Issue 24 · October 2013Affiliate Summit West 2014 in Las Vegas: January 12-14

Strengthen Your Q4 Site Off enseBy Shawn Collins - Page 2

Affi liate Activation: 3 Steps to Maximizing Performance By Geno Prussakov - Page 11

Who is your First Defense in Compliance? By Ninfa Cabello - Page 24

We’ll Always Have Paris

Unless you don’t register for Affi liate Summit West 2014 in time!

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ff24_full.indb 2 16/10/2013 04:02:52 p.m.

Table of Contents

Issue 24 · October 2013

STAFFCo-Editors in ChiefMissy Ward, Shawn Collins

Co-PublishersMissy Ward, Shawn Collins

Contributing WritersJordan Barker, Matthew Bell, Sarah Beeskow Blay, Hunter Boyle, Ninfa Cabello, Shawn Collins, Jeremy Coon, Eric Crusius, Sam Engel, Lyndsie Ezell, Travis Glen, Jonathan Goodwin, Erinn Groh, Rachel Hirsch, Zac Johnson, David O. Klein, Jesse Morgan, Geno Prussakov, Kim Salvino, James Thompson, Missy Ward

Graphic DesignLogan Gattis Designswww.logangattis.com

Magazine CoordinatorAmy Rodriguez

Affi liate Summit522 Hunt Club Blvd. #411Apopka, FL 32703tel (417)-2SUMMIT (278-6648)fax (908) 364-4627

Articles in FeedFront Magazine are the opinions of the author and may not necessarily refl ect the views of the magazine, or its owners. FeedFront Magazine always welcomes opinions of an opposite nature. For more information, visit: www.FeedFront.com

Interested in advertising? Please visithttp://feedfront.com/advertising/ or email us at: feedfront@affi liatesummit.com

© 2013 Affi liate Summit, Inc.and Individual Authors.

2 Strengthen Your Q4 Site Off ense By Shawn Collins

3 How To Fix Your Flailing Email List By Hunter Boyle

4 Five Ways to Optimize Long Tail Affi liates By Matthew Bell

5 Get More Out of Your Affi liate Promotions By Sarah Beeskow Blay

7 Keeping Safe When You Work From Home By Missy Ward

8 Get Your Off er on Top Affi liate Networks By Travis Glen

10 Creating an Eff ective Affi liate Forecast By Jonathan Goodwin

11 Affi liate Activation: 3 Steps to Maximizing Performance By Geno Prussakov

12 5 Steps to Starting Over By Erinn Groh

13 Know When You’ve Failed by Setting Goals By James Thompson

14 What Managing Affi liate Programs Has Taught Me By Kim Salvino

15 Process for Recruiting Educating and Retaining Affi liates By Shawn Collins

16 Did You Prepare for FCC’s TCPA Deadline? By David O. Klein

17 5 Ways to Increase Your Conference ROI By Lyndsie Ezell

18 When Specialty Links Go Wrong By Sam Engel

19 Size Matters: Proven Strategies to Grow Sales By Jesse Morgan

21 Taking the “Affi liate” Out of Affi liate Marketing By Rachel Hirsch

22 5 Things to Know About Health Marketing By Jordan Barker

23 Would You Get Affi liate Summit Ink? By Shawn Collins

24 Who is your First Defense in Compliance? By Ninfa Cabello

25 Why You Must Build Your Own Brand By Zac Johnson

27 Affi liate Summit East 2013 Recap By Shawn Collins

30 Big Data: Making Your Stats Really Count By Jeremy Coon

31 7 Ways to Stay Out of Court By Eric Crusius

32 How to Fix Online Shopping By Shawn Collins

ff24_full.indb 1 16/10/2013 04:01:40 p.m.

You started the fourth quarter with a game plan, and

things are going right so far, but are you prepared to

call an audible if need be?

Just like in football, you’ll sometimes have to call a sub-

stitute play in business to adjust to sudden changes that

you see. It’s not ideal to have to switch things up to react

to external events, but if you are prepared, you can make

it work for you.

This is a tricky time of year, since it’s the crazy rush for

commerce, and lots of people are off for extended periods

of time for the holidays.

What are you going to do when Muhammad Wilkerson

(obligatory New York Jets reference) knocks your quarter-

back out of the game?

OK, that’s probably not a real scenario for you in par-

ticular, but how about if your server goes down, your site is

hacked, or there is some other time sensitive disaster and

nobody is around to help? How about if you are simply turn-

ing people away, because your site is slow or inaccessible?

Start preparing now for things that might happen, so

you don’t have to pull all-nighters or run away from the

Thanksgiving table to deal with messes.

Here are some tips to fortify your Q4 site off ense…

» Password security: First, change your passwords

now, and make them stronger. Second, be sure you

know all of your passwords, or use a service like Robo-

Form to keep them organized.

» Monitor your site performance: If your site goes

down, you’d better know about it right away. Don’t

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

Editor’s Note

Strengthen Your Q4 Site

Off enseby Shawn Collins

count on other people telling you. Instead, use a com-

pany like Pingdom to alert you immediately, so you can

act on it.

» Invest in quality hosting: Lots of people are tempt-

ed to go with the cheap hosts to save a few bucks, but

at what cost? This tip ties into the previous point about

monitoring your site performance. Basically, if your site

is going down, it’s probably because you have a sub-

par host.

» Speed up your site: People and search engines dis-

like slow sites. But do you even know if you have a slow

site? Check out PageSpeed Insights from Google to fi nd

out what you should fi x to increase the speed that your

site loads.

» Make your site responsive: Your site should be op-

timized for any device out there, whether it’s a mobile

phone, table, or desktop computer. Test it in all of these

environments, and evolve if it’s not responsive. Many

WordPress themes will take care of this.

» Stay on top of updates: If you are using WordPress or

another platform, it’s vital that you update your version

and related fi les as needed, so you can avoid making it

easy for creeps to sneak in the back door and cause

mischief.

Taking these steps should help to preserve some san-

ity, and to make it easier in the event you have to call an au-

dible. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare,

you are preparing to fail.”

Shaw

n Co

llins

2

· Issue 24 · October 2013

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Hunter Boyle is a content marketing and optimization expert. He leads business development for AWeber.

“T he money’s in the list.” Ever heard that one?

While there’s truth to that statement, it’s

easy to overlook the $1,000,000 follow-up ques-

tion: “What’s the best way to make money from that list?”

Short answer: Build trust that leads to long-term busi-

ness relationships and referrals, not just one-and-done

sales and a lack of customer loyalty.

Walk a Mile in Their ShoesAre you excited about most emails you get these days?

How often do you feel a strong connection to the organiza-

tions that are marketing to you?

Let’s face it: we’re all inundated by marketing messages,

pitches, deals, updates and so on – but as marketers, we’re

also contributing to the overload. We can do better.

Instead of getting caught up in the numbers game (list

size, stats, send schedules), we need to step back and ex-

amine how closely our goals align with the goals, needs and

wants of our readers.

After all, if our emails aren’t solving their problems or

addressing their needs, why should they keep paying atten-

tion, much less buy from us, or share our content?

Try This WIIFM (“What’s In It For Me?”) Mini-Checklist …

Today it’s critical to think of our email audience as real

people we’re doing business with, not just list names and

statistics.

With that in mind, here’s a mini-checklist that can help

evaluate your email for optimal engagement:

» What is my primary goal with this email?

» What is the true value to the recipient? Can it be in-

creased?

Your Flailing Email Listby Hunter Boyle

» What needs does this email address, or what problems

does it solve?

» Is the value and WIIFM to readers clearly expressed?

» Is it easy for readers to respond and reach me directly?

» Rate the quality of the email content in these areas:

» Copy: Appropriate voice, style, length? Personal-

ity? Spelling?

» Off er: Is it compelling? Expressed well enough?

» Design: Does it look professional, and match the

copy?

» Relevance: Is the content, off er or topic timely for

this list?

» Shareable: Will this compel readers to share via

email or social?

… And One Simple Yet Powerful TacticTo really understand what your audience cares about

and needs help with, you have to ask them. Constantly. An-

nual surveys don’t always cut it.

Try this: In your welcome email, test a short survey ask-

ing new readers to tell you about themselves, what they do,

and what they need your help with.

Derek Halpern uses this tactic with SocialTriggers.com

to learn more about his readers, inform the site’s content

and provide plenty of value and WIIFM.

Does it work? With that reader-fi rst mindset helping to

drive the content and build relationships, tactics like this

helped triple the email list in one year.

Now it’s your turn. What steps will you take to fi x your

email list?

How To Fix Hun

ter B

oyle

3

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 3 16/10/2013 04:01:41 p.m.

I f you’ve ever managed an affi liate program before, then

you’re probably no stranger to the 80/20 rule, that 80%

of your affi liate program’s revenue comes from 20% of

your affi liates.

It’s true. A typical affi liate program relies on a small

group of high-performing affi liates to drive most of the vol-

ume, but what if it was possible to grow the group of af-

fi liates that comprises 80% of your program, known as the

long tail affi liates?

