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Affiliate Classroom Blog Archives

SAM - Simple Affiliate Marketing

Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm by Gracie Browning

Many of the self proclaimed affiliate marketing experts make affiliate marketing sound so difficult that it seems impossible. These experts like to toss technical terms about and make affiliate marketing sound like a game that can only be played and won by those who are on the ‘inside’.

Those folks usually have something to sell like a ‘sure-fire’ way to become number one in search engine results in only 10 easy (and expensive) lessons. I say, ‘Horse Feathers!’ It just isn’t so!

Affiliate marketing is probably the easiest, quickest and cheapest way that those who want to get into online marketing can use. You don’t have to be a genius!

 

If that were the case, there would only be two or three affiliate marketers who would be making money and I wouldn’t be one of them and I’m not sure I know another affiliate marketer who would be.

The first concept of SAM (Simple Affiliate Marketing) that you need to grasp is that the internet is full of successful affiliate marketers who didn’t know the first thing about affiliate marketing when they started, and weren’t geniuses either.

They learned…and YOU can learn. It isn’t that hard.

You don’t even have to have your own website to become an affiliate marketer. You can sign up as an affiliate for a product that you believe in, get an affiliate link, place ads in other people’s Newsletters, and when anybody clicks on your advertisement they are taken to the merchant’s website.  If they buy something, you make money.

It just doesn’t get much simpler than that!

Yes, there are things that you need to learn but according to the SAM principle, none of that knowledge is out of your reach - so Just Go for it!

 

AC Certified - It’s Launching Soon!

Friday, January 25th, 2008 at 3:18 pm by Rachel Honoway

I spoke with Andrew Wee about the new Affiliate Manager Training and Certification course we’re getting ready to launch. It’s called AC Certified, and we’re going to be launching it at our LIVE event on February 23rd in Las Vegas.

For more details about the launch and for some insights into hot topics for Affiliate Managers, listen to my conversation with Andrew. Click here to listen to the interview.

Sign up to join us at the LIVE Affiliate Manager Workshop. Click here for details.

8 Lessons for Affiliate Managers

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm by Rachel Honoway

We’ve released the agenda for the Affiliate Manager Training LIVE event on February 23rd at the Rio Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. The line up includes 8 presentations from top industry professionals who are planning to teach affiliate managers how to apply effective techniques to acheive profitable results.

Here is the agenda (Register at AffiliateClassroomLIVE.com): 

Keynote Address: Zappos.com - An Affiliate Program Success Story
Ned Farra, Online Partnership Extraordinaire at Zappos.com

Zappos.com is an affiliate program success story. Marketing through a group of motivated, well-targeted affiliates has helped Zappos.com create brand recognition and become a leader in the highly-competitive apparel and footwear sector of the retail industry. Listen as Ned Farra describes how their affiliate program helped them build their business and reach their goals.

Session 1: A Typical Affiliate Manager’s Day
Stephanie Harris and Bryan Rhodes, Affiliate Program Managers at Schaaf Consulting

Stephanie and Bryan have a combined background in all areas of interactive marketing including search, PPC, media buying and, of course, affiliate marketing. Drawing on both current and past experiences as affiliate managers, they will be answering the question “What does an affiliate manager DO?” They’ll show you what they spend their time on each day, which tasks they’ve learned to optimize, which they’ve decided to skip and those that they wish they had more time for. Each of them bring a unique perspective and opinion on what matters most - learn as they guide you in successfully managing your time and responsibilities as an affiliate manager.

Session 2: Affiliate Tracking and Management Technology Fundamentals
DoubleClick Performics

DoubleClick Performics is one of the leading providers of affiliate tracking and management technology platforms. He/she will explain the technical terminology used in this industry and help you understand how each piece fits together. Affiliate marketing is a technical strategy and without a proper understanding of each piece, you could make major mistakes or miss out on serious opportunities for your program.

Session 3: Affiliate Recruitment Techniques
A Successful Super Affiliate

We’re going to provide you with an interesting perspective of affiliate recruitment - through the eyes of a super affiliate. He will tell you about the recruitment campaigns that have gotten his attention, the campaigns that have annoyed him and what he looks for when he goes out searching for programs to join.

Session 4: Traditional Affiliate Programs vs CPA Affiliate Offers
Steven Lerch, Todd Farmer and John Vehlewald of Think Partnership’s KowaBunga! and PrimaryAds Networks

This trio, who manage both a traditional and a CPA network, will describe the differences between the traditional affiliate networks that have been around for years, and the newer breed called “CPA Affiliate Networks”. They’ll help you determine which type of approach is the best fit for your strategy and show you how other merchants have successfully used both to reach their goals.

Session 5: Making Sense of Stats
Lisa Riolo, Founder of Hammock Ventures

Lisa is a long-time member of the online performance marketing industry and best known for her work as SVP of Business Development at Commission Junction. In this session, Lisa will teach you how to read and analyze your affiliate performance reports and make use of the numbers - including information on how to use statistics and reports to develop a fair and effective affiliate commission structure.

