Hey
Welcome to Freddy’s Fast Five. Each week, I share five quick reads to help you scale your affiliate program.
This issue is based on a live problem we are solving for an 8-figure brand.
Let’s jump into this week’s deep dive.
Deep Dive: 3 fixes to scale a program to 6-figures
We onboarded an 8-figure supplement brand recently.
They couldn’t scale beyond $22K/month, despite 100+ case studies and a strong paid ads team.
While reviewing with my Sr. Partner Manager, we noticed something:
The program was growing. Sign-ups looked fine. However, the top affiliates, the heavy hitters with large audiences and strong trust, remained quiet. Within 60–90 days, they stopped promoting.
I asked the CMO:
“What did you do about it? You’ve faced this since March. What’s been the plan?”
He said:
“I don’t know, Fred. We stopped focusing on affiliates and doubled down on paid ads. Maybe our offer isn’t good enough, or affiliates don’t trust our brand?”
But the truth?
Top affiliates just get bored.
They’ve already promoted the offer to their list, and their emails and swipe copy have run their course. Without a reason to stick, they move on…to new offers, new brands, and new perks.
That’s exactly what our client faced.
We audited their program and found 4 probable reasons.
Here’s how we’re fixing them:
1. Same offer, no new angles
Affiliates trade in attention. Repeating the same offer loses punch.
We’re creating fresh positioning:
“Why [product] is the #1 hack”
Behind-the-scenes stories
Case studies and testimonials
New narratives keep promotions sounding fresh.
2. No new campaigns to excite them
Logging in to the same dashboard with the same old assets gets stale.
We’re adding quarterly promotions, seasonal campaigns, bundle deals, and product upgrades. All under the same program, but always fresh.
3. They don’t feel special
If everyone’s treated the same, top affiliates feel invisible.
So we built a VIP tier, offering:
- Early access to offers
- Custom-branded landing pages
- A direct Slack channel with the manager
This turns affiliates into partners, not just promoters.
The Psychology Fix
Affiliate relationships aren’t just transactional. Affiliates crave recognition and importance. If you don’t provide it, someone else will.
We’re implementing 4 levers:
1. VIP treatment – Personal calls, surprise gifts, public recognition.
2. Exclusive offers – Top affiliates test funnels first, gaining bragging rights.
3. Higher commissions – Performance tiers: the more they sell, the more they earn.
4. Direct communication – Open channels via Slack, WhatsApp, or monthly Zoom.
Your roadmap
If you run an affiliate program, do this now:
A. Audit your top 10 affiliates.
B. Create one new angle this month.
C. Identify your VIPs.
D. Give your top performers something nobody else has.
E. Add a personal touch. Send a thank-you note or video.
Because beyond metrics and tracking, what matters is the motivation of your top 5%.
If they don’t feel valued, no landing page or visual will save your program.
That’s what we’re fixing for this client. Their top affiliates are now re-engaged, excited, and back to driving sales that move the needle.
As we keep scaling, I’ll share more details.
Affiliate Spotlight:
Who they are & why it works
Editorial review site with strong US traffic and mattress/bedding intent. Their comparison guides and coupon roundups consistently convert last-click buyers.
Performance & best fit
8.2% CVR on review pages, EPC 1.35 (last 30 days). Best suited for sleep, relaxation, and weighted blanket offers ($80–$400 AOV).
Deal terms:
Rev. share from 8% with tiered bonuses for volume.
How to partner
Reply to this email for a Q4 intro.
Content Resource of the week:
Let me share a couple of my favourite content pieces to improve your affiliate marketing strategy and overall business.
Brand Spotlight:
Who they are & why it works
Premium weighted blankets and sleep accessories with a strong content moat. Their evergreen sleep angles perform well across SEO and review placements.
Performance & best fit
The affiliate channel grew double digits month-over-month with rising EPC. Best fit for wellness/sleep affiliates, gift guides, and quality coupon aggregators.
How to partner
Reply for sample links, assets, and custom codes. Deal terms: competitive rev share with Q4 activation bonuses.
Your question & my answer:
“I’ve used affiliate marketing successfully in supplements and nutrition, but my new D2C Rx brand feels different. The space is new and unproven, and with GLP-1 and longevity offers dominating, I’m unsure if affiliates will even test it. Should I invest in affiliates now or is it too early?”
In Rx and telehealth, the main challenge isn’t recruiting affiliates; it’s conversion. With CPAs at $300–$400+ per customer, affiliates won’t risk traffic unless your funnel is already proven. The best move is to focus first on tightening your funnel and boosting conversion rates so you can compete. Once that foundation is strong, affiliates will line up to promote you.
Affiliates don’t create momentum; they multiply it.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s issue.
If you have any questions to ask, want to promote your brand/ offer, or want me to introduce you to any of our partners, feel free to reply to this email.
I read every reply. Would love to help you in any way that’s possible.
Thank you for reading till the end.
Talk soon,
Fred