A cursory search online will reveal several examples of marketers who extoll the virtues of and have successfully made a full-time living from affiliate marketing. However, reaching that level of success is almost impossible just by promoting low-cost items with minimal commissions. Instead, marketers must be strategic about what they choose to promote.
That’s one of the benefits of high-ticket affiliate marketing. This strategy has the potential to generate massive income from a single sale. In this article, we’ll delve into who such a strategy is best geared toward, as well as seven high-ticket affiliate marketing programs to get your own initiative off the ground.
Table of Contents
High-ticket affiliate marketing: What is it?
How much can high-ticket affiliate marketers make?
7 amazing high-ticket affiliate programs for improved success
High-ticket affiliate marketing vs. low-ticket affiliate marketing
Final words
High-ticket affiliate marketing: What is it?
High-ticket affiliate marketing involves promoting products and services that offer substantial commissions (usually USD 100 or more) per sale. Unlike traditional affiliate marketers, who prioritize sales volume for moderately priced items, high-ticket affiliates focus on earning larger commissions from fewer sales.
Marketers interested in this niche strategy also target smaller, more specific audiences that are more likely to purchase higher-priced items. Here are examples of products eligible for high-ticket affiliate marketing:
- Jewelry
- Premium courses
- Insurance
- Financial investment tools
- Software
- Luxury travel experiences
How much can high-ticket affiliate marketers make?
Like other marketing strategies, the income marketers are able to make from high-ticket affiliate marketing will depend on the product and commission structure they utilize. Some programs offer a flat rate per sale, while others provide a percentage of each sale. So, how much can one expect to make from high-ticket affiliate marketing on average?
According to data from ZipRecruiter, the average income for a high-ticket affiliate marketer is around USD 47,500 annually. The same report says that regular affiliate marketers earn an average of about USD 82,000 yearly. But why do affiliate marketers have the potential to make more than high-ticket marketers?
The main reason is the number of sales. While a high-ticket affiliate marketer generates larger commissions for each sale, the items’ higher prices mean that sales usually occur less frequently. In addition to dealing with more prudent consumers, high-ticket affiliate marketers often face stiff competition. For this reason, success will mostly depend on forming a robust and effective strategy to engage hesitant potential buyers.
Despite these challenges, some high-ticket affiliate marketers have made it big. For instance, Pat Flynn of smartpassiveincome.com has reportedly earned over USD 3.5 million in affiliate revenue since 2010, while Ryan Robinson claims to make nearly half of his USD 35,000 monthly blog revenue from high-ticket affiliate sales.
7 amazing high-ticket affiliate programs for improved success
1. WP Engine
WP Engine is an ecommerce hosting provider specializing in WordPress services and website themes. It caters to bloggers, businesses, and personal sites. More importantly, the WP Engine allows affiliates to sell their hosting plans and StudioPress website themes to earn substantial commissions.
Commissions range from USD 200 to USD 7,500, depending on the plan marketers sell. Additionally, WP Engine’s affiliate marketing program offers a USD 50 bonus for each sale made by a referral.
Affiliate niche: Website hosting
Key details
- WP Engine’s minimum commission rate is USD 200 for a WP Engine referral or 35% of StudioPress theme sales
- Affiliates can earn a bonus for every five referrals
- WP Engine makes monthly payouts through ACH or PayPal
- Affiliate’s cookies will last up to 180 days for WP Engine referrals and 60 days for StudioPress theme sales
2. ClickFunnels
ClickFunnels offers a landing page builder service to entrepreneurs. Since its debut in 2014, the company has grown to over 100,000 users. However, what makes ClickFunnels interesting is its affiliate program, which offers a 30% monthly commission for every active referral. Affiliates may also get bonuses for upsells, add-ons, and challenges.
Affiliate niche: Marketing tools
Key details
- Affiliates will get up to 30% monthly recurring commissions for active referrals
- ClickFunnels makes Bi-monthly payments through PayPal, ACH, wire transfer, or direct deposit
- Affiliate’s cookies will last up to 45 days
3. Shopify
Shopify’s affiliate program is open to educators, reviewers, content creators, and influencers who can reach potential business owners and entrepreneurs. The brand offers competitive commissions for every referral that purchases any of Shopify’s full-price store plans or point-of-sale hardware.
