What is the difference between a MOTIVATOR and a MANAGER?
I often get asked this question during our AMPP training program, so I thought I’d share a bit of insight on it in this week’s #AffiliateDriveTime. Check out the video and read the blog to get a better insight into the difference between these two roles.
So, what is the difference?
A manager is responsible for planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
A motivator is someone who can promote interest in or enthusiasm for something.
As an affiliate manager, you have a range of responsibilities that you need to deal with every day. Yes, you may be responsible for planning and organising strategies for the program itself, but do you really need to manage each individual affiliate?
Typically, an affiliate doesn’t need you to organise them, lead them or control them as they are already rather adept at running their own businesses and delivering to these internal goals and requirements already. Even the newest affiliate can pick up the skills required to run their business relatively quickly, requiring little management or control on your end.
For this reason, I believe that the role of an “affiliate manager” is really more about motivation.
Being a motivator
As an affiliate manager (or motivator), you should be leading the conversations and motivating your partners to deliver against the promotions, targets and key metrics that you need them to help you attain. Your role as the account manager needs to be centred around providing motivation to your partners about your products and services engaging them to be enthusiastic about the offering for their customers and thus increasing their efforts to promote your brand above anyone else’s.
You can do this through a number of different strategies but the best way to become a good motivator is to communicate. If you aren’t communicating effectively with affiliates in your program, they won’t feel motivated to get the job done. On the flip-side, if you are constantly controlling what they do – they will become demotivated and this can have a potential impact on sales.
What can you do better?
Have a think about how you can actively motivate your partners to promote you next week instead of trying to manage them to deliver. Use social media channels like LinkedIn or Clubhouse, engage with them and generally show your support.
You may be surprised at the results you get when you change your tactics and sales approach – I’d be keen to hear your thoughts about what changes when you do.
Don’t forget to join me on my Live Webinar this week where I’m talking about how to scale your affiliate program and make more sales! Bookmark the event here so that you don’t miss out.
You can email me HERE to let me know how you get on motivating your partners to help your program grow!
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