Now I always talk about the importance of having a relationship with your affiliate manager, and how it’s a MAJOR key to success as an affiliate.
And that’s true.
However, you need to have a clear picture of what YOU want to accomplish and what your goals are. The affiliate manager’s goal is to have you produce as much revenue as possible for their offers, and they’ll tell you whatever it takes to make sure this is your goals too.
If you fall for that line you’re dead in the water.
Let’s do a reality check:
- Your affiliate manager does NOT care if your profit margin on your offer is 5%, they get paid on the gross revenues you produce.
- They don’t care if you spend 80 hrs a week as an affiliate day trader, as long as your bringing in the sales.
- What’s worst, they’ll offer you a donut if you accomplish their goal for them, that is if you bring in the most revenue.
What do I mean by donut? I mean an incentive, reward, bonus, whatever you want to call it. You may be offered a monthly gift certificate, vacation package, a car, if you’re one of the top affiliates for their offer.
I ‘ve chased after my share of donuts, and I’m tell you right now it’s a big mistake.
The fact is for most affiliate offers there’s a cost of diminishing returns for becoming the top affiliate (and getting the donuts). Becoming the top affiliate for an offer through ppc almost always means sacrificing ROI and considerably increasing your time investment in maintaining your affiliate campaign.
If you’ve taken my advice and opted for the steady but solid approach to building a million dollar affiliate money machine then you have to ask yourself this question :
Are you going to STOP building a million dollar affiliate business to go for the donut?!?
If you’re in this business to get a pat on the back from your affiliate manager, telling you how great you are, then go for the stupid donut. But if you have a clear vision of what type of affiliate business you want to create, then put on blinders and focus ONLY on that which will help you create that business.
Are YOU chasing after donuts or totally focused and committed to building the business of your dreams?
Good point, Amit. Reading this post I agree with you and it made me remember a post you made a few months ago about one of those donuts. I think you got an Alaskan cruise trip as a reward for nearly doubling your conversions on a competitive offer. Looking back, did that donut stop you from doing more profitable work?
Well said Amit! I’ve been guilty of donut chasing on more than one occasion. I don’t know if it’s my ego getting in the way of my judgment or the false hope of ROI riding parallel with my revenue.
Just like you said, you reach a point with many programs where you simply can’t do more volume without sacrificing profit.
Your common sense advice is very helpful to affiliates at all levels. Keep it up.
Best,
Jeremy
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