Q4prepebook

TIPS FOR Q4 PREPfrom the

2013 BLOG PROJECTTips for both Merchants and Affiliates on how to get ready, prepare

and execute during the most critical time for Affiliate Marketers.

presents

#Q4 Prep - A Blog Series Fromthe 2013 ShareASale Blog

by Brian Littleton

1 Blog.ShareASale.com for More...

Table of ContentsHappy Labor Day! #Q4Prep Begins! ....................................................................................................... 3

#Q4Prep - Merchants Remember your Best Practices .......................................................................... 4

#Q4Prep - 2013 Holiday Shipping Schedule .......................................................................................... 5

#Q4Prep - Merchant Checklist ................................................................................................................. 6

#Q4Prep - A Case for StoreFronts and Fundraising ............................................................................ 10

#Q4Prep - Merchants: Get your Content Updated In Time! .............................................................. 12

#Q4Prep - 4 Things Never to Do in Q4 ................................................................................................ 16

#Q4Prep - 10 Types of Posts Every Blogger Needs to Have Ready for Q4 ..................................... 18

#Q4Prep - 4 Types of Call-to-Actions ................................................................................................... 22

#Q4Prep - 30 Days and 30 Gift Guides ................................................................................................ 26

#Q4Prep - Merchants: How to Avoid the Top 7 Affiliate Program Pitfalls of the 4th Quarter..................................................................................................................................................................... 29

#Q4Prep - Top 5 Strange Sightings Around the ShareASale Office ................................................. 34

#Q4Prep - Affiliates: 4 Traffic Sources You May Not Be Aware Of ................................................... 42

#Q4 Prep - Merchants: Manage your Creative Inventory ................................................................. 44

#Q4Prep - What Agencies Need to do to Get Ready .......................................................................... 49

#Q4Prep - Know the "Big Days" ............................................................................................................ 53

#Q4Prep - Get your Deals Ready .......................................................................................................... 54

#Q4Prep - Merchants Get your Incentives Ready and In Order ....................................................... 55

#Q4Prep - Get your Datafeeds Ready .................................................................................................. 56

#Q4Prep - Announcing WIKI.ShareASale.com - ask, contribute, earn, and be recognized

for your expertise! .................................................................................................................................... 57


Happy Labor Day! #Q4Prep Begins!Happy Labor Day everyone! We are excited that Q4 is almost upon us, and this month we willbe focused on posts about #Q4Prep. Stay tuned for tips for both Merchants and Affiliates onhow to get ready, prepare, and execute during this critical time for Affiliate Marketing andonline retail in general.


#Q4Prep - Merchants Remember yourBest PracticesThroughout 2013, we posted a series on "Best Practices for Merchants" on the ShareASaleNetwork. Take a look at the following below to make sure that you are ready with all of your#Q4Prep!

Best Practices Series: Affiliate Application Review| ShareASale BlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay - Discusses best practices on reviewingnew Affiliate applications.via: blog.shareasale.com

Best Practices Series: Recruitment | ShareASaleBlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay - Discusses strategies and best practicesfor bringing in new Affiliates to your program. via: blog.shareasale.com

Best Practices Series: Featured Programs |ShareASale BlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay - Discusses Featured Programs onShareASale, and how to leverage them best in your recruiting efforts.via: blog.shareasale.com

Presenting Your Best Self | ShareASale BlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay - "Presenting Your Best Self" is an entireseries on making sure your program is ready in all key areas.via: blog.shareasale.com


#Q4Prep - 2013 Holiday ShippingScheduleAs you are in the midst of holiday shipment planning, I wanted to announce an opportunitythat will give our Merchants the ability to communicate those critical shipping deadlines toAffiliates. We will be maintaining a shared public calendar that Affiliates will have the access toso they can quickly reference shipping deadlines for their partners.

With that being said, let's get the calendar populated with some dates, shall we?Merchants, please send an email to me - Sarah(at)ShareASale(dot)com - with your shippingdetails using the format below.-Deadlines for orders to be delivered by December 24, 2013 must be received by the followingschedule:

Merchant Name:Last Day for Standard/Ground Shipping: date/time/timezoneLast Day for Express Shipping: date/time/timezoneLast Day for Overnight Shipping: date/time/timezoneAdditional Notes:Join: (insert URL to join your program, it is located on the Merchant Homepage of theShareASale interface, at the very bottom of the left-most column)-

Affiliates, we will collect the schedules and post them in the public calendar below.


#Q4Prep - Merchant ChecklistIf you are like me, there is nothing more satisfying that putting a big exaggerated check marknext to a box on my To-Do list. "Success!" I scream with glee, as I am sure you do too. AtShareASale, it is our goal to provide you, our client, with as many gleeful moments as possible.Therefore, I present you with a To-Do list today that you can have the sweet satisfaction ofticking off one step at a time. And the added bonus, your Affiliate Program will be well stockedand armed for Q4. Win, win.

Please feel free to download our Q4 Merchant Checklist and tape it securely on your computermonitor to ensure that you march into Fourth Quarter 2013 well prepared. I've provided a fullexplanation of each check item below. If you have some of your own favorite fourth quarterprep items or tips, please feel free to share!

Account Management

Auto Deposit: Set up auto deposit in anticipation of the increased sales you will see thisquarter. Consider adding a secondary funding source on tile to assure your Affiliatelinks will not break during this critical timeframe.Avoid Website Changes: Fourth Quarter is not the ideal time for doing a full siterelaunch. To ensure there are no disruptions to your tracking pixel, make any plannedwebsite updates no later than October 1. Give Recruitment a Break: There's something you don't hear very often! During the lastthree months of the year, shift focus to activation rather than new recruits as Affiliatesare less likely to add new programs during the fourth quarter. Affiliates will be focusedon updating their sites with products and links from current partners rather thanseeking out new partnership opportunities.


Communication

Keep in Touch: It is always in good practice to stay in regular contact with yourAffiliates. But this is especially true during Q4. Send monthly (at least) newsletters withhot sellers, coupons, sales content, gift ideas, etc. Keep the Affiliates up to date and intune with tips and ideas on how they can best market your site.Schedule Newsletters: Save yourself a little stress and schedule your communicationsin advance. When you are inside the newsletter tool, you can schedule the date ofnewsletter delivery under the Finalize step.Be Responsive: Be very timely with all your responses to any Affiliate inquiries. Anydelayed communication will increase the likelihood they may move on to anotherMerchant or product. You can also contact any Affiliate directly from the "Contact" linkin the Affiliate's detail page or from the Affiliate List. Direct contact should be used inthe event that you need to cancel or void any transactions. Be sure to list a clearreason and get in touch with the Affiliate to let them know the transaction has beenreversed and why.Double Check Contact Info: Speaking of Affiliates reaching out to you, be sure that theemail address in your account is up to date and accurate. I'd also suggest adding yourcontact details to newsletters, reply emails, program bio, etc. so it's very easy forAffiliates to identify the person managing the account. Contact details should include:Name, Email, Phone, and any other means by which you would like Affiliates to contactyou (i.e. Facebook, Blog, IM, Twitter, Skype, etc.)