Affiliate niche: Entrepreneurship and business
Key details:
- Shopify offers different fixed commissions depending on the referral’s location
- Commissions range from USD 25 to USD 150 for full-priced plan sales and up to USD 500 for POS pros
- Shopify pays its affiliates biweekly in USD through PayPal or a bank account
- Cookies can last up to 30 days
4. Amazing Selling Machine
Amazing Selling Machine (ASM) offers a training program that shows entrepreneurs how to sell successfully on ecommerce platforms. Clients can gain access to six-week online courses, a global community of sellers, and private mentorships. More importantly, affiliates can earn a high-ticket commission by selling ASM’s flagship course, academy membership, and tickets to the brand’s annual conference.
Affiliate niche: Online courses
Key details
- ASM offers up to 50% commission rates for each successful referral
- Affiliates can also enjoy recurring commissions for active subscribers
- ASM pays affiliates monthly through check, wire transfer, or PayPal
- Cookies last up to 60 days
5. Smartproxy
Smartproxy, a residential proxy network, offers over 40 million IPs worldwide, giving businesses access to global data, automated social media, ad verification, and more. The brand also offers an affiliate program where marketers earn commissions on proxy plan sales, potentially up to USD 2,500 per customer.
Usually, Smartproxy issues payment 20 days after a 27-day lock period. But since most plans cost hundreds of dollars monthly, those commissions can rack up quickly for a big payout.
Affiliate niche: Web services
Key details
- Affiliates earn up to 50% commission on successful proxy plan sales, capped at USD 2,500 per customer
- Smartproxy offers payment via PayPal or wire transfer
- Affiliates also get a 60-day cookie period
6. Kinsta
Kinsta is a managed WordPress hosting service that boasts cloud servers with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Its affiliate program allows partners to earn up to USD 500 per referral. Better yet, Kinsta offers an additional 5% to 10% of every active referral’s monthly renewal fee.
Using Kinsta’s payment calculator, affiliates could earn around USD 135 monthly for Pro Plan referrals, making it a promising passive income program. Additionally, Kinsta supports affiliates with marketing resources, tips, and guidance through its Affiliate Academy.
Affiliate niche: Website hosting
Key details
- Affiliates can get up to a USD 500 initial commission and a 5% to 10% recurring monthly payment
- Kinsta only makes payments through PayPal
- Cookies can track payments for up to 60 days
7. Semrush
Semrush is a leading search engine optimization tool trusted by over 10 million users, including Fortune 500 companies. It manages its affiliate program through the Impact network and uses a last-click attribution model, which means the last affiliate link that converts the lead gets the sale.
Additionally, affiliates can earn a fixed USD 200 for every new subscription sale. Semrush also offers smaller commissions for leads and free trial sign-ups.
Affiliate niche: Marketing tools
Key details
- Semrush offers its affiliates USD 200 per subscription and USD 10 per lead
- The brand also supports payment via PayPal. However, partners will only get paid 21 days after the lock period
- Cookies can track referrals’ purchases for up to 120 days
High-ticket affiliate marketing vs. low-ticket affiliate marketing
High-ticket affiliate marketing is different from low-ticket marketing because it focuses on:
- Higher-priced products
- More intense competition
- Building a reputation as an expert in the target field
- Increased earnings potential
- Niche-specific selling
More importantly, marketers may find joining high-ticket affiliate programs challenging because of the competitive markets and difficulties in reaching the right audience. For instance, booking a private jet with Villers may cost over USD 32,000, a price beyond the reach of most consumers. High-ticket brands often set stricter criteria for affiliate partners, like having a significant follower count or audience size.
In contrast, low-ticket affiliate programs (like Amazon’s) are more accessible. They offer a variety of products from USD 25 to several hundred dollars. Marketers with a loyal audience that trusts their recommendations might find it easier to earn consistent, smaller commissions through low-ticket affiliate marketing.
Final words
High-ticket affiliate marketing is an excellent way for marketers and industry experts to earn mouthwatering passive income. But before they can access such profits, they must put in the work. First, marketers and industry experts must choose the right programs in their niche and run an effective affiliate campaign.
While we’ve explored seven incredible affiliate marketing programs, many more are available with fantastic offers. So, even if you don’t see your ideal niche here, you should have a better idea of what to look for when picking the best high-ticket affiliate program for your marketing dreams.
