Affiliate Center - Creating and Managing Commission Plans

Setting fair and motivating commission rates for your affiliates is key to a successful affiliate program. ClickFunnels’ Affiliate Center makes this task easier with its flexible commission plan feature. This article will guide you through ClickFunnels’ commission plans. You’ll discover how to set default rates, create custom plans, and adjust commissions for specific products. By using these tools effectively, you can build a commission structure that rewards your affiliates based on their performance and aligns with your business goals.

Table of Contents

• Requirements
• What Are Commission Plans
• Commission Plan Hierarchy
• Workspace Default Commission
• Creating commission plans
• Workspace Product Overrides
• Commission Plan Product Overrides
  • Method 1: From the Commission Plans Page
  • Method 2: From the Product Page
  • Method 3: From the Commissionable Products Page
• Adding Commission Plans to Campaigns
• Additional Information

Requirements

• An active ClickFunnels account
• The Affiliate Center App

What Are Commission Plans

Commission plans in ClickFunnels’ Affiliate Center are the rules you set up to pay your affiliates. They define how much money your partners earn when they help you make a sale.

For example, let’s say you run an online fitness coaching business. You might set up a commission plan that pays affiliates:

• 10% for selling your basic workout plan
• 15% for your premium nutrition guide
• 20% for your one-on-one coaching packages

These plans are the backbone of your affiliate program. They tell your affiliates exactly what they’ll earn for their efforts. With ClickFunnels, you can create different plans to suit various scenarios:

• Set a basic rate for all affiliates: You might start all new affiliates at 20% commission for any product they sell.
• Offer higher rates to your best performers: An affiliate who consistently sells your 12-week body transformation program might earn 25% instead of the standard 20%.
• Pay different amounts for specific products: You could offer 30% commission on your new yoga course launch to encourage more promotion.

Using commission plans helps keep your affiliate program organized and fair. It also motivates your partners to promote your products more effectively.

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Commission Plan Hierarchy

Understanding the hierarchy of commission settings in ClickFunnels is crucial for managing your affiliate program effectively. The hierarchy determines which commission rate takes precedence when multiple settings are in place. Here’s how it works, from lowest to highest priority:

1. Workspace Default: This is the base commission rate for your entire workspace.
   • Lowest priority.
   • Applies when no other commission settings are in place.
2. Commission Plan Defaults: These are the default rates set for a specific commission plan.
   • Overrides the Workspace Default.
   • Applies to all products for campaigns assigned to that plan, unless overridden by higher priority settings.
3. Workspace Product Overrides: These are product-specific rates that apply across the entire workspace.
   • Overrides both Workspace Default and Commission Plan Defaults.
   • Applies to all affiliates for specific products, unless overridden by Product Overrides in Commission Plans.
4. Product Overrides in Commission Plans: These are product-specific rates set within individual commission plans.
   • Highest priority.
   • Applies to specific products for affiliates assigned to that plan.
   • Overrides all other settings.

Here’s an example of how this hierarchy works:

• Workspace Default: 20%
• “Gold Affiliate” Commission Plan Default: 25%
• Workspace Product Override for “Premium Course”: 30%
• “Gold Affiliate” Plan Product Override for “Premium Course”: 35%

In this scenario:

• Regular affiliates earn 20% on most products
• Gold affiliates earn 25% on most products
• Regular affiliates earn 30% on the “Premium Course”
• Gold affiliates earn 35% on the “Premium Course”

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Workspace Default Commission

The Workspace Default Commission is the base commission rate that applies to all affiliates in your workspace unless overridden by specific commission plans or product settings. This setting acts as a fallback when no specific commission plan or product override is in place. It ensures that all your affiliates have a base commission rate, even if you haven’t set up individual plans for them yet.

To set or edit the Workspace Default Commission:

1. Navigate to the Affiliate Center app from the left menu.
2. Select Settings from the Affiliate Center submenu.
3. Click on the Commission tab in the Affiliate Settings page.
4. Under the Workspace Default section, Click the Settings ⚙ icon next to the workspace name.
5. In the Edit Commission Setting Overridepopup:
   1. Enter the desired percentage for Commission Percent Tier 1.
   2. (Optional) set a Commission Percent Tier 2.
6. Click Update to save your changes, or Discard changes to cancel.
   

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Creating commission plans

Commission plans in ClickFunnels are preset commission rates you create for your affiliates. Commission Plan Defaults take precedence over Workspace Defaults. Here’s how it works:

• If a Commission Plan Default is set, it will override the Workspace Default for all affiliates assigned to that plan.

• For example:
  • Your Workspace Default might be set to 20% for all products.
  • If you create a “VIP Affiliate” plan with a 30% Commission Plan Default, affiliates assigned to this plan will earn 30% instead of the 20% Workspace Default.
• This allows you to create tailored commission structures for different groups of affiliates without changing your base Workspace Default.

Why you might want to create multiple plans:

• Reward top performers: Create higher-paying plans for affiliates who consistently drive more sales.
• Segment by affiliate type: Offer different rates for influencers, bloggers, or strategic partners.

• Product-specific promotions: Set up plans with higher rates for new product launches or seasonal promotions.

  If an affiliate is assigned to multiple commission plans, the plan offering the highest commission for a given product will be applied. This ensures your affiliates always receive the most favorable rate they’re eligible for.

