Posts Tagged ‘affiliate marketing’

Mar. 16, 2010 – While Amazon.com moved swiftly last week to halt its business relationships with affiliate marketers in Colorado, ClickBank officials vowed to continue to work with affiliate marketers located in the company’s home state despite a new law that taxes affiliates’ sales.

Amazon terminated its marketing affiliate program in Colorado just eight days after a new law took effect that will tax affiliate sales. In what was viewed as a surprise move by some of the estimated 4,000 online affiliate marketers in the state, Amazon distributed a letter to affiliates saying the company would immediately cease doing business with them because of the new tax law.

But ClickBank, a global online retailer headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., says it has no intention of terminating relationships with affiliates or discontinuing its longstanding policy of collecting and remitting taxes to the appropriate tax authorities in various domestic and international jurisdictions.

“We will continue to honor our agreements with affiliates in Colorado and all other states in the U.S., and will continue collecting and remitting taxes in compliance with the new laws affecting affiliate sales,” said Dush Ramachandran, ClickBank vice president of sales and business development.

Jan. 14, 2010 – The most promising growth strategies for affiliate marketers in Europe will be the topic of discussion for ClickBank’s Dush Ramachandran, vice president of sales and business development, at Affiliate Summit West 2010, Jan. 17-19 in Las Vegas.

Drawing from his experience working with more than 22,000 affiliate marketers in Europe, Ramachandran will speak about “CPA Affiliate Marketing Opportunities in Europe.” Joining him for this panel discussion will be Jim Banks, CEO of Global Direct Media, James Little of AffiliateFuture, and Matthew Wood, managing director and founder of Existem. The discussion will be held on Monday, January 18, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Tropical room of the Rio Hotel & Casino Convention Center.

Overseeing sales operations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Ramachandran is frequently invited to speak at the largest and most prominent national and international affiliate marketing meetings. He serves on the advisory boards of Affiliate Summit and Affilicon, its international counterpart.

ClickBank has drawn top vendors and affiliate marketers from around the globe since 1998. To date, the company has paid out the equivalent of €1 billion in commissions.

Ramachandran draws expertise from working with 110,000 affiliate marketers worldwide

Dush Ramachandran, vice president of sales, marketing and business development for ClickBank, a top online retailer, will talk about the most promising growth strategies for affiliate marketers in the United States and Europe at two major affiliate marketing conferences coming up in December and January.

Participating in the Super Affiliate track at the Affiliate Convention in Los Angeles on Dec. 3-4, Ramachandran will moderate a panel on the latest tips and techniques for super affiliates. He also will speak about best-practice growth strategies for affiliate marketers, along with fellow panelists Rosalind Gardner, author of the Super Affiliate Handbook, and Brian Norgard, vice president of the Fox Advertising Network.

ClickBank is widely considered to be a leader in national and international affiliate marketing with more than 110,000 active affiliate marketers working with the company to market its products and drive sales to an average of 26,000 transactions per day. Ramachandran is on the front lines of ClickBank sales and affiliate marketing efforts on a daily basis.

At Affiliate Summit West 2010 in Las Vegas, Jan. 17-19, Ramachandran will speak about “CPA Affiliate Marketing Opportunities in Europe.” Joining him for this panel discussion will Jim Banks, CEO of Global Direct Media, James Little of AffiliateFuture, and Matthew Wood, managing director and founder of Existem.

“Both of these conferences represent excellent learning and networking opportunities for affiliate marketers,” Ramachandran said. “Using real-life case studies, I’ll demonstrate how affiliate marketers can promote products most effectively in U.S. and European markets.”

With a roster of more than 22,000 affiliate marketers in Europe, roughly 18 percent of ClickBank’s 2009 global annual sales have occurred in the European marketplace. Ramachandran, who frequently is invited to speak at the largest and most prestigious national and international affiliate marketing meetings, serves on the advisory boards of Affiliate Summit and Affilicon, its international counterpart.

Ramachandran joined ClickBank in 2005. He is responsible for ClickBank’s sales and marketing activities and alliances with affiliate and vendor organizations worldwide. Ramachandran has held executive leadership positions with domestic and international firms such as Requisite Technology, Conceptual Technologies, Computervision Corp., Prime Computer, Inc. and Datapoint Corp. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore University, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management.