Promotions / Deals

Give Advanced Notice on Deals: Be sure to give plenty of advanced notice for anypromotions/coupons you will be running during this quarter to allow ample time forAffiliates to get the deals uploaded on their sites. Load all deals/coupons in theShareASale deals database.Upload Gift Cards: There are many sites out there dedicated to gift cards. If you offerthe sale of gift cards on your site, you can upload these to the ShareASale Gift CardDatabase as an additional creative option for Affiliates. Pre-schedule Promotions: Using the Advanced Commission Structures you are able tocreate custom commission rules that will help you automate any promotions you maybe planning on running this quarter. You can set up rules ahead of time and have themset to run on transactions for a specific time period.Gain Exposure in the Holiday Center: Consider taking out a listing in ShareASale'sHoliday Central. There are several Q4 categories to choose from such as Halloween,Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, Hanukkah, and Winter Season. If you haveproducts targeted to any of these holidays, it's a great way to gain some extraexposure for your program.

Videos can do so much more than pictures to capture a consumer'sattention, which is why we expect to see more e-commerce businesses

replace photos with videos in 2013.


Creatives

Upload Product Video: We are a visual people and therefore video continues to be aviable and useful creative. If you have any product videos available or short reviews,you can make that available to your Affiliates.Maintain Datafeed: Double check that your datafeed is up-to-date with in stockproducts. ensure that all images, landing pages, and prices are listed correctly. I wouldalso consider automating your datafeed uploads but utilizing FTP access. This will allowyou to schedule and automate the file upload process. Submit a ticket if you'reinterested in uploading your datafeed via FTP.Pass Along Gift Guides: Gift guides are a popular ways to promote a specific selectionof products. Or give your Affiliates creative applications for marketing your products.Create a storefront/collection of products or put together product recommendations foryour Affiliates. If you have a datafeed uploaded, you can utilize the ShareASale widgettool to create gift guides. For example, you could create a widget with productsfeatured by price range. Each tab could be a different price point - under $10, under$25, under $50, etc.Creative Check: Double check that the landing pages for your creatives are workingand correct. Keep in mind that deeper landing links tend to convert better than thosedirecting to the homepage. Especially if the banner reflects a specific section orcategory of your website. If you are an apparel retailer for example, consider creating abanner specifically for your Jackets category that lands on the jackets page, Dressesbanner on the dresses page, so on and so forth.Automate Creatives: There's no doubt you may be releasing a ton of deals thisshopping season. You can save yourself the time of logging in and adding each deal tothe database but utilizing our API. With the API you are able to upload coupons and/orcreatives, as well as edit any current banners, text links, or deals. Hooray timesaver!


#Q4Prep - A Case for StoreFronts andFundraising

The term Philanthropy is derived from the Greek word philanthropia;meaning loving people.

One of the most common forms of philanthropy today is through fundraising. We seeorganizations like Susan G. Komen , and Avon 2 Day Walk , among many others, raisinghundreds of millions of dollars every month! The fourth quarter 2012, in particular, saw a16.7% increase in donations from the previous year. In December 2012 alone, betweenBlackbaud, Network for Good, and PayPal, donors gave over $200,000,000! They mostly haveone thing in commonloving people, or philanthropy. As a society, we do as much as possibleto help others that are less fortunate. It is not for religious beliefs or political beliefs; it is justGOOD to help when we can. In 2012, online giving increased 14% from the previous year. Infact, 30% of monetary donations took place online. Similarly, Forrester Research estimatesthat in 2016 online shopping will have increased by 15% from today. As it turns out, theinternet is becoming a driving force for all kinds of transactions- whether it be donating orshopping. Additionally, both see significant increases in the fourth quarter of the year! One ofShareASales newest features is called StoreFronts. The goal behind this tool was to find away to pair this all together- fundraising, ecommerce, and Affiliate marketing. WithStoreFronts, Merchants can work closely with low-tech partners and essentially turn them intoAffiliates for their individual fundraising needs.

ShareASale will provide the domain along with a pre-built template fully integrated with socialsharing tools, affiliate disclosure, and a simple signup process! Merchants will modify aShareASale-built template to include any of the following:

Custom header to match the Merchants website (if needed)Product availability (3 products will be displayed at a time)CategoriesOne select ad to be displayed on the side

Affiliates will modify the same template, but with the following:

URLOrganization Name (e.g. Johnnys Little League Team)Hero Image (optional)Logo

The low-tech partner will now have a published site, which includes Affiliate links to theMerchants site. When a transaction takes place, we will track it as normal and the low-techpartner can see transactions as they come in as well! StoreFronts was designed for thelow-tech person who is looking to raise funds without going through the headache of learningto build a website! Affiliates can be up and running in a matter of minutes! Interested in


setting up StoreFronts as a way to compliment your #Q4 offering.... shoot us an email we'llhelp you out!

Building Your Affiliate Base One Segment at aTime | ShareASale BlogTake a look at a recent post describing how StoreFront Affiliates can be animportant building block in your overall strategy.via: blog.shareasale.com

ShareASale's StoreFronts Tool


#Q4Prep - Merchants: Get yourContent Updated In Time!As we all know, Q4 has some of the biggest holidays and events that increase online spendingand bring millions of consumers to spend their money online. These few months are a greatopportunity to connect with your Affiliates in a deeper, more profitable way. Below we aregoing to share some awesome tips on how to engage your Affiliates in Q4 and ensure thatthey are educated on your products. Affiliates must have the information necessary to extendyour brand in a timely fashion around this busy time.

