Identify
Common Goal (generate 3x more revenue month after month) +
Discover Common Interest + Establish bond + Build rapport=
Profitable, Long term relationships with your affiliate
partners. How do you build profitable, long term
relationships with your affiliate partners? Ernest
Bormann’s Symbolic Convergence Theory offers a
promising method of looking at interpersonal interaction and
achieving a common goal. The simplicity of the Symbolic
Convergence Theory can be applied to your affiliate partner
marketing methods for 2005.
https://www.lynxtrack.com/signup.php
Bormann's
main premise is the idea that common
interest with other individuals is a good beginning to
establish bonds and achieve a common goal.
Let’s say
that you have a new affiliate partner and have decided that
your common goal with this person is to grow the
relationship from a monetary perspective (ex. generate 3x
more revenue month after month) over the course of 6 months
to one year. If you would like a long term and mutually
beneficial relationship, the key is to build a rapport with
this person by asking questions, (discovering what their
hobbies are, where they are from, etc.) and finding common
ground, i.e one trait/interest that you have in common. From
this one common interest, you already have established a
bond, an instant connection. For example, during the holiday
season, upon my conversations with some of our partners who
had told me they were going on vacation, I always asked them
where they were going. The experience of travel to me is a
symbolic convergence- as I have found in my professional
life that every time the topic of travel/vacation comes up,
I have always discovered common ground with
clients/partners. From this common ground (whether it be
having traveled to the same countries, or having gone
through similar travel experiences), a bond is established.
From this bond, a relationship has started to build. And
from the relationship, comes the process of achieving the
common goal, working together to generate and increase
revenue month after month. Think about all the current
partners that you love to do business with. Aside from the
monetary aspect it is probably because you have developed a
rapport with this person and you enjoy talking to him/her.
So it’s
simple: Ask your partners questions, find a common interest,
establish that bond, build a relationship, and achieve your
common goal.
By
alerting affiliate marketers of the symbolic convergence
theory, it is possible to generate change due to what
the theory suggests. People may be more open-minded toward
others' attempts of "ice-breaking" conversation and begin
building profitable and satisfying relationships.
Elizabeth M.
Lloyd
Director, Partner Marketing
The YFDirect Trust Network
Elizabeth@yfdirect.com