Session 6: Compliance and Legal Issues
Clarke Douglas Walton, Attorney and Founder of Walton Law Firm

Keeping your affiliate program operating legally and in compliance with your company’s standards are huge responsibilities for you. Mr. Walton, a copyright, trademark and Internet law attorney will update you on the latest legal developments and teach you what to watch for, how to attack problems, where to turn for help and how to stay ahead of the issues.

Session 7: Engaging Affiliates
Heather Paulson, President and Founder of Paulson Management Group

With successful experiences in both affiliate and search marketing, Heather Paulson was the first professional Affiliate Manager to coin and expertly craft the practice of “Affiliate Relationship Management” or ARM as she refers to it. She will explain this method and show you how to use it in order to create and strengthen profitable bonds with your affiliates.

Register at AffiliateClassroomLIVE.com

The Affiliate Marketer vs The Tax Man

Monday, January 21st, 2008 at 3:42 pm by Kathy Jackson

Taxes! Everybody hates them and the only thing we hate worse than the taxes themselves are the forms that we must fill out and file. According to Benjamin Franklin: “Certainty? In this world
nothing is certain but death and taxes.”

Affiliate marketers are self-employed business men and women. When you are self-employed that means that you are responsible not only for filing your annual state and federal income taxes but also for making 4 deposits each year prior to filing on April 15th.

If you do not make your quarterly tax deposits, you will get hit with the double whammy of interest and penalties and end up paying more than you would have paid had you just made the tax deposits on time.

There are three things regarding taxes that you really need to do as a self-employed affiliate marketer:

You need to find out what taxes that you are responsible for and where, when and to whom to pay the taxes or make the tax deposits:

This information is readily available free from the IRS and from state, city and county tax assessors/collectors. Ignorance of the law is not a viable excuse. You will be charged the interest and penalties (which are excessive) even if you didn’t know that you owed the taxes.

As a self employed person you will be responsible not only for income tax but also for your self-employment tax. (That’s your Social Security and Medicare payments.)

 

You need to keep complete financial records:

A bunch of receipts in a shoebox, if you are audited, won’t cut it.  If you are going to keep these records yourself you will need a good record keeping program like Quickbooks. If you aren’t sure that you know what you are doing, there are many bookkeeping services available both online and off.

If you are going to hire someone to keep records for you, make sure it’s a bookkeeper or an accountant who is well versed in internet business tax laws.

 

Make your tax deposits on time and in full:

I advise that you set up a separate bank account and deposit funds to cover your upcoming tax obligation from each payment that you receive. It’s less painful than making a big deposit all at one time.

We have to pay taxes. There isn’t any way to avoid it if you make money. I guess it’s better to make money and pay taxes than to not make any money and not pay taxes (in my humble opinion).

The tax deadline comes up fast for those of us in the U.S., so make sure you’re properly prepared this year.

 

Affiliate Classroom Magazine - It’s all About Networking

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 6:37 pm by Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer

The January issue of the Affiliate Classroom Magazine is out, and Networking is the Name of the Game!

Here’s what’s inside:

Avoiding the Loneliness of the Affiliate Marketer - A Guide to Successful Interaction
Mark Thompson gives you important reasons why you should interract with other affiliates, and some tips on where to find affiliate friends who are eager to share knowledge and advice. You no longer have to feel like you’re working alone in the Affiliate Marketing field.

Meet Us In Vegas…Baby!!!
Yes, that’s right, the Affiliate Classroom team will be in Vegas for the Affiliate Summit on February 24-26. Stop by the Meet Market on Sunday for a chat, or visit our Booth #102 Monday and Tuesday. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet the team and pick our brains for information on your current project.

AC will also be conducting the Affiliate Manager Bootcamp, so you might want to plan to be at the Summit a day early. Check the magazine for details.

 

In the last Section: The Best Affiliate Forums - Kathy Jackson lists some of the best Forums Affiliates should visit on a daily basis. This is the best way to stay ahead of Industry trends, and find out what the top Super Affiliate Marketers are thinking. You can Network in all of these through your comments and advice, so make reading them a part of your daily research reading.

Download the Affiliate Classroom’s “Networking For Affiliates” Magazine Here! It’s a free PDF file - and you don’t need to be a member to read it.

See you in Vegas!

 

 

New Affiliate Network - Is It Better?

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 at 3:16 pm by Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer

Many of you may have heard of the company Pepperjam by now, well today, they officially released their own affiliate network (PepperjamNETWORK).  Anik had a chance to get a sneak peek of the network when it was in development.  He was very impressed then - and  even more so now!

They are launching with over 100 affiliate programs you can immediately apply for, including many MAJOR brands…

Here are some of the amazing things this Network offers, many of them are not currently being offered by other Networks:

  • Free Google Adsense LIKE Widget - This widget basically allows you to create your own box of alternating ads and you can put as many PepperJAM advertisers in there as you want, all at the same time. 

It would show up the same way Google Adsense does, except you don’t just make a few pennies on the click, you get actual affiliate commission on any purchases.

 

  • Pepperjam Chat - Chat LIVE with the merchants right through the network.
  • Transparency Ratings - This will help merchants know “who is who” and should help cut down on the “bad” affiliates who ruin it for the rest of us
  • Advanced SID-level Tracking - All you PPC marketers will love this so you can track right down to each keyword!