Q4 2012 sales grew 14 percent year-over-year to $56.8 billion, marking thefirst ever $50 billion quarter

NewslettersAs a Merchant, you definitely need to keep Affiliates active and engaged in your programduring Q4. One way to keep in touch during this holiday shopping season is to sendnewsletters. Communication with your Affiliates is one great way to motivate them togenerate sales or push a specific product. Newsletters: Things to Include:

New holiday specific banners/text linksNew Affiliates incentivesNew product information or holiday best sellers - let them know the best way topromote these!Educate them on how to create a gift guide for the holidays

Building Blocks for Creating Quick Gift GuidesHow many times have you searched for Gift for Kids, Gifts forTravelers, Gifts under $50, Eco-Friendly Gifts, et la.? A LOT. Everyoneloves browsing a good gift guide. via: blog.shareasale.com

Newsletter Tips:

Keep the content crisp and relevantSpice it up with a fun holiday theme by using the HTML newsletter Tag your Affiliate base so you can deliver targeted content to groups of AffiliatesSet rule based commissions to engage and reward Affiliates for promoting new


products or referring new customers

Banners/Text LinksA solid base of creatives can definitely go a long way in helping Affiliates drive traffic to yourweb site during Q4. Offering the widest possible variety will only help your Affiliates choosethe creative that has the best match for their subscribers. Upload your Q4 creatives HERE. Banners/Text Links Things to include:

Stand-out colorsCrisp imagesA call to actionA clear messageOptional: Create banners targeted towards popular products/best-sellers

Banners/Text Links Tips:

Analyze Trends: Use the Banner Performance Report to see which banners generatedthe most unique hits and number of sales from previous holiday seasons.Target Banner Ads: Create "private" banners for top-performing Affiliates.Update Regularly: Enable the API to automate your seasonal banner updates.


Buttons and text links see a higher conversion rate of 43% and 34%compared to a 17% conversion driven by banners.

Deep Link: Link to specific pages on your site rather than just the homepage. Poll Affiliates: Send out a survey to see what type of creatives your Affiliates would bemost interested in utilizing.Organize Creatives: Consider putting your Q4 creatives in a category of their own.

Coupons & DealsEspecially during the fourth quarter, your Affiliates can see incredibly high volume andconversions when they offer a coupon or deal to their followers. Often times, though,Affiliates will have their creatives and campaigns preplanned and arent too focused onobtaining new content. With that said, you should make sure have your coupons and dealsprepared well in advance! Dont wait until the last minute to get these to your Affiliates! Youcan upload yours HERE in the Deals and Coupons Database

Coupons & Deals Things to Include:

Start dateExpiration dateTitle for the dealURL to land consumers on (optional)A brief HTML description of the deal (optional)Any restrictions to participate (optional)Special commission amount (optional)

Coupons & Deals Tips:

Use our Holiday & Events Marketing Calendar as a guideline to developingcoupons/deals, allowing Affiliates with enough time to make changes on their web siteswhere necessary.While most retailers typically focus on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, use thecalendar to offer promotions for other events too!


Consider reserving a placement in ShareASales Holiday Central, and promote productsthat target specific holidays.

Before you know it, it will be the fourth quarter! Do not wait until the last minute to startcreating newsletters, banner ads and gathering ideas for coupons and deals to offer yourAffiliates. ShareASale has a number of tools that will help to motivate and engage yourAffiliates to create success during Q4 and it is important to take advantage of these toolsbefore the madness begins!


#Q4Prep - 4 Things Never to Do in Q4

1. Merchants: Don't Go Offline in Q4This may sound obvious, but I'm not talking about having a website go offline, I'm talkingabout specifically with ShareASale - keep your balance above $0 so that your Affiliate Programstays online and Affiliates can continue to send you traffic and customers.

ShareASale offers "Auto-Deposit" which allows you to setup a balance that is comfortable foryou to be added to your account, when it reaches a threshold that you set.

For Q4, I highly recommend raising the threshold significantly. If you usually deposit fundswhen your account gets to $500, for example, raise it up to $1,000. Going offline in Q4 is nota mistake that you want to make, and with the tools available on ShareASale there really is noreason it should happen.

Things Affiliates Want Auto-Depositexplained. | ShareASale BlogPosted way back in 2005, this is still very important information for anyMerchant on ShareASale.via: blog.shareasale.com

2. Affiliates: Don't use Traffic Sourcesyou Don't Trust

PPV Traffic is just a fancy term for Adware, and is not allowed to be used onShareASale.

Unfortunately, we see Affiliate experimenting with traffic sources that can jeaporidize theiraccount on ShareASale. The most common is what is called "PPV Traffic" or Pay Per View. PPV Traffic is just a fancy term for Adware, and is not allowed to be used on ShareASale. While it is common to go out and look for new traffic sources in Q4, pay close attention towhat is being delivered.


4 Traffic Sources You May Not Be Aware OfEarlier this month, I wrote about "4 Traffic Sources You May Not Be AwareOf" that you can use to confidently add to your Q4 plans.via: blog.shareasale.com

3. Merchants: Remove InactiveAffiliatesRemoving Affiliates from your program is a controversial subject on its own, but during Q4 thisis something that should never be done. Often, Affiliates prepare throughout the year forspecific campaigns that are to take place throughout Q4 either due to margins/conversion or aspecific holiday. Don't make the mistake of removing an Affiliate who could have plans foryou in Q4!

4. Merchants: Change Anything onYour __________Most retailers have Q4 freezes with regards to things like tracking pixels, confirmation pages,etc... This is common practice and if you aren't already doing it you probably should. However, there are other things to consider specifically with regards to the Affiliate channel,for example we have seen retailers switch Datafeed providers close to Q4, thus leaving agroup of their important partners in the dark when things didn't go 100% as planned. Whenin doubt, optimize throughout the year - but when it comes time for the busy Q4 shoppingseason ... just leave it alone!


#Q4Prep - 10 Types of Posts EveryBlogger Needs to Have Ready for Q4Attention all bloggers! Are you looking for a little inspiration to kickoff your Q4 BlogExtravaganza? Checkout the 10 types of post you should start writing today.

1. The Holiday Card Post

According the the Greeting Card Association, Americans purchase approximately 6.5 billiongrettings cards each year - with Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving being a few of themost popular seasons. No shocker here, those all occur in Q4. So get your posts ready - BestShops for Holiday Cards, Best Holiday Card Designs, Holiday Cards for Less, et la... ForShareASale Affiliates, check out TinyPrints, Minted and The Cardstore.

For Example: Best Holiday Cards 2012From playful greetings to personalized picks to modern, stylish options,we've rounded up the best holiday cards from our favorite stationeryspots. via: www.casasugar.com

2. The Halloween Costume Post

How many of you look for Halloween costume inspiration online? I suspect at least a few. Getcreative with your Halloween posts - from "How to Put on Zombie Makeup" and "Costumesyou Shouldn't Wear to a Work Party" to "Costumes that Never Go Out of Style" and "TopPlaces to Find Costumes online". For ShareASale Affiliates, checkout HalloweenMart, TrendyHalloween and Halloween and Costumes.

