What mistakes do companies make when setting up affiliate partnerships?

The biggest pitfalls

Unclear referral credit: Who gets paid if two partners introduce the same customer? Define this upfront or disputes will multiply. Commission too low: If you pay 5% when your margin is 15%, partners won't prioritize you. No partner onboarding: You give them a link and expect results. Good partners need to understand your product, ideal customer, and pitch angle.

Expecting instant conversions: B2B sales cycles are long. Partners who invest in you in month one won't see commissions until month four. They'll quit if you ghost them.

What works

Document your program (even one-pagers). Call partners personally when you recruit them. Check in quarterly on their pipeline. Pay on time, every time. Be honest about conversion rates and typical deal size—partners will respect realistic expectations.