How to send automated onboarding emails to affiliates?

Getting affiliates into your affiliate program can be challenging. Getting them to actually start promoting you is often even harder. That is why it pays to onboard affiliates properly and hand them the right materials from the moment they join.

Ask yourself: how can I help my affiliates make money?

You and your affiliates share the same goal. When you genuinely approach onboarding from their perspective, you will find plenty of ways to make promoting you easier. Remember that not every affiliate knows your features, your positioning, or the resources you have available for them.

An email onboarding sequence makes sure every affiliate understands your product, your target audience, and how to promote you, with training materials such as guides, videos, and webinars where useful. It also establishes a clear communication channel, so new affiliates know where to ask questions.

Before writing any templates, define what you want affiliates to DO, what they need in order to do it, and how you can help them do it quickly.

Below we show how to use the automated email feature inside Reditus. Prefer to send onboarding emails from your own tools? Two other options:

1. Receive a webhook ("partnership.accepted") when a new partnership is accepted, and push the data to your own email system
2. Use our native integrations to send affiliate data to your CRM

Setting up automated emails

You set up automated onboarding emails in the 'Affiliate program' menu, under the 'Automated emails' tab. Click "New automated email" to add one. In the email configurator you can:

• Set when the email should be triggered (days after the affiliate joins)
• Set where replies should go
• Set the email subject
• Write the email, including variables related to your program or affiliates
• Enable the email
• Save the email when ready

Make sure you enable each email, or it will not be sent. The overview screen shows per email whether it is enabled or disabled.

Variables you can use

Variables personalize each email per affiliate automatically. The templates below use these:

• {{affiliate_first_name}}: the affiliate's first name
• {{affiliate_last_name}}: the affiliate's last name
• {{affiliate_email}}: the affiliate's email address
• {{partnership_affiliate_link}}: their unique affiliate link
• {{partnership_resources_url}}: your branding and promo resources page
• {{partnership_coupon_code}}: their exclusive coupon code, if you use coupons
• {{account_contact_email}}: your program's contact address

You can find the complete, current list of variables in the email editor itself.

Keep track of emails sent, opens, and clicks

Once your automated emails are enabled, Reditus tracks how often each one is sent, opened, and clicked. Note: automated onboarding email stats are updated once a day, so they are not real time.

Pair your sequence with campaigns

Onboarding emails educate; campaigns activate. Alongside your sequence, you can run campaigns inside Reditus that reward affiliates upfront for specific actions: writing a comparison article, leaving a review, or hitting their first referrals. Mentioning an active campaign in your onboarding emails gives new affiliates a concrete first task with a concrete reward, which is the fastest way we know to turn a signup into an active promoter.

Email templates / inspiration you can use

Not sure what to write, or how to structure the sequence? Use the templates below as inspiration and adapt them to your own program. They follow the send timings we recommend: immediately, day 1, day 3, day 7, day 14, and day 30. The Reditus-specific examples show how we fill them in for our own program; replace those details with yours.

Immediately: welcome email

Subject: Welcome to the [Company Name] affiliate program!

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

Welcome to the [Company Name] Affiliate Program! We're thrilled to have you onboard.

Here's how you can get started:

1. Share your unique affiliate link: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}. Every time someone subscribes to a paid account through your referral, you earn a reward.
2. Use our branding resources: {{partnership_resources_url}}. Following the branding guidelines helps your referrals feel confident.

If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out to us at {{account_contact_email}}. We're here to support you and ensure your success as part of our program.

Happy promoting!

Best regards,
The [Company Name] Team

After 1 day: first referral nudge

Subject: Let's make your first referral today 💸

Hey {{affiliate_first_name}},

Thanks for signing up to promote [Company Name]: we're excited to have you on board! Your affiliate link is ready to go: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}

To help you get your first referral fast, check out these high-performing tactics:

• [Top 3 ways to promote]
• [Social media examples]
• [Swipe content you can use]

Let's turn your audience into revenue. Need help? Just reply and ask!

Cheers,
The [Company Name] Team

After 3 days: explain your product (template #1)

Subject: Do you need help promoting [Company Name]?

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

Do you need help in promoting Reditus?

In short: we help B2B SaaS companies set up, manage, and grow an affiliate program. Our main USP is our B2B SaaS focus and being able to showcase your affiliate program to a fast-growing network of B2B SaaS affiliates via our marketplace.

Our ICP: B2B SaaS companies with a product-led growth motion (free trial signup), past product-market fit, and roughly $10K+ MRR, using Stripe.

Bonus: when they already run a program on another tool, we can migrate it to Reditus for free. See how we compare to competitors.

Start promoting Reditus:

1. Share your unique affiliate link: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}
2. Use our branding resources: {{partnership_resources_url}}

If you have any questions or need assistance, just reply to this email.