For Example: 10 Cutest Halloween Costumes forKids10 of the cutest Halloween costumes for kids from infants all the way upto pre-teen girls and boys. Your kids will be the hit of the Halloweenparties!via: www.ourfamilyworld.com

3. The DIY / How-To Post

There is a lot of call for creativity during Q4 - from "East DIY Costumes" to "How to Make a


Wreath". Write up or recycle your favorite Q4 Projects to share with your readers! ForShareASale Affiliates, check out Craftsy, Green Kid Crafts and Decorative Ceiling Tiles.

For Example: Fun Holiday Gift WrappingCreate fun ribbon from old vintage patterns and turn any plain giftwrapping into something fun for the stitchers in your life!via: thesewingloftblog.com

4. The Best of 2013 Post

This is an easy post to write and a great way to wrap up the year. You can use this post tofeature a number of different things - "Best Blog Posts of 2013", "Funniest .gifs of 2013", "BestNew Online Retailers of 2013", et la.

For Example: Book Riot's Best Books of 2012Editor's note: We challenged our contributors to choose their top 2 booksof 2012. Some were sassy and only picked one, others (most) struggled...via: bookriot.com

5. The Cyber Monday / Black Friday Post

A given! The two biggest shopping days of the year? You better have your Black Friday andCyber Monday Posts, yes plural, ready to go! Gather up your favourite Merchant Promotions orcreate a timeline of where and when to shop -- get creative! For ShareASale Affiliates, checkout the Cyber Monday / Black Friday Deals Database.

For Example: The BEST Black Friday & CyberMonday Deals For Brides!Its Thanksgiving! You know, the day before BLACK FRIDAY?! Butseriously...via: www.thebrokeassbride.com


6. The Problem-Solver Post

With Q4 comes the holiday-overload, the entertaining extravaganza, the family fanatics, toughweather and a unique set of problems. Get your problem solving posts ready - from "How toPlan a Meal for 40" and "Picking a Party Venue" to "How to Fix a Broken Handrail" and "Howto Remove a Red Wine Stain".

For Example: How to Remove Common ClothingStainsPlop. That's the sound of BBQ sauce landing on your brand new blazercoat as you're chowing down on some mouthwatering ribs. Dadgummit. via: www.artofmanliness.com

7. The Holiday Fashion Post

Common Q4 Fashion Phrases: "I don't know what to wear!" or "What do I wear to a workparty?" or "How should I dress to meet the parents?" or "What are best outfits to rock for the2013 Winter Season?". ...Or something like that. Anyways, holiday fashion posts are great andquick to throw together for both men, women, and children. For ShareASale Affiliates, checkout Trunk Club, ModCloth and Tea Collection.

For Example: Fashion: Holiday DressesDo you always wait until the last minute to start thinking about holidaydresses? I know I do! via: madebygirl.blogspot.ca

8. The Charitable Post

The Holiday Season is also about giving back - to your community, non for profits, those lessfortunate, etc. Create a post or two centered around giving back. It's kind, and a feel goodread for your audience. For ShareASale Affiliates, check out Sevenly, Krochet Kids, and ShopKomen.

9. The Find-It-For-Less Post

There is always that one piece of furniture, piece of clothing or gadget that you want, but justcan't afford. You are not alone. Find-It-For-Less posts are great and incredibly helpful for yourreaders. For ShareASale Affiliates, check out Joss and Main, One Kings Lane and Zulily.


For Example: Copy Cat Chic: Wishbones forThanksgivingHere's a last minute Thanksgiving Decor idea for ya! via: www.copycatchic.com

10. The Adorable Collection of Animals in Outfits Post

Always popular and always entertaining. Who doesn't like to look at cute animals in halloweencostumes or winter mittens?


#Q4Prep - 4 Types of Call-to-ActionsAs you are developing your creative inventory for Q4, we thought it might be helpful toprovide a little inspiration and best practices on banner ads and call to actions. Banner ads areone very important piece of your creative inventory and should be targeted towards yourconsumer. There are, of course, a number of different styles, sizes and types of to choosefrom - so let's go through a few!

Popular Banner Sizes

Types of Banner Ads1. Category Focused.Do you have popular categories on your website? Create banners specifically around thosecategories.

2. Product Focused.Best selling products? Develop creatives targeted towards these particular products.

3. Seasonal & Holiday.This is big! Create holiday or seasonal specific banners. Holiday Gifts, Halloween Costumes,Back to School Books, Valentines Day, etc..

4. Deep Landing Pages.


Take out as many clicks as possible for your consumer. Targeted banners should land ondeep linking pages.

5. Traditional Advertisement. Are you running an ad campaign currently? Use those to develop a consistent message acrossthe web.

Call To Action Phrases & Styles

CTA Phrase: Free ShippingCTA Style: Arrow & Drop Shadow

Banner Advertisements should be simple, eye pleasing and to the point. Capture a viewer witha mixture of fonts and pretty pictures. Use a strong, popular call to action, like "FreeShipping!" along with a clear and sharp button.

CTA Phrase: Shop Now!CTA Style: Circular & Soft Two-Tone

This banner follows the same principles as before, but now we have incorporated a largertwo-tone call to action laid on top of the colorful product image.


CTA Phrase: Learn MoreCTA Style: Rectangular Button & Beveling

Remember to play to your audience, as demonstrated in this particular creative. A retailerpromoting rare and exclusive offers wants to exude class and sophistication. A 'free shipping'or 'shop now' call to action is too pushy and strong for this type of ad. Learn More, in thiscase, is simple and classic.

CTA Phrase: Learn More


CTA Style: Bottle Cap Shape & Backlighting

Here again, we are playing to our audience, but have added a light and airy feel to the ad.This chocolate is classy, but fun. Use different shapes, textures and lighting to add an extrapop to your call to action.

A Few Fun Resources50 Powerful Call to Action Phrases ShoestringMarketingAre your prospects doing what youd like them to be doing? Are theyordering your ebooks, opting into your website or clicking on your links?via: www.shoestringmarketinguniversity.com

38 Call to Action Button Templates That ReallyStand OutMake it big, make it clear, make it delicious. Thats the primary rule ofsuccessful call to action button, a button that leads your site visitor...via: www.hongkiat.com

*Special thanks to our new graphic designer Rachael for creating our lovely example banners!


#Q4Prep - 30 Days and 30 Gift GuidesHey Affiliate Marketers - get your gift guides ready before the biggest online shopping seasonof the year. There are a number of standard gift guides that will always work - "Gifts forMom", "Gifts for Grandparents", "Gifts for a New Significant Other", "Gifts for Toddlers", etc...