Anik personally knows the Pepperjam team and is pretty excited to be in the network, with all of these exciting features.

You have to be in the network to see all of this, so go ahead and check it out TODAY!

 

 

Valentines Day Profits - Get Your Share of $907 Million!

Thursday, January 10th, 2008 at 6:43 pm by Evelyn Grazini, AC Student and Staff Writer

I know it SEEMS a little early to start preparing for the next holiday, but do you know which holiday is almost as big  as Christmas for online spending?

Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is the second-largest retail holiday of the year - second only to Christmas.

 

In fact, last year people spent $907 MILLION on Valentine’s Day gifts ONLINE alone!  That’s close to a billion dollars!

That’s why the Affiliate Classroom has developed a Valentines Day PLR package that you can use to capture some of these sales. 

We also know that Super Affiliates are gearing up for Valentine’s Day NOW by filling up their sites, blogs and landing pages with Valentine’s Day content and offers.

So, if you want to be a like a Super Affiliate, get a head start on your planning with this special Valentine PLR Package.  Whether you’re a blogger, a PPC affiliate or into SEO, everyone knows that CONTENT is loved by Google, searchers, visitors, and shoppers!

Get 200 reviews of Valentine’s Day gifts (everything from jewelry to flowers to candy), AND, targeted reviews to specific niche markets, like gifts for Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Teachers, Friends…

Find out more here!

The package also contains GORGEOUS Valentine’s Day header graphics, and a variety of Blog posts to save you writing time. 
 
It’s really everything you need to cash in on the second largest holiday of the year.

Get your package today, and get ready to make some money in February!  Maybe then you can take the summer off. . .

 

Affiliate Manager Training - LIVE

Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 3:00 pm by Rachel Honoway

Join us for a LIVE Affiliate Manager Training event in Las Vegas! 

We’ll be hosting a free, LIVE training event for Affiliate Managers on Saturday, February 23rd, the day right before The Affiliate Summit kicks off.


The topics we’ll be covering are:

·         Engaging Affiliates - Affiliate Marketing is based on relationships. Learn how to create and strengthen profitable bonds with your affiliates.

·         Affiliate Recruitment Techniques - We reveal the best techniques you must have in order to find, contact and land your ideal super affiliates.

·         Affiliate Tracking and Management Technology  - Cookies, image tags, batch files, datafeeds - affiliate marketing is a technical strategy. Learn the terminology and understand how each piece fits together.

·         Making Sense of Stats - Learn how to read and analyze your affiliate performance reports. Understanding the numbers and what they are telling you will lead to more effective decisions.

·         Legal Updates – Are You Liable? - Make sure your program is 100% safe and following all the recent legal changes.
 

Our 1st Affiliate Manager Boot Camp in January 2006 sold out and was a huge success. Over 100 participants said it was one of the most informative events they had ever attended. In 2006, we had two main speakers, Anik Singal and Jim Lillig. This time, to help kick off the release of our new Affiliate Manager Training and Certification course, we are bringing in even more experts to teach affiliate managers.

This event is offered to affiliate managers and prospective affiliate managers free of charge (a $97 refundable fee is charged to secure registration).

Learn more and register now at: http://www.affiliateclassroomlive.com

We hope to see you there!

Affiliate Marketing PPC Statistics Pfffffttttt!

Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 pm by Gracie Browning

If you think that the statistics regarding your affiliate marketing PPC advertisements are just a bunch of meaningless numbers, you need to think again!

Those statistics can tell you everything that you need to know about what is working and what is not working. They can tell you where your program needs to be tweaked, where you are pretty much getting it right….and so much more.

Sometimes new affiliate marketers just jump into PPC advertising blind. Without doing any research or any planning, they just choose to use all of the keywords recommended by the search engines, set no limits, and run their advertisements 24/7. That is a recipe for financial disaster. You can run up an advertising bill of thousands and thousands of dollars in a very short time and not sell a single product.

Learning to read and understand your PPC statistics is vital!

 

First, you need to do your homework:

  1. Use the keyword tools provided by the search engines or a tool like WordTracker to choose the most effective keywords and phrases;
  2. Determine the best keyword and phrases and place your (well-written) advertisements;
  3. Then, and most importantly, learn to read and understand the statistics that are provided about each one of your advertisements.

One number does not tell the tale.

High numbers….low numbers….all kinds of numbers are just that….numbers…. and getting a thousand clicks isn’t a good thing or a bad thing.

A statistic is just a number until you analyze it and compare it to other applicable statistics. If you get a thousand clicks and don’t sell anything, then that thousand clicks just cost you a ton of money.

On the other hand, if you get a thousand clicks and sell 500 units of product, I want your formula.

The point is that by really looking at and understanding the statistics provided, you can determine which advertisements are producing the best results; on what days of the week; and during which hours of those days.

Then, you can choose to have your advertisements appear only on the best days and during the best hours.

This is one of the best ways you can get more bang out of your advertising dollar.  So, learn to read and analyze the PPC statistics, and then do it on a daily basis. 

 

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