Managing sub-IBs · Lesson 2 of 3
Recruiting and training sub-IBs
4 min read
Draft lesson — under editorial review
Every sub-IB you add carries part of your reputation. Their posts, messages and behaviour will be linked to you and to the broker, so the people you choose and how you prepare them matter more than how many you recruit. This lesson covers selecting sub-IBs, agreeing shared standards and training them properly.
Choose integrity over reach
A large following is tempting, but reach without judgement multiplies risk. Look for people who:
- are honest about their own trading, including losses
- already explain things clearly and patiently
- accept feedback and are willing to follow rules they did not write
- understand that most retail CFD accounts lose money and say so
- are interested in long-term relationships, not quick sign-ups
Be cautious about anyone whose existing content features luxury lifestyles, income claims, "guaranteed" signals or edited results. Past behaviour is the best guide to future behaviour.
A simple selection scorecard
A scorecard makes your decisions consistent and easier to explain. Score each criterion from 1 to 5:
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Integrity | Honest content history, no income claims or fake results |
| Knowledge | Sound understanding of leverage, margin and risk |
| Communication | Clear, patient, respectful with their audience |
| Coachability | Accepts feedback and follows agreed rules |
| Audience fit | An adult audience in countries the broker can legally serve |
Worked example: suppose you set two conditions. A candidate needs at least 20 points out of 25, and no single criterion may score below 3. A candidate scores 5, 4, 4, 2 and 5, with the 2 for integrity.
- Total: 5 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 5 = 20, which meets the first condition.
- Integrity scored 2, which is below the minimum of 3.
The candidate is not accepted. Integrity is a gate, not something a large audience can make up for.
Check before you sign
Before anyone joins your network:
- Review their past content over several months, not just their best posts.
- Check their legal position. Whether they need a licence or authorisation to act as an introducer depends on where they are based and who they market to. In the UAE, for example, that means the Capital Market Authority (CMA, formerly the SCA) onshore, the DFSA in the DIFC or the FSRA in ADGM. Ask them to confirm their obligations with the relevant regulator or a qualified adviser.
- Confirm the broker accepts them. Most brokers run their own checks on sub-IBs and may decline some applicants.
- Sign a written agreement setting out standards, commission terms and what happens if the rules are broken. The next lesson covers what it should contain.
Agree shared standards
Write a short code of conduct that every sub-IB signs. It should cover at least:
- a clear risk warning on all promotional content
- disclosure that they are an IB and are paid by the broker
- no income or profit promises, and no "risk-free" or "guaranteed" language
- no fake, edited or cherry-picked results
- no targeting of minors or vulnerable people
- never handling client money, logins or trading
- no personalised advice unless they are authorised
- respecting clients who want to trade less or stop
- following the broker's approval process for marketing
Train before they promote
Do not let a new sub-IB publish anything until they have completed training. A short programme might look like this:
| Module | Content | How you check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Products, leverage and risk | Short quiz on margin and position sizing |
| 2 | Financial promotion rules | Walk through the pre-publish checklist together |
| 3 | Disclosure and balance | They draft a post; you review it |
| 4 | Red lines | Discuss real examples of what not to do |
| 5 | Client welfare | Role-play responding to a client who is chasing losses |
| 6 | Broker rules and approvals | Confirm they know how to submit content for approval |
After training, review a new sub-IB's first few posts before they go live, for example their first five, and give written feedback. Then move to the regular monitoring described in the next lesson.
Keep training going
Rules, platforms and broker terms change. Run a short refresher at regular intervals, for example every quarter, and whenever something important changes. Keep a record of who attended and what was covered.
Key takeaways
- Choose sub-IBs for integrity, knowledge and coachability, not just audience size.
- Use a scorecard with minimum scores so a weak integrity rating cannot be outweighed by reach.
- Check each candidate's past content, legal position and acceptance by the broker before signing.
- Agree a written code of conduct and complete compliance training before any sub-IB promotes anything.
- Review early content closely and refresh training regularly, keeping records.
Educational content only — not financial advice. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money.