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As you know, Q4 is a HUGE quarter for retail brands. There’s Christmas, Singles Day, Halloween and of course Black Friday - all falling within a 3 month period. It’s an absolute delight for retail brands, but can quickly turn into a disaster if not planned right.
So, with Q4 quickly approaching... I thought I’d dedicate this newsletter to helping you get ready for it Affiliates edition - with a little help from our Head of Affiliates Rachel Said.
Here are 4 things you need to keep in mind when prepping to use affiliates in Q4:
As much as Q4 is a land of opportunity, it’s also an incredibly competitive period. There’s only so much to go around - especially when it comes to affiliate partners. So, if you know you’re gonna have a big offer, big launch or something you want to push - the earlier you plan that out the better.
It gets competitive QUICK and everything will be booked up - I promise you. So, think about when you want your push to be, think about the partners you want to work with and get agreements in place as soon as you possibly can!
As I say, there’s only so much to go around. So it’s vital you think about any partners you want to work with and recruit them as early in the quarter as possible. Most of our bookings are completed by August, so if you haven't started yet - you better get on it quick time!
Affiliates, similar to all of us, get VERY busy during this period. Some of them might have a freeze on onboarding a new partner or a long-onboarding queue. So, if you’re really keen to work with someone specific, don't hang around, you have to be early.
In the same way it’s competitive to get the exposure during Q4, it also means that exposure comes at a premium compared to other periods. You may also find partners slightly less flexible to do deals and offers due to the high demand. So when you are looking to find a partner make sure you budget right to ensure your target partner doesn’t slip through your fingers.
Yes, November and Black Friday is the big one, but don’t discount the rest of the quarter. There are a tonne of other touch points with customers throughout Q4 and you don’t want to let them slide. They can be anything from key shopping dates like singles day to gift guides that can happen a little bit earlier. Don’t just target one day, map out a strategy for the whole quarter.
Also, make sure to think about your key dates too. When is it likely going to be your last shipping date? Think about any big launches you’ve got and really plan the period around all those touch points a customer could potentially have with your brand.
That's alls the key points you need to keep in mind when getting ready to use affiliates in Q4. For those of you who are still on the fence about it, just go dip your toe in the water. Affiliate marketing is more accessible than ever and there are huge rewards for you when it's done right.