Regards,
Joran Hofman
Founder @ Reditus

After 3 days: what top affiliates do (template #2)

Subject: Want quick results? Here's what top affiliates do

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

Curious how our top affiliates earn steady commissions? Here's what they consistently do:

• They promote early, often within the first week
• They personalize their message using your coupon code: {{partnership_coupon_code}}
• They use our ready-to-go banners and content: {{partnership_resources_url}}

And of course, they never forget to use their unique tracking link: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}

Need help getting started or want to brainstorm together? Hit reply or email us at {{account_contact_email}}.

[Name]
[Company Name]

After 7 days: quick wins (template #1)

Subject: Want a quick win promoting [Company Name]?

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

Want a quick win in promoting Reditus? Some ideas:

1. Add Reditus to your next newsletter towards SaaS companies
2. Create a social post around Reditus and tag us so we can help spread the word
3. Create a blog article on affiliate marketing or Reditus and share it with your network
4. Create a comparison article: Reditus vs a competitor
5. Optimize existing content to include Reditus
6. Reach out to your network and tell them about Reditus, uploading leads manually or sharing your link
7. Run ads for Reditus (brand-name ads are not allowed) and send traffic to our site
8. Mention us in your next webinar and share your affiliate link
9. Create a service around setting up affiliate programs, with Reditus as your preferred platform
10. Share us in the communities you are in

If you have any questions or need assistance, let me know.

Best regards,
Joran Hofman
Founder @ Reditus

After 7 days: check-in (template #2)

Subject: How's it going so far?

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

Just checking in: how is everything going with our affiliate program so far?

If you've already shared your link ({{partnership_affiliate_link}}), great! If not, now is a good time to test a first post.

Need help crafting your message or finding the right audience fit? Just reach out at {{account_contact_email}}, we're here for you.

Here's everything you need:

• Your link: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}
• Promo materials: {{partnership_resources_url}}

[Name]

Ps. You can earn up to $XXX by referring 10 paid clients to [Company Name].

After 14 days: troubleshooting (template #1)

Subject: No commission yet? Let's troubleshoot

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

If you haven't made a commission yet for [Company Name], no worries. Let's troubleshoot!

1. Purchase a plan yourself using your own affiliate link

We see that the highest-performing affiliates use [Company Name] themselves. It helps them understand the value we bring and how to promote it.

2. Check existing content where you can add [Company Name]

Use Google to search your own site for content where an affiliate link would fit: add your site plus relevant keywords to the search. See an example search here.

3. Add [Company Name] to your newsletter

A newsletter is a great channel for an affiliate link. We focus on B2B SaaS companies, so make sure your audience matches.

Check the day-7 email for more ideas relevant to your business.

Happy promoting!

Best regards,
[Name]

After 14 days: the trust angle (template #2)

Subject: Why your recommendation matters

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

You've been part of the [Company Name] Affiliate Program for two weeks now. Thank you for joining us on this journey.

At its core, affiliate marketing is about more than links and commissions: it's about trust. When you recommend a tool like ours, your audience listens, because you've earned their confidence.

Here's why recommending [Company Name] is worth it:

• [Your ICP / persona]
• [The problem you help fix]
• [The value clients receive, with case studies]

Grab all your updated promo resources here: {{partnership_resources_url}}

If you need ideas for where or how to share, just reply. We're happy to support you: {{account_contact_email}}

Let's grow together,
[Name]

After 30 days: momentum (template #1)

Subject: 1 month in: you're just getting started 🎉

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

You've been part of the [Company Name] Affiliate Program for 30 days. Whether you've made your first referral or are just warming up, now is the time to take things to the next level.

Have questions or need a boost? Just reply or reach out to {{account_contact_email}}.

Here's a reminder of what you have at your fingertips:

• Your affiliate link: {{partnership_affiliate_link}}
• Your exclusive coupon code: {{partnership_coupon_code}}
• All promo materials: {{partnership_resources_url}}

Let's make your next 30 days even more impactful.

Ps. You can earn up to $XXX by referring 10 paid clients to [Company Name].

You're on the right track. Let's keep growing,
The [Company Name] Team

After 30 days: 10 ideas to boost income (template #2)

Subject: 10 ideas to boost your affiliate income

Hi {{affiliate_first_name}},

You've been part of the [Company Name] Affiliate Program for 30 days. Whether you've made your first referral or are just warming up, here are 10 ideas to boost your affiliate income:

1. Add your affiliate link to your email signature
2. Write a blog post or review
3. Post on LinkedIn with a personal story
4. Include your link in your newsletter
5. Create a YouTube or Loom video
6. Share our case studies
7. Create a comparison article or post
8. Run paid ads with your affiliate link (only if the program allows paid ads)
9. Implement us for your clients
10. Ask us for a personalized strategy

Need templates or examples? You'll find them here: {{partnership_resources_url}}

Still unsure what would work for your audience? Let's talk, we're happy to help: {{account_contact_email}}

Let's experiment and win together,
The [Company Name] Team

Ready to get started?

• Start your 14-day free trial of Reditus
• Set up your automated emails here
• Learn how to recruit and motivate B2B SaaS affiliates (17 experts' advice)
• See the full checklist for launching an affiliate program