However, in today's post the marketing team tried to pull together a number of niche giftguides ideas for you to try out. There are a number of great Merchants on the ShareASaleNetwork to feature in each gift guide, so if you need suggestions, please don't hesitate tocontact us!


- Let's Break it Down -

This will certainly keep you busy for the next few weeks. But to get you a head start, we'vemade a few suggestions on Merchants to include in your gift guides.

1. The Fashionista - Check out The Real Real2. The Fitness Guru - Check out Reebok3. The Photophile - Check out My Davinci4. The Gluten Free Friend - Check out Katz Gluten Free5. The Educator - Check out Hygloss Products


6. The Eco-Friendly - Check out Abe's Market7. The Chef - Check out Kitchen Universe8. The Green Thumb - Check out Earth Box9. Stocking Stuffers - Check out Wayfair10. The Pet Lover - Check out Entirely Pets11. The Entertainer - Check out One Kings Lane12. The Bookworm - Check out KnetBooks13. The Person Who Has Everything - Check out AlwaysFits.com14. The Wine-O - Check out Cellars Wine Club15. The Bag Lady - Check out ModCloth16. The DIY-er - Check out Craftsy17. The Family Man - Check out Johnston & Murphy18. The World Traveler - Check out Viator19. The Entrepreneur - Check out Grasshopper.com20. The Free Spirit - Check out Tours4Fun21. The Co-Worker - Check out CafePress22. The Kid At Heart - Check out Stupid.com23. Gifts Under $50 - Check out Tiny Prints24. The Beer Snob - Checkout Craft Beer Club25. The Outdoor Enthusiast - Check out Eastern Mountain Sports26. The Awkward Teenager - Check out Ticketfly27. The Techie - Check out LUMOback.com28. The Superfan - Check out Fanatics.com29. The Guys Guy - Check out Optics Planet30. The College Student - Check out eCampus.com


#Q4Prep - Merchants: How to Avoidthe Top 7 Affiliate Program Pitfalls ofthe 4th Quarter

As we approach to 4th quarter of 2013, retailers are gearing up early for the busy shoppingseason making sure theyre ready to capitalize on all of the extra traffic and exposure thatcomes along with it. When it comes to Affiliate programs, the experienced retailers know thedrill by now and can anticipate issues that might arise. Other, less Q4-savvy retailers mightcome across some unforeseen pitfalls that catch them off guard, and by the time the problemrears its ugly head, its usually too late to find a way to avoid the blow to their bottom line.Presented below are 7 Affiliate program pitfalls that merchants need to avoid by taking thenecessary preemptive measures long before the big 4th quarter push begins.


7 Lack of Bandwidth The extra flood of traffic to your site is going to eat up a lot ofbandwidth. Affiliate traffic is especially important because all of those relationships that youdepend on for your program can be permanently damaged if you drop the ball. If visitorscoming from Affiliate sites cant reach your website because its down, that damages not onlyyour reputation with customers (new and existing), but also with Affiliates. Your Affiliatesselected you as a retailer to promote during the Holiday season. This is your chance to shineand prove to them they made the right choice. Quick Tip:

Once you know you have the bandwidth covered, let existing and prospective affiliatesknow you're on top of it so they have that much more confidence in working with youduring the busy season. Let them know you're ready for all of the hard earned trafficthey plan to send you way.

6 Same old same old Shipping This one might seem very basic, but shipping is a vital piece ofthe equation when consumers are choosing a retailer for a product they wish to buy. Itbecomes even more pivotal during Q4. You have to get creative with your shipping policy inorder to stand out among your competition. Quick Tips:

Negotiate shipping with your provider ahead of time.Have an ultra-competitive shipping offer for Cyber Monday (free and fast if possible)along with special shipping throughout the season as well.Get these shipping offers out to your Affiliates. In ShareASale, merchants can notifyAffiliates via newsletters and also add special shipping deals to the Deals Database.


5 Going overboard with consumer discounts and Affiliate incentives Everyone expects the bestdeals during the Holiday season. Make sure your deals are in line with your profit margins sothat you dont end up realizing your ran a going out of business sale when you reach the endof Q4. Quick Tips:

Review your competition in the Affiliate arena. Make sure your discounts arecompetitive and your special incentives for Affiliates dont eat into your profits toomuch.Get creative and find a way to bundle discounted products with high margin items sothat you come out ahead.

4 Lack of communication One way I like to look at it is to pretend your Affiliates are yourcustomers. What information would you want to get in front of your customers? Specialoffers, top-sellers during the Holidays, site/product testimonials, new products - you need torelay all of this info to your Affiliates early and often. Quick Tip: Make sure you include yourcontact info in all communication so Affiliates know how to get in touch with you for follow upquestions or special Q4 requests.


3 Inefficient Shopping on your site and lack of creativity Find a way to make your site andcontent stand out from the crowd. Segment your customer base and creatively target peopleby giving them a quick way to streamline their gift search process. And going back to #4above, get this compelling content to your Affiliates! Quick Tips:

Create targeted shopping lists with catchy names.Come up with lists of gifts geared towards every demographic your products appeal to(i.e. Top 10 Angst-Relieving Gifts for Teenagers).Include Holiday-centric gift sets by bundling products together in a nice package with atheme to tie it all together.

2 Inventory/Product issues There arent many things that frustrate your customers orAffiliates more than running out of popular products. Quick Tips:

Stock up! Get your orders into your suppliers early before they run out.Expand your product line for Q4 by adding complementary products to your inventory.Update your datafeed frequently and remove products if they do happen to go out ofstock.Communicate datafeed changes and out of stock product updates with your Affiliates.Updating your product feed is only half the battle, you also have to let your Affiliatesknow.


1 Too little too late If youre a new Merchant just starting out in Affiliate Marketing, try not towait until September or October to open your program for business. Affiliates plan far inadvance of the The Holiday shopping season. Be ready for your close-up and give Affiliatesample time to find you, put up links, and build traffic. I've seen far too many merchants missout on the action by waiting too long to get everything set up (new merchants and establishedones). The Q4 prep period really starts in the summer months. Quick Tips:

Get your coupons and deals in early and often (Affiliates need advanced notice)Affiliates will gravitate towards the merchants that have their ducks in a row on time.Dont be a procrastinator.If you have no choice and jump into the game late, offer a signup bonus or first salebonus to Affiliates to give them an incentive to try out your program and give you achance to make the cut for the Q4 push.

One important take away here is communication.

