4x revenue in 12 months, same budget
A small DTC beauty brand with the brief a lot of small brands quietly carry: we know affiliate could be doing more for us, but every agency wants a budget we don't have — and the programme hasn't moved in years.
Vertical
Beauty
Focus
SME programme growth
4x
Monthly affiliate revenue
13.1x
ROAS — up from 11.0x
2x
UK monthly orders
The approach
I took the programme on in April 2025. The rebuild:
Rebuilt the partner mix on fit, not size — smaller, curated partners whose audiences match the brand convert better, and they prioritise you because you're a meaningful client, not a rounding error. Tidied out the partners who weren't earning their keep.
Built a community and affinity channel as the foundation: employee-benefit platforms and NHS, teacher, forces, carer and student discount sites. Small per-partner volume — but a stack of small channels is exactly the right shape for an SME.
Got pragmatic about market: doubled down on the UK with the partners who actually performed there, and used an adjacent English-language market as a proving ground for offer mechanics.
Locked in a monthly rhythm: clear priorities, a partner of the month, and one strategic test in flight at all times. Not glamorous — but it's the difference between a stuck programme and a growing one.