It most certainly IS possible.

Here’s how:

1. Understand the value of long tail affi liates. Pro-

gram managers often overlook the niche and lower

volume sites. If one long tail affi liate can drive you fi ve

sales per month, that’s certainly not going to move the

needle. But what happens when you add 10, 100, or 500

long tail affi liates to your program? It adds up quickly.

2. Find them. You can’t gain value from them until you

know who they are. I recommend a very focused grass-

roots eff ort, heavy on relevant Google searches. Use

tools like Similar Web to fi nd similar sites and build a

long target list. That blog with Alexa rank 955,232 that

you continue to pass by because the traffi c volume is

so low? Add it to your list. That’s a solid long tail affi liate.

3. Develop a relationship. Like any other affi liate a re-

lationship is required in order to do business together.

Reach out and explore the opportunities to work to-

gether through your affi liate program. These long tail

Matthew Bell is an experienced affi liate marketing manager and currently Director of Operations at Schaaf-PartnerCentric.

Ways to Optimize

Long Tail Affi liates by Matthew Bell

affi liates are usually passionate about their sites. They

can become loyal affi liates in your program through a

strong relationship.

4. Put in hard work. Like any affi liate relationship, it will

require relationship management, outreach, commu-

nication and maybe some negotiating. When working

with the smaller volume affi liates, it may seem like it’s

not worth it. I assure you, it is! Remember, one long tail

affi liate won’t move the needle, but 100 will!

5. Repeat. Do steps 1-4 again and again. Remember,

the value of long tail affi liates is at scale. You’ll need to

develop a deep network of long tail affi liates. They will

drive very high quality traffi c but a lower volume. The

key to generating value from a network of long tail af-

fi liates is to have as many as possible in your program.

Not convinced? Here’s a personal success story.

When I was Affi liate Manager at Shutterstock, I kept

coming across this one site in my research eff orts that was

a perfect fi t contextually, yet I never bothered to reach out

to because it was such a low traffi c site, according to Alexa.

I fi nally got fed up with seeing it all the time and brought

this site into the program. It turned out to be the highest

converting site out of all of other affi liates in the program.

The traffi c quality was extraordinary.

Even with the low traffi c volume, it referred close to

$50,000 in new customer revenue annually. This proved

to me that a clear long tail affi liate strategy could produce

amazing results.

5M

atth

ew B

ell

4

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 4 16/10/2013 04:01:43 p.m.

Sarah Beeskow Blay is the Director of Client Services at ShareASale.com, Inc.

I f you are an affi liate program manager, you know that one

of the biggest challenges is activating your affi liate base.

You may have 1,000 affi liates but only see sales gener-

ated from a handful of them.

Sound familiar? Fear not, you are not alone. There is

always going to be some level of inactivity, but you should

strive to increase the percentage of active affi liates. The so-

lution: create enticing promotions.

One common bonus structure that merchants off er is

the top earner promotion, where the affi liate that drives the

most sales, gets x dollar bonus. If the intention is to mo-

tivate inactive affi liates or move the middle, there are two

issues with this kind of structure, the default winner and

perceived unattainability.

Default WinnerThe theory of “When I off er more, affi liates will do more”

does not apply when there is a blanket incentive. There is

always going to be a fi rst and last place. The affi liate that is

your top earner may be earning the bonus without actually

increasing any activity or marketing eff ort. When that hap-

pens, they are essentially earning extra cash accidently.

Perceived Unattainability Another unintentional side eff ect of top tier bonus

goals is they will seem out of reach for the mid-tier affi liates.

Affi liates do not know the performance numbers of others

or even how many affi liates are in your program. There is

no sense of what the bar is, or what competition they are

up against. Spending your marketing budget on fi rst place

bonuses is not the best way to measure or generate activity.

Get More Out of Your Affi liate Promotionsby Sarah Beeskow Blay

The Solution: Personal Performance GoalsIf the intention is to get a higher percentage of affi liate

partners active, create promotions that generate immedi-

ate action without the intimidation factor of competing with

top earners.

If a bonus is created as a personal competition, that will

motivate affi liates on an individual level. Let me give you a

few examples:

» Increase conversion rate by .5% this month, earn ad-

ditional 2% commission

» Increase orders by 10% month/month, earn $100

» Generate 15 sales via the Thanksgiving banner, earn

double commission in December

» Sell 20 turkey hats, receive a hat-a-month for a year

Working on an individual level may only return a few

sales initially, but over time this will pay off in the long run

because the affi liate will always remember you and want to

continue to promote your program. There is a long tail ef-

fect here.

Having a VIP commission level or higher payout for top

earners is not always a bad idea; it just should not be the

only trick in your hat. Save some marketing budget for pro-

motions that apply to the whole affi liate base.

The goal is to have a diverse off ering of incentives that

will both reward your top performers and continue to en-

gage the low to mid-level performers as well.

Sara

h Be

esko

w B

lay

5

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 5 16/10/2013 04:01:44 p.m.

ff24_full.indb 6 16/10/2013 04:01:46 p.m.

Missy Ward is Co-Founder of Affi liate Summit, Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine and blogs on MissyWard.com.

W ith so many affi liate marketers working from

home, home offi ce safety should be on the top

of our list of things we should be thinking about.

Here are six tips that will help keep you safe when work-

ing from home:

» Get to know the neighbors. With so many people

working from home, it’s highly likely that one of your

neighbors also works from home during the day. Take

some time to introduce yourself to your neighbors, if

you haven’t already, and perhaps fi nd a local meetup

of others that work from home as well (plus it’s good

networking).

» Make your house as secure while you’re in it as

you do when you aren’t. Sure, we all lock the door

behind us and turn on the alarm system when we go

out or even when we go to bed, but taking those same

precautions when you work from home is a smart bet.

If you don’t yet have a home security system, now is

the time to invest in one.

» Check your windows – and lock them. I’m not sug-

gesting you deny yourself the lovely fall breezes we’re

having these days, but I do suggest you be sure you

lock the windows in the rest of the house while you’re

working in your home offi ce. Also consider window

treatments; while it can be nice to see the yard while

you work, it also lets strangers see right into your offi ce

full of expensive equipment.

» Exercise caution when you answer the door.

Chances are you often receive packages from FedEx or

UPS if you work from home, and this can teach you to

Keeping Safe When You Work From Home by Missy Ward

relax your guard when you hear the doorbell. No mat-

ter how safe your neighborhood is, you need to always

check carefully before you open the door to anyone,

particularly when you are home alone.

» Don’t hold meetings at home. This might seem

obvious, but even if you’ve had a long email relation-

ship with a client, don’t meet them at your home while

you’re alone. Schedule a meeting in a public place such

as a cafe or coff ee shop, or even take advantage of co-

working spaces that off er conference rooms for meet-

ings to members.

» Use a buddy system. If you work alone, it is very

important that you have someone you check in with

regularly. If you’re meeting a client off site, let your

spouse or a friend know before you go, and check

in with them when you return. Use digital tools such

as Skype or Gchat to stay in touch with professional

friends throughout the day as well (but be careful to

not let them become a distraction). Being connected

helps you stay safe.

The perks of working from home far outweigh these

safety concerns, of course, but it’s still good to bear them

in mind. Practicing these basic tips to keep yourself safe will

make a diff erence.

Now, go check those windows.

Mis

sy W

ard

7

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 7 16/10/2013 04:01:49 p.m.

Many startups, established corporations, and

individuals are interested in working with affi li-

ate networks. They want to increase their sales

numbers, obtain more leads, or grow their base of regis-

tered users.

Affi liate networks are always looking to partner with new

businesses, so that they can supply their affi liates with a fresh

supply of new off ers. However, the top networks can get in-

undated with hundreds of new client requests each week.

This necessitates a screening process in which busi-

ness development managers sift through all of the appli-

cants to quickly determine which prospects are best suited

for the network. The other applicants are cut and sent a “no

thank you” letter. This process works well for the most part;

however, it can occasionally result in qualifi ed businesses

getting denied.

Why do advertisers with potential get denied? Gener-

ally speaking, it is because they aren’t representing them-

selves appropriately. There are several common mistakes

that are made by potential advertisers. You can avoid those

missteps by being aware and carefully crafting your fi rst

contact with a network.

The most common mistake potential clients make is

simply not providing enough information. Networks will

typically utilize a contact form requesting your name, busi-

ness name, website, and a text fi eld that asks for a descrip-

tion of the off er you want to promote. Things such as blank

fi elds, not listing your full name, and URLs that lead to dead

Travis is PeerFly’s Director of Business Development, you can follow him @TravisPeerFly on Twitter.

pages do not leave a good fi rst impression on the networks.

Replying to ‘Describe your off er’ with non-descriptive

information such as “call me” doesn’t give the biz dev man-

agers enough information to know if there is a point to

spend any more time considering your company.