Thats it. Pretty basic stuff on the surface, but youd be surprised at how many Merchantsforget this important to-do list once Q4 rolls around and things get hectic. One important takeaway here is communication. Simply implementing these items wont cut the mustard if youdont communicate these updates and added elements to your Affiliate base. While youre at it,now that you have all of this exciting material to present to your existing Affiliates, why notuse it on an Affiliate recruitment campaign as well. Catch those elusive Affiliates out there thatare looking for new Q4-savvy retailers to round out their sites and blogs for the Holidayshopping season!


#Q4Prep - Top 5 Strange SightingsAround the ShareASale OfficeQ4 around the office is my favorite time of the year because it creates an atmosphere of highenergy and great anticipation. Everyone buckles down and focuses to keep things runningsmoothly. The work days fly by (most of the time) and before you know it, its December 26th

and all is quiet, giving everyone a chance take a breather and decompress.

Q4 also comes with a ton of stress and pressure to meet deadlines and handle issues thatinevitably pop up when you have so many moving partsnot to mention 4,000 retailerscounting on you to keep the train on the tracks throughout the Holiday season. Start with anoffice of people that are like a tight knit family, add in a gallon of Q4 stress, a dash oftechy-nerd seasoning, and strange sightings abound at the ShareASale office during Q4.Without further ado, here are the top 5.

5 We need extra hands on deck duringQ4, so sometimes we have newemployees delivered to us viaovernight delivery.


4 Minute-to-Win-It competitions torelieve stress


3 Shark Week!...the ShareASale Way


2 Random acts of weirdness due tocracking under pressure


1 Costumes and Disguises! No surprisehere whatsoever


I told you they were strange. Have a


great Q4 everyone!


#Q4Prep - Affiliates: 4 Traffic SourcesYou May Not Be Aware Of

Bing SearchWhile the Google search market is pretty crowded, you may have better luck with alternativesearch engines such as Bing. Bing is a quality search engine, and their PPC product is gainingpopularity with Affiliates and Marketers alike. Bid prices are typically a little lower but canrepresent a quality stream of traffic for you. Note: Pay close attention to PPC Bidding rulesof all of your Merchant partners - bidding on restricted words such as trademarks, domainnames, mis-spellings etc... is a quick way to fall out of compliance on the ShareASale Network.

Grow your business with SEM on the Yahoo! BingNetworkvia: advertise.bingads.microsoft.com

OutbrainEver wonder where those links come from for "related content" on the bottom of major newssites such as ABCNews, CNN, FoxNews and other high-traffic content sites? Outbrain powersa large percentage of them and in the right setting can be a great source of traffic forAffiliates. If you focus on content marketing, this is worth a look.

Outbrainvia: www.outbrain.com

InstagramFirst, make sure you watch this video from College Humour which was one of the funnierthings I watched all year...


Look at this Instagram (Nickelback Parody) - CollegeHumorVideoThe pictures you want to remember. A song you want to forget.Now available on iTunesvia: www.collegehumor.com

Instagram can be a source of traffic, if you can get a little creative with your posts and ideas. I loved the below article that discussed how (mostly larger) brands can utilize Instagram togenerate buzz for their products and services. Take a quick look, you may be inspired tosomething similar that will help you drive traffic to your Affiliate sites and blogs.

How to run an Instagram competition usinghashtagsvia: casmccullough.com

Your Own NewsletterAssuming you are already capturing email addresses of your visitors, your own newsletter canbe one of your best sources of #Q4 traffic. Customers, during this season especially, areaware of the great volume of deals available out there... and they rely on you to let themknow when deals pop up! While I would usually suggest a minimalist approach to emailmarketing (less is more!) - during Q4, shoppers are eager and more tolerant of email volume ifit helps them find the deal they've been looking for!


#Q4 Prep - Merchants: Manage yourCreative Inventory

Get ready merchant-folks because now is the time to show what you are made of! Yes, that isright, *show*. One of the most important things to make sure you prepare for during thecraziness that is Q4, is making sure your Creative Inventory is set! This means preparing yourBanners, Text Links, Newsletters & Coupon/Deals NOW, so you are set to launch them on timewith no hassle.

First & Foremost, Initial ResearchId take a look at your Banner Performance Report. Here you can view the best performingcreative throughout the year (or any specific time period). Then I would ask:

*Are there any trends?*Whats the best converting?*Are there any spikes in sales with any of them? I also might go as far as reaching out to myaffiliates with a survey or request of feedback of any specific types or size of creative they maywant to see from your program. If you have a large affiliate base, maybe reach out to aspecific group or best performers.


Secondly, Variety is ImportantAffiliates advertise in many different ways and its important to make sure you supply youraffiliates with as many different types of creative options as you can. Whether they arethrough:

TextBanner imagesDatafeedPromotional (coupon/deals)

Variety is important! What may perform for one affiliate, may not for another. Supplying youraffiliates with choices also gives them the opportunity to see what works on their site! Forexample, your internal marketing team may find a 300x250 banner to be the best performingcreative while one of your blog affiliates may find an 88x31 logo or text creative may be moreprofitable. Giving your affiliates options can benefit the relationship between both of you tocreate the best user experience possible.

Thirdly, Size Matters


Its very important to not only have a variety of creative options, but also multiple sizes ofbanners. A common inquiry is What are the most popular sizes? Although there are severaloptions, here is a list of the most popular sizes we see Affiliates use:

300x250250x250125x125468x60

And lets not forget the most important. 88x31!! Your Logo Size!! Creating Holiday specificbanners can definitely provide value for your affiliate program in Q4.

Fourthly, Get the Word Out!Keeping in communication with your affiliates during this time is utterly important! Not onlythrough specific inquiries, but sending out Newsletters, through our Newsletter Tool. Physicallysend your affiliates the creative you have uploaded, any specific coupons/deals/promotions(along with their dates this is important!!) and then all they have to do is copy and paste ontheir site! I also recommend always including contact information in your newsletters in casethe affiliates have any questions regarding the creative. And do remember, Macros MacrosMacros!


Presenting Your Best Self 6: Newsletters |ShareASale BlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay on Jan 31, 2012 in General News | 8commentsvia: blog.shareasale.com

Fifthly, Utilize ShareASale's APIAutomating processes can be a huge time saver, especially during the chaos that is Q4. Wehave a tool (Log In >> Tools >> Merchant API) that helps Merchants automate the followingprocesses:

Uploading BannersUploading Text LinksUploading Coupons/DealsEditing All of the Above

Under the 3rd Section of our Merchant API options, you will see Program MaintenanceRequests. This is where your programmer will be able to prepare a script for you to automatethe process of uploading and editing creative, without even having to log into your account! For Example: I prepare a spreadsheet with banner, text link or coupon information on it. Myprogrammers script they prepare processes the file and uses ShareASales API to update mycreative automatically without ever logging in. This way, you can upload or edit multiplecreative at a time without having to go into your account and editing each one! Huge timesaver!