Posted by: Nathan Hangen, Guest Blogger

I need to get something out of the way…I am a Twitter fanatic. In fact, it would come as no surprise to me if my wife was spending every free minute she has in order to learn how to become a hacker so that she could take it down and have her husband back (I’m really not that bad, but you get the idea).

So considering that fact that I spend a lot of my time learning how to master the art of Twitter marketing and that I’ve even created my own Twitter products, what I am about to say might be a little too close to the bone…even for me.

However, the truth is the truth and if we try to hide from it, then we end up dying because of it. And here it is:

99% of the affiliate marketers on Twitter have zero idea how to market correctly.

Furthermore, many of those that don’t get it are teaching new users how not to get it too, leading to a cycle of spam, crappy auto-DM’s, and accounts that get suspended or marked as spam before they have even had a chance to flourish.

So, what are they doing, and why are they doing it? Let’s tackle the former first.

1. If you want to sell an affiliate product on Twitter, you cannot expect to be able to do it in 140 characters, and yet, that’s what many marketers try to do. Their Twitter streams are filled with blatant sales pitches, so much so that you start to wonder if there is a real person behind the curtain.

Look, if I don’t know who you are, I don’t know where you are linking to, and I don’t see anything but pitches in your Twitter stream, then I am not going to click through. If I do, if you get lucky, you will see me hit the back button before the page even finishes loading.

2. You cannot take over someone’s DM’s (Direct Messages) and have them send out spam on your behalf. Aside from the fact that it is extremely annoying, it takes advantage of people that don’t know any better. You are actually hurting your customer in the process. Hit-and-run business tactics are shameful and will not help you in the long run.

3. Creating a product that only teaches people how to make money on Twitter by promoting your “make money on Twitter” product is, well, just sad. Sure, you might make a few bucks, but what does that get you? Again, it is this type of short term thinking that turns Twitter into a madhouse and creates an environment where marketers are no longer trusted. At that point, you’ve ruined it for all of us. Thanks.

4. Perhaps the most blatant offender is the reply spammer, which is relatively new to the scene. These people reply to popular Twitter users with an affiliate link, and try to trick people into clicking. These reply spammers also try to trick the popular person’s followers, because at first glance, it looks like the Tweet is coming from them. Considering most of these tweets look identical, I simply click the block button and move on. Get blocked often enough and you’ll be suspended. Good luck getting your account back.

So Why Are They Doing It?

1. Most affiliate marketers on Twitter are doing this because they are too lazy to learn how to effectively sell affiliate products. You shouldn’t try to sell someone in a PPC ad; you bring them to your sales page so that your sales letter can do the selling. It’s the same with Twitter. To do this, though, you’ve got to be relevant, which means that not everything you say can be a sales pitch. When it is, though, it has to address the needs of your list. Sending out blanket replies just doesn’t work.

2. Sadly, many people buy systems that tell them that these methods work. To make matters worse, many of them use viral friend adders that help them get recognition and more marketers promoting their products. Eventually, regardless of how faulty the system is, it spreads like wildfire. Everyone gets caught, no one wins.

3. They aren’t interested in helping people. The last category is comprised of marketers that use the same tactics in other venues. They use software to generate new accounts by the dozens, so they don’t care if they get suspended. They aren’t interested in helping people…they simply want to make an easy buck.

So How Do You Sell on Twitter?

I’ve written about this extensively because it is a matter that I am extremely passionate about. I am tired of shady marketers ruining it for everyone and more importantly, I’m tired of seeing new people get taken advantage of.

So here’s the truth:

If you want to sell on Twitter, you have to build relationships and create targeted lists based on interests. Once you learn how to build these networks (which really is easy to do), you can link to relevant affiliate offers without having to worry about getting unfollowed or blocked. The key is to let the content, not a Tweet, do the selling. If everything you say on Twitter is a pitch of some sort, it won’t work. However, if you learn to be relevant and helpful, your random pitch will not only be noticed, but will be appreciated.

People love to buy…we love to consume great content. However, we have to be warmed up before we do it. On social networks, it’s the relationships that sell, not the message. It’s really up to you, though. You can spam people and make a quick buck (maybe), or you can build credibility and build a successful business. In my opinion, taking the latter route is much more efficient.