Another point to note is to ensure that you are coming

across professionally. If there are misspelled words, poor

grammar, or inappropriate slang, it can indicate that you

aren’t a serious candidate. Minor things that could be con-

sidered insignifi cant in everyday settings can be red fl ags

to networks.

Does your email domain lead back to something re-

lated to your company, or is from a free email provider? Is

it apparent that your website is on a free hosting plan or

a MLM-type subdomain? Individually, these factors are not

a concrete way to categorize a company as good or bad.

Taken in context along with other factors, they can lead net-

works to believe it isn’t worth the risk to establish a business

relationship.

Review the information you are giving to the networks.

Ask yourself, if someone presented you with that same

information, would it encourage you to want to work with

them? Or better yet, have an unbiased 3rd party give you

feedback.

With the volume of new business coming in, the net-

works have a small amount of time to make a big decision.

Make sure to put your best foot forward and don’t let the

small stuff stop you from closing the deal.

Get Your Off eron Top

Affi liate Networks

by Travis Glenn Tr

avis

Gle

nn

8

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 8 16/10/2013 04:01:51 p.m.

Available in paperback, Kindle & Nook

ff24_full.indb 9 16/10/2013 04:01:58 p.m.

The signifi cance to creating an affi liate forecast is sim-

ple. It sets the expectations and goals for you and

your team to achieve for the program. I also view

this as an opportunity to demonstrate your value and cred-

ibility that you can be trusted to hit / surpass revenue goals.

These revenue goals are the foundation to success,

which will drive your actionable plan with you and your team

to reach these milestones.

One of the key points to creating an eff ective forecast

and actionable growth plan is providing that added sense of

value that can be very integral to your relationship with your

client. Each client that relies on a forecast plan for growth

heavily leans on your ability to manage and convey metrics

to hit or surpass revenue goals.

Demonstrating your knowledge and expertise in creat-

ing an eff ective forecast can really go a long way with client

retention, having a trusting relationship with your contact,

and establishing your credibility in the affi liate space.

The most important thing you can do as an affi liate

marketing manager, during your early engagement with

your client, is to ask, “What are your revenue goals for the

program?” Your client will provide you a dollar amount for

the year, and then you and your contact will be able to dive

deep in the affi liate forecasted plan.

You should also seek additional marketing materials

(promotional cadence calendar), data via their backend sys-

tem (Omniture, Core-Metrics, etc), and information regard-

ing promotions, which will allow you to eff ectively forecast

and manage your affi liate budget.

During this discussion, both parties will be able to pin-

point and reveal why and how the dollar amount can be

achieved through the affi liate space. Below are a few ques-

Jonathan Goodwin is a Senior Affi liate Manager at JEBCommerce (Rakuten Agency of year 2012).

Creating an Eff ective Affi liate Forecast

by Jonathan Goodwin

tions you can start off with. This should defi nitely create a

good discussion with you and your contact.

Questions:

» What contributing factors are included with this goal?

» What is your eff ective ERS (eff ective revenue shared)

for the program?

» Do you have peaks and valleys during the year?

» Do you have historical data? Last 3-5 years?

» Can we have access to your backend analytics?

» Do you anticipate any major changes year-over-year in

promotional cadence calendar?

» What’s the percent lift you anticipate over LY?

» Are there any white periods throughout the year where

you do not have any promotions planned?

Now that you have your questions answered, this

should provide insights into your planning process. You

should be able to anticipate peaks and valleys, plan on spe-

cifi c times of the year, and look at historical data and depict

the percentage of decrease or increase each year, which will

illustrate what you anticipate the upcoming year, will be for

the affi liate program.

Establishing an affi liate forecasted goal is the blueprint

for success. This can provide you and your team solid ac-

tionable items to help achieve or surpass your goals. Secur-

ing paid placements, exclusive coupons, or just relying on

your promotional calendar will provide you that roadmap

to success to eff ectively manage the affi liate program.

Jona

than

Goo

dwin

10

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 10 16/10/2013 04:01:59 p.m.

Prussakov runs AM Navigator OPM agency, chairs Affi liate Management Days conference, speaks, writes, blogs, consults.

I f you have run an affi liate program of any size, you know

that the proverbial Pareto Principle – also known as the

“80/20 Rule” – doesn’t apply here; at least not “by default.”

The disheartening reality is that, when it comes to affi liates

programs, it turns into more of a 95/5 rule, where only 5%

of affi liates are responsible for 95% of activity within your

affi liate program.

Also, when analyzing such KPI as activity index, or the

percentage of affi liates active in your program, many adver-

tisers and managers arrive at something between 8% and

12%.

However, in the affi liate programs where we strongly

focus on affi liate activation, we notice that the activity index

can rise to 20% or higher.

I strongly believe that, in addition to conversion rate

optimization, affi liate activation is one of the two most ef-

fective ways to boost any affi liate program’s performance.

But how do you go about it? Here’s a 3-step process that

has worked well for my clients:

Step 1: Determine what constitutes “activity”

There are three basic ways to defi ne affi liate activity:

(i) as a display of links, (ii) as a referral of traffi c, and (iii) as

conversions (be they sales, leads, calls, subscriptions or

whatever it is that you seek). Prior to talking about affi liate

activation, make sure that you (the advertiser), your affi liate

program manager, and your affi liates are all on the same

page as far as what an “active” affi liate means.

Affi liate Activation:3 Steps to Maximizing Performanceby Geno Prussakov

Step 2: Embed calls-to-activation right from the start

While very few affi liate managers do it, I recommend

encouraging affi liates to get active right from the fi rst time

you’ve invited them into your program. Motivate them to

put up your links both in your recruitment, and in your ap-

proval emails. Incentivize this type of activation by off ering

them commission increase(s), longer cookie life, or cash bo-

nuses.

Also, in your approval email, include a performance-

based incentive – one that would presuppose additional

extrinsic motivators upon customer referrals. The goals

may range from one sale (with a fi rst-sale bonus as a moti-

vator) to a specifi c number of conversions within a certain

time period past their approval into the program. Make sure

your goals are realistic.

Step 3: Make activation an indispensable part of management

Those 90%-95% of inactive affi liates aboard your pro-

gram joined it not because you made them join. They had

an idea on how they would promote you, but for some rea-

son they never got to it.

Segment the inactive affi liates into a separate group (or

three groups – each corresponding to the above-outlined

types of activity), and every time you send your affi liate

newsletter, customize it towards the group, providing (a)

compelling reasons for them to activate (be it conversion or

EPC data, success stories of other affi liates with all sensitive

information removed, of course), and (b) ongoing incentives

for them to get active.

Remember, the number of recruited affi liates is irrel-

evant. It is the number of active ones that matters. So, ac-

tivate them continually, compellingly, and contagiously.

Gen

o Pr

ussa

kov

11

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 11 16/10/2013 04:02:00 p.m.

Every now and then we decide to make a change that

can impact our professional life. Change can be a va-

riety of things; good, bad, scary, tough, and exciting.

In many cases, it is necessary for innovation and growth.

Sometimes you have to take a step back from your cur-

rent success and begin all over just to try and move ahead.

Whether you have decided to make a radical career

move or simply jumped to a new company where you have

to start an affi liate program from scratch, here are 5 steps

that will help you start over:

1. Remember your relationships: This is KEY. Affi liate

programs are useless if you don’t have a good team

of publishers behind you. They are your sales force

and reason for your success. Reach out to the publish-

ers you have worked with in the past and reintroduce

yourself. If you are new to the game, do your research

and start making friends. It is a simple as a phone call.

No one will know the brand you represent if you don’t

take this step.

2. Identify what makes your brand unique: You are

at a new place and have wonderful new things to

off er. Be sure to tell your publishers all about it. Do you

have exciting creative, high quality products, great pric-

ing, awesome technology, high commission rates, or big

bonus opportunities? Whatever it is, make it known.

3. Share your excitement: Whatever it may be, you

decided to start over for a reason. Chances are

Erinn, a successful affi liate marketer, recently became the Senior Marketing Manager at Piping Rock® Vitamins.

5 Stepsto Starting Over

by Erinn Groh

you are excited about the change. Share your enthusi-

asm with your publishers. Let them know that you are

thrilled to learn and try new things. Positive attitudes

are contagious. Before you know it, your publishers will

be rooting for your brand.

4. Understand risk involved: Remember, you are

not the only one taking a risk by making a switch.

Publishers put much time and eff ort into promoting a

brand. New and unknown advertisers can be scary. Be

aware that publishers may bump a more mature, suc-

cessful advertiser just to give your new brand some

coverage (potentially at a lower cost and revenue share

rate). Thank your publishers for the opportunity and be

sympathetic. Only time will tell if the risk was worth it.

Be confi dent and it will be for all those involved.

5. Be persistent… and don’t get frustrated: After

many years of hearing yes from your publishers

(or others in your fi eld), you are likely to hear the

dreaded word NO. Don’t throw a tantrum like a 2

year old when you hear this and don’t get cozy with

the word either. Instead, use it as fuel to forge forward.

