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While at Adtech San Francisco, one thing I was strongly reminded of was the importance of relationships. No, not "girlfriend / boyfriend" relationships... business relationships.
Larby, a "seven figure a month" affiliate, is one of the best at this. He built his affiliate business to over a million dollars per month by being in constant communication with the people who are there to work for him, his account managers, representatives, etc. Larby isn't the worlds most advanced php coder, a uber blackhat, a hacker of any sort, (but he is a hard worker) and managed to make more in a month than most people make in half a lifetime.
So many of us computer nerd affiliates are "scared" to talk on the phone and just want to do our own thing. Most of us who remain this way, only make it to a certain degree of success. I was this way for a long time. I hate to talk on the phone (still do), and had to learn to get over my phone phobias in order to advance my business to the next level.
Every single successful affiliate that has hit a huge degree of success replies on other people. Other affiliates, affiliate managers, representatives, etc.
Although I might not be doing business with X affiliate network, I am working on building a relationship with them now for the chance that I might work with them in the future.
My Affiliate Manager Ryan Sessler, from Azoogleads, is another person who taught me the importance of relationship. He has helped me in many ways and always communicates issues to me directly. Because of the relationship we have built, any account issues are directed towards me and we work it out.
This type of mindset goes beyond just affiliate marketing. It extends into good ol' regular business. To run a successful business, you must build relationship and find favor in the sight of those you're working with.
So when your next affiliate manager calls you from Random_new_affiliate_company, don't shrug them off! Ask them questions, get information! When representative from X_company calls you about your campaign, don't just say, "I got it, thanks." Ask him/her for tips, etc.
Hello Jonathan iam a newcomer here and i found all posts in archives extremely helpful.Thanks a lot for sharing all these with us.
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed them
I was going to write my next post on how important of a role your affiliate manager plays in taking you from $10 a to $100 and further.
A month back I joined this X network. I sent them some traffic to show that I’ve got traffic. I went out of my comfort zone calling and asking them to assign me a AM quickly. I was aggressive in my approach. I got this manager and told them exactly what I needed. They found me a offer that worked for me. After few weeks of scaling it up, it is now making me 1k a day now and has potential to do 3x.
Great “testimonial” so to speak of the importance it plays. Thanks for sharing that!
Basically my point was that sometimes you have to be aggressive in your approach when you need something and can’t shy from calling or bugging your manager.
Yup, very true.
this is a great post, and I do agree with you about you have to find a favor in sight of those working with you.
Thanks. Glad you agree
Jonathan,
After nine months of building relationships with ‘marketing guru’s’, joining Affiliate networks (over 20!) and attending BlogWorld Expo 2008, Affiliate Summit West 2009 and reading every .PDF and eBook on the subject of web marketing, taking PPC courseware, Online Profits Courseware, reading membership site blogs, reading “how to blog in your pajama’s” etc ad naseum I have come to one conclusion.
Without a mentor, web-administrator, copywriter, and / or someone who can help you navigate the endless computer-programmer level tasks associated with an online business, you are not going to make a living on the internet.
Requirement to learn all of the following:
.CSS
.PHP
.html
cPanel
WordPress
Writing good content on your blog
Learning CPA, CPM, PPC, SEO (not sure about SEO..)
Landing page design
Social Media relationship-building
Oh and watching to see if your campaign profits are being siphoned-off by an Affiliate Network insider!
The challenges for an unemployed, ex- Sony senior systems design engineer are insurmountable.
I’m no stranger to complexity, but I do not have the time to learn all of these web-disciplines and try to continue in this business.
In other fields, engineering for example the classes actually teach hard facts applicable to a job in the field.
Web marketing by it’s very nature is ’secretive’ and no one will reveal the truth behind the marketing success, that it took years of 16-hour days, and large sums of $$ spent grinding it out.
Successful web marketing requires an individual with plenty of time, the skills and attributes listed above and a stable source of income to ‘finance’ the click-budget’ expenses which can quickly max-out a credit card.
After nine months of attempts to breakthrough to success online have ended in near bankruptcy for me and my family.
While individuals such as yourself ‘get it’ for the rest of us newbies the success rate has to be astronomically low.
Respectfully,
Nicholas Chase
http://www.twitter.com/nachase
PPC Coach… If you’re wanting to learn. Otherwise best of luck in whatever you do next!
It’s so important to keep in touch with your affiliate managers, they really are there to help you! Even if you’re afraid to talk on the phone, email, IM, even Twitter is a way to communicate these days. Find a medium you’re comfortable with and chat that way. We’re here to help you, but we can’t do that if we can’t get in touch!
Yup for sure!
Having a great relationship and constantly staying in contact with your affiliate manager is extremely important, whether you are a newbie or a Super Affiliate.
By talking to your AM on a regular basis, not only will you ALWAYS be informed on all of the new and high performing offers out there, but they can really help you optimize all of your marketing efforts, which in turn, will make your AM business even more successful.
Our AM’s are available 24/7 so its easy for you to stay in touch!
Yup! Thanks Eric
Yeah I’m definitely more of a “go-it-alone” type. I’ve considered the wisdom of your advice in the past and realize it’s something I do need to work on. Thanks for reminding me that I haven’t been.
My pleasure. Let me give you a call about it sometime… hahaha jk
Sometimes we forget that even the online business is the same with offline business. Relationship always come first…
Yup definitely.
Keeping you ahead with your task by a great relationship with your affiliate manager by talking on regular basis and its really very important to maintain in such way.
Another great blog – thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences
! A question about PPC Coach – will it teach all those requirements Nicholas mentioned? Is his requirement list pretty accurate?
Hey,
Nope, it does not teach the following:
.CSS
.PHP
.html
cPanel
WordPress
Writing good content on your blog
But, you don’t really need those very much, just really html more than anything. Blogging is one thing, affiliate marketing is different so I wasn’t quite sure what nick was trying to say for that part.
Hey Jonathan!
I’m also the type of person that hates talking on the phone and networking (in real life), thankfully I still haven’t got to the point where I need to do so. (Wait, thankfully? LOL.)
-Phil
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