About the Author: Nathan Hangen writes about web entrepreneurship at NathanHangen.com, and about how to use social media to fuel your brand at Making It Social . Follow him on Twitter @nhangen.

Posted by: Beau Blackwell, Community Manager

ClickBank VP Dush Ramachandran recently wrote an article for DMNews.com discussing the possibility of upcoming Federal Trade Commission regulations on the affiliate marketing and blogging industries, and gives some thoughts about the possible outcomes. Be sure to check it out, as this topic is likely to affect everyone involved in affiliate marketing and blogging very soon.

Posted by: Beau Blackwell, Community Manager

Several times over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked what advice I would give to affiliate marketers who are just starting out and trying to learn the ropes. During my time at ClickBank, I’ve seen many affiliates go from knowing very little about what they should be doing to being extraordinarily successful. While every affiliate’s path to success will be different, as I’ll explain below, there are several general pieces of advice that I think can benefit every affiliate marketer. I hope they’ll be useful in helping you on your journey to affiliate marketing success.

• Treat affiliate marketing as your job- I can’t stress this point enough. While the ultimate goal of most affiliate marketers is to eventually make enough money to only have to work an hour or two a day (and there are many who do), one key to starting off well in affiliate marketing is to work as hard as you would at any other job. The most successful affiliate marketers start out by putting in long hours and doing lots of work on their promotional efforts, both in studying effective methods and actually putting them into practice. If you work 8 hours a day doing affiliate marketing, you’re going to be successful a lot sooner than if you only work 1 or 2 hours a day. Even if you’re doing affiliate marketing part-time, the more time you spend on it, the more successful you’re likely to be.
• Do what you’re good at- Affiliate marketing takes a lot of work, but one of the best parts of being an affiliate marketer is the freedom to choose how and when you work, what products you want to promote, etc. One of the best ways to avoid burnout, especially when you’re not yet making good money, is to choose promotional techniques that fit your personal style. Not everyone is a great writer, or even enjoys writing. If this describes you, you’re probably better off avoiding article marketing, which requires you to write large quantities of high-quality content. If you’re not the most social person and prefer anonymity, you probably won’t enjoy social media marketing very much. Since one of the main reasons for doing affiliate marketing is so you can work how you want to work, it’s important to figure out what suits your style and personality. Your work will be better, and you’ll be more willing to stick with it, if you’re enjoying yourself.
• Recognize that there are many ways to succeed as an affiliate- Since many new affiliates start out by reading books or following programs created by affiliate marketing experts, they think that these techniques may be the only way to make a lot of money and do well in the business. I’ve met many successful affiliates, and they’ve gotten to where they are today by many different paths. What works for one affiliate may not work at all for another, and there are always new tools, techniques, product niches, etc, being developed that can completely change the affiliate marketing game. Never be afraid to branch out on your own or try a crazy idea that you think just might work. Don’t be afraid to fail, because when you make mistakes you’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t, making you more successful in the long run. There’s a lot to learn in the business, so the sooner you start making mistakes, the sooner you’ll start learning what works!

Besides this advice, I recommend reading our Help Center article Affiliate Dos and Don’ts, which offers some more specific advice for working with ClickBank and how to avoid common mistakes.

I’d also like to welcome comments from experienced affiliate marketers who have advice to share with beginners and can offer some encouragement or guidance. Please share your advice by leaving a comment!

Global leader called on to address international affiliate marketing trends

Broomfield, Colo. - (May 19, 2009) – After recently being cited by Entrepreneur.com as one of the companies leading the pack in affiliate marketing, ClickBank says the company has joined a list of global industry giants that will share industry insight with nearly 1,500 attendees at Affilicon Israel, June 1-2 in Airport City, Israel.

Dush Ramachandran, ClickBank’s vice president of sales, marketing and business development, will take part in a panel discussion on international affiliate marketing and will be the featured speaker at another conference session entitled “Digital Product Marketing.”

Ramachandran said a variety of global topics and trends will be addressed. “All of which will focus on helping affiliate marketers move their businesses forward,” he said.

