Affiliate program managers are highly specialised professionals who oversee affiliate programs for brands, businesses and merchants. They have a multitude of responsibilities and have to juggle numerous tasks at once, which means there are several essential affiliate program management skills that are prerequisites for people wanting to enter the industry in the Affiliate Manager role.
In this guide, we list five of these key affiliate program management skills. You can look over this list to see what skills you share and to work out whether you need to brush up on any of your current abilities when looking to transition into the industry:
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Strong Communication Skills
One of the most important skills that all affiliate program managers must have is clear and concise communication. You will spend your day speaking to affiliates, partners, brands and businesses, often acting as the middleman between these parties to negotiate deals and resolve issues. These may also be across different geographic regions and different languages, too – so being able to communicate and build relationships effectively is a must!
You need to be calm and confident, with an excellent phone manner and impeccable writing skills. Whether you are in a physical meeting, making a phone call or sending an email, you must be able to convey your message clearly and concisely. Good communication skills are vital in any role, but particularly for affiliate program managers.
2. Excellent Organisation and Time Management Skills
Next on our list of essential affiliate program management skills is the ability to remain organised and manage your time efficiently. Modern affiliate programs can be sprawling and extensive, made up of lots of partners and connected individuals. You need to have fantastic organisation skills to keep on top of all of their needs, your own objectives and KPI’s for the business you’re employed at, too.
You need to be able to segment tasks and projects, establish defined goals and objectives and draw up detailed roadmaps and plans of action. Staying organised will ensure your program runs smoothly and achieves its targets and outcomes.
3. Strong Technical Skills
Affiliate program managers also need to be technically savvy if they want to perform well in their roles. Understanding tracking, attribution, setting up post backs and understanding all the other technical aspects of how their affiliate platform is working is an important part of this role.
Affiliate platforms and portals use cutting-edge technology, allowing users to log in to their own personal dashboards where they can access materials and performance insights. As a manager, you need to know how these platforms work and how to rectify issues should they occur. If an affiliate has a technical problem, you’re going to be their first port of call, to triage it – so you must have the technical knowledge and experience to support them and help their campaigns deliver without any technical issues.
4. Broad Digital Marketing Knowledge
The next entry on our list of essential affiliate program marketing skills is marketing knowledge. This might sound obvious, but its importance cannot be overstated. Marketing is a constantly evolving industry, you need to be on top of the latest tools, techniques and technologies if you want to stay on top of the game.
Read the latest marketing news sites and keep up-to-date through groups and social media channels on what’s trending and may be relevant for your partners or yourself. This way, you’ll be able to keep your finger on the pulse and stay up-to-date with the latest in the marketing world. You can use what you learn through this process to optimise your program and ensure you are hitting your targets.
5. Broad strokes – Industry Insight
Last up on our list is industry insight. This might sound similar to marketing knowledge, but there are some important differences. Your program may be focused on a particular niche or sector, the tech or beauty industries for example. If so, the more you know about your particular sector, the better placed you’ll be to advise and guide affiliates to maximise their campaigns. Understanding what’s happening in your own vertical is paramount to your success, but looking wider can help you leapfrog the competition and also stay ahead of the curve.
Conclusion
If you’re exploring a career in the affiliate marketing world or if you’re a program manager looking to up your game, use this list to learn about the key skills all program managers must have.
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JOIN US AT AMLeaders – Discover the Secrets of Successful Affiliate Program Management
Alternatively you can come join us at AMLeaders – the only in person training event for Affiliate Program Managers taking place in London ahead of PILive Europe on the 23 October. We’ll be bringing you all the best insights, news, and real life tactics with some of the most experienced Affiliate Program Managers to help you discover the secret of successful affiliate marketing.
Get your ticket for just £399+vat – before it’s too late!
