copied them straight from the email. Believe me, when you're bombarded with literally hundreds of emails a day, the merchants and networks who make it easy for we affiliates to promote them, are the ones we will push.
I'm sure that there are another couple of merchants promoting the Blackberry Storm, but guess what? I can't remember who they are. But the Dialaphone offer has made an impression. So much so I featured it on discount code site here. I did it as soon as I got the email in fact.
I get a few merchants asking me how they can be effective and break through the noise to reach affiliates. Well here's a perfect example which I will point them to in future. Credit also to Affiliate Window, who manage the Dialaphone programme and who sent the email.
What almost beggars belief is that the Blackberry Storm is ONLY available on the Vodafone network here in the UK. However the Vodafone affiliate programme (on Affiliate Window and DGM) has no mention of the phone anywhere in their affiliate communications. No emails have gone out, other than to say it will be released on the 14th November. There are no incentives for pre-selling it, no text links to promote it and no creative either. Talk about missed opportunity.
What I'm listening to right now: Prince - "Scarlet Pussy"
11 Responses to Well done Dialaphone – Affiliate communication done well
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Great example of how to get in there before the big boys. I hope they do well. In my book effort in should equal effort out. Hopefully affiliates will pick up on this and support dialaphone.
What do you think about Dialaphone not paying any affiliate commissions until 15th November, announced about a week ago?
I think they may have cash flow issues, not too keen on jumping on the bandwagon to be honest. How can you ask affiliates to push a promotion like this so soon after telling them all they have to wait an extra 2 weeks for payment?
Also – the Storm will be out on Orange and O2 early next year.
Hi Kieron,
I manage the Vodafone affiliate programme at Affiliate Window and I found your post very interesting.
With regards to the comments above on the release of the Blackberry Storm there is a new post on our offers blog. http://offers.affiliatewindow.com/?p=1423
This should hopefully have all the links that you need, creative will be available closer to launch.
If you or any other reader of this thread needs any further information about the Vodafone programme, please feel free to contact me directly.
Eva
Email & MSN: eva.bowring@affiliatewindow.com
Hi Bob,
the email means the payment of commissions On the Storm Mobile phone. As its available on pre order, this means we cannot validate any sales until the phones are delivered to customers. Which is what is stated on the email.
the extra £10 commission will be added manually once the sales have been validated.
So basically all sales for the black berry storm will be validated 14 days after it has been launched
Any queries feel free to contact me,
Best regards,
Andrew Chung
andrew.chung@affiliatewindow.com
Bob
Pray tell how you know that this will be coming to Orange and O2?
I have spoken to RIM and they confirmed the technology around the touch screen is actually owned/licensed by Vodafone.
I’d be very surprised if you see this on anything other than Vodafone.
Nice one
Cyril
Ok..Looks like they are trying to sell the Storm very hard. Good incentive for affiliates, though.
Everyone I know working for Vodafone (50+ people) have said it is exclusive to Vodafone.
Dialaphone sure is sending a clear message by providing said commission. It is one thing to say that one will run a similar deal, but to actually do it in a period of time that could be harder on some companies is a risk that is noticed by many.
There’s already evidence that it’s coming to networks outside of Vodafone if you know where to look (like maybe a retailer that doesn’t deal with Vodafone and has multiple online storefronts)…
I like the concept, but having played with one am perfectly happy with me iPhone. The Storm has no Wifi. No Wifi. In 2008. On a prosumer-oriented touchscreen smartphone aimed squarely at the iPhone. No Wifi. HSDPA is great and all, but in my house, office, friend’s houses and anywhere covered by Cloud I have superior internet coverage through a 14p chipset and an ickle antenna. Ever tried using iPlayer over EDGE?
I found your posting was really interesting. It is good one from the Dialaphone side for the Affiliates paying them with extra commission. I am sure that affiliates would have made up their minds and started with this already.
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