Persistence shows you are serious and confi dent in

your brand. If you are polite and understanding, while

being persistence, you and your brand will earn the re-

spect that it deserves.

In the end, all change is good. You have given yourself

the opportunity to look at things in a new light while improv-

ing your skill set.

Erin

n G

roh

12

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 12 16/10/2013 04:02:02 p.m.

James is co-founder of Daft Labs, a tech/marketing company. Find him on Twitter @jtgraphic.

Setting goals is important. I’d say it’s important for the

success of your business, but the opposite is true as

well. A lot of people start a venture without a clear

cut defi nition of when they’ve failed. Most people just set a

goal and assume success will come. What if it always stays

just outside of your reach? Will you continue on forever with

little to no traction?

It’s important to defi ne concrete criteria for success and

milestones for when you’ve met those criteria. If you don’t

meet your objectives in the time allotted, you should pivot,

move on, or reassess your situation. Sometimes, those are

the hardest decisions to make, but that’s not the same as

quitting. As a project manager, business owner, or entrepre-

neur, that’s a thing you’ll need to get used to, so start now.

Most projects have a primary mission that can be bro-

ken down almost infi nitely into smaller tasks. You should

practice breaking down large goals into smaller chunks that

can be completed quickly. Don’t divide it up much smaller

than an hour or so though, because you’ll just spend all

of your time managing time. By breaking a project up into

smaller bites, you’ll fi nd yourself building confi dence and

momentum. That’s very important for morale.

The next most important thing you can do now that

you’ve broken up your venture into smaller bits is estimate

the time you’ll spend. I’m not saying track your time for those

chunks. Just try and estimate them. You’d be surprised how

much clearer a timeline becomes once you estimate each

individual piece that adds up to the greater whole. When

you’re done, refl ect on the accuracy of your estimates.

Know When You’ve Failedby Setting Goalsby James Thompson

At my company, we use a service called Pivotal Tracker.

It’s great for creating a ‘story’ for something you want to

do and attach a ‘point’ estimate. Over time it will track how

many points you or your team can complete in a sprint (pre-

defi ned amount of time). It should be your goal to meet your

sprint estimates. If you don’t, you should reassess your situ-

ation and act accordingly.

All of those disparate parts can come together to help

you make important decisions about your workload vs.

deadlines. If you’ve been estimating your throughput for

a few weeks, have a pretty healthy average, and estimate

realistically, you can get a pretty accurate picture of what is

possible, given your timeline.

Let’s say you’ve done everything I’ve said and have a

deadline in 4 weeks, but Pivotal Tracker says you need 8

weeks to complete the project. That means you need to do

one of three things: abort and land softly, change the scope,

or change the timeline. Knowing that can help you manage

expectations, keep stakeholders happy, and ultimately save

(and make) more money. Don’t be afraid of making hard de-

cisions about cutting features or asking for more time. It will

save you stress in the long run.

Jam

es T

hom

pson

13

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 13 16/10/2013 04:02:02 p.m.

On my professional journey, I have learned largely

by trial and error, and by mirroring those I most

admire. When I started managing my fi rst affi liate

program in 2005, degree programs that taught you the in’s

and out’s didn’t exist. After 8 years in the industry, I wanted

to share some of the most important things I have learned

that I have also been able to apply to other areas of my life.

Don’t Make Rash Decisions Without Examining Data

The proof is absolutely in the numbers. Conversion

rate down? Analyze individual click data to determine if one

partner is the culprit. Revenue down? Confi rm that tracking

is working as expected and that your top partners aren’t

promoting expired promotions. Always turn to your data to

confi rm opinions as fact before jumping to conclusions.

Change is the Only ConstantJust when you have found your groove, your weekly and

monthly schedules are mapped out; revenue is on the rise

and…BAM! A new product launches, your channel suddenly

has to save the entire online revenue forecast for the quar-

ter or there is talk of a new site launch. Change will happen.

It will never be at a great time and you must be willing to

adapt and stay fl exible.

Relationships are Valuable Beyond Measure

I am still in regular contact with the very boss that hired

me to look after my fi rst affi liate program. I have made thou-

Kim Salvino is Director of Publisher Development for Chateau 20.

What Managing Affi liate

ProgramsHas Taught Me

by Kim Salvino

sands of valuable contacts through this industry. Be kind

and do what you say you will do and folks will never forget it.

Your reputation will always precede you and in a day where

everyone can Google you, be sure that the only trail you

leave is a positive one. Treat folks the way you want to be

treated and you will accumulate a long list of contacts you

can trust.

Education is Mandatory, But Degrees and Fancy Titles are Not

Don’t discount someone because they don’t have an

impressive sounding degree or a top notch title. Today’s In-

ternet Marketing Administrator could be tomorrow’s Direc-

tor of Publisher Development. I have found years of experi-

ence to be much more valuable than grad school. Get to

know the person vs. judging them strictly on their LinkedIn

profi le.

When You are Doing What You Love, You Radiate Joy

It’s true. Think of a job you may have held where you

felt underappreciated or “stuck.” You were unhappy in that

environment and when you are unhappy, everyone around

you can tell. When you fi nd your niche and are blessed to

do what you love each day, you are more productive, more

content, a better friend and a better parent.

Kim

Sal

vino

14

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 14 16/10/2013 04:02:04 p.m.

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

I just published a new book, Affi liate Manager Boot Camp:

Recruiting, Educating, and Retaining Affi liates, where I

present a three-step approach for affi liate managers to re-

cruit, educate, and retain affi liates in their affi liate programs.

Drawing on my ten years of experience as an affi liate

manager and my work as an affi liate marketer since 1997,

I reveal a process for cultivating and maintaining relation-

ships with affi liates.

The book describes a method that focuses on quality

over quantity when it comes to affi liates, and it recommends

working side by side with affi liates as valuable partners in a

mutually benefi cial affi liation.

Affi liate Manager Boot Camp: Recruiting, Educating,

and Retaining Affi liates is not about the other nuts and bolts

of starting and running an affi liate program.

You won’t learn about policing affi liates, setting budgets

and projections, determining commission rates, etc.

It’s all about recruiting, educating, and retaining affi li-

ates for a strong affi liate program.

My process is based on one important thing, which is

that affi liate marketing is all about relationships.

You want to have affi liates you can trust representing

your brand. That means you should know each affi liate in

your affi liate program and have an ongoing dialogue with

them.

Sure, you’ll get some affi liates who apply to your affi liate

program organically through exposure in an affi liate net-

work, but it is your responsibility to actively recruit the affi li-

Process for Recruiting, Educating, and RetainingAffi liates by Shawn Collins

ates you think will be the best fi t for your company.

And, just like I was doing way back when, you should

treat them like your sales team.

That means you provide them with the educational ma-

terials they need to best promote you; and you also focus

on retaining them, because it’s a whole lot easier to keep

the affi liates you have than it is to replace them.

You should be recruiting all the time so that your base

of quality affi liates continues to grow.

Please read through my tactics, but don’t stop there.

Apply them, too.

Affi liate Manager Boot Camp: Recruiting, Educating,

and Retaining Affi liates is available in paperback and on

Kindle at Amazon.com.

Shaw

n Co

llins

15

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 15 16/10/2013 04:02:05 p.m.

By the time you read this, the Federal Communication

Commission’s (FCC) deadline will have passed, one

which requires telemarketers to obtain consumers’

prior written consent before using autodialed technology

and/or prerecorded messages to contact them.

Eff ective October 16, 2013, the FCC’s newest Telephone

Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regulations are unques-

tionably the most encompassing and perilous changes af-

fecting the telemarketing and lead generation industries in

recent memory.

Unlike many other statutes, where a consumer may

only recover proven damages, the TCPA sets forth auto-

matic damages per call/message ranging from $500.00 to

$1,500.00. No specifi c or actual damages must be proven

by the consumer. Considering that telemarketing cam-

paigns often involve thousands to, in some cases, millions,

of calls/text messages, potential TCPA damages may esca-

late very quickly.

Due to the large potential payday, TCPA lawsuits are

up 40-60% in 2013, compared to the same period in 2012.

Perhaps even more worrisome are the settlement amounts

that defendants are willing to pay to avoid litigation.

For instance, in two unrelated class action lawsuits this

year, Papa John’s and Domino’s agreed to pay up to $16 mil-

lion and $9.75 million, respectively, to settle TCPA cases.

Likewise, Steve Madden, Ltd. settled a TCPA class action

for up to $10 million for texts sent to consumers through

a third-party advertiser. These are but a few examples of

TCPA settlements that have occurred in the past several

months. Obviously, the best way to avoid liability is to make

a concerted eff ort to understand and comply with the TC-

PA’s new requirements.

Since October 16, 2013, prior express written consent

has been required for all marketing calls/texts made to cell

phones using autodialed technology and/or pre-recorded

messages. Additionally, prior express written consent is re-

quired for pre-recorded marketing calls made to residential

landlines.