Lastly, Do Not Forget the ImportantDates!!

Know the Big Days - via the ShareASale BlogA summary of the big shopping days (and themes) of the 4th quarter.via: blog.shareasale.com

Q4 is filled with important promotional and Holiday Dates but two of the largest are:

Black Friday - Friday November 29, 2013Cyber Monday - Monday December 2, 2013


This specific weekend is HUGE for online sales and make sure to give your affiliates anypromotions or deals that you will be running that weekend by the first of November.Remember, they need time to upload onto their sites as well!


#Q4Prep - What Agencies Need to doto Get ReadyQ4 is one of the most crucial components to a merchants business goals. This is the portionof the year that can in one fell swoop make or break a year. It is important to remember thatQ4 is simply the end of a long journey that is taken throughout the year. I have personallybeen on the other side of a call in January where a program manager was bewildered as tohow the performance of a program has been unable to duplicate a previous year's success. Inthose calls, I noticed a continual theme of a lack of preparation.

PreparationIt is important to note that Q4 preparation really begins in January. This is the time, whenyou should roll up your sleeves and objectively evaluate the merchant program's performance. This evaluation should then allow you to make a marketing plan. The idea of a marketingplan seems simple. We all know that the overall goal will be to increase the performance seenin the previous fiscal year but the question lies in how you will exceed those sales figures. Here are a few questions to think about when you are creating your plan:

1. What went well with the program?2. Were there any disasters that you would like to avoid this year?3. What are the client's internal initiatives?4. Are there any specific areas where you would like to personally grow as the program

manager?


5. When are good times to assess the program progress (monthly, quarterly, etc.)?6. What are the program benchmarks (sales, number of affiliates, EPC)?

Keep in mind that this process is for your own internal use, so it is important to be brutallyhonest as to what has worked and what has not. This is your PLAN and it will only be as goodas the effort that is applied to it. In that plan, Q4 should have been an important aspect of theplan in regards to spending, planning initiatives, and affiliate recruitment just to name a few.

Start EarlyMost industry authorities stress the fact that planning for Q4 begins in August. So here are afew things that you should be doing right now to get started:

1. Update and optimize website for performance on mobile devices and and computers(your site is going to have a ton more traffic and it needs to be in tip top shape inpreparation)

2. Book premium placements with affiliate sites (these placements are booked fairlyquickly, so you will want to land a spot ASAP)

3. Plan out promotions (pull sales reports to determine the best times to put outpromotions to the affiliate channel and remember flash sales can be your friend)

4. Refine the Program Bio, Newsletter Templates, and other communications (make surethe program is appealing to affiliates and communicating the right brand messaging)

5. Recruit Recruit Recruit (reach out to every affiliate and get them active today, so theyare ready to send sales in advance of the big holidays)

6. Work with the merchant to schedule creatives for the holiday season (most peopledon't know it, but you can automate uploading and defuncting of creatives and thiswould be a great time to do that using the API)

7. Educate affiliates on the idiosyncrasies of your website (shipping times, ship to


locations, etc.)

These are some basic steps you can do today to get a jump start on having a great Q4.

MeasurementsSo far we have discussed strategy, but it is important to quantify specifically how to determineif there has been an improvement in Q4 results. As such, it is important to pull reports tospecifically determine the progress the program has had. I suggest getting overall salesnumbers from the merchant as a starting point to determine a baseline number that wouldmake Q4 successful for you as the program manager and also for the merchant. It is alsoimportant to pull various ShareASale reports, if you have been in the network for a while.Some reports that I find to be invaluable are the following:

1. Affiliate Timespan Report2. Notable Affiliates Report3. Year in Review Report4. Activity Summary Report

These reports can be pulled in advance of Q4 to get a good understanding of the performanceof the program and can lead as a means to strategize specifically how to plan out promotionalactivity. They will most likely also become your best friend as you go over every detail onceQ4 is fully upon us in October. I would even suggest automating the pulling of the reportsusing our API, so you will be able to quickly see the Q4 progress and course correct asnecessary.


Prep for 2014Somewhere around November most program managers have done most of the legwork toensure a successful Q4 for 2013, so why not get an early start on 2014. I really believe this isa great time to begin planning for the next year. This is a time to begin developing strategy toimprove upon the results in 2014. I like to call this period of time the "Clean Up" period. Atthis point, program managers may like to focus on:

1. Clean up banners (edit or defunct banners that are rarely used)2. Review affiliates (who is providing value and who is not)3. Are the program terms and rules up to date?4. What tools should I be using in ShareASale that I am not?

These are a few focus areas to get you started, but there are probably at least a few dozenmore out there.


#Q4Prep - Know the "Big Days"Taking advantage of the "Big" shopping days is critical to success during Q4, but it is morethan just Black Friday/Cyber Monday that you should be focused on!


#Q4Prep - Get your Deals Ready

The biggest retail weekend of the year is right around the corner and we already cant containour excitement!

ShareASale will once again be preparing a special Deals and Coupon Database specificallyfeaturing deals for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend (November 29 December 2).

To all Merchants: this is a great opportunity to gain greater exposure for your exclusive BlackFriday/Cyber Monday deals and doorbusters! We would be happy to help market your weekenddeal to the ShareASale affiliates. The Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals Database is linked in theAffiliate Interface and we will also be announcing when the link to the database is live on our

network Blog.

Go ahead and email those deal details (please see format below) to [email protected] between now and November 14, 2012.

Please provide coupon details in the following format: Merchant ID:

Merchant Name: Start Date: End Date: Offer Title:

Landing Page URL: Offer Type (% off, $ off, F/S, Free Gift, Doorbuster):

Description: Restrictions:

Coupon Code (if applicable):

Please note: This database will feature deals for specifically for Black Friday/Cyber Mondayweekend only. If you have a deal valid prior to 11/29 or after 12/2 please import those to our

regular ShareASale Coupon & Deals Database. Thanks!


#Q4Prep - Merchants Get yourIncentives Ready and In OrderOne of my favourite guest posts on our blog, and very timely and relevant for #Q4Prep wasfrom Rae Hoffman, discussing the important of setting up realistic and motivating incentiveplans. Take a look below!

