The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More

How to Make Affiliate Webinars Convert Better 03.08.2026 50min

Affiliate webinars can bring in a flood of leads and still leave a lot of sales on the table. The difference usually comes down to what happens before, during, and after the webinar. In this episode, I'm showing you how to make affiliate webinars convert better, including how to promote an offer that doesn't perfectly match your niche, what to ask affiliate managers and partners for before you promote, and how encore webinars can double or even triple sales. These are practical lessons we've learned from real promotions, including what worked, what didn't, and how to get more value from every webinar you run or promote. Links Mentioned in this Episode ConvertKit

How to Find What's Wrong with Your Affiliate Program and Fix It 27.07.2026 28min

You started an affiliate program, but it's not growing the way you expected. Before you recruit more partners, raise commissions, or start changing everything at once, you need to figure out what's actually broken. In this episode, I'm showing you how to find what's wrong with your affiliate program and fix it by walking through the 14 problems I've seen come up again and again over nearly two decades of working with affiliate programs. Most struggling programs have three, four, or five of these issues, and once you identify yours, you can stop guessing and start fixing the problems that are actually holding back growth. Links Mentioned in this Episode How I Built a $1 Million a Month Affiliate Program In Only Two Years Without Any Connections or Credentials Find Your First 100 Affiliates Affiliate Email Template Get Our Sample Affiliate Training

Affiliate Program Support: 5 Things Your Partners Need 20.07.2026 28min

Affiliates can't promote well if they're guessing. They need more than a link and a login. They need the right tools, the right direction, and the right kind of support from you as the affiliate manager. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 things affiliates need to succeed, based on nearly 17 years of running and studying great affiliate programs. You'll learn what to provide so your partners know what to say, when to promote, how to get better results, and why they should keep showing up for your program again and again. Links Mentioned in this Episode How to Give Your Affiliates Banners & Graphics How we do affiliate trainings How to Create Mailing Plans for Your Affiliates Affiliate Promo Checklist How to Use Swipe Copy MotionMail

How to Recruit Affiliates Who Keep Promoting 13.07.2026 35min

An affiliate program gets fragile when all the sales come from one or two big partners. The goal is to build a deep bench of loyal promoters who believe in what you sell, know how to talk about it, and keep coming back to promote again. In this episode, I'm showing you how to grow an affiliate program without relying on a few affiliates, including how to attract the right partners, turn customers and fans into evangelists, and create the kind of experience that makes affiliates want to stick around for the long haul. Links Mentioned in this Episode Find Affiliates Now How to Turn Competitors into Affiliates Top 7 Mistakes Businesses Make Reaching Out to Prospective Affiliates

How to Recruit Affiliates from Competitor Leaderboards 06.07.2026 17min

Your best affiliate prospects are usually hiding in plain sight... on other people's leaderboards. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to recruit affiliates from competitor leaderboards, including exactly where to find the lists, how to choose the right prospects, and how to reach out in a way that starts real relationships instead of sounding like a spammy pitch. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your Affiliate Launch Coach

How to Get Affiliates to Plan Their Promotions in Advance 29.06.2026 23min

Affiliates promote more when you stop asking them to "just send something" and start giving them a clear plan. In this episode, I'm showing you how to create promotion plans for affiliates so they know exactly when to promote, what to say, who to send it to, and how to pace it without burning out their list. I'll share the two types of affiliate mailing plans we use, plus how to use them to move affiliates from two emails to five, from five to twelve, and in some cases up to 15 or 16 emails, without feeling spammy or chaotic. Links Mentioned in this Episode Download the Promo Plan Template Nifty Images Influence Book

How to Make Your Affiliate Program Stand Out to Affiliates 22.06.2026 45min

Affiliate programs are everywhere now, so if you want the right partners, you can't just be "another program with a link." In this episode, I'm breaking down how to make your affiliate program stand out to affiliates, so you attract quality partners without relying on nonstop cold outreach forever. We'll talk about what affiliates actually look for before they join, what makes a program feel easy to promote, and the simple upgrades that turn your program into one affiliates want to be part of. Links Mentioned in this Episode How to Determine the Right Affiliate Commission Structure PODCAST EPISODE - How to Run Affiliate Contests Without Breaking the Bank PODCAST EPISODE - How to Build Trust and Credibility with Your Affiliates Affiliate Terms and Conditions Template Affiliate Training Template How to Find Affiliates My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email

How to Expand Your Affiliate Program Internationally 15.06.2026 32min

Expanding your affiliate program internationally can unlock growth you'll never get if you only recruit in one country, but it also comes with a few practical wrinkles that catch people off guard. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to expand your affiliate program internationally, including where to find overseas partners, what to think through with tracking and payments, and the small adjustments that make it easy for international affiliates to promote and get results. Links Mentioned in this Episode 2023 FTC Endorsement Guide Updates: What Affiliates and Affiliate Programs Need to Know Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions Template Gmass

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 4) 08.06.2026 27min

Most affiliate programs don't lose affiliates because the product is bad... they lose them because it's harder to promote your offer than someone else's. In this final episode of the 6 C's series, we're covering the last three C's: Competitive Commissions, Customization, and a Centralized Hub. I'll show you how to set commissions that attract the right partners, how to create custom assets like landing pages, swipe copy, and graphics without drowning in requests, and how to build one simple place affiliates can grab everything they need and start promoting fast. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach Affiliate Communication Calendar Affiliate Commitment Plan Affiliate Terms and Conditions Template

