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Affiliate marketing and other stuff from Shawn Collins, co-founder of Affiliate Summit.

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Archives for August 2006

Ask Shawn Collins: Efficient Affiliate Recruiting

August 29, 2006 by Shawn Collins

Q: We have traditionally put affiliate sales on the back burner, but as our market matures, and we try to squeeze more profit, we have started looking to attract more affiliates. We currently use Commission Junction to handle our sales, and that is where most of our affiliates have come from. I am working on attracting more affiliates, and have been just searching online for sites that would be a match for our affiliate program. However, the response has been pretty low. I was wondering if there is a more efficient way to get more affiliates?

Shawn CollinsA: I’m not sure from your question how you are soliciting your affiliate prospects, but if you’re like most affiliate managers, you’re using e-mail.

If that’s the case, it’s time for a paradigm shift. Yes, e-mail is easy and low-cost (especially if you aren’t investing in CAN-SPAM compliance – which you must for unsolicited e-mail), but the results stink.

Since you’re already spending the time to identify these potential affiliates, utilize an approach with more impact, such as a piece of direct mail about your affiliate program followed by a telephone call.

Also, try some targeted recruiting via paid search and ads on blogs.

If you don’t have the time and resources for ongoing affiliate recruitment, check out the affiliate recruiting services from Syntryx.

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Affiliate Classroom Magazine – August 2006

August 28, 2006 by Shawn Collins

The August 2006 issue of Affiliate Classroom Magazine is out and this month’s issue focuses on affiliates and the hats they wear: black hat, white hat, or something in the middle.

This issue covers all sides of SEO… the good, bad, in-between practices. Jeff Perren, Associate Editor of Affiliate Classroom Magazine, explains what black, white, and grey hat SEO are all about.

Helpful information from Brad Callen with (almost) ban proof tips for clean and ethical SEO. Plus, Affiliate Classroom student Evelyn Grazini explains her lessons learned about what not to do from the black hat side.

The August issue also includes an update on Affiliate Classroom’s participation at Affiliate Summit East in Orlando, and the winners of the power affiliate competition for The Affiliate Manager, 1st Edition.

Check out the new issue at http://www.affiliateclassroom.com/magazine.php.

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Filed Under: Affiliate Resources

Pepperjam Named to 2006 Inc. 500

August 28, 2006 by Shawn Collins

Pepperjam, a company that acts as both an affiliate as well as managing affiliate programs, has been named to the 2006 Inc. 500 List.

The Inc. 500, published annually by Inc. Magazine, represents a list of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the United States.

“If you want to find out which companies are going to change the world, look at the Inc. 500,” said Inc. Editor Jane Berentson.

Pepperjam came in at number 293. In addition to their affiliate marketing services, Pepperjam also provides search engine marketing and online media buying services.

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Filed Under: Affiliate News

Successor to Shawn Collins in Affiliate Marketing

August 27, 2006 by Shawn Collins

I brought on a new protege to help with all of my affiliate marketing happenings – a little guy named Jack Collins.

Jack Collins was born at 3:04pm on Friday, August 25th.

He came in at 8 pounds even and 21 inches long.

So far, he’s got blond hair and blue eyes. Jack aced his Apgar test scoring 9 out of 10.

Meet the newest affiliate marketing Collins at http://www.babycollins.com.

While I’m training Jack on the ways of the industry, I’ll be taking a bit of a paternity leave over the next week.

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Filed Under: Affiliate News

Ask Shawn Collins: Affiliate Tracking Without a Site

August 26, 2006 by Shawn Collins

If a merchant has affiliates who don’t have Web sites, but they want to refer people to the merchant’s site via e-mail or offline methods, how can their referrals be tracked so they’re paid for sales?

The merchant will provide you with a unique affiliate link to use. That link will identify you as the referrer of a given sale or lead that you send over irregardless of whether you send the traffic from a Web site, e-mail, paid search, etc.

A typical affiliate link will be somewhat unmarketable offline and too long for text e-mail.

So what you might want to do is use redirects or domain forwarding to shorten your links and make them easier to remember.

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Affiliate Marketing on Entrepreneur Magazine Radio

August 25, 2006 by Shawn Collins

I was on the Entrepreneur Magazine eBiz Show recently with hosts Chris Malta & Rob Cowie to discuss Internet video marketing.