The FCC has made clear that complying with the E-SIGN

Act satisfi es the “written” requirement, meaning that elec-

tronic or digital forms of signature are acceptable.

Courts have strictly interpreted, and in some cases ex-

panded the plain meaning of, the TCPA in order to fi nd tele-

marketers liable. There are two crucial aspects of the TCPA

that should concern marketers: the TCPA defi nition of “auto-

dialer” and the language used to obtain consumer consent.

The FCC has expansively interpreted the term “autodial-

er” and courts have found telemarketers liable for contact-

ing consumers through systems that have the ‘capacity’ to

make automated calls, even if the call was placed by a live

person and the automated features of the system were not

used.

Consumer TCPA consent must be unambiguous, mean-

ing that the telemarketer must provide “clear and conspicu-

ous disclosures” that the consumer will receive calls that

deliver autodialed and/or pre-recorded telemarketing mes-

sages to the number(s) provided by the consumer and that

consent is not a condition of purchase.

It is advised that telemarketers consult with an attorney

to construct proper TCPA consent language. The new TCPA

requirements impose unprecedented burdens on telemar-

keters, which shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Did You Prepare for FCC’s TCPA

Deadline?by David O. Klein

David O. Klein is the managing partner of the law fi rm, Klein Moynihan Turco LLP.

Dav

id O

. Kle

in

16

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 16 16/10/2013 04:02:05 p.m.

Lyndsie Ezell is the Director of Public Relations at Clickbooth.

If you are exhibiting at a conference, it is likely that you

are among hundreds of other exhibitors. There are many

ways to increase your brand’s exposure beyond your

booth, for every budget, that will help you stand out over

all the rest.

Be Seen & HeardBe a speaker at the conference. By stepping onstage

and sharing your knowledge, you are seen as an expert in

the industry. This is not just an opportunity for industry

leaders or senior executives. With the right topic and pitch,

both you and your company can benefi t from the network-

ing and exposure that comes from a speaking position. Best

of all, it’s free. If there isn’t an open call application process,

reach out to your conference sales manager and ask how

you can be considered.

Get Sweet SwagThis sounds simple and obvious, but it’s not about

having items; it is about having items that stand out. Know

your audience and appeal to not only their needs, but

their unique personality traits, as well. These are the items

people will keep and use. Don’t let your swag end up in the

dumpster. When selecting your show items, ask yourself

what makes it better than your competitors. If you can’t

come up with a solid answer, move onto something else.

Boost Booth Traffi c Most conferences have sponsorships available and of-

fer options for every budget. Biggest is not always best. Do

Ways to Increase Your Conference ROI

by Lyndsie Ezell

not throw money at a sponsorship. Refl ect on your confer-

ence goals and select an option that best fi ts your brand’s

needs. Don’t feel limited to the options they have to off er. If

you have a great idea, talk to the organizers about it. Keep in

mind that the purpose is to drive attendees to your booth.

Bring Your Brand to LifeThink about getting a mascot. This can be costly up

front, but consider the return on investment. At a confer-

ence a mascot is the equivalent of a walking billboard, pro-

moting your brand throughout the exhibit hall. This will give

you exposure beyond your booth. When people stop to

take pictures with your mascot, ask them to tag or tweet the

photo at you. This will expand your reach and increase your

presence at no additional cost to you.

Make 24/7 Your 9-5In the affi liate marketing industry, the show does not

end when the exhibit hall closes. You have a limited amount

of time to get in front of clients and are competing with hun-

dreds of companies in the exhibit hall. Use “after hours” as

an opportunity for extra exposure and networking by host-

ing or sponsoring a networking event/party.

If you are spending money exhibiting at a conference,

consider some of the items listed above to maximize your

exposure. This will not only make you stand out over your

competitors, but can potentially yield a higher return on

your conference investment in the long run.

5

Lynd

sie

Ezel

l

17

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 17 16/10/2013 04:02:09 p.m.

A lternatives to the typical affi liate marketing rela-

tionship, such as referral programs, MLM (Multi-

Level-Marketing), and sub-affi liate arrangements

can be useful tools for brands to gain new customers.

These systems often have lower barriers to entry than tra-

ditional affi liate networks, and can quickly introduce fresh

traffi c and incremental revenue.

However, because these systems are so open and fl ex-

ible, they can also be manipulated by black hats, exposing

brands to abuse.

Fewer Hurdles Mean More Potential Threats

Although affi liate networks are not immune to exploits,

such as brand bidding and ad hijacking, they do provide

some valuable measures to mitigate these issues. Compli-

ance teams, affi liate approval processes, reports, and com-

mission reversals all contribute to accountability.

Alternative systems, on the other hand, do not usually

provide these layers of security. There are few, if any, ways

to appropriately vet or check up on your pseudo-affi liates.

They are essentially anonymous—making it easier for them

to hide, obscure their tactics, or mislead a brand.

Refer-a-Friend ProgramsWho makes a better spokesman than a loyal customer?

By rewarding your biggest fans for speaking up about your

brand, you can stimulate some valuable gains in traffi c and

revenue. But do you know how your brand ambassadors

are getting the word out? Unfortunately, if your referral pro-

gram uses special URLs to assign your rewards (as many

do), a good portion of this traffi c could be generated by PPC

trademark poaching. A black hat simply has to locate their

The Marketing Manager at BrandVerity, Sam informs the industry on how to prevent brand abuse.

When Specialty LinksGo Wrong

by Sam Engel

unique link identifi er and then bid on some of your branded

keywords to get started.

MLM (Multi-Level-Marketing) ScenariosSome brands’ reward systems even go to the lengths of

off ering customizable landing pages or personalized stores.

These allow your brand representatives to take their refer-

rals to the next level, adding some of their own personality

and salesmanship to the visitor experience. Complete with

vanity subdomains or some other unique identifi er in their

URL structure, these systems can be gamed in a similar

fashion. Furthermore, MLM systems may be more likely to

award cash, rather than discounts or account credits, put-

ting them at additional risk.

Sub-Affi liate RelationshipsTransparency can be a real challenge in these systems.

While a sub-affi liate can usually be added with a simple URL

parameter, the brand will have little visibility into or control

over how its sub-affi liates drive traffi c. This makes it easy for

a sub-affi liate to run PPC traffi c through its unique link. Even

though the fi rst-tier affi liate may still be complying with the

brand’s policies, brand abuse can still proliferate.

ConclusionUnfortunately, the available data makes it hard to dis-

tinguish brand poaching from successful marketing. And

without the recourse of turning to the network for these

issues, the onus falls entirely on the brand to monitor and

police such promotions.

So if you run any of the programs above, we recom-

mend putting some eff ort into evaluating whether they’re

truly adding value. By starting with some manual searches

for your branded keywords, you can at least identify any ob-

vious examples of abuse.

Sam

Eng

el

18

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 18 16/10/2013 04:02:10 p.m.

Jesse Morgan, Affi liate Marketing Manager for Magazines.com, the largest magazine subscription agency online.

Managing an established affi liate program can

be a challenge. Day-to-day responsibilities can

be overwhelming, not to mention the daily and

monthly test of exceeding the sales numbers of the previ-

ous year.

While all affi liate programs are managed diff erently,

promoted diff erently, and have diff erent goals, the common

denominator for each is revenue. After all, it’s unimagina-

ble to think of a program or entrepreneur out there that

doesn’t ask, “How can I grow sales?”

As bosses and major stakeholders continue to demand

year-over-year growth, consistently delivering and exceed-

ing expectations is more important than ever. To do this,

there are a number of proven strategies that can help boost

your sales and manage both top-line and bottom-line rev-

enue.

Most importantly, your strategy should be tailored to

your brand and product’s unique needs. First, start by hav-

ing a strategy in place. If you have not outlined a plan or

identifi ed goals, your program will more than likely not sur-

vive long-term.

With the strategy in place, the next step is to determine

how you will measure the outcomes of your actions. Identify

the key revenue drivers (clicks, AOV, conversion, items per

order, etc. .) and forecast revenue based on performance

trends.

Start with your products. Promoting the right products

and managing your program for profi t can change the tra-

jectory and success of your eCommerce site. If a certain

Size Matters:Proven Strategies to Grow Sales by Jesse Morgan

product sells better than another, fi gure out if it’s the prod-

uct or how it’s being promoted. Most products have dif-

ferent margins so doing your homework to fi nd out what

products generate more revenue than others.

Once you have determined what is profi table, present

the best off ers and sales message in all sales channels. It’s

also a great idea to test diff erent wording and creative to de-

termine what resonates best with your shoppers. You may

fi nd out “save over” verses “save up to” messaging is more

successful in terms of driving clicks and revenue. Best ad-

vice here is to test, test, and test.

Another way to maximize your overall program perfor-

mance is to segment paid commissions at levels based on

incremental value. By segmenting, you can pay out diff er-

ently for publishers who are really driving the sale. This can

be tricky and requires click path data not available in every

affi liate network. If you have Google Analytics in place, this

is a good place to start.

