Posted by Karen Noonan, July 14, 2010

As the affiliate manager for the RevResponse partner network, it is my job to inspire our publishers to promote our offers. I give guidance, answer questions, design new tools, and hand-hold as many of our affiliates get started with the network. But, being available isn’t always enough. I have learned that motivating affiliates is an art form, and one that requires some creativity.

Just as I try to encourage our partners to be creative with their promotional tactics, I need to follow my own advice and be creative when it comes to communicating that message.

That’s why RevResponse tries to run clever contests to encourage out-of-the-box promotions and increased numbers from our partners. We always pay out well, but a little competition between affiliates often gives that extra nudge we like to see.

The question is, what prizes and incentives nudge the most affiliates? That’s where you chime in! We have seen great results when rewards include iPads, beer tenders, espresso machines, and mini PCs. The results are surprisingly smaller when our prizes are just cash or gift cards.

What do you think? What is the best affiliate contest you’ve heard of?