Our discussion centered around how I am utilizing video on YouTube and Google Video to promote the next Affiliate Summit.

Listen to the Entrepreneur Radio eBiz Show archives at wsradio.com.

The affiliate marketing archives for the Entrepreneur Radio also have interviews with David Delisle, COO of The Partner Maker; Anik Singal, CEO of Affiliate Classroom Inc. and others.

Thanks to John Grosshandler from eComXpo for bringing me on the radio show.

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Filed Under: Affiliate News

Affiliate Summit is Really Awesome

August 24, 2006 by Shawn Collins

Yes, you read that right – Affiliate Summit is Really Awesome. There is even a Web site to prove it.

The site is called Awesome Million and it’s the latest in the gimmicky, scarcity kitsch sites. The concept is that you can get your own site to proclaim that you, your dog, company, or whatever is awesome.

The cost is $1 to get a custom page – a limit of one million of these pages will be sold.

This project is from Jim Kukral (ReveNews) and his business partner, Dave Potokar.

Check out their goofy videos at the Awesome Million MySpace page. Plus, they’ve got a cool song that was in Napoleon Dynamite on their page.

It’s worth a shot – just a buck and your page includes a link back to you.

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Filed Under: Affiliate Resources

Brian Littleton Wins the Fair Practice Award

August 23, 2006 by Shawn Collins

AffiliateFairPlay.com presented it’s first Fair Practice Award to Brian Littleton, Founder and CEO of ShareASale.com.

Brian LittletonAccording to the AffiliateFairPlay blog, the “Fair Practice Award is a unique award within Affiliate Marketing recognizing a company or individual who has consistently engaged in activities which embody the principles of fair trade and competitive practices in affiliate marketing.”

Brian Littleton started up ShareASale in 2000 and his leadership and vision have helped shape the affiliate marketing industry.

ShareASale currently powers over 2,000 small- to medium-sized merchants.

“Brian has the unique gift of blending integrity and ethics with solid, long-term business principles providing an opportunity for profitability for both ShareASale merchants and affiliates,” stated Kellie Stevens of AffiliateFairPlay.com.

Congrats, Brian.

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Filed Under: Affiliate News

Ask Shawn Collins: Driving Affiliate Traffic

August 22, 2006 by Shawn Collins

Q: I recently joined a program that supplied me with three Web sites with affiliate links. What is the best strategy to start promoting traffic to these sites?

Shawn CollinsA: The key to driving targeted traffic to your sites is to diversify the sources of your traffic.

In general, I’d say to start off with SEO, but that’s not an option in your case, since the affiliate program is providing you with the pages.

So let’s move on to other methods to help you drive traffic. If you have some money to invest in bringing visitors to your site, you should try using paid search to get targeted visitors to your sites.

Also, if you have a main site with the same theme as the affiliate pages, start up an e-mail newsletter that mixes content and information about the products or services on your affiliate pages.

You should also look into starting up a blog to get eyeballs to your affiliate sites. Just like a newsletter, focus on providing quality content to your visitors – if you focus on pushing affiliate ads, you’re not going to get much interest.

Consider trying direct mail, too.

You’ll find that most any methods for driving traffic are going to require some cash. When spending money to advertise your sites, keep an eye on which ad spends are panning out and which others are a waste.

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Ask Shawn Collins: Just Affiliate Technology

August 20, 2006 by Shawn Collins

Q: I want to create and offer an affiliate program to select partners that link to my site. I just need just an affiliate broker service and technology that will manage the program and track and distribute the commissions. I don’t want or need a full service company like LinkShare. Who are brokers that offer just the technology and service?

Shawn CollinsA: I think you may be confused about the services available from affiliate solution providers, such as LinkShare.

If you want tracking, commission checks issued, etc., a simple ASP solution for your affiliate program is not going to cut it.

I am not sure which vertical is yours, but I would suggest having a look at Commission Junction, LinkShare, MyAffiliateProgram, Performics, and zanox for what you need.

If budget is a problem for you, have a look at Affiliate Clicks, Fusion Quest, and shareasale.

Try out a demo for all of the affiliate solution providers you are considering to get a first hand feel for their functionality and usability.

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