Inglorious Biscuits - Affiliate Managers
Ok - I'm not one to complain but, and yes I will say it again but!!!! Who the hell is employing Affiliate Mangers these days? I'm busy working on a new website, have the structure and pages in place, and yes the website exists - O', and it has a domain name, relevant to the industry that I'm promoting.
I sent off various applications to CJ.com and independent companies that have affiliate program's but the response has been as quick as stalactites dripping from a caved in ceiling. Of the 7 companies that I have applied to:
- two confirmed,
- 3 vacuous responses - has a resounding echo effect,
- one pending account set-up notification
- one reject and it was not only a reject, they even blocked my IP address - WTH.
What did I do wrong let alone anything that I did right? Did I accidentally break wind and attach a screen shot of my inconvenient humble rumble?
My argument to these companies, is why have an affiliate program, if you don't value the potential or even the value it can bring to a companies sales and overall market share.
What these lackluster Managers fail to realize, is that Affiliate marketing has a lot of benefits for them opposed to no benefits. Such benefits include:
- Free Traffic to their website
- Free Advertising
- Free Reviews
- Increased digital presence and yes for Free
- Sales = Profits
- Repeat buyers from Affiliates
So this will be my future response to those Inglorious Biscuits:
"Well I'm here, as an affiliate wanting to promote your company to generate revenue for the both of us. Must I beg or just promote your competitor?" - Regards Bluedot
Would like to hear of your thoughts and experiences.
Thanks for reading - Colin
Recent Comments
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I have only applied to Share-A-Sale and Amazon and both approved me. I recently applied to Ebay but haven't heard back. I figure the two I have is plenty for now! Hopefully the two who you have been approved with will work for now until you can grow and the others will join in!
Loved reading your post. I agree but they think they are in control. Take that control away from them and move on to another, better affiliate program. :) It is frustrating but I think you wouldn't want a company like that anyway to deal with. Take it easy and you are fine. I agree with some of what you are saying, though, but it isn't worth getting our blood pressure up over.
From experience I find that it is best to have more than the structure in place... Finish as much as you can... Let them see how you intend to present a product... I have sen in some of their information that they prefer a finished site... not all of them say this but there are 2 that I have seen... (it's all about the small type...:) I would have a fairly polished complete look even before I have google index it... It is always the little things that can cause those issues to happen... and some are just slow about acceptance... Anyway, good luck! You have 2 to start with, that is a good beginning!
It would be nice if the roles reversed and the Affiliate Companies were begging you to be promoted on your website. Thanks for your suggestion - Colin
Their loss - move on. Seriously Colin. Don't waste your energy on anyone who cannot be bothered to do business properly. Life is too short.
Point taken Beverley - I'll work with what I have. I did receive (today) contact with one other Affiliate Company, so I effectively have 2 out of the three industries to work with. Thanks Colin
Having my IP blocked happened to me before. Also when I got a call from others, some of them said they did not like the way I was going to promote their product.(In my earlier days I used some questionable traffic methods). ..
Have no problem being rejected for valid reasoning but without a reason is poor business practice.
I waited two week to be turned down to promote a product that is also available through amazon. So I am good enough to promote it through amazon but not good enough to promote it directly.
Sometimes I think these affiliate programs are being run by the U.S. Congress!
I like your response letter.
I worked in an office and I'm inclined to think that the paperwork or email build up is the result of a disorganized candidate employed by these big corporations. Rather then take the time to investigate the Affiliates application, they just reject their inbox build up.
Put it in a different perspective, if they were paid commissions for every successful affiliate sanctioned, then their productivity levels would gear up a level.
Hello, I think your looking at this wrong... If those you have applied for, don't respond then move on to something else. Don't waste your time and energy on what you don't have and put it to looking at other avenues. There are more affiliates out there to connect with. If you really have to you can contact the companies by email and find out more. But please look at the good and what you do have. avoid the negative thinking and move forward. I understand your venting. Just my thoughts on this.
Best of luck to you.
Danny
Hi Danny - yes I appreciate your view as I never intended the blog to portray All Affiliate Managers as being bad or incompetent.
If I could find other Affiliates Companies to promote, I would - but the response from the ones that I'm depending on are dragging their heels with a nonchalant attitude. It's hitting on nearly 3 weeks and it's not a case that I have an option B or even C to run with.
It's a pleasure to get a response within 24 hours thanking you for your application and wishing you the best opposed to a company that just blocks your IP address with no reasoning.
You might add why am I so incensed on this one company - well because the product they offer is the best out there which would really benefit the all round appeal of my website. Colin
Hey Colin,
Have you thought of contacting the company directly. If you can't go through the affiliate network then research another way to get what you want. I fully understand about waiting for that approve. I only this week made my first income of 1.72 but hey its a start. You keep going strong and I am sure you will get that which you so desire.
Best of luck to you,
Danny
Yeah I have made some calls via phone only to be sent to a voice-mail - Yes it's a different approach and it can work - thanks for the advice
Blocking your ip address is a little much. I had two experiences similar. I had to email two companies, as their affiliate link was nonexistant or broken. Took a few more emails and about two weeks to get a reply. The first apologized, sent me a link to the affiliate site and informed me i had to be a member in order to use the link. The second said their affiliate training program was full anyway, so they would not provide me with a link.
I thanked each for their untimely responses, and informed them that I had persued other opportunities with people who wanted to encourage their promotions through websites like ours. (Thats the nice version).
So- forget those guys. We dont want to affiliate ourselves with them, or lose our customers' trust because of people like them.
Everything happens for a reason, and sarcasm cures all.
Hi Jeannette
The answer from one of your Affiliate companies ' training program was full' !! Are they for real or is this the best excuse they had?
Thanks - Colin
They only allow so many people per quarter apparently. Im calling it a scam site now, since they didnt want to be promoted in the interim.
Yeah Jeannette. Blocking an IP is too much. What are we? Criminals for not living up to their high and mighty standards?
Inglorious Biscuits lol...
Ahem, anyways, I haven't had any problems with mine. They took a few days to approve me and they usually take a couple of days to answer emails but thats it. One of them has actually been very helpful.
Yes there are affiliate companies that assign an employee to you which is really beneficial, but then you get the black hole syndrome with others - It all boils down to the individual and how the company practices affiliate relationships with Affiliate marketers.
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Yup, been dropped by Amazon for no sales in 90 days. Had to go back and take all the links out, what a pain! I am also signed up with Clickbank, Linkshare and Ebay. Linkshare sends you offers from companies that are interested in signing you up, so you don't even have to ask.
Sorry to hear Amazon dropped you - I'll check out linkshare thanks