To create a new commission plan:

1. Go to Affiliate Center > Commission Plans in the left navigation menu.
2. Click Create Commission Plan in the top right corner of the page.
3. In the popup:
   1. Enter a Name for your plan.
   2. Pick a Color for your plan.
   3. Toggle Default if you want this plan to be the default for your workspace.
4. Click Create to save your new plan.
   

After creating, you’ll be taken to the Edit Commission Plan page where you can set up the default commission rates for this plan. These rates will apply to all products associated with this plan unless overridden by another settings.

To set up your Commission Plan rates:

1. Scroll down to the Commission Settings section.
2. Under Commission Plan Default, you’ll see your plan name with Tier 1 and Tier 2 columns.
3. Click the Settings ⚙ icon next to the default rates.
4. In the popup, enter your desired percentages for Tier 1 and Tier 2.

5. Click Update to save these rates.
   

   Tier 2 is optional. You can use it to create more complex commission structures, such as increased rates for high-performing affiliates or for specific product categories. If you don’t need it, simply leave it at 0%.

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Workspace Product Overrides

Workspace Product Overrides allow you to set specific commission rates for individual products across your entire workspace. These overrides take precedence over both Workspace Defaults and Commission Plan Defaults. Here’s how they work:

• If a Workspace Product Override is set, it will apply to all affiliates promoting that specific product, regardless of their assigned commission plan.

• For example:
  • Your Workspace Default might be set to 20% for all products.
  • You have a “VIP Affiliate” plan with a 30% Commission Plan Default.
  • If you set a Workspace Product Override of 25% for “Product A”, all affiliates will earn 25% for this product, regardless of their plan.
• This allows you to create product-specific commission rates that apply uniformly across your affiliate program.

Here’s how to set up Workspace Product Overrides:

1. Go to Affiliate Center > Settings in the left navigation menu.
2. Click on the Commission tab.
3. Scroll down to the Product Overrides section.
4. Click Add to create a new product override.
   
5. In the popup:
   1. Select the Product you want to override.
   2. Enter the commission percentages for Tier 1.
   3. Optionally, enter a percentage for Tier 2. If you don’t need a second tier, you can leave this at 0% or blank.
6. Click Create to save the override.

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Commission Plan Product Overrides

Commission Plan Product Overrides allow you to set specific commission rates for individual products within a particular commission plan. These overrides have the highest priority in the commission hierarchy. You can set these overrides using three different methods:

Method 1: From the Commission Plans Page

1. Go to Affiliate Center > Commission Plans in the left navigation menu.
2. Click on the commission plan you want to edit.
3. Scroll down to the Product Overrides section.
4. Click Add to create a new product override.
   
5. In the popup:
   1. Select the Product you want to override.
   2. Enter the commission percentage for Tier 1.
   3. Optionally, enter a percentage for Tier 2.
6. Click Create to save the override.

Method 2: From the Product Page

1. Go to Products > All Products in the left navigation menu.
2. Click on the product you want to set overrides for.
3. Scroll down to the Commission Settings section.
4. Ensure the Commissionable toggle is switched on.
5. Under Commission Plan Product Overrides, click Add.
   
6. In the New Commission Setting Overridepopup:
   1. Select the Commission Plan you want to create an override for.
   2. Enter the commission percentage for Commission Percent Tier 1.
   3. Optionally, enter a percentage for Commission Percent Tier 2.
7. Click Create to save the override.

Method 3: From the Commissionable Products Page

1. Go to Affiliate Center > Commissionable Products in the left navigation menu.
2. Locate the product you want to set overrides for in the list.
3. Click the Settings ⚙ icon to right of the product.
4. In the Edit [Product Name] Overridespopup:
   1. For each commission plan listed, you’ll see fields for Tier 1 and Tier 2.
   2. Enter the desired commission percentage for Tier 1 for the desired plan.
   3. Optionally, enter a percentage for Tier 2 if needed.
5. Click Update to save the overrides for several plans simultaneously.
   

To edit an existing Commission Plan Product Override (from either method):

1. Find the override you want to modify.
2. Click the Settings ⚙ icon next to it.
3. Adjust the commission details as needed.
4. Click Update to save your changes.

To learn more about setting up products for affiliate sales, check our How to Make Products Commissionable article.

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Adding Commission Plans to Campaigns

Here’s how to add commission plans to your campaigns:

1. Navigate to Affiliate Center > Campaigns in the left sidebar menu.
2. Find the campaign you want to edit and click the Settings ⚙ icon to right of it.
3. On the campaign edit page, scroll down to the Commission Plans section.
4. Click the Add button next to “Commission Plans”.
5. In the Add Commission Planpopup:
   1. Use the dropdown menu to select the commission plan you want to add to this campaign.
   2. Click Add Tag to associate the selected plan with the campaign.
      
6. Repeat steps 4-6 to add multiple commission plans if needed.
7. To remove a commission plan from the campaign, click the delete can icon next to the plan name.

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Additional Information

• Affiliate Center - Create Your Affiliate Program in ClickFunnels
• Affiliate Center - How to Create an Affiliate Campaign
• Affiliate Center - How to Make Products Commissionable
• Affiliate Center - How to View and Manage Affiliate Commissions

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