In summary, bottom-line wins, but you want to drive

top-line revenue. With a strategy outlined, revenue drivers

evaluated, outcome measurements determined, attribu-

tion mapped out and premium marketing promotions iden-

tifi ed, you will be taking the most important steps to set up

your affi liate program for long-term success.

Jess

e M

orga

n

19

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 19 16/10/2013 04:02:11 p.m.

Available in paperback and Kindle – exclusively at Amazon.com

ff24_full.indb 20 16/10/2013 04:02:11 p.m.

Rachel Hirsch is a Senior Associate at Ifrah PLLC, a law fi rm in Washington, D.C.

We all have heard of the term “affi liate marketing.”

Unfortunately, the term affi liate can be easily

misunderstood, generating confusion and sce-

narios that are neither rewarding nor fun. Maybe the time

has arrived to rethink the use of the term “affi liate.”

In simple terms, affi liate marketing is simply a type of

performance-based marketing in which a merchant busi-

ness rewards one or more of its affi liates for customers

generated by that affi liate’s marketing eff orts.

Although the term “affi liate” is commonly-used in the In-

ternet marketing industry, the term “affi liate” has an entirely

diff erent meaning in other contexts, which can spell trouble

for all parties. Indeed, in other contexts, the term connotes

a legal relationship between two businesses.

In typical legal parlance, affi liates are organizations or

individuals that control each other or that are controlled by

a third party. Control may consist of, among other things,

shared management or employment and common use of

facilities, equipment, and employees. One consequence of

affi liate relationships in business is that merchants can of-

ten be on the hook for the conduct of their affi liates and

vice versa.

It should come as no surprise that astute plaintiff s’

lawyers are always on the lookout to reach the assets of

a parent company in the event of misconduct by one of its

affi liate entities. To the extent that the business relationship

is not obvious, courts, as part of litigation, often require

companies to fi le corporate disclosure forms identifying any

parent or affi liated corporations.

Taking The “Affi liate” Out of Affi liate Marketingby Rachel Hirsch

In the Internet marketing industry, advertisers and net-

works certainly do not want to be exposed to legal liability

for an affi liate marketer’s misconduct, nor does an affi liate

want to be on the hook for the quality or effi ciency of the

merchant’s product. And this is exactly where the Federal

Trade Commission, among others, appears to be headed.

And these circumstances are not merely confi ned to in-

stances where the advertiser or network is encouraging the

misconduct.

So what happens, for example, when a network is

subjected to liability due to the actions of a rogue affi liate?

Should a network be liable for an affi liate who has gone off

the beaten path, despite the network’s internal compliance

procedures?

Logically speaking, the answers to those questions

should be “no.” But because of the traditional use of the

term affi liate, staff attorneys at the FTC and motivated plain-

tiff s’ attorneys may be all too willing to answer that question

in the affi rmative. I have personally witnessed the look of

confusion on an opponent’s face when trying to explain why

a network is not the same entity as its affi liates or vice versa

and why imposing liability on one for the action of the other

is not logical under the circumstances.

While the best evidence of the distinct relationships is

often found in the network’s contractual agreement with its

affi liates and the course of conduct between the parties,

perhaps an even better solution to defi ning the network-

affi liate relationship is taking the “affi liate” out of the term

affi liate marketing. “Publisher” marketing, anybody?

Rach

el H

irsc

h

21

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 21 16/10/2013 04:02:12 p.m.

Jordan is the Director of Online Marketing for Alliance Health Networks, Inc.

What do my cholesterol, Miley Cyrus, and digital

health marketing all have in common? They are

all on the rise and gaining momentum whether

you want them to be or not.

If you haven’t been involved in the online health verti-

cal, or even if you have, here are fi ve things that you should

know:

1. Health Management is EvolvingThe dynamic of how a consumer manages their health

is evolving, and consumers are demanding more transpar-

ency and choice. For this reason, consumers are looking to

connect with brands, device manufacturers, and doctors

through digital channels now more than ever. While some

companies have been slow to adopt emerging technologies

initially, there are many are who fi nally embracing the need

to change the status quo of communicating with patients.

2. Compliance is ParamountIn some industries, you may get a slap on the wrist if

you violate rules and regulations. However, within the health

space there are often no second chances, so you have to

play by the rules. Recent changes with HIPAA (Health Insur-

ance Portability and Accountability Act) and Medicare have

required more consumer transparency, and more explicit

consumer consent to be contacted and by what entity.

3. Chronic Health Conditions are Growing Chronic health conditions are on the rise, and consum-

ers need real solutions to deal with their health issues. For

example, the number of diabetics is projected to double, if

not triple, by the year 2050 according to the CDC (Center for

Disease Control). That would mean that nearly 1 in 3 adults

would suff er from diabetes—the numbers are staggering

and the need for solutions will only increase.

4. Health Issues are EmotionalThis may sound cliché, but health issues are something

people have a passion about—tap into that emotion. Every-

one has either dealt with health issues at some point, or

knows someone who has struggled with health issues. As

a marketer, if you can help someone cope with something

as serious as a health condition, you really begin to make an

impact and add value.

5. Patients Need a Voice

Patients need a platform where they can interact with

other individuals who are like-minded, and understand

their daily struggles. It is human nature to want to belong,

and dealing with health challenges is no diff erent. Increas-

ingly, social media is being leveraged as a tool for people to

support one another and talk about challenges, treatment

options, as well as to simply fi nd a friend who understands.

While obnoxious pop stars and their 15 minutes of fame

may come and go, and while I may fi nd the will power to put

down the doughnut and get on a treadmill to get rid of a few

pounds, health issues are not going away. Now is the time

to get involved and start the critical conversations.

Things to Know About Health

Marketingby Jordan Barker

5Jord

an B

arke

r

22

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 22 16/10/2013 04:02:14 p.m.

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

Do you love Affi liate Summit? We’ve got a way for you

to show it, and we’ll bring you out to Las Vegas for

Affi liate Summit West 2014 if you take us up on this

opportunity.

Get an Affi liate Summit tattoo, and we’ll provide you

with an All Access pass to Affi liate Summit West 2014; as

well as coach air; 3 nights at the Paris Las Vegas; and dinner

with Affi liate Summit co-founders, Missy Ward and Shawn

Collins, on the night of Monday, January 13, 2014.

Some terms from our lawyer about this special tattoo

arrangement…

» You are 18 years old or older.

» Your tattoo will be 1) based on the Affi liate Summit

logo, an example of which can be found at affi liatesum-

mit.com/images/bestlogo.jpg, 2) placed in an area of

the body that can be exposed in a non-off ensive man-

ner, and 3) permanent.

» All tattoo designs must be approved by Affi liate Sum-

mit in advance.

» You are responsible for purchasing your tattoo.

» You release Affi liate Summit, to the fullest extent per-

mitted by law, from any liability whatsoever, for all

claims or causes of action you may have for personal

injury or otherwise, including any direct or consequen-

tial damages, which result from your obtaining a tattoo

to participate in this promotion.

Would You Get Affi liate Summit Ink?by Shawn Collins

» You release all rights to any photographs taken of you

and the tattoo by or on behalf of Affi liate Summit, and

you give consent in advance to their reproduction in

print or electronic form.

» Affi liate Summit may exclude or reject participants in

its sole discretion.

» This promotion is void where prohibited by law.

This opportunity is open through November 30, 2013.

Contact Affi liate Summit at affi liatesummit.com/contact

with any questions.

Affi liate Summit West 2014 is taking place on January

12-14, 2014 at Paris Las Vegas.

23

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 23 16/10/2013 04:02:17 p.m.

Did you know that your Advertiser Representatives’

and Business Development employees’ could be

your fi rst defense in creative and landing page

compliance?

Here is a quick guide to help you and your employees

review landing pages.

Truth in Advertising:Everything that constitutes the creative must be true.

A good example is saving money on a product or service:

“Save 70%” vs. “Save up to 70%”. A company cannot guaran-

tee that each consumer will save 70%, but it can guarantee

that each consumer can save up to 70%. The advertiser is

not giving a specifi c amount of saving; instead the adver-

tiser is giving a broader statement to ensure compliance.

As Seen on TV or Radio:Has it really been on TV or Radio? Do some research

to make sure your campaign is compliant and has actually

been seen on TV or radio. If you are advertising a similar

product, and not an EXACT one, as the products shown on

TV or promoted on the radio, then your campaign should

not reference As Seen on TV or Radio. This falls in Truth in

Advertising as noted above.

Logos:Logos can only be used with prior written approval from

the company. Pulling a logo from the WallStreet Journal, FTC,

FDA, etc. cannot be used without consent from their right-

ful owner. If prior written approval is not obtained, the logo

must be removed from the site immediately.

Testimonials:The testimonials used must be from real individuals and

a notifi cation to the respective individual is required prior

to using their quote. Advertisers should provide an affi davit

stating a testimonial/quote can be used and is legitimate.