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 3) 01.06.2026 21min

One of our clients did about a $5 million affiliate launch and he estimated roughly 40% of that came from one thing... coaching the affiliates. Not "here's your link, good luck" coaching, but real training: what to say, what to send, how to position the offer, and how to avoid the little mistakes that kill conversions. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the third C: COACHING, and I'm going to get practical with how to run trainings, what to put in cheat sheets, and how to teach affiliates in a way that actually changes their results. Links Mentioned in this Episode Affiliate Commitment Plan Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 2) 25.05.2026 27min

Most affiliate programs communicate in a way that makes affiliates tune out... or walk away. Too many emails, not enough clarity, missing details, last-second requests, and "helpful" messages that don't actually help anyone promote. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the second C: COMMUNICATE. I'll show you what great communication looks like from an affiliate's point of view, what to send (and what to stop sending), and how to make it easier for affiliates to say yes and promote. Links Mentioned in this Episode Affiliate Communication Calendar Affiliate Commitment Plan Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 1) 18.05.2026 24min

Most affiliate programs look different on the outside... but the ones that win year after year all have a few fundamentals in common. This episode kicks off my 6 C's series, and we're starting with the first C: CONTESTS. I'm going to show you how to run an affiliate contest that gets affiliates engaged, drives real sales, and doesn't turn into a messy spreadsheet nightmare. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach George W. Bush Announces Affiliate Prizes John Morgan's site

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Manager 11.05.2026 32min

Choosing an affiliate manager can feel like a guessing game... until you know what to look for. In this episode, I'm breaking down the traits and skills that actually matter, where great affiliate managers tend to come from, and how to tell the difference between someone who "knows affiliates" and someone who can build, grow, and manage a real program. If you're about to make a hire, this will help you choose with confidence and avoid an expensive mismatch. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your Affiliate Launch Coach Interested in Working with Us? Get Your First 100 Affiliates

How to Get Affiliates Excited to Promote 04.05.2026 16min

Got a promotion coming up soon? In this episode, I'm breaking down how to get affiliates excited to promote and keep that energy building right up to launch day... using the exact pre-promo strategy we use with clients to turn "I might promote" into planned emails, scheduled posts, and a strong first day. Links Mentioned in this Episode Free Masterclass - How I Built a $12.6 Million A Year Affiliate Program In Only Two Years Without Any Connections or Credentials Affiliate Warm Up Plan and Promo Plan

How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 2) 27.04.2026 45min

Over the years, I've made enough affiliate-program mistakes to fill a small handbook... and a few of them were the kind you don't forget because they come with real consequences. In this episode, I'm continuing the "killer mistakes" series with the stuff that can get you in trouble fast, including one lesson that involved the FTC. I'll break down what went wrong, what I should've done instead, and how you can protect your program while still growing it aggressively. Links Mentioned in this Episode Find Affiliates Now Program PDF Report (Top Affiliate Program Mistakes and How to Avoid Them) My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email How to Determine Commission Structure How to Create Swipe Copy for Your Affiliates Affiliate Promo Plan Template Affiliate Activation Templates Facebook Live on Getting Affiliates to Commit

How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 1) 20.04.2026 46min

Most affiliate programs don't blow up overnight... they bleed out slowly from a handful of preventable mistakes. In this episode, I'm breaking down the "killer" errors that quietly wreck tracking, relationships, motivation, and momentum, and I'll show you the simple fixes that get you back on solid ground fast. Links Mentioned in this Episode Top 20 Affiliate Program Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them) Find Affiliates Now Program My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email How to Determine Commission Structure Facebook Live: The BIGGEST Lie You've Been Told About Finding Affiliates

How to Decide Between an In-House Affiliate Manager and an Agency 13.04.2026 26min

Most people make this decision backwards... they pick "in-house" or "agency" based on budget, then hope it works out. In this episode, I'll show you how to decide between an in-house affiliate manager and an agency based on what your program actually needs right now. We'll walk through the real tradeoffs, the questions that make the answer obvious, and a few common scenarios so you can choose the model that gets results without creating a management mess. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your Affiliate Launch Coach Find Your First 100 Affiliates

How to Help Affiliates Write Emails That Convert 06.04.2026 26min

Most affiliate programs leave email performance up to chance... and then wonder why some promos flop. In this episode, I'm sharing how to help affiliates write emails that convert without turning into their copywriter. You'll get a simple framework you can teach, the few elements every high-performing affiliate email needs, and the feedback process that improves emails fast while keeping the affiliate's voice intact. Links Mentioned in this Episode Video - How to Use Swipe Copy as an Affiliate Video - How to SERVE Your Audience by Promoting Affiliate Offers Podcast - Overcoming the Fear of Selling Affiliate Offers Article - How to Condition Your Audience

How to Fix the 7 Beliefs That Kill Affiliate Programs 30.03.2026 48min

Most affiliate programs don't fail because of tactics... they fail because the person running them believes the wrong things. In this episode, I'm breaking down 7 common beliefs that quietly kill affiliate programs, from what you think affiliates want, to how you think motivation works, to what you think "good management" looks like. I'll show you what each belief costs you, what to do instead, and how to fix the foundations so your program stops leaking sales and starts building momentum. Links Mentioned in this Episode How to Hear YES from More Affiliates (Recruiting Tips) Top 5 Biggest Affiliate Recruiting Mistakes How to Steal Your Competitors' Affiliates Affiliate Activation Templates How to Give Your Affiliates What They Need How to Communicate Better with Your Affiliates Affiliate Promo Plan Affiliate Training Templates

How to Become an Affiliate Manager 23.03.2026 26min

Affiliate management is one of those careers people stumble into... and then wonder why nobody told them about it sooner. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to become an affiliate manager. What the job actually is day to day, the core skills you need to build, and the fastest ways to get real experience even if you're starting from zero. If you want a clear path into affiliate management without guessing your way there, this is your roadmap. Links Mentioned in this Episode Apply for Our Affiliate Manager Training