I've watched this play out dozens of times.

A brand launches an affiliate program with excitement. They invest resources, time, and energy upfront. A few affiliates join. Revenue starts to trickle in.

Then it stalls.

Here's the cycle we see all the time:

The program is handed off to someone in marketing who is already handling five other jobs: SEO, ads, CRO, email, and content, among others.

Affiliate recruitment isn't their main focus. It becomes the thing they'll "get to when there's time."

And without consistent outreach, the pipeline dries up.

Most brands make two critical mistakes:

1. They stop recruiting new affiliates after the initial launch push.

2. They only focus on managing the few partners already active.

The result: No new partners. No new traffic. No new revenue.

Yes, managing your active affiliates matters. You need to support them, optimize commissions, and keep them engaged.

But recruitment must stay consistent.

Daily. Weekly. Monthly. Quarterly.

Just like sales, if you stop filling the top of the funnel, growth stops. Period.

→ Commit to outreach every single week

→ Systemize recruitment like it's a real growth channel (because it is)

→ Outsource it if you don't have the bandwidth internally

Affiliate programs only scale when treated like a performance channel. Not a side project. Not a one-and-done task.

The brands that are crushing it with affiliates right now….They never stopped recruiting. They built systems. They stayed consistent. And their revenue kept climbing.

If you want your affiliate program to grow beyond that 90-day plateau, you can't afford to stop filling your pipeline.

Never stop recruiting.

If you want, I can share exactly how we recruit affiliates to scale a DTC brand. Book a free strategy call here and let’s talk.

Now, let me quickly introduce a brand that’s crushing its affiliate marketing campaign.

DudeRobe performs exceptionally well during gift-giving periods, especially during Q4 holidays, Father’s Day, and other special occasions. The brand consistently converts in high-visibility gift guide placements and listicles, making it an ideal offer to push during peak shopping months.

With endorsements and visibility from MMA fighters, UFC athletes, basketball players, and other lifestyle figures, DudeRobe has strong social credibility. This recognition boosts engagement across both organic and paid placements.

AOV of $120, conversion rate of 3.5%, and EPC of $2.50 position DudeRobe among top-performing apparel offers. It converts equally well with men aged 30–60 and women aged 35–60 purchasing for partners or family members.

DudeRobe is live on Impact with seamless tracking and fast partner approvals.
Affiliates gain access to pre-approved copy, ad templates, suppression files, and campaign guidelines.

To explore partnership opportunities or top-performing SKUs, reply to this email to connect with Dude Robe.

Thanks is a customer-first ad network that transforms post-purchase moments into scalable, high-intent acquisition.

It integrates into checkout and app flows, enabling precisely targeted, native offers that reward customers without disrupting their experience.

Every placement is opt-in, contextually relevant, and designed to feel beautiful—turning advertising into a moment of delight.

2.8X higher engagement than post-checkout competitors.

6X higher engagement than standard display ads.

71% of shoppers see Thanks as a great reward for their purchase.

60% of US consumers prefer Thanks at checkout over other networks.

75% are more likely to make repeat purchases after experiencing Thanks.

Best suited for consumer brands in eCommerce, BNPL, ticketing, subscriptions, financial services, and lifestyle categories.

Their network reaches customers with buying and reward-driven mindsets, making it ideal for brands focused on post-purchase engagement and repeat conversions.

Thanks offers sponsored reward placements, content integrations, and affiliate campaigns across high-performing checkout moments and partner apps.

You pay only for performance and conversions—no fixed contracts or minimum spends.

Creative is crafted and optimized by Thanks Studio to ensure your offer performs beautifully.

To explore campaign opportunities or Q4 placements, reply to this email to connect with Thanks.

“By rebuilding its affiliate infrastructure from the ground up. 

Instead of paying fixed CPAs that crushed margins, shift to a rev-share model tied to AOV. That will help you attract top media buyers. With dual tracking via Everflow and traditional networks, you can create a compliant, scalable system that can drive $50K+ MRR from affiliates alone.”

That’s it for this issue. If you want intros to any of our partners, reply today and I’ll connect you personally.

And if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask. 

I read all of the emails. (Even the spammy ones!:)

Thank you for reading till the end. 

Talk soon,

Fred