Ninfa Cabello is Director of Business Development at Madrivo Media, LLC.

Who is yourFirst Defense in

Compliance?by Ninfa Cabello

Rebilling/Continuity:All rebilling and continuity programs need to be fully

disclosed and not hidden. This also falls in Truth and Adver-

tising as noted above.

Shipping and Handling:Shipping and Handling (S&H) must be easily visible on

the creative or the landing page. S&H must be visibly pres-

ent ABOVE the submit button. This falls in Truth and Adver-

tising as noted above.

From and Subject Lines:From lines must be relevant to the site you are mail-

ing on behalf of. The actual site (domain name) is preferred.

This falls in Truth and Advertising as noted above.

Subject lines must be true and they must have as little

embellishments as possible. They must accurately identify

the content in the advertisement.

Privacy Link:The Privacy link must be working. Personally, I do not

read the privacy language, as this is provided by the adver-

tisers’ legal department; I just make sure there is a privacy

link that is working.

Ad Solicitation:Make sure that it is disclosed somewhere on the adver-

tisement that the message is identifi ed as an ad. I normally

see “This is an advertisement” or “This is a solicitation”.

Opt-Out:The Opt-Out link must be working and must also in-

clude a physical address to unsubscribe from.

Please share this checklist to your employees to as-

sist in compliance. Your employees are your fi rst defense

in keeping your creatives and landing pages compliant..

Nin

fa C

abel

lo

24

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 24 16/10/2013 04:02:18 p.m.

Zac Johnson is an entrepreneur with over 17 years in internet marketing and branding.

When I fi rst started making money online over 17

years ago, I knew affi liate marketing was going

to be huge. Back in the mid to late 90s when I

fi rst got introduced to the world of affi liate marketing, it was

still fairly new.

Amazon.com had their affi liate program, but there

weren’t many other ad networks or affi liate programs out

there to choose from. The growth of the internet and af-

fi liate marketing has been massive over the years, and if

you are an affi liate marketer, your earnings have probably

increased with it... but has your brand?

A common trend that we are seeing in online marketing

right now is that successful affi liate marketers are leaving

the concept of “just being an affi liate” and moving on to be-

come their own brands and companies. This is something I

did back in 2007 when I decided to launch my blog at Zac-

Johnson.com.

Since launching the blog, my business and name recog-

nition have increased in immeasurable multiples. Without

even focusing on the revenue and business made through

the blog, the opportunities of getting my name out there

and becoming an authority fi gure in the affi liate space has

been quite amazing.

Through the blog I’ve had the opportunity to be a key-

note speaker in Australia, travel the world and speak at dif-

ferent conferences, appear on Fox News and ABC News,

and launch my own book.

Bottom line... you need to start building a brand of your

own!

It’s about time you stopped making someone else rich

through your talents and eff orts and started to build a

brand that grows with you. Affi liate marketing is awesome,

and you can still use it to make a good amount of money,

but the whole concept of jumping from ad campaign to ad

campaign and sending someone else all of your data and

customers is fl awed.

It’s a great opportunity and legitimate business model,

but you are limited on your reach and may always be reliant

on the success and failure of your next ad campaign.

Starting a brand of your own is extremely easy and you

can get started right now. All it takes is setting up a few so-

cial network profi les, grabbing a domain name (preferably

your real name or company name) and throwing WordPress

on your site to create a blog. Blogging is one of the best

ways to get your name out there, as it will grow with content

over time and allow other people to follow your journey and

connect with you in the process.

Start your branding process today and think about

where you could be in a year from now.

Zac

John

son

Why You Must Build Your Own Brandby Zac Johnson

25

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 25 16/10/2013 04:02:20 p.m.

ff24_full.indb 26 16/10/2013 04:02:22 p.m.

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

Sunday, August 18, 2013 was the fi rst day of Affi liate

Summit East 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention

Center.

Registration check-in and set-up for the Meet Market

kicked off the day at 8:00 AM.

I gave my First Timers Orientation for Affi liate Sum-

mit East 2013 session at 10:00 AM, and I was glad to see a

packed crowd of folks eager to learn how to optimize their

time at the conference.

This was followed by sixteen breakout sessions

throughout the day that covered affi liate programs, blog-

ging, affi liate management, mobile, legal, video, SEO, social

media, and more topics.

Affi liate Summit East 2013 Recap by Shawn Collins

The Meet Market opened at noon and ran through 6:00

PM with a steady stream of attendees meeting with the

table exhibitors.

During the day, exhibitors built out their booths in the

exhibit hall for Monday and Tuesday.

The day wrapped up with Emcee Wade Tonkin leading

a series of Elevator Pitches, where attendees could get be-

hind the microphone and share what sorts of people they

were trying to meet at the conference.

This was followed by the Newcomer Program meetup,

and then everybody heading out for their Affi liate Summit

evening plans.

27

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 27 16/10/2013 04:02:28 p.m.

It was fun to see so many of the attendees sharing pic-

tures on social media of their cheesesteaks and visits to the

Rocky stairs.

Monday, August 19, 2013 was the second day of Affi liate

Summit East 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center

in Philadelphia.

The day started with a tasty breakfast for VIP and All Ac-

cess pass holders, followed by some brief announcements

from Affi liate Summit East 2013 Emcee, Wade Tonkin.

Then there was an inspiring keynote address from Dr.

Randal Pinkett, Founder, Chairman and CEO of BCT Part-

ners.

I might be a little biased, but my favorite slide was one

where Dr. Pinkett featured pictures of a bunch of diff erent

entrepreneurs and talked about how none were individu-

als – they were all teams. Among the teams featured were

Missy Ward and me. :)

The exhibit hall opened on day 2 and thousands of af-

fi liate marketers came together for a full day of networking.

In addition to all of the business talk in the exhibit hall,

there were also educational sessions throughout the day at

Affi liate Summit East 2013.

And we had a Philadelphia themed lunch complete with

cheesesteaks, hoagies, soft pretzels, and Tastykakes.

After the education sessions, there were a series of Ask

the Experts roundtables, where a number of interactive dis-

cussions were led by industry veterans.

28

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 28 16/10/2013 04:02:35 p.m.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 was the third and fi nal day of

Affi liate Summit East 2013 at Pennsylvania Convention Cen-

ter in Philadelphia, PA.

The day started with a tasty attendee breakfast, and I

got nice and fueled up on bacon and juice.

This was followed by a power packed keynote from Wil

Reynolds on the changes coming from Google and how af-

fi liate marketers should adapt.

The fi nal day of Affi liate Summit East 2013 also featured

a series of breakout sessions and lots of networking in the

exhibit hall.

The conference closed out with a diff erent sort of key-

note from Rae Hoff man – she talked about things her son

taught her about life and business.

I will neither confi rm nor deny that I got a little teary

eyed.

After Affi liate Summit East 2013 wrapped up, we

brought speakers and some attendees (there was a chance

to get a spot during my First Timers Orientation) from the

conference to enjoy dinner, drinks, networking, and general

goofy times at the Phillies game.

Thank you to everybody who came out to network,

learn and have fun with us – Affi liate Summit East 2013 was

the biggest Affi liate Summit ever with over 4,400 attendees!

If you haven’t heard, we’ll be back in NYC for Affi liate

Summit East 2014 on August 10-12, 2014 at the New York

Marriott Marquis.

29

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 29 16/10/2013 04:02:41 p.m.

Jeremy Coon Is the Director of Sales and Business Development at affi liate tracking leader, LinkTrust.

The early days of online marketing were wild. Entre-

preneurs, eager to take advantage of new technol-

ogy, made a killing overnight with minimal eff ort.

We’ve come a long way since those early days, though.

Innovation, regulation and increasingly web savvy con-

sumers have transformed the industry, requiring marketers

to perfect their strategy and decision making.

Why Big Data? Right at the heart of eff ective strategy is information.

Not the kind of information that comes from a quick glance

at your reports, but the insights you get from watching the

ups and downs of your traffi c and fi nding patterns over a

prolonged period of time.

In the past, the cost and logistics of storing and analyz-

ing that kind of data made it nearly impossible to do so, but

as technology has advanced, so too has our opportunity to

dig deep.

The Big Deal You could stare at stats and graphs for hours, but at

the end of your day you’re no farther ahead. The value with

big data isn’t in the data itself, it’s in the changes you make

through accurate analysis.

Whether you’re trying to uncover what leads to the

highest sales, what makes the perfect affi liate or just who’s

pulling their weight, big data can provide important insight

into things like consumer demographics, behavior and pat-

terns.

As you develop your affi liate program with fact-based

fi ndings, rather than assumptions, you’ll increase effi ciency,

cut costs, and minimize your risk of failure.

Big Data: Making Your Stats

Really Countby Jeremy Coon

Where Do I Get Started?It’s easy to look at something as simple as a click-through

rate and jump to a conclusion about which creatives are

working, but you need more information than that.

