The Best And Worst Of Affiliate Marketing

Well that’s me back at the coal face after spending much of July and August away from it. And I can honestly say, it’s good to be back!

It’s not that I don’t do any work over the Summer. I just do a lot less. And that gives me the opportunity to unwind, relax and come back firing on all cylinders.

I’ve decided to devote more of my time to developing my affiliate marketing earnings and there’s no time like the present to get started what with the Christmas buying season fast approaching.

I’ve also been really inspired by the Buyagift affiliate incentive 2009 which will see eight lucky affiliates whisked off to either Monaco, the Arctic or California. The good news is that it won’t be just the super affiliates out there who will get to go. Best new affiliate, most improved affiliate and other categories will all send someone on what can surely be described as a trip of a lifetime.

It’s fantastic to see a merchant offering such an amazing prize to affiliates and it’s in sharp contrast to how others treat affiliates.

Here’s an example. On the 6th of August, I was sent an email to say that a merchant’s affiliate network manager had left a voicemail message for me. I was on holiday at the time so didn’t see the email or hear the voicemail. When I did get around to reading the email I found another one in my inbox dated the 13th of August saying that because I hadn’t replied to the first email I had been removed from the merchant’s affiliate program.

Now how many people are on holiday in August? Did it not cross this manager’s mind that I might be away? And how many other affiliates were also away that week and found themselves booted off the program.

I pointed this out to the manager in an email sent a week ago. Since I have not had a reply to date I will not be reapplying as suggested. In fact I will never work with that network again.

And if I do manage to win one of the eight seats aboard the Buyagift incentive 2009 bus I’ll make sure I send the affiliate network manager who booted me off that other program a postcard.

Ps For those who have asked, I didn’t think it fair to name and shame either the merchant (nothing directly to do with them and I’m now working with them on another network) or indeed the network (one employee does not a bad network make and others may have more positive experiences).