Affiliate Executive: How To Hire An Affiliate Executive For Your Agency

Affiliate Executives are doers; more often than not they are the ones responsible for running affiliate marketing campaigns, executing strategy and actioning insight. It is the Affiliate Executive's abilities and decisions that will ultimately dictate the success or failure of a client's affiliate program. So how do you go about finding these little marketing gems?

In this section of our Digital Marketing Recruitment Guide, Calum Lewis, Client Services Director at R.O.EYE, reveals what he looks for when hiring Affiliate Executives for an agency.

Having worked in affiliate marketing for most of my career, it's fair to say that I have interviewed my share of would be affiliate marketers. When interviewing at the executive level I tend to stick to one core truth: employ character, develop talent.

Now, of course, this catchy little mantra can be applied to many different business hires, but I feel that it is particularly relevant at the executive level. It is likely that the candidate will have limited work experience, therefore their character is crucial to ascertaining their suitability. So what type of character should you be looking for in a perspective Affiliate Executive?

1. Always Learning

Affiliate marketing is one of the most dynamic channels available to marketers. The diverse split of marketing methods and the resourcefulness of affiliates means that Affiliate Executives need an agile and hungry mind. A desire to learn, whilst having a willingness to grow is in my opinion, one of the most important character traits to be successful in affiliate marketing.

2. Persuasive

Affiliate marketing like any other marketing channel is designed to sell products and to make money. A persuasive nature is crucial; after all, the core purpose of their role is often to persuade an affiliate to promote their client over a competitor. At times this can be a very tricky conversation to have and a candidate who is able to talk to people and convince them to take action will always be successful.

3. Personable

Affiliate marketing is a very people-centric industry, the ability to interact and build relationships is absolutely crucial to the role. A great personality will also help the candidate navigate their way through the 'social' side of the affiliate industry. 

As an employer, I am always impressed if I can find a candidate with these three core character traits because I know that they have the right character to develop their talent.

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