Generally speaking there are two kinds of stats:

» Stats that tell you about how the advertisement and

landing page perform

» Stats that tell you about the type of consumer that

wants your product

Successful affi liate marketers use a combination of

both in order to understand what causes a consumer to

buy, as well as the type of traffi c displaying each creative.

Referring URLs, countries, day of the week, time of day,

and even user agents contribute to telling the story of your

target traffi c, and should be used as you design and test

your campaigns.

The next time you take a look at your reports, consider

these tips:

1. Learn what stats you have in front of you, and what

they mean.

2. Take the time to learn Microsoft Excel. It’s a powerful

organization and sorting tool where most reports can

be exported.

3. Analyze the stats surrounding what has worked and

what hasn’t, so you can guide future decisions.

4. If you’re not the advertiser, ask what ongoing information

they would be willing to pass back to you. This will give you

an idea about which consumers are repeat buyers, and

ultimately allow you to trace that back at a deeper level.

5. Don’t be afraid to start your marketing eff orts on a

broad scale and focus your traffi c down as you start

seeing trends.

Jere

my

Coon

30

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 30 16/10/2013 04:02:42 p.m.

Eric Crusius is an attorney that helps affi liate marketers stay out of legal trouble.

I admit it: I like going to court. The rush of adrenaline that

comes whenever I stand up and speak before a jury, a

judge, or a panel of judges is exhilarating; much more so

than my very short, and often remarkably unsuccessful “ca-

reer” in athletics (it took me years to score my fi rst soccer

goal and I was not on defense; after that, it got better).

I enjoy going to court, but I do it for a living. Most of

the time, my clients have a much less enjoyable experience.

This is not because I sneer at them or make them feel bad (I

am known to have a good bench-side manner), but because

they are in court when someone has harmed their business

or they are accused of harming another’s business.

The good news is that there are some basic steps affi li-

ate marketers and networks can take to help insulate them-

selves from legal pitfalls, because, believe it or not, lawsuits

in the affi liate marketing space are not uncommon. Here

they are:

Step #1 - Get real and incorporate: this is more of a help

if you do get sued. If you’re not incorporated, your personal

assets could be at risk. You generally do not need an attor-

ney to do this.

Step #2 – Have contracts with your network or affi liate:

often times misunderstandings can be avoided if the par-

ties know the rules of the road. Also, be sure to read any-

thing before you sign it.

Step #3 – Understand intellectual property rights:

trademarks and copyrights are guarded jealously by their

owners. Any violation will likely result in a demand letter, if

not a lawsuit. These lawsuits can sometimes come with ex-

treme penalties – having to pay the attorneys’ fees for the

7 Ways to Stay Out of Courtby Eric S. Crusius

other party in addition to possible six-fi gure statutory dam-

ages per violation. As such, it is important to understand

what rights you have to use another’s intellectual property

including logos, copy, and pictures. This should hopefully be

explained in a contract.

Step #4 - Know the CAN-SPAM Act: if you send out e-

mails, you are probably required to follow certain rules out-

lined in the Act. There are some attorneys who “troll” for

CAN-SPAM Act violations. The Act’s requirements are pretty

straight forward, so following them is not too diffi cult.

Step #5 – Stay out of the FTC’s crosshairs: marketers

have long been the target of the FTC, and those who engage

in affi liate marketing are no exception. Be sure to avoid us-

ing deceptive formats, false endorsements, or unsubstanti-

ated claims.

Step #6 – Beware of State Attorney’s General: State AGs

often get involved when the FTC will not, and there are 50 of

them. They love getting affi liates over “free trial” claims and

will threaten lawsuits if they are not happy with proposed

resolutions with consumers.

Step #7 – Search yourself: bad reviews on review web-

sites can be deadly. Promptly deal with them.

These steps are not a guarantee, but will help you stay

away from lawsuits. Happy marketing!

Eric

S. C

rusi

us

31

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 31 16/10/2013 04:02:43 p.m.

Affi liate Summit Press, a new publishing arm of Af-

fi liate Summit, has put out the fi rst in a series of

books aimed at the digital marketing space called

Online Shopping is Broken: How to Fix It.

The book is based on short essays from U.S. college

students who answered the question, “What is your biggest

frustration with online shopping and how would you sug-

gest fi xing it?,” in 250-500 words.

The essays were part of a contest from Affi liate Summit,

where we provided ten scholarships of $1,000 each to col-

lege students, based on their essay entries.

Winners were selected by the Affi liate Summit Advisory

Board.

» Kerry Anderson – University of Maryland

» Maria Andrade – Arizona State University

» Julia Anthony – West Chester University

» Andrew Arredondo – University of Utah

» Julia Belsky – Washington University in St. Louis

» Clayton Bradshaw – Tulsa Community College

» Justin Davis – Cowley College

» Jacquelyn D Grammer – Valencia College

» Sanya Lalani – George Mason University

» Andrew Joseph McCarty – Arcadia University

The winning essays, as well as all other submissions, are

listed in this book in alphabetical order by last name.

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

How to Fix Online

Shoppingby Shawn Collins

Shaw

n Co

llins

The book includes the winning entries, as well as the

others that were submitted, which conformed to the mini-

mum or maximum word count.

Online Shopping is Broken: How to Fix It is available in

paperback and on Kindle at Amazon.com.

Keep an eye out for more Affi liate Summit Press books.

32

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 32 16/10/2013 04:02:45 p.m.

As the world’s #1 domain name registrar and #1 hosting provider*, GoDaddy makes it simple for people to get on the Web and successfully accomplish their goals.

ShareASale Welcomes theGoDaddy Affiliate Program!

LAUNCHED!

Why we’re excited: GoDaddy is one of the Internet’s most iconic brands with a worldwide presence and more than 12 million customers. On a philosophical level, both GoDaddy and ShareASale are committed to helping businesses start and grow. We look forward to building a successful partnership.

www.ShareASale.comTo join the GoDaddy Affiliate Program and learn more

about ShareASale visit ShareASale.com/BusinessChicago-based ShareASale is a provider of e-commerce tracking and affiliate management solutions for retailers. By facilitating relationships between affiliate marketers and over 3,900 merchants, ShareASale helps its clients tap into new sources of revenue.

*GoDaddy is the largest worldwide mass-market hosting provider by annual revenue according to 451 Research (Mass-Market Hosting Report-Fall 2012).

ff24_full.indb 3 16/10/2013 04:02:52 p.m.

ff24_full.indb 2 16/10/2013 04:02:52 p.m.

You started the fourth quarter with a game plan, and

things are going right so far, but are you prepared to

call an audible if need be?

Just like in football, you’ll sometimes have to call a sub-

stitute play in business to adjust to sudden changes that

you see. It’s not ideal to have to switch things up to react

to external events, but if you are prepared, you can make

it work for you.

This is a tricky time of year, since it’s the crazy rush for

commerce, and lots of people are off for extended periods

of time for the holidays.

What are you going to do when Muhammad Wilkerson

(obligatory New York Jets reference) knocks your quarter-

back out of the game?

OK, that’s probably not a real scenario for you in par-

ticular, but how about if your server goes down, your site is

hacked, or there is some other time sensitive disaster and

nobody is around to help? How about if you are simply turn-

ing people away, because your site is slow or inaccessible?

Start preparing now for things that might happen, so

you don’t have to pull all-nighters or run away from the

Thanksgiving table to deal with messes.

Here are some tips to fortify your Q4 site off ense…

» Password security: First, change your passwords

now, and make them stronger. Second, be sure you

know all of your passwords, or use a service like Robo-

Form to keep them organized.

» Monitor your site performance: If your site goes

down, you’d better know about it right away. Don’t

Shawn is Co-founder of Affi liate Summit and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine, and blogs at affi liatetip.com.

Editor’s Note

Strengthen Your Q4 Site

Off enseby Shawn Collins

count on other people telling you. Instead, use a com-

pany like Pingdom to alert you immediately, so you can

act on it.

» Invest in quality hosting: Lots of people are tempt-

ed to go with the cheap hosts to save a few bucks, but

at what cost? This tip ties into the previous point about

monitoring your site performance. Basically, if your site

is going down, it’s probably because you have a sub-

par host.

» Speed up your site: People and search engines dis-

like slow sites. But do you even know if you have a slow

site? Check out PageSpeed Insights from Google to fi nd

out what you should fi x to increase the speed that your

site loads.

» Make your site responsive: Your site should be op-

timized for any device out there, whether it’s a mobile

phone, table, or desktop computer. Test it in all of these

environments, and evolve if it’s not responsive. Many

WordPress themes will take care of this.

» Stay on top of updates: If you are using WordPress or

another platform, it’s vital that you update your version

and related fi les as needed, so you can avoid making it

easy for creeps to sneak in the back door and cause

mischief.

Taking these steps should help to preserve some san-

ity, and to make it easier in the event you have to call an au-

dible. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare,

you are preparing to fail.”

Shaw

n Co

llins

2

· Issue 24 · October 2013

ff24_full.indb 2 16/10/2013 04:01:41 p.m.