[WebFreedom]

Hi All,

I've been presented with a rather unique opportunity, and I'm hoping that those that read and post in this forum may be able to provide some knowledgeable input. I'm an existing affiliate of a contextual-advertising service (similar to Google AdSense), and I recently discovered that this company's headquarters is about two miles from my house! I've had an opportunity to interact with the company's owner, and he has asked me if I would be willing to do some work for him in an Affiliate Manager capacity.

I'm very interested in pursuing this opportunity, but here's the challenge: I have absolutely NO experience as an Affiliate Manager, and this company has NEVER HAD an Affiliate Manager. So, in essence, we're both kind of "flying blind". The owner and I have discussed various ideas about how to begin, and he's made it clear that he wants me to start with tasks that don't require access to his systems and business records, to test the waters before giving me "the keys to the Ferrari" (his expression :biggrin: ). He's willing to compensate me for my time and effort, and provided things go well, we can move forward to bigger and better things.

Having said all that, here are the tasks with which I've been charged:

1. List company with all available Affiliate Marketing directories and forums.
2. List company with all available SEO forums.
3. Create and submit articles promoting company to article directories.
4. Create and submit time-sensitive, targeted press releases to news services.

And now, at long last, my questions: :eye-poppi

1. Are there any industry-standard measureables or deliverables assoiciated with these tasks?
2. Are there any industry-standard methods of tracking such measureables and deliverables?
3. Are there any guidelines regarding compensation for this type of work in general, or for these tasks in particular?
4. Can anyone recommend a comprehensive listing (or listings) of affiliate directories, SEO forums, article directories, and/or news services?

Thanks in advance for any input provided. :)

Sam

[7-days]

I'd suggest Andy Rodriguez's Affiliate Manager Certification class coming up in April. http://www.andyrodriguez.com/Affiliate-Manager-Certification-Miami-05.html

[Geno Prussakov]

What Ron said.

Geno

[Neil]

what Geno said, that ron said
Neil

[Leader]

1. List company with all available Affiliate Marketing directories and forums.
2. List company with all available SEO forums.
3. Create and submit articles promoting company to article directories.
4. Create and submit time-sensitive, targeted press releases to news services.He calls THAT "Affiliate Management?!?"

Just "listing" a company somewhere is public awareness. But it's not managing anything, except maybe a publicity campaign.

I'd be wary of that co. 's employment deal if I was you. Those sound like string-along duties.

AM = things like: Approving/disapproving affiliates. Letting affiliates know what's happening with the product line: What's on sale, what sales are over, product stock updates, etc. Making sure the feed and any other tech stuff of that type actually is happening and working okay. Talking to any chatty types that sign up. Making sure payments are going out okay (you'll catch the heat if they're not going out okay--so you would want to be able to do something about it unless you like to get hollered at for things you can't change!).

Initial screening of affiliates, and ongoing compliance checking.

Some affiliates want clues, hints on how to sell, and product information. You'd be the one they'd ask about your program. You'll need to have a clue before you can give out any.

Promoting the program is *part of* the position, but the "listing the program with X" type stuff you mentioned would be just grunt work, IMO. If you were being the "public face" of the program, that'd be better--but any yumph can go and submit the details to aff. directories...

If he's willing to pay the high fees I see mentioned for "real AMs" then by all means, start submitting! But if it's the "$5.50-or-so and we'll see what happens from there" crud I'm suspecting...probably best to pass on it, get the skills needed for a REAL AM j*b, and go for one that is the real deal from the start.

[WebFreedom]

Hi All,

Thanks very much for taking to time to respond and provide input.

Ron, Geno, and Neil,

Thanks for letting me know about the Affiliate Manager Certification class - I checked out the details on Andy's page, and it definitely looks like something I'd be interested in attending. Since it doesn't take place until April, I'm hoping to find some resources and/or guidelines in the meantime, as outlined in my questions. If any of you could provide any resources or guidelines that I could access now, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not looking for anyone to do the research work for me, but rather steer me in the right direction so I can do it myself. Based on the number of posts each of you have contributed to this forum, I'm hoping that you may know of an area (or areas) where I could get answers. I've already conducted extensive research via the search engines and my Internet Marketing contacts, but thus far I've been unable to find any information specific to the questions I've asked.

Leader,

I appreciated the flavor of your post, and I think you make some very valid points. I don't think "the owner" would describe what he wants me to do as Affiliate Management - rather, he wants to find out what I'm all about before sharing any proprietary information with me. I've only been an affiliate of his company for about a month, so he doesn't really know me very well - and, by the same token, I don't know him very well, either. If it weren't for the proximity of our locations, and the fact that we work very well together, I don't think any of this would be happening.

We've only loosely discussed compensation at this point, but the numbers we've kicked around are significantly more than $5.50/hour. (Like four times more.) My only real concern (and you indirectly addressed this in your post) is that he may be expecting quick and significant results. I know from experience in my own business that posting to directories and forums can take some time before generating a return. In addition, he's given me so little to work with that I'm not sure what type of return to expect. These are the main reasons I'm looking for some guidance as to what can (and should) be expected as an ROI on these actions.

We have discussed almost all of the AM duties you mentioned (and some we haven't, so thank you again), but he is viewing these as "down the road" opportunities once we've established some sort of track record. As for now, I'm only charged with bringing new affiliates into the fold, and I will not be responsible for anything concerning the existing affiliate base.

If you have any additional thoughts based on this information, please let me know - I'm interested in anything that may help me put a program (albeit small) together that's both realistic and quantifiable. And thanks again for taking the time to respond. :)

Sam

[Kevin]

Good luck if you pursue it, Sam. Keep your guard up :)