[dennismantic]

Hey all,

I own a personalized doormat company. I can pay somewhere around $10-$15 per action, which would be a completed sale.

I'm looking for someone to manage the program. Their job would be to provide the software and reporting for tracking. They would also have affiliate resources - established affiliates ready to post my ads.

On my end, I have deep resources for the development of all landing page copy, content, and graphics. I can also provide assets like banners, etc.

There is no salary or start-up fee available. The money available is from the commission after a sale. After a short time when this individual proves their worth, I'd be happy to provide money in escrow.

[Julian]

It could take a while for affiliate sales to start coming in, but the affiliate manager will not get paid until that happens?

Good luck.

[knight01]

Dennis,
I presume you didn't find anyone acceptable on the link I posted in the thread you started here? http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=115664

Unfortunately, you are asking for people to contact you without leaving any contact information and since you don't have p.m. or email privileges yet they can't reach out to you.

It sounds like a neat product, but until you reach out to the people that can help you, you aren't getting anywhere with it.

[loxly]

Since you don't have a program at all yet, and it takes 6-12 months to start making money with a program you really need to budget for a consultant to get you up and running first.

You can't get commissions until you get affiliates, you can't get affiliates until you have a program, you don't have a program until someone sets it up. Just making sure you are aware of the steps. Affiliate programs aren't turnkey and they start making income immediately.

[Jorge - JRami]

Their job would be to provide the software and reporting for trackingConsultants usually do not provide the software or tracking reporting, for that you will need to start on a network first.

[loxly]

My post was aimed at paying a consultant to help with choosing a network or tracking solution. Jorge is correct, a consultant does not provide the software or tracking as part of their services. They recommend software or network tracking for the merchant to contract with.

[2busy]

Many OPMs will provide a free consultation, this is not the same as working for free. They will let you know how it works, what you need to know to get started. There are many on this forum that you can feel free to contact, but I don't think you'll find a knowledgeable professional to work for some future commission. As anything else, you get what you pay for.

[dennismantic]

Thanks everyone. I didn't want to sound reluctant to pay someone something up front before the sales come in. I'll play by the rules. But there don't really seem to be rules! BTW - I'll turn the IM on.

When I started this search, I found affiliate-type sites listing 1000s of offers -these offers were websites similar to mine. These listings showed what that site owner offers as a payout, for what action, and even what software they use. When I visited these offers/sites, I scratched my head. They were really crappy, sub-par websites. Yet, these guys obviously have an affiliate program running.

I suppose these are just "out there". That doesn't mean that any affiliates have picked them up, right?

So the question is, who is posting these availble offers for affiliates to pick up? The site owner themselves, with simple-in house software to manage affiliates? I'm not really interested in that. I don't want to have to hunt for affiliates myself.

Thus, there is perhaps another party involved, providing the software for the advertiser, exposure for the program to attract affiliates, and finally, providing the affiliates themselves.

As with most commissioned sales, I just assumed somebody would take a look at my site/products, and say "OK, looks good. We'll do it for $10 per action." This person would already have software - I'd put a pixel on my site. I'd deliver pro banners and art - and they'd push it out to their affiliates. The affiliates run the ad, and everyone makes money. I've heard from a few folks that any consultation or set up fees are usually levied at newbies who assume they must pay, when that's not the case.

Also, if there were setup or other up-front fees needed, then I'd have to offer a lower commission rate. What good does that do anyone? I want this deal to be wildly successful where I pay higher and higher commission rates because I know the "system" will generate X number of proven sales.

I'm new to this, but if someone has a roster of 100 affiliates, and they have the software - why couldn't I get on board with them in an afternoon? Then they tell all their affiliates about this new offer, and a bunch pick it up. Voila! I've got affiliate ads running the next day. After a few weeks and they've made money, word spreads that it' a good deal. More affiliates pick it up.

If this is not how it works, what am I missing?

[knight01]

If this is not how it works, what am I missing?
Everything. Really, I'm trying to help but I think I'm going to move on after this post. You can't turn on the i.m.'s, they are only available after 250 quality posts. You need to go back to the link I provided in the other thread of the outsource program managers and contact a few of them. Tell them who you are and what you'd like to do, they can talk you through the process of getting a program started. Many do it at no charge. Until you've talked with them, don't do anything else, I'm not being mean, I'm trying to help, you need to get some basic information before you go any further.

[2busy]

That's not how it works. Only in ebooks and dreams. In the real world you can just dump your program on a network and wait for stuff to happen. Some of the stuff will be sales, other stuff not so good. That's why the suggestion to use a program manager to help you get started and train you to 'run it yourself'. There are many very good affiliates and there are some not so good that might not do things you would want them doing if you knew about it - and why you wouldn't want things done that way. For long term success you need some experienced advice or you can learn things yourself the slow, hard, expensive way. Another reason is that to attract the really good affiliates it takes more than commission, you need an understanding of how it works so that your program is a really good one and not one of the many crappy programs surrounding great products. There is a learning curve to doing it right and paying upfront for the learning can pay off in long term success of your program. I'm an affiliate, I look for the best programs to work with so I'm not working my buns off for nothing. Affiliates presumably can sell anything but not if the program is mismanaged.

[Geno Prussakov]

That's not how it works. Only in ebooks and dreams. In the real world you can just dump your program on a network and wait for stuff to happen. Some of the stuff will be sales, other stuff not so good. That's why the suggestion to use a program manager to help you get started and train you to 'run it yourself'...Amen to that. :yes:

Dennis, as Jorge has mentioned above, "consultants usually do not provide the software or tracking reporting," and an affiliate network would be the best way for you to start the affiliate program.

Debblie (aka loxly) is also right about it normally taking time "to start making money with a program," and not every consultant may be willing to work with you on your no-escrow and commission-only conditions.

Your product sounds interesting, and I would be happy to see if I could be of any help. If interested, drop me a line, and I'll provide you with a free consultation, and possibly options of how we could work together.

Geno

[2busy]

Let me know when its ready, I'd like to sell those products :)

[Chuck Hamrick]

dennismantic, setup an account at ClickBank, add the pixel and come back in two weeks. Tell us what you find out. If you want to really get the word out put several $100 in an AdWord campaign for personalized doormat affiliate program. Its that simple!

[socialguy]

dennis,

did you ever get up and running?