If you operate an affiliate program, you should be in close contact with your affiliates. It is they who help you generate sales. In some instances, they are the backbone of your company. Their ability to advertise and sell your products is what leads to increased sales. These sales, in turn, increase your profits. That is why good support and help is advised, but how do you get it? With an online message forum.

As nice as it is to hear that you can and should setup an online message forum, otherwise known as a message board, for your affiliates, why? What are the benefits? Continue reading on to find out.

1 – Your Affiliates Can Help Each Other

What is nice about online message boards is that internet users are able to communicate with each other. Some post a question, suggestion, or a complaint and others can read it. Not only that, but they can respond with an answer. If you do not have the time to answer questions from new affiliates, an online message board is your best option. You created an online community. Your affiliates will help each other.

2 – It Shows You Are Interested In What They Have to Say

Often times, affiliates feel ignored. They post a question or make a suggestion to the affiliate manager and never hear a response back. This is not what you want. In fact, it may cause affiliates to leave the program. No one wants to wait days or never get a response. Having a message board for members, especially one that you visit on occasion, shows that you care about your affiliates. You are truly interested in what they have to say.

3 – Online Message Boards Are Easy to Setup

When it comes to operating an online message board, you have many options. The easiest is to head online and search for a software program. You purchase a program and upload the message board format to your website. Most cost less than $100 a year. A few clicks of the mouse here and there and you should be ready to go. It is very easy to setup a message board. In fact, if you can operate a functioning affiliate program, setting up a message board will be a walk in the park. Just make sure your forum settings are set to private and require membership to keep only your affiliates inside.

4 – They Limit Your Work

As previously stated, you should visit your online message board on occasion. Answer lingering questions affiliates have or join in on discussions that have no responses. With that said, only 10 minutes a day is enough. Moreover, since your affiliates are able to provide each other with help and support, it leaves fewer questions for you to answer by phone or email. It significantly reduces the time and money spend on training or helping new affiliates.

5 – You Can Sticky Posts

Most online forums have posts that stay at the top of the page; these are known as “Sticky,” posts. You can create your own. Use these messages to help new affiliates. Have posts that show affiliates how to navigate the website, get links, and share moneymaking tips. Better yet, create a post just for frequently asked questions. Take the most common questions you are asked and answer them. New affiliates can visit the frequently asked questions section and find the answers to most of their problems, without needing to contact you.