The Importance of (Realistic) Affiliate IncentivePrograms Guest Post | ShareASale BlogPosted by Rae Hoffman Aug 1, 2011 via: blog.shareasale.com

Read more from Sugarae below:

The Sugarrae Affiliate, SEO and OnlineMarketing Blogvia: sugarrae.com


#Q4Prep - Get your Datafeeds ReadyDatafeeds are critical to the overall success of a retail based Affiliate Program. They allowAffiliates to market specific products or sub-sets of products with up to date and rich data. Take a look below at 3 posts from this year that walk you through this important piece of#Q4Prep

How to Create a Product Datafeed | ShareASaleBlogPosted by Sarah Beeskow Blay on Jul 18, 2013 in #BuildingBlocks | 3commentsvia: blog.shareasale.com

Common Datafeed Oops! | ShareASale BlogPosted by Rolando Gonzalez on Mar 27, 2013 in #RealLife | 2 commentsvia: blog.shareasale.com

Datafeeds: Fun Fact Numbers! | ShareASale BlogPosted by Ryan Frey on Apr 25, 2013 in #ByTheNumbers | 1 commentvia: blog.shareasale.com


#Q4Prep - AnnouncingWIKI.ShareASale.com - ask,contribute, earn, and be recognizedfor your expertise!During my time in the Affiliate Marketing industry I've had the fortune to interact with manytalented individuals having a wealth of knowledge to share on all aspects of marketing andtechnology. I also have the ongoing opportunity to grow and work on side projectscomplementing my role as ShareASale Technical Lead. So for this upcoming Q4 season ofgiving, why not connect the two and build something that helps everyone?

On that note, Im proud to announce Wiki.shareasale.com, a portal designed to allow anyone -seasoned vet or marketing newbie - to ask questions and receive answers from our expertcommunity.

To keep things simple, registration isn't required to ask questions. However, if you want tocontribute your skills please sign up! Users can upvote (or downvote) the answers they believebest resolve questions completely and accurately adding to Reputation and Star Pointscores for the recipient (more on these later). Discussion is encouraged and every reply canalso be voted upon.

ShareASales small staff team will be picking their top answer choice in question threadsgranting those ace users significantly extra Star Points. These people look for the mostcreative, cogent, and professional answers to be chosen.Theyre also in charge of monitoringfor any trouble, so in the spirit of Santa, be nice out there!


Speaking of Santa, what would Q4 be without surprises and gifts? Were excited to reward ourcommunity with a variety of real-life perks to redeem for their efforts on the Wiki. First, anexplanation on the point system:

Reputation is your individual, persistent upvote minus downvote score on the Wiki.Consider it a grade along with the number of total answers youve provided. A higherreputation pushes you further up the distinguished member ladder granting you moreexposure among our community.

Star Points are earned for various actions on the Wiki like new answers, upvotes,downvotes, chosen answers, and special bonuses. Consider it the Wikis currency thatchanges as you participate and allows you to redeem perks.


But how will you know your Reputation and Star Point score? Just check out the Dashboardpage for your account.

The Dashboard is designed to give you a quick, basic view of your Wiki activity:

1. Current Star Points and Reputation scores

2. Public gravatar, editable on gravatar.com/

3. List of moderator-chosen answers (big points!)

4. Total number of answers to date

5. Recent Activity Feed of all events affecting your Star Points

Keep your eyes peeled for the three rotating Admin Messages from our team at the top. Therewill be news, alerts, or special shout-outs to top performing Wiki-ers.


It is also great as a central hub for finding new questions trending or needing answers.Explore these even if you may not be able to answer. You never know what you might learn!

You can see your recent answers, questions, and the Wiki member Reputation ladder as well.If youre part of an OPM Agency youll see a list of your top members in a new tab too. Howwell do you stack up?

Eventually youll want to spend your Star Points on perks. Click the links inside or next to thestar to visit the Redemption Center.

Its designed to be as simple as possible. Peruse the grid of possible perks. Click the filters atthe top to sort by cost or type, or the preview image to view a larger version and caption.Youll know what you can afford whether the band across the bottom of each entry is red orgreen. As you add more perks to your redemption list, watch your total scroll down at the topright and each clickable band change color based on your remaining Star Points. Click [Reset


Choices] if you need to start over.

Once theres at least one perk in the Your Rewards section, a yellow redeem button appears.Be sure youre ready before clicking, and that your perks are applicable to you. The request issent to our small moderator team who verifies and fulfills each with care. Theyll be in touch somake sure you have proper contact info in your user profile.

Dont worry, unlike Q4 these perks will still be around after December 31st. :) Youll even seechanges based on seasons, promotions, or upcoming events. New perks in the last 10 days aremarked with a purple new tag in the top left corner.

Important Last Note: If youre an OPM Agency, you can combine all of your users Star Points(but not Reputation). Edit your profile page to add your designated ShareASale Agency ID.Contact [email protected] for yours. It can only be entered once, so please do notenter a value if you are unsure.

For groups of users, you can also enter a matching ID to have your teams Star Points apply ina similar pool.

Finally, I hope the Wiki fosters new ways for ShareASales amazing fans to teach, learn, andexchange ideas with each other. Well continue to improve it and add new features, so donthesitate to email with any great ideas or requests.

Best of luck to everyone in Q4 and Ill see you on the Wiki!

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Table of ContentsHappy Labor Day! #Q4Prep Begins!#Q4Prep - Merchants Remember your Best Practices#Q4Prep - 2013 Holiday Shipping Schedule#Q4Prep - Merchant Checklist#Q4Prep - A Case for StoreFronts and Fundraising#Q4Prep - Merchants: Get your Content Updated In Time!#Q4Prep - 4 Things Never to Do in Q4#Q4Prep - 10 Types of Posts Every Blogger Needs to Have Ready for Q4#Q4Prep - 4 Types of Call-to-Actions#Q4Prep - 30 Days and 30 Gift Guides#Q4Prep - Merchants: How to Avoid the Top 7 Affiliate Program Pitfalls of the 4th Quarter#Q4Prep - Top 5 Strange Sightings Around the ShareASale Office#Q4Prep - Affiliates: 4 Traffic Sources You May Not Be Aware Of#Q4 Prep - Merchants: Manage your Creative Inventory#Q4Prep - What Agencies Need to do to Get Ready#Q4Prep - Know the "Big Days"#Q4Prep - Get your Deals Ready#Q4Prep - Merchants Get your Incentives Ready and In Order#Q4Prep - Get your Datafeeds Ready#Q4Prep - Announcing WIKI.ShareASale.com - ask, contribute, earn, and be recognized for your expertise!

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