Overview
Surgent Accounting & Financial Education (Surgent) is a leading provider of certification exam preparation and continuing education courses for accounting professionals. With a 30-year history, Surgent serves individuals, top enterprises, and higher education institutions globally. As the largest and fastest-growing independent provider in their field, Surgent faced a critical challenge at the end of 2022. Their eight-year-old affiliate program was heavily reliant on performance from three content affiliates, risking their market position and growth potential.
Challenges
Surgent’s affiliate program faced several significant challenges:
- Over-reliance on Limited Affiliates: The program's success was dangerously dependent on just three content affiliates.
- Restrictions on Coupon Affiliates: Limitations for coupon affiliates and coupon codes hampered growth.
- Budget Constraints: Lack of budget for paid placements limited strategic growth opportunities.
Solutions
To address these challenges, LinkConnector and JEBCommerce collaborated to implement several innovative strategies:
- AI-Powered Affiliate Recruitment: Leveraged AI recruitment tools to target relevant and competitor affiliates, expanding the affiliate base.
- Naked Coupon Technology: Used Naked Coupon tech to minimize friction with non-traditional affiliates, encouraging their participation.
- Customized Commission Increases: Implemented customized commission increases for highly valued affiliates to offset the lack of budget for paid placements.
Implementation
In February 2023, LinkConnector introduced Surgent to JEBCommerce, and together, they set the transformation into motion. The focus was on diversifying the affiliate base and amplifying visibility for Surgent’s courses to adapt to marketplace shifts.
Results
The partnership between LinkConnector and JEBCommerce delivered extraordinary results, capturing the attention of Surgent’s C-Suite and securing renewed investment in their affiliate marketing channel. The key outcomes included:
- 328% Revenue Increase: Revenue from focus and new affiliates surged by 328%.
- 189% Increase in Converting Affiliates: The number of converting affiliates increased by 189% YoY.
- 285% Increase in Active Affiliates: Active affiliates grew by 285% YoY.
- New Promotional Segments: Four previously untapped promotional segments began converting, broadening the program's reach and impact.
Recognition
The success of this partnership was recognized at the 2024 US Partnership Awards, where LinkConnector and JEBCommerce were named Silver Winners in the ‘Together, We Solved That!’ category. This award highlighted the power of collaborative problem-solving and the effective use of technology to overcome real-world challenges.
Conclusion
The partnership between LinkConnector and JEBCommerce transformed Surgent’s affiliate program, demonstrating the potential of innovative strategies and collaborative efforts. The significant increase in revenue, affiliate engagement, and program diversification underscores the effectiveness of their approach.
Free Program Audit
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