The Affiliate path inside OfferLab looks familiar on the surface: promote an existing offer and earn a commission. What’s different is how collaboration, placements, and revenue splits are handled—and how much leverage that gives an affiliate before traffic ever runs.
This issue covers the planning phase of the Affiliate path. The goal is not sales yet. The goal is readiness: one approved offer, a clear angle and bonus, and tracking and payouts verified. Execution comes next.
As with every path in this series, the structure follows a simple problem-solving loop: understand the target, devise a plan, and confirm exit criteria before moving on.
1) Understand the target and constraints
The Affiliate goal is specific: $500 net, not gross. Net means commissions actually received after platform and processing adjustments and any refund clawbacks that occur within the payout window.
A useful starting point is to reverse the math:
Product price
× affiliate commission rate
× cleared sales
− adjustments and refunds
= affiliate net
For many offers, this means structuring the plan so 6–12 paid sales clears the $500 target. The exact number will vary, but the point is to choose offers where the math works at low volume.
Constraints matter just as much as upside. Before shortlisting offers, clarify:
Traffic sources you will use (email, content, paid, partnerships)
Budget (often $0 for the first test)
Compliance limits (claims, proof, placement rules)
Deliverables at this stage:
A simple earnings planner showing how $500 net is reached
A one-paragraph constraint statement that defines what you will—and will not—do
2) Payout and compliance readiness
Before engaging any owner, make sure your own house is in order.
On OfferLab, that means confirming:
Payout profile is complete and verified
Required tax or identity steps are finished
You understand how payout holds and refund windows affect when commissions are considered “cleared”
Equally important is understanding the owner’s rules for promotion. These vary by offer and can include:
Approved claims and proof requirements
Allowed placements (front-end, bump, upsell)
Bonus restrictions
Refund and guarantee handling
Deliverables at this stage:
A completed payout checklist
One page of notes summarizing owner and platform requirements
No promotion should begin without these confirmed.
3) Define your audience and pain-point match
Effective affiliate promotion starts with focus, not reach.
Choose:
One primary avatar
One problem you can speak to credibly
This does not require personal results. Acceptable proof can include:
Owner-provided proof with permission
Neutral demonstrations
Documented use cases approved by the owner
The test is simple: can you explain the problem and outcome clearly without exaggeration or unsupported claims?
Deliverables at this stage:
An avatar snapshot (who they are, their pain, desired result, where they pay attention)
A proof inventory list with sources and permissions noted
4) Offer discovery and shortlisting
Rather than chasing the highest commission, build a shortlist using a simple rubric. Typical scoring factors include:
Avatar match
Placement flexibility (front, bump, upsell)
Refund risk
Owner responsiveness
Asset readiness (swipes, proof, claims guidance)
Bonus fit
Apply weights, score objectively, and shortlist three offers where the $500 net math works.
Deliverables at this stage:
A 10-point scoring rubric with weights
A shortlist table with three offers and their commission math
If one offer stalls during approval, the others allow forward progress without restarting the process.
5) Angle and bonus design
Differentiation is rarely about traffic volume. It is about angle and bonus.
The angle narrows the message to a specific use case, niche, or outcome. The bonus removes a key adoption friction—setup, confidence, or time.
Keep bonuses simple and fast to deliver. Examples include:
A checklist
A short walkthrough
A companion template
Deliverables at this stage:
A one-sentence angle statement
A one-page bonus description (what it is, how it’s delivered, delivery timeframe)
All bonuses must be approved by the owner if required.
6) Link architecture and tracking
Decide how traffic will flow:
Direct-to-offer, or
Bridge page that frames the angle and bonus before the offer
If using a bridge page, keep it minimal: headline, proof snippet, bonus recap, and a clear call to action.
Set up tracking so decisions are based on EPC_net—commissions actually received per click—not projected earnings.
Deliverables at this stage:
A defined UTM naming scheme
A simple bridge page wireframe, if used
7) Approval and asset request
With the plan defined, request approval and assets from the owner.
A clean outreach includes:
The angle and intended placement
The bonus summary
Any requested assets or guidelines
Log approval status and response times. If changes are needed later, attempt co-optimization with the owner before swapping offers. Small page or placement tweaks can materially improve EPC_net without restarting.
Deliverables at this stage:
Outreach sent and approval status logged
Asset folder created and organized
8) Exit criteria before execution
Before moving to execution, confirm:
One offer approved (or clearly greenlit)
Angle and bonus finalized
Tracking and payout verified
A small content or traffic plan drafted
If these are complete, the Affiliate plan is ready to execute.
What comes next
The next issue covers Affiliate execution and review: launching the promotion, reading early data, collaborating with the owner on optimizations, and deciding whether to iterate or stop.
No new offers. No new angles. Just disciplined follow-through.