---
name: affiliate-marketing
description: Build high-converting SaaS affiliate programs with 20-40% commissions, KOL/KOC partnerships, and fraud prevention. Covers platform selection (PartnerStack, FirstPromoter, Rewardful), commission structures (recurring vs one-time, tiered), influencer outreach strategies, FTC/GDPR compliance, risk management, and case studies (Dropbox 3900%, PayPal 100M users). Use for designing affiliate programs, recruiting partners, optimizing conversion rates, preventing fraud, or scaling referral revenue.
version: 1.0.0
---

# Affiliate Marketing

Build and scale SaaS affiliate programs that drive 20-50% of customer acquisition at 30-50% lower CAC.

## Quick Start

1. **Define Program** → Choose commission model matching business stage
2. **Select Platform** → Pick tool based on scale and integration needs
3. **Recruit Partners** → Identify KOL/KOC aligned with ICP
4. **Prevent Fraud** → Implement multi-layer protection
5. **Scale & Optimize** → Track KPIs, iterate on performance

## Commission Models

| Model | Best For | Rate | Cookie |
|-------|----------|------|--------|
| Recurring | SaaS subscriptions | 20-30% | 90 days |
| One-time | High-ticket products | $50-200 | 60 days |
| Tiered | Scaling programs | 20→40% | 90 days |
| Hybrid | Top affiliates | Base + % | 120 days |

## Platform Quick Reference

| Platform | Best For | Price | Setup |
|----------|----------|-------|-------|
| FirstPromoter | Early-stage SaaS | $49/mo | 1 hour |
| Rewardful | Stripe-first | $29/mo | 30 min |
| PartnerStack | Enterprise | $500+/mo | 1 week |
| Impact.com | Large scale | Custom | 2 weeks |

## Key Metrics

- **Conversion Rate:** Target 3-5%
- **EPC (Earnings/Click):** $5-50 for SaaS
- **CAC via Affiliate:** 30-50% lower than paid
- **Affiliate Retention:** Target >70%
- **Program ROI:** 3:1 to 5:1 typical

## References

### Strategy & Design
- [Program Structure](references/program-structure.md) - Commission models, tiering, cookie windows
- [Platform Selection](references/platform-selection.md) - FirstPromoter vs PartnerStack vs Rewardful

### Partner Recruitment
- [KOL/KOC Partnerships](references/kol-koc-partnerships.md) - Influencer identification, vetting, compensation
- [Outreach Templates](references/outreach-templates.md) - Cold emails, proposals, onboarding

### Operations
- [Fraud Prevention](references/fraud-prevention.md) - Detection, clawbacks, risk management
- [Compliance & Legal](references/compliance-legal.md) - FTC disclosure, GDPR, contracts
- [Case Studies](references/case-studies.md) - Dropbox, PayPal, Shopify, ConvertKit

## Decision Tree

```
GOAL → STRATEGY
├─ Launch Program → FirstPromoter + 25% recurring + 10-20 affiliates
├─ Scale Revenue → Tiered commissions + content creators + KOC focus
├─ Enterprise → PartnerStack + agency partners + hybrid compensation
├─ Reduce Fraud → 90-day holds + vetting + clawback policies
└─ Optimize ROI → Track EPC + CLV attribution + retention bonuses
```

## Quick Wins

1. **Two-sided rewards** - Both referrer AND referee get incentives (68% higher participation)
2. **90-day cookie** - Industry standard for B2B SaaS sales cycles
3. **Recurring commission** - Aligns affiliate motivation with customer retention
4. **Commission holds** - 60-90 days matching refund window prevents fraud
5. **Tier advancement** - 20%→30%→40% based on performance

## Report Output

**Activate:** `assets-organizing` skill for report file paths

Affiliate reports go to `assets/reports/performance/{date}-affiliate-program.md`

## Anti-Patterns

| Issue | Fix |
|-------|-----|
| Low participation | Increase commission to 25-30% |
| High fraud rate | Implement 90-day hold + vetting |
| Inactive affiliates | Monthly check-ins + content support |
| Brand bidding | Explicit TOS prohibition + monitoring |
| Poor conversion | Provide better landing pages + training |