As part of the panel on international affiliate marketing, Ramachandran will discuss opportunities available to affiliates who want to take advantage of the growing global market in Internet commerce. During “Digital Product Marketing” he will explore in detail the benefits of marketing digital products versus physical products, drawing heavily upon his experience in working with some of the largest and most successful affiliates and vendors in the industry.

Affilicon, considered the source for affiliate marketing thought leadership and industry expertise, holds several annual conferences considered to be the premier must-attend events for marketing affiliates, exhibitors and online merchants. For more information on Affilicon Israel, visit the conference web site here.

MSNBC and Entrepreneur.com posted an article highlighting affiliate marketing as a great way to make money online, and ClickBank was mentioned as one of the best affiliate networks and digital marketplaces to work with.

This is another great example of how affiliate marketing is becoming more mainstream all the time, and is being recognized as a great way for creative entrepreneurs to succeed online.

The article also has some good tips for beginner affiliate marketers on how to get started and the various ways you can make money. It’s worth a look if you’re still learning the ropes.

6 Easy Ways to Make Money Online- MSNBC.com

Gideon Shalwick of Become a Blogger has created a very useful video showing beginning ClickBank affiliates how Hoplinks work, and how to add them to posts or pages using the popular blogging platform Wordpress. If you’re looking for a new way to promote ClickBank products, this video can help you start using a blog to expand your promotional efforts.

If you’ve wanted to create your own blog but weren’t sure how to get started, Become a Blogger’s tutorial videos will walk you through every step of the blog creation process. Be sure to check them out!

Posted by: Terra Goeres, Manager- Client Account Management

In my conversations with clients, I have found that most people search the Marketplace using the default “Sort by” option, Popularity. Popularity is determined by a publisher’s net sales over a recent timeframe and also rewards publishers who have many affiliates promoting them.

While popularity is a useful measure of a product’s earning potential for you as the affiliate, there are many advantages to using the other “Sort by” options available in the Marketplace as well.

High Gravity: Sort by ‘High Gravity’ if you are looking for products that have a proven track record for converting well. Gravity refers to the number of affiliates who have earned a commission by promoting a particular publisher’s product(s). Therefore, if a publisher has a high gravity score, it means that the publisher has lots of affiliates earning money by promoting their product. This, in turn, should be an indicator to you that the product sells well. The downside to promoting products with a high gravity score is that you will encounter lots of competition in promoting it.

Low Gravity: If you are looking for hidden gems and want to be one of the first to market with a product promotion, sort your Marketplace search by “Low Gravity.” This is a bit of a high risk/high reward option. Low gravity means little competition from other affiliates, so you may be able to spend less time and money promoting that product than with a high gravity product. If the product converts well, you can win big as one of the only affiliates promoting it. This is the high reward side.

However, low gravity also means that the product either hasn’t been tested by many other affiliates or has been tested by affiliates and hasn’t converted well. Either way, it’s possible that you could be spending your time and ad dollars on a product that doesn’t sell. That’s the high risk side of Low Gravity.

$ Earned/Sale: This is a great option for people who know they need to make a minimum amount of money on each sale in order to be profitable. If you know about how much you’re going to spend on promotion for each sale you earn, you can sort by $Earned/Sale and only promote products whose payout meets your minimum threshold for profitability. For example, if you know you are going to spend about $10 in advertising per sale, you may choose to only promote products that pay at least $20 per sale.

% Earned/Sale: This is similar to $ Earned/Sale, but it ranks publishers according to the commission percentage they offer on each sale. If you are looking for publishers that give a high percentage of the sale to affiliates, sorting by % Earned/Sale is your best option.

Future $ and Total $/Sale: Are you interested in earning recurring revenue from a single sale? Then subscription products are for you. Sort by either Future $ or Total $/Sale to find products that bill customers at regular intervals, such as bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually. The higher the dollar amount, the more money affiliates earn from that product, on average.

% Referred: This “Sort by” option tells you the percentage of a publisher’s sales that are referred by affiliates. A high %Referred likely means that the publisher is established and has had time to grow their affiliate base. It also indicates that affiliates stick with the product once they start promoting.

Each “Sort by” option offers a different picture of ClickBank publishers and offers affiliates different ways to find great new products to promote. Try experimenting with different types of searches, and you could find the product that’s a perfect